It’s graduation time, when the thoughts of UC Davis students turn to mortarboards, diplomas, lead ropes, curry combs, halters and the auction ring.

At least that’s the focus for some students in the Department of Animal Science, as they prepare for the UC Davis Horse Barn’s annual production sale. Proceeds from the event support the department’s Equine Teaching Program, in which students learn how to handle and train weanlings and yearlings, as well as provide care for mares and foals before and after birth.

Stepping into the auction ring on Saturday, June 19, will be 16 horses and mules up for auction in the 2010 production sale, which will be held at the Horse Barn on La Rue Road, across from Meyer Hall. The sale will begin at 3:30 p.m. and is open to potential buyers and the general public.

A preview of the sale animals will start at 3:30 p.m. A barbecue is set to begin at 4:30 p.m., and the auction begins at 6 p.m. The horse and mule auction is conducted live, followed by a silent auction of donated items.

Nine of the horses and four mules, all weanlings and yearlings, were bred, raised and trained on campus, with students doing the training.

The yearlings have been trained to be tied; to stand to be bathed, groomed, clipped and shod; to walk on the hot walker; and to enter a horse trailer. In addition, the students have exposed these youngsters to large crowds, large machinery and diverse environments.

The other three sale animals are older horses, not bred at UC Davis but trained here. More information, including the catalog, are available online at: http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/horsebarn/.