Spring Show & Auction 2025

Saturday, March 22, 2025

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 551
79 Hamilton St N
Waterdown, ON

Legion Website
Google Maps Link

Auction Chairperson: Carla MacDonald

auctions@hdas.ca (Tel: 905-515-3771)

Pre-register as a seller by contacting Margaret at  treasurer@hdas.ca by Thursday, March 20th..

Doors open at 8:00 AM, and the auction starts promptly at 10:00 AM. Sellers, please pick up your seller sheet by 9:30 AM and have your entries submitted and tabled by 9:45 AM.

See Owners (Sellers) Sheets (PDF) .
See Owners (Sellers) Sheets (Word) .

Auction Rules

• You need not be a member of the H&DAS to buy or sell items at this auction.
• Items must be listed with the auction committee by 9:30 am.
• Seller’s numbers may be obtained in advance from Margaret (treasurer@hdas.ca)
• Individuals with pre-registered numbers must be at the auction 30 minutes before the beginning of the auction, otherwise their numbers will be reassigned.
• Sellers must be present to register items.
• H&DAS will retain 30% of the selling price. Note: Payment to the owners will be made by mail or as soon as possible after the auction. Payments will be made during auction day to the registered seller ONLY, otherwise it will be mailed.
• Items to be auctioned may be fish, plants or any new fish related items.
• Please limit the amount of each species or product to ensure top dollar.
• No open containers of fish food or medication will be allowed. No expired products allowed.
• No Used equipment.
• No books or magazines
• Used aquariums 30 gallons and under are allowed, only if there are no cracks or leaks, and they are clean and empty. No filters or other electrical equipment.
• All fish must be in leak proof vessel which will be sold with the fish. Please bag your fish properly and bring a few spare bags: a charge of $2.00 will be levied for each “leaker” we have to re-bag.
• Fish in distress due to improper bagging will be rebagged and a charge of $2.00 will be levied against the seller.
• Zip-lock bags and twist ties are not allowed. Jars and bottles are not allowed. If an organism is too large or spiny to be bagged it may be housed in a bucket or bin with a lid. The auction chairman may reject any items not meeting these standards.
• H&DAS reserves the right to refuse unacceptable items for sale.
• All items must be labelled with the fish, quantity in bag, sex if possible, condition of goods (especially for equipment) and minimum bid amounts where applicable.
• H&DAS reserves the right to limit the number of items per seller- 2 sheets per seller only. The 1st sheet must be completed before obtaining a 2nd sheet.
• At the time of registration, sellers’ numbers will be assigned.
• An auction form is included when registering at the table, or in advance. This may be filled out in advance to save time at the auction. PLEASE PRINT YOUR COMPLETE NAME, MAILING ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER ON THE FORM AS THIS IS OUR ONLY RECORD OF WHERE TO SEND PAYMENT.
• The auction will be run with a 20 table system therefore a lot consists of no more than 20 items. Here is how it works: Sellers’ number their items using the letters of the alphabet from A through V (excludes I & O). Label each item with your lot number and item letter starting with table “A”, (eg. Seller #4 and the 2nd item in the lot will be labelled, “4B”). Each item will be placed on the table having the same letter of the alphabet. The auctioneer will sell all items of table “A”, then continue to table “B:, and so on until all items are sold. Only when a seller has more than 20 items will another sellers’ number be required.
• Once entered, auction item MAY NOT BE WITHDRAWN.
• Minimum bids will be allowed but may not be changed without the consent of the auctioneer.
• H&DAS reserves the right to group similar items and sell them at any point in the auction. (eg, grouping 5 bags of ½ lb. of salt).
• All buyers must register and receive a buyers’ number. H&DAS reserves the right to request identification for buyer’s numbers.
• Payments by buyers must be made in cash immediately following the item.
• H&DAS personnel are required to completely enter all table chits at their discretion before allowing anyone to cash out. -eg. Table M needs to be completely entered and checked by HDAS staff before anyone can cash out from that table. We will not cash out in the middle of entering any table information. To ensure everyone gets cashed out quickly, no cashing out after Table S until the remainder of the auction information is entered.
• H&DAS assumes no liability or responsibility for any items bought or sold, or any personal injury occurring during the event.
• H&DAS reserves the right to inspect baggage and/or containers upon leaving.
• No native Ontario fishes will be sold at the auction
• No sales taxes will be levied on any items sold in the auction.
• All sales are final and at the discretion of the auctioneer.
• All monetary transactions are CASH only.

