Billings Winter Special Catalog Sale Report

The Billings Livestock Sale Auction\’s first horse sale report for 2013, is in.  Prices are looking good, as Billings reports an positive upswing in their sale averages.

Super sale Saturday at Billings Livestock welcomed a one-day tally of 617 head of horses, all kinds and classes, for the “Winter Special Catalog Sale” and regular monthly horse sale January 26. It was good all the way as a sale savvy crowd saw one good gelding after the next. Geldings continued their grip on the BLS top twenty sellers list where 18 out of the top 20 were geldings – eight of them grade – and fetching a $3,535 average ticket price.

Grabbing the number one sale position for January was Hip 131 “Rockets Blue Leo,” a 2003 AQHA bay roan gelding (Speaks Blue Rocket x Drews Hancock), consigned by Schmitt Horse Ranch, Holland, IA. Big, blue, and gentle, the strong gelding had been used for riding lessons, gathering cattle, and would fit any level of rider. An honest family horse, the nice guy brought $5,500 and sold to Ed Beyl, Miles City, MT.

Ditto on Hip 151 “Big Blue” a 2005 grade blue roan gelding offered by Medicine Bow Outfitters, Lucerne, CO. “Blue” had been used to guide and lead the pack string, pack elk, pull the wagon, and in his spare time he worked and roped cattle in the feed yard and branding pen. The solid, hard working horse sold to Charles Venezia, Marstons Mills, MA for $4,500.

They called him “Blue”, too, and Hip 94 was offered by Ryan Olson, St. Onge, SD. Ridden at the stockyards, used to doctor yearlings in the pasture, and started heading in the arena, the 2008 grade roan gelding brought $3,100 and sold to Michael Miller, Fairfield , MT.

A true sale highlight was Hip 101 “Knight Ryder Hancock,” a 2011 AQHA black stallion bred, raised, and offered by Claire and Robert Lee, Dix , NE. The stunning two year old stallion was sired by Jaybird Hancock and out of a daughter of Tomcat Blue Hancock and sold to Don Meyers, Lolo , MT for $2,700. Proof of an improved market and the quality offered is shown in the averages – only a $500 bill separates the top five at $4,880 and top ten at $4,340 and a $1,200 price variance from a top five horse to a top 20 ride at $3,535. The top 50 horses averaged $2,616 compared to $2,378 last year, and the top 100 brought $1,932 versus $1,790 in January 2012.

Loose horse market was a buzz and the prospects pushed the market as the top five averaged $1,220; top ten at $1,057; top 20 brought $835; top 50 averaged $616; and top 100 at $499.

The annual “Cabin Fever Tack Sale” held each January attracted all kinds of treasures and trinkets selling in two sale sessions. Next on the BLS Sale line up is Billings Livestock’s “February Special Catalog Sale” featuring an expanded three-day sale format February 22-23-24.

Contact Billings Livestock Commission Horse Sales for more information at 406-245-4151 or www.billingslivestock.com.