Sale yards are a cornerstone of Australian agriculture and rural tourism — the smell of lanolin-coated wool and the chipper “hut-hut, hey-hey” of livestock agents are experiences familiar to locals and novel to visitors. The auctions have been a staple in the industry for generations, a place for both socializing and business, but their prevalence and ways of operation may have to change as a result of a COVID-19 push online.
“Looking at the computer and clicking a button isn’t as exciting, is it?” asks Graham Coleman, a farmer and a former sheep yard employee from Jamestown, South Australia.
Coleman hasn’t purchased sheep from a sale yard in four years because he says there’s more variety in the online market, but he misses the days when he would travel across Australia to attend auctions. …
Here’s why military Bronies think there’s a prominent crossover between the two communities
The target demographic of the “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” show was originally kids ages 2 to 11. However, after the show aired in 2010, it unexpectedly fueled the Bronies, a predominantly adult male fandom with members who connect over their love for the brand’s cartoon show, toys and merchandise. Out of the general Bronies community, with a Facebook group boasting more than 44,000 likes, came a different and equally surprising subcommunity: military Bronies.
Military Bronies make up a significant portion of the Bronies community, with a Facebook following of more than 9,000 followers and 9% of Bronies self-reporting as military in the 2014 Herd Census, which surveyed 21,686 Bronies. An Air Force class even dedicated their official patch to the show with “Little Pilot” threaded in pink, and other soldiers have donned patches of Rainbow Dash, a character on the show. …
Members of the Brony community share how their online and offline relationships will continue long after the show’s final season
When many people think of My Little Pony, they think of commercials from their childhood in which young girls comb the hair of plastic, multi-colored ponies. They may even be able to hum the theme song: “My Little Pony, My Little Pony. What is friendship all about?” …
About
