Top Seller Heads to Canada

It was all the way around and all the way through- in all classes, all divisions and all kinds- a stronger horse market prevailed at this year\’s Billings Livestock Commission’s “Fall Special Catalog Sale,” October 29-30.

With a high of $3,400 on a weanling stud colt, $8,000 on a rope horse prospect and $7,800 on a take-you-to-the pay-window rodeo pony, a motivated and energetic buyer base came to Billings, Montana. Statistics tell the story- top five averaged $7,660, top ten $6,760 and the top 20 deep at $5,500 – with 949 total horses offered and 65 no-sales.

The weekend’s top sale honors were split between Hip 116- an honest rope horse prospect- and Hip 185- a finished reiner with NRHA earnings- both horses commanded a final bid of $8,000 each.

Echeta Performance Horses, LLC,  Gillette, WY offered Hip 116 “LH Decathalon Tivio” a 2005 AQHA Buckskin Gelding by CM Sugarfrost Tivio and out of a Friendly Fritz/Docs Decathalon granddaughter.The attractive gelding showed better than good in both the heading and heeling during the sale previews.

With $5,000 in NRHA earnings, Hip 185 “Dual Rey Olena Play” a 2005 AQHA Sorrel Mare by Dual Rey and out of Little Nurse Lena by Doc O’Lena previewed flawlessly. Offered by Sharon Gelhaus, Wilsall, MT, the ready-to-go-show mare sold to Sandy Corriveau, Eckville, Alberta.

Her name fit her perfectly and oh, what a pony- Hip 146 “Fancy” a 1998 grade buckskin mare had raised three boys in the arena, earning them buckles, confidence and all-around titles.The hard-to-find-kind, “Fancy” was offered by Bille Schaff, Worden , MT and sold for $7,800 to Curt Ackerman, Crawford, NE.

Full of substance and extra-pretty, too-  Hip 150 “Irish Serendipity” a 2005 AQHA bay Mare by Paddys Irish Whiskey was out of Kempe Doc by Doc’s Hickory was consigned by Tony Wilson, Greenville , TX. Selling in foal to Banjo Whiz, the mare brought $7,000 and sold to Valley Sian, Worden, MT.

Hip 184 “Whizs Painted Gun” a 2007 APHA Sorrel Tobiano Gelding by Colonels Smokingun was the first “Gunner” to be offered at BLS. Owned and trained by Matt Wilson, Las Animas, CO, the finished reiner had been used all summer on the ranch moving cattle and came gentle and friendly. The unique gelding brought $7,500.

Loose horses saw a bump in value over September figures as the top five averaged $930, top ten brought $770, top 20 averaged $658, top 50 came in at $509, and the top 100 averaged $405.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event is  the “Holiday Special Catalog Sale” featuring performance horses – set for Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, November 26. The weekend will offer an indoor, climate controlled preview for all horses on Friday, November 25 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 at www.billingslivestock.com