SALE REPORT FOR MARCH 24-25

Appaloosa Gelding brings $16,000

Solid as a brick, strong as oxen, and many wearing a size two shoe, the kind with backcountry credentials including pack trips to day rides, hunting to trail riding, were all the buzz at Billings Livestock’s “Spring Special Catalog Sale” featuring “Outfitters, Guides, Guest, and Dude horses” along with a special session of “Roans Only” March 24 - 25.

They’d packed tourists, wild game, and seen the western splendor, and quarter drafts, mules, and general using horses were the focus of the weekend’s offering.

Draft cross’ brought from $800 to $3,200 depending on age, size and experience while in the mule department the top three selling mules commanded $2,900 each.

Statistically, when it was all said and done, an official total of 978 head of horses - all kinds and classes - were bought and sold, with a 91.2% completed sales percentage. Horses sold to 18 states and Canada, scattering across the map from California to Connecticut.

He sold dead last on Saturday, and the final horse of the day - Hip 380 “Blue” - a 2001 blue roan draft-cross gelding - brought $3,100.

Big, blue, and gentle, the nice guy came consigned by Lee Elliott, Newcastle, WY and was purchased by Reed Clark, Smoot, WY.

Joining the BLS “High Sellers Club” was Hip 291 “Tivios Passer” a 96 ApHC Chestnut gelding owned and shown by Dottie Taylor Andrew, Filer, ID.

Shown and placed in halter, reining, and horsemanship, the fancy fellow had also been patterned on the barrels and had been roped on. Extremely broke, trustworthy, and packing plenty of eye appeal, the top-end gelding brought $16,000 selling to Karen Stepp, Boulder, WY.

In the “Roans Only Session” the top five sellers - four geldings and a stallion - averaged $5,820, leading off with the top two bringing $6,600 each.

Frenchman’s Guy offspring continue their uptick at Billings Livestock where Hip 120 “Guys Firewater” sold for $15,000.

The 2004 AQHA sorrel stallion sired by the $2 million dollar barrel horse sire - Frenchman’s Guy - and out of a daughter of Firewater Flit, came consigned by Wyoming Wilderness Outfitters and sold to Chris Gibbons, Worland, WY.

He’d won at the futurities, college rodeos, PRCA, and 4-D barrel races, and Hip 226 “Last Little Te” a 91 AQHA Brown Gelding x Triple Te was a solid, seasoned barrel horse offered by Carole Hollars, Sturgis, SD.

Capably shown by Jana Jaspers in the barrel horse preview, the ready-to-rodeo gelding sold to Jack Patterson, Westpoint, UT, for $8,000.

She’s from his first foal-crop and a big-time barrel horse prospect plumb full of the “wow” factor, Hip 179 “Panthers Fancy Frost” an 05 AQHA Buckskin mare sired by Panther Mountain - SI105 with a race record of $459,921 - and out of a Sunfrost daughter was offered by Barbara Johnson, Colstrip, MT.

The fancy filly brought $6,250 and sold to Kylan Campbell, Harrison, Arkansas.

Loose horses rocked as the top 20 pushed over the $1,000 mark - averaging $1,096; The top five brought $1,475, top 50 averaged $875, and the top 100 averaged $700 even.

Loose horses are sold with no guarantee, no speech, and no rider.

Inclusive of all divisions - catalog horses, loose, and open consignment - complete sale averages show the top five at $10,580; top 10 at $8,305; Top 20 brought $6,567; Top 50 at $4,689; and the top 100 averaged $3667.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event is set for April 28 - 29 and will feature the ninth annual “Rope Horse Special” catalog sale and regular monthly horse sale.

A jackpot team roping - open only to sale horses - will kick off the weekend’s activities on Friday, April 27, where buyers and sellers alike will have the opportunity to watch the rope horses under competition circumstances.

All classes of horses will sell including mares, stallions, finished horses, prospects, and young stock. Cattle will be available to show the cutting horses, calf horses, and rope horses. Catalog deadline is April 5, with a supplement printed for later entries.

See it all at www.billingslivestock.com or contact Bill and Jann Parker, BLS Horse Sale Managers at 406-245-4151.