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The purpose-built auction centre and rural hub, located just off junction 24 of the M5, is ideally positioned to service buyers and vendors from across the south west peninsula and beyond.

Providing a more convenient location, on a regional scale, after the original livestock markets of Highbridge and Taunton had outgrown their town centre locations, Sedgemoor Auction Centre soon established itself as a leading sales environment and rural hub, with on-site facilities strengthening the historic links to the local community.

Sedgemoor has been operated and partner managed by Greenslade Taylor Hunt (GTH) since opening its doors in 2008, while remaining under the ownership of the Mead family, operating as landlords.

The original driving force behind the move to the new site, alongside the associated business centre at junction 24, was pioneering farmer and businessman, the late Derek Mead.

Robert Venner, GTH partner and auctioneer at Sedgemoor Auction Centre, says: "If it was not for the determination, vision and sheer bloody-mindedness of Derek, this rural hub would not be here today."

Today, the popular Saturday sale makes it one of the largest one-day markets in the country. The market can comfortably offer 100 dairy cattle, 800 store cattle, 300 stirks, 400 calves, 1,500 store lambs, 1,500 cull ewes, 250 breeding sheep and 100 pigs on the same day.

These numbers are regularly topped, with on-site lairage supporting a commitment to animal welfare.

New developments

As with many other marts during the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Sedgemoor introduced online auctions and bidding, still today proving a popular service for those unable to attend on a sales day.

Robert says: "We have also been working on Bovine EID trials and are often at the forefront of new developments, working with Defra and other partners before they are rolled out to a wider audience."

Health and safety

The health and safety of staff and visitors is also given the highest priority.

Robert says: "While we have embraced the Livestock Auctioneers' Association's excellent MartSafe training initiative, ensuring we are operating to the highest standards of health and safety and animal welfare, we have in fact provided our own in-house drover training and annual refresher courses since we have been here at Sedgemoor."

Next generation

Looking ahead to the future and supporting the succession of the next generation of livestock auctioneers is also key to Sedgemoor's outlook.

Running its own in-house graduate training programme for Rural Enterprise and Land Management graduates, the auction centre provides an opportunity for trainee auctioneers to cut their teeth and sell within a live sales environment.

Robert says: "It is important to make sure there will be a good team of auctioneers to ensure liveweight sales are available for farmers to use for future generations to come.

"We are humbled to have been nominated and to receive this award. It reflects the whole team and how everyone works together on behalf of vendors and buyers alike, and also the founding principles led by Derek Mead."