February 24-25, 2001

 

Springtime in the Rockies!

BLS Loose Horse Trade Flies High

Red hot and running wild, Billings Livestock Commission Company’s loose horse market saw top dollar in the prospect department at their two-day monthly sale event held February 24-25.

All inclusive - all classes and all horses - from loose to the highest selling horse consigned, 522 head of horses averaged $1,590 across the board - the highest on record for BLS.

Headlined by the "February Catalog Sale" event which featured a special session of "Sons and Daughters" of money earners and champions, the two-day sale played host to absolute volume crowds both days.

In the loose horse division, the number one selling horse - a grade bay gelding - brought $2,050 - with the top five loose horses averaging $1,440 and the top ten bringing $1,235.

Stallions and mares continued to take top honors for the top sale horses of the weekend, with Hip 143 "Miss Gunsmoke Pep" an 88 AQHA Chestnut daughter of Haidas Little Pep and out of a daughter of Mr. Gunsmoke - taking home top prize for the top sale horse.

She smoked ‘em at the pay window, proved it, and packed the power of her pedigree - with nearly $16,000 in NCHA earnings , the hard-to-find-kind of mare was bred to Jessie Rey Tari (a palomino stallion with $189,000 in earnings) for a June foal. Consigned by Pete Nordling, Menahga, MN the bona fide cow horse sold to Bitterroot Springs Ranch, Hamilton, MT for $25,500.

Sired by the cutting industry’s number one sire for the past four years - Dual Pep - and out of a mare that has produced nearly $50,000 in money earners - Hip 54 "Duallys Sport Model" a 92 AQHA Chestnut mare offered by Crowded Six Ranch, Tyler, TX had substance, style, and was bred to the popular Waggoner Ranch sire, Smart Aristocrat. Purchased by Wild Wind Ranch, Neely, TX, the first-rate mare brought a final bid of $21,500.

Stallions claimed the next two selling positions, with Hip 88 "RB Black Playboy" a 98 AQHA black son of Black Little Lena and out of a Freckles Playboy daughter bringing $17,000.

Consigned by Bill Richardson, Crowded Six Ranch, Tyler, TX, the jet-black stallion-with-a-future sold to Richard Hodgson, Carlyle, Sask, Canada.

Also making the trip north was Hip 134 "CE Pocos Last Chance" a Kruger Quarter Horses, Maynard, MN consignment. The foundation bred stallion was a great-grandson of King, Wimpy, Peppy San - and a grandson of Poco Bueno and Sonita’s Last. Diamond W Quarter Horses, Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, purchased the few-and-far-between standout stallion for $16,000.

Geldings gathered momentum as the "geldings with an occupation" garnered plenty of attention. The number one selling gelding was red dun, royally bred, and ready to go to work - in the cutting pen, roping arena, or as a team penner. Offered by Strait Rail Ranch, Nevis, MN - Hip 215 "Holi Baldy" was a 96 AQHA red dun son of Holidoc and out of a Doc’s Hotrodder daughter. Patti Latterner, Farmington, NM purchased the good gelding for $8,250.

Overall sale averages include the top five at $18,900, top ten averaged $13,135, top 20 brought $9,462, top 50 came in at $6,253 and the top 100 horses - approximately one-fifth of the sale - averaged $4,559.

Billings Livestock is proud to offer all classes of horses - including finished performance horses and name-brand broodmares, dude horses, ranch horses, and honest using horses. Our selection and consignor base is vast - we’re in the heart of the west and real ranch country.

March 24 - 25 will feature the "Spring Special" catalog sale and "Canadian Classic" catalog event in addition to the regular monthly horse sale at BLS. Loose horses will sell on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Bill and Jann Parker, BLS Horse Sale Managers at 406-245-4151 or e-mail us at info@billingslivestock.com See it all at www.billingslivestock.com