Good Geldings are Golden

They just keep on keeping on and the all-around good geldings continued to ignite the market at Billings Livestock’s “Fall Special Catalog Sale” October 23-24.

A grand total of 780 head of horses were offered and for the third consecutive month, geldings laid claim to the top seller position.

Wrapped in Matt Dillon buckskin, Hip 183 “Shi Sugar” a 2006 AQHA gelding x Pavos Golden Magic and out of a Mr. Sparkle Bar daughter, came gentle, pretty, and dazzled in the roping previews.

Offered by Turner Performance Horses, Victor, MT, the multi-talented, extra broke, four-year-old had already won Stock Horse accolades in addition to being used outside, swam rivers, and ridden in the mountains.

Cheryl Albertson, Northwood, ND purchased the quality gelding for $11,500.

Head, heel, breakaway, run barrels or tie-down rope, he did it all – and Hip 90 “Boss Olena” a 98 AQHA Bay gelding x Olenas Command and out of a Colonel Freckles bred mare was the total high school or junior rodeo package.

Consigned and shown by Cassi Johnson, Bismarck, ND, the money-winning gelding brought $5,500 and sold to Leonard Vanek,Silesia, MT.

An extra-nice set of two and three year olds came offered by Rhodes River Ranch, Arlington, WA including Hip 28 “April Buds” a 2007 AQHA Bay mare x Nic It In The Bud and out of Tivio Madera x Freckles Playboy.

The fancy little mare showed outstanding in the cutting previews, could slide, stop, and spin, was NRBC enrolled, and sold for $4,600 to Ron Schumaker, Granger, WA.

Jim and Shelli Langdeau, Fort Pierre, SD offered six head of ranch raised and ridden using geldings, including Hip 39 “JSL Ima Golden King” a 2002 AQHA Palomino gelding x JL Poco Dun and out of a Krogs Pappy Leo bred dam.

With four solid years of summer and winter ranch work on his resume, the golden gelding had also been started heeling and sold to Mason Winebarger, Crowheart, WY for $3,200.

A sale highlight included 72 head offered by North Country Quarter Horses, Big Sandy, MT, Fred, Linda, and Grace Finke. .

Reference stallions bloodlines include sons of Frenchmans Guy, Gumbo Roany, Leo Hancock Hayes, and NLD Eddie Hancock.

North Country Quarter Horses offered a whopping set of weanlings including Hip 137 “LF Smiling Gus” a blue roan stallion x Hancock Silver King.

The stud colt left the sale ring with a final bid of $1,500 from Duane and Nicky Stellflug, Laurel, MT.

28 head of weanlings straight from the North Country program averaged $636.

Solid and steady, sale averages include the top five at $5,960, top ten averaged $4,790, top 20 at $3,970, top 50 $3,039, and the top 100 brought $2,277.

Billings Livestock saw 375 head offered on the loose where the top horse brought $1,600 and the top five averaged $1,040.

Pressure on the loose market continues, however, the top ten loose averaged $870, top 20 brought $669, top 50 averaged $479, and the top 100 brought $376.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event is the “Holiday Special Catalog Sale” featuring performance horses – set for Thanksgiving weekend, November 27-28

The weekend will offer an indoor, climate controlled preview for all horses on Friday, November 26 at the HorsePalace Arena.

All classes of horses will sell, including finished horses and prospects for ranch, roping, arena, cutting, or recreation.

Cattle will be available to show the cow horses and rope horses.

To consign or reserve your catalog, contact Bill and Jann Parker, Horse Sale Managers, at 406-245-4151 or see it all atwww.billingslivestock.com