Sweet Summertime

The blockbuster sale weekend saw a grand total of  1,037 head of horses with the top sale horse commanding $9,600, followed by $7,200, and $6,500.

Final sales figures show 381 buyers registered,  225 purchasing horses, 116 buying two or more.

Handsome and handy,  call him the \”total package\” –  Hip 251 took home the weekend\’s top sale honors with a $9,600 price tag.

\”Mr Bo Quixote\” an 01 AQHA Sorrel Gelding by Cowtown Peppy and out of a Doc Quixote bred dam was offered by Dallas Aschoff, Maupin, OR and had been shown reining, hauled to High School Rodeos heading, heeling, and breakaway, and seen ranch use, too.

Red roan, roped on both in and out of the arena, packed flags, started on  barrels, and picked up rodeos, Hip 23 “Tucker Star Chex” a 2003 AQHA gelding was a one-man-show.

Offered by Brian Tubbs, Filer, ID, the choice gelding was sired by  HR Dry Star Chex and out of a Sugar Bars bred mare and sold for $5,750 to  W. Teddy Crowley, Chinook, MT.

Used at the stockyards, ridden by the grandkids, and an all-around using gelding , Hip 423 “Easy Silver Bond” a 2004 AQHA Gray Gelding by Silver Tip 045 was offered by Dean and Betty Brainard, Shepherd, MT.

Selling Sunday afternoon, the gentle, sharp-dressed  gray fellow brought $4,800 and sold to Walter Holder, Powell, WY.

Top five horses averaged $7,100, top ten brought $6,045, top 20 came in at $4,915, top 50 overall $3,678, top 100 averaged $2,805.

The loose trade got after it as  the top five averaged $1,780, top ten brought $1,575, top 20 came in at $1,302, top 50 brought $934, with the top 100 averaging $699.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event will be July 24-25.

Already rockin’ with a solid line-up of first-class horses, the annual “Mid-Summer” Catalog Sale – featuring cutting and cowbred horses – is two full days of horse sales and previews.

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

Designed to allow the sellers an opportunity to showcase their consignments and at the same time, giving the buyer an honest, professional opportunity to assess the horses,  Friday’s special preview of cutting horses on cattle will begin at 5 p.m. in the BLS Arena.

Saturday’s preview begins at 9 a.m. with another look at the cutters on cattle, followed by the saddle and ride horse demonstrations, with calf horses and team roping horses showing at 11 a.m.  Catalog Sale Time is 12 Noon each day.  Loose horses sell at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning.

500 plus catalog horses are expected with a catalog closing date of Monday, July 5.

Billings Livestock is a federally licensed and bonded facility and offers all classes and kinds of horses.  For more information, contact Bill or Jann Parker, BLS Sale Managers at 406-670-0773/406-855-1947.  www.billingslivestock.com