$2.00 to advance an item (must speak with Carla before moving an item from a table).

Bidding starts at $2.00

$2.00 charge for rebagging an item

Show Chairperson: Catherine Salmon shows@hdas.ca

Entry tags

Download (PDF, 30KB)

Show tags (Excel)

Registration form

Download (PDF, 47KB)

Registration form (Word)

Show Rules

• • $2.00 per entry for the first ten entries and $1.00 for each entry over ten. The first entry for every Junior registrant (16 years or younger) is free.
  • Provisions will be made for the well being of fish; however HAMILTON AND DISTRICT AQUARIUM SOCIETY accepts no responsibility for losses or damage sustained during the show.
  • All entries will be under the jurisdiction of the show chairman until tear down (approx. 5 pm.) and may not be removed from the show until conclusion of the auction, unless authorized by the show chairperson..
  • Entrants will provide their own tank and water. Entrants may provide their own pump, airline and air stone, if they wish.
  • Tanks must have a cover that can be removed for judging. One flat side is required.
  • Anyone is eligible to enter. You need not be a member of a fish club.
  • All live entries must be in the possession and care of the entrant for at least two months prior to showing.
  • No entry may be entered in more than one class.
  • Fish which display any disease or deformity may be disqualified.
  • The show will be judged by C.A.O.A.C. certified judges and/or apprentice judges.
  • Their decisions will be final and not subject to appeal at the show. If in their opinion the entries in a class do not come up to show standards, a non-contest may be called. If there are only two entries that are satisfactory then any combination of 1st, 2nd and 3rd may be awarded.
  • In any case of dispute the show chairperson’s decision will be final and binding.
  • Family classes: each entry will consist of one spawning pair and at least 10 young from the pair, less than three months old. Tank dividers and pots may be used if necessary
  • No snails, ornaments, sand, plants or stones etc. may be present in a tank (excepting invertebrate class, plant class and novelty class).
  • It is the responsibility of the entrants to make sure their fish are in the correct class. The show chairperson will help upon request.
  • No aerosol sprays or mist type cleaners will be permitted in the show area.
  • All accessories and equipment (i.e. pails, nets, etc.) must be kept out of sight.
  • All show fish to be auctioned after the show must be labelled as such by the owner and registered prior to the show. lt is also the responsibility of the owner to bag the fish for auction after the awards presentation has taken place.
  • No coloured water will be allowed.
  • No moving other peoples show tanks without the approval of the show person first
  • Junior class is any variety of fish owned and kept by someone 16 years of age or younger.
  • Photography prints must not be larger than 81/2”x11” and must have been taken by the entrant in the past 12 months.
  • Arts & Crafts entries must be works completed within the past year.
  • People’s Choice will be decided by the votes of those attending the show. Each person entering the show room will be asked to sign in and will receive a ballot at that time.
  • Registration will open at 8:00 a.m. and all fish must be registered by 9:30 a.m. All entries must be benched by 10:30 a.m. NO LATE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER 9:30 AND THE SHOW ROOM WILL BE CLOSED AT 10:30 FOR JUDGING
  • Pre-registration is welcome and forms may be sent to shows@hdas.ca up to midnight the day before the show.
  • All pre-registered entries will have a reduced entry fee of $1
  • There will be cash prizes and certificates for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each of the 30 classes. There will also be gift card awards for Best of Show, People’s Choice, High Aggregate, Best Egglayer and Best Livebearer.