CANNELBURG — Thousands of people from around the nation — around 10,000 to be exact — will gather here next week for one of the biggest annual events in Daviess County, the annual fall horse, carriage and antique auction at Dinky’s Auction Center.
“Next week, an interesting group of people from 30 to 40 states will come to see some of the finest draft horses in the world sold,” said facility owner Jerry Fuhs of French Lick. “Hotel rooms will be very hard to find.”
Tuesday will feature antiques, tack, wooden wagons and other small items, and Wednesday will offer tack, horse drawn machinery and garden plows. These auctions start at 8 each morning.
Then, draft and other horses will sell Thursday at 8:30 a.m. and Friday at 9 a.m. after the horse pull at 7.
John Lengacher established Dinky’s in 1995 when he saw a need in the community for a place for locals to sell their wares. He sold the building to Fuhs four years ago because of family issues, but Southern Indiana Auction Company board, made up of about a half dozen Daviess County residents, manages auctions at the building with a blend of both the Amish and English worlds, said security manager Jim Saul.
Dinky’s serves as an outlet for local farmers and entrepreneurs every Friday night when the auction center is not being used for the huge spring and fall sales of horses, farm equipment and antiques, said Fuhs.
This Friday, Dinky’s 10 auction rings were selling wares from lawn mowers to mums to farm animals. Even on a regular Friday, the center attracts people from outside the area.
David Skaggs o Heltonville bought two pygmy goats for $50. As his children took the goats back to their seats in the small animal ring, he said he has been coming a long way to Dinky’s.
“We’ve been coming for the last year,” Skaggs said.
As for his children, young Tristen Skaggs was happy to have the goats.
Around the corner, past the beds, was the furniture ring, where John and Becky Conway, Petersburg, bought a curio cabinet. John was cutting the cabinet in half to fit it in his truck.
“We will put in our basement,” Becky Conway said. They are Dinky’s regulars during reasonable weather.
Mike Murphy is one vendor who has depended on Dinky’s to sell his NASCAR and NFL memorabilia, among other items, at the auction for the past three years.
“Every Friday,” Murphy said. “I like coming here.”
With 50,000 square feet of auction space and 17 acres of parking, the center brings a lot of “incremental dollars” to these local vendors and provides Friday night entertainment for more than 4,000 people each week.
“Dinky’s has been growing substantially in the last four years,” said Fuhs. “We want to see Dinky’s continue in its original purpose as a marketplace for local goods.”
Just as importantly, Dinky’s brings money in to hotels, restaurants and stores buyers frequent while they’re here, especially for the big spring and fall auctions. And, unlike rumors might say, the auction service plans to keep making that impact for a long time, said Fuhs and Saul.
The rumor that Dinky’s was closing became public last month during a budget hearing for the Daviess County Council. Council member Dave Smith heard the rumor and asked about it while discussing the future of CR 900E.
In the future, said Saul, Dinky’s wants to become more involved in the community, using the building on more than just Friday nights and for more than just auctions — maybe for charitable food or toy drives.
“Dinky’s has a tremendous impact not just in Daviess County, but in surrounding counties,” said Saul. “I don’t know if (another) industry would hire enough people, bring in enough traffic to equal the impact of the auction service.”
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Photo by Nate Smith
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Dinky's preparing for horse sale
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