AN EQUINE event that dates back generations took place at Chagford’s grass market yesterday (Thursday, October 8).

More than 400 Dartmoor hill ponies went under the auctioneer’s hammer in the First Chagford Drift Sale at the historic venue.

The traditional autumn rounding-up and auction of the wild moorland ponies has been taking place for centuries, as a way of both managing and preserving the breed.

The sale at Chagford Market has been managed by Rendells since the company came into being in 1812.

Auctioneer Jonathan Bell from Rendells’ Chagford office said: “We’ve had an outstanding number of entries this year. We’ve filled up so quickly that we’ve put in an additional sale date, two weeks later, on October 22”