Shackelton Auctions - Springfield
Shackelton Auctions started in 1956 with Les Shackelton clerking livestock auctions. In 1958 Les made the journey to Indiana to become properly qualified at the Reppert School of Auctioneering. In the early 1960’s Les and his brother Ken started Ontarios first farm equipment consignment auction, that auction was held on Les’s farm. Today, that annual farm consignment auction has grown to include large dealer inventory reductions and registering over 2000 buyers! Some of the largest farm equipment retirement auctions Ontario has seen are conducted right here. Shackelton Auctions supports the farming industry and illustrates the importance of the agricultural business to Malahide Township by having this service right in our own backyard.
In the late 1960’s Les was doing some antique and furniture auctions as well and decided it was time to have his own building and yard to conduct the annual farm equipment consignment auctions as well to house the furniture auctions. He purchased the Martin school house and began holding auctions there. Auctions were not the only thing Les had on the go, he had livestock, farmed the land as well as trucking livestock to and from the livestock auctions that he was selling at. None of this could be accomplished without the constant support of his wife Dorothy and a young family.
Les’s oldest son John attended the same auction school as Les had in 1971. John follows in his fathers footsteps selling several livestock auctions per week as well as numerous farm equipment, real estate, & furniture auctions.
Shackelton Auctions had become a very busy and successful family business with all family members helping in some capacity as well as farming 100’s of acres and feeding livestock. Gary, the youngest son became involved as an auctioneer in 1983. John now has 2 sons in the business full time after they attended the same Indiana auction school of their father and grandfather. Now well into its 3rd generation with 5 auctioneers and a large family & friend staff we have seen many changes over the years, from having to drive the advertisements to the newspapers, to faxing, to emailing and now to live internet bidding bidding for some auctions!
The quilt block, “Dresden Plate”, represents the numerous amount of china that has been auctioned off in this converted rural school house over the decades.
