"Shireland" auction next weeked

[headsupheelsdown]

Quick PSA. Northern Illinois.

If anyone remembers “Shireland” that you could see from I-90 in Northern Illinois, all contents are being auctioned next weekend. Harnesses (up to a 12 horse hitch), circus wagons, horse trailers, farm equipment, apparently LOTS of huge dragon statues (ha?!?!), suits of armor, soda coolers, sno cone machines, etc, etc. Almburg Auctioneering is handling and has pictures and more info on their facebook page and several youtube videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mb4m7Ec3uU&feature=youtu.be

https://www.facebook.com/AlmburgAuctioneering/?hc_location=ufi

[headsupheelsdown]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQHeg_Lz5m4

[Couture_TB]

Omg. Think I will have to get my Dad to go just so we can see what is there

[Lizrd]

Believe it or not, I used to work there. Dressed up in chainmail and galloped shires through the Enchanted Forest to slay the dragons while trolly rides of people where driving by. I only got bucked off once…but it was a long way down and to this day I wonder what the tourists thought of that knight…

[headsupheelsdown]

Exactly! Should be something to see! There is a flyer that I can’t figure out how to share outside facebook.

[downen]

What a coincidence! Last night my husband and I played cards at a friend’s house right across the street from Shireland! It’s such a dump with the buildings falling apart… so sad. I was commenting on the fact they still hadn’t cleaned all that junk out. Maybe now they are selling everything, they’ll finally clean that property up.

Years ago after Shireland closed, they still had a bunch of horses pastured over there. I’d trailered my little Arab to my friend’s across the street and the whole herd came thundering over to check us out Gotta love those big boys!

What a shame, though, as I understand he bred way too many of those beautiful horses and saturated the market, and I’ve heard many went to auction and who knows where after that.

[headsupheelsdown]

He did try in a very big way to make it a viable attraction. Had it taken off it would have been great fun.

[Lizrd]

The guy was a whackadoo times two. I was a 20-something employee there to work with the horses. He always told me I had too much makeup on. I wore NO makeup. My cheeks were rosy because it was 85 degrees, I had been bathing horse leg feathers all day and I was dressed in chainmail. Go figure! Yes, he was an over breeder and sometimes there were foals that didn’t make it undiscovered in the fields. He loved those horses is a very eccentric way and had so much money he ran the entire town. The farm hands would bring in geldings or stallions to work in the park. They were “broke” by putting a guy on them in the field for 20 minutes and then they would come to us. They were such kind souls - massive and well-mannered. I can’t believe we would handle the stallions without much care. (I am smarter now!) My bragging rights were that I was the only horse worker that lasted the entire summer and into the next.

There is a guy who has a website about the place. You can see my photos here:
http://shireland.tripod.com/random_photos.htm

Here is a video of the trolly ride with dragons. I can’t say with certainty that is me at 1:24 in the video - there were four of us who rotated knight duties.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svN5FdxFj8Y

[headsupheelsdown]

Thanks for sharing, Lizrd!

[Quelah]

Wow, the final been coming a long time end of an era. I’ve had one named FV horse and my main squeeze show horse most likely came from there cause he couldn’t have come from anywhere else. I’ll be positive and say that for all the negatives, Smrt did bring a lot of good horses here, and for that I’m grateful.

[Lizrd]

Yes the FV line really were nice horses. Any ideas what names are on your named horse’s pedigree? I may know some of them. FV Winston was one of the best - he was a grey. I do believe that many of Smrt’s horses were structurally sound and their temperaments were top notch. His main barn manager knew his stuff about drafts, harnesses, driving, the works. I thoroughly enjoyed working with all of his great, big horses. I have such a soft spot in my heart now for drafties. They were so kind, so generous and so darn easy on the eyes. My favorite job was standing in the Q & A booth. We would put a gorgeous red and white running braid in a horse’s mane and we would get to take the most affectionate, quiet geldings down to the crowd. My favorite was “Ted.” He ate up the attention, praise and kind words as if they were sugar cubes. A gal at my current barn has a Thorough-shire and I am in love with him. Impressive, well built and great movement in the dressage ring. I agree, Quelah, while Mr. Smrt had his eccentricities, he did love those horses and did bring some great Shire blood to America.

[Brynn]

We had FV Oliver at a farm I used to work at in VA. He was only there for a breeding season, then was given back to the owner. I do know several years after, he was rescued from a auction and then had to be euthanized because his feet were horrible.

[Lizrd]

Sad about FV Oliver. I do not believe I knew him but I think I may have heard his story online. These big guys need soft landing spots.

[goodhors]

Brochure looks pretty wonderful, just that we can’t use draft size harness or carriages. Always fun to look, just kind of far to run down for me. Martin Auction is working with the Almburg Auction folks, according to the listing in the newest Martin brochure I got Tuesday.

Always some odd and wonderful things to see or buy at these farm sales. Hope the stuff gets spread far and wide, into better homes. Having a dragon in the front paddock would be fun! At least it would be good for directions to finding your house, “Driveway is beside the dragon on the road”. Ha ha, that would be so funny! Who needs a house number?

Anyone who goes should come back with stories, prices things sold for so we can do “Wish I went!”

[2horseygirls]

You can search Shireland on Facebook, and see many people’s photos from preview days and today. DH went over because we thought maybe we’d have a shot at one or more of the fiberglass horses. DH got there at 8:10 and people were already inside.

Some of the horses went for $1700+. The dragons went for $2-3000. The wagons, trailers, etc. are up Saturday. He said there were license plates from all over the US and Canada. Love this one!

Mr. Smrt may have started out with the best intentions for propagating the breed, but the 5-10 years have not been kind to the remaining horses. There don’t appear to be any remaining in the property, and he (and subsequently his son) have been in constant contact with local and national equine humane organizations.

[Quelah]

Lzard my named horse was Fox Valley Marzipan, my first Shire actually. She was Edingale Mascot/Bodernog Ambassador, as many were. Her mother, Edingale Lady Marina was imported by the Andersons from Canada who then sold her to Smrt. An exquisite mare in type, just small, as was my mare. She was also a little hot with the Mascot dingbat factor sometimes

The man who imported the bulk of Smrt’s horses for him is a dear friend of mine and I had the honor of taking a buying trip to England with him a few years ago. Oh what a time we had!

[roseymare]

I completely forgot about this auction! oh well stuck here at work anyway…

[The_Tin_Man]

I drove all the way out there a decade ago to pluck up on of their “Crossbreds” that was in a herd of yearlings they “liquidated” to the auction guys. He stood two TB stallions. Made a bunch of 1/2 shire TB and 3/4 shire TB crosses. Mine was out of FV Stella. The TB stallion was JC “Harbor Guard”, a big boned 17h grey. I still have him today, best Shire cross I’ve ever seen!

[goodhors]

Did anyone go and get to bring anything home?