March 27 - 28, 2004 SALE REPORT 

The Genuine Article

Safe, sound, and user friendly - folks came to buy the good guys with the good looks and the good job at Billings Livestock’s “Spring Special Catalog Sale” featuring “Outfitters, Guides, Guest, and Dude horses” March 27 - 28.

From Alaska to Alabama, California to Wisconsin, 510 registered buyers attended the two-day sale event where 686 head of horses scattered to 19 states and two Canadian provinces.

A mighty market - all classes, all divisions, all the way through - attested by the all-time low “pass out” or “no sale” rate of only 5%.

Geldings were golden as 16 of the top 20 selling horses were geldings, three of them grade. Geldings in the top twenty brought from $7,250 to $3,700.

It ran high, wild, and wicked, and a packed house on Sunday witnessed an over-the-top loose horse division where the top 50 horses sold loose - that’s as is, where is, how is - not ridden in , lead in, or talked about - average over $1,100 a head.

On the loose, the top five averaged nearly $2,000 a head, the top 10 at $1,765, top 20 brought $1,508, and the top 100 loose horses - that’s one out of three loose horses sold - brought $875.

He came blue colored and blue blooded, and Hip 143 “My Blue Frost” a 97 AQHA Blue Roan Stallion sired by Frosty Feature and out of a Happy Cardinal bred dam was the weekend’s top sale horse bringing a final bid of $15,000.

Bred and raised by respected horseman Bob Jordan of Harrison, NE and sired by his famous stallion, the ranch ridden, real using stallion came consigned by Lewis McGill, Powderville, MT.

Having a keen eye for quality, Arapahoe Ranch, Thermopolis, WY purchased the stallion extraordinaire.

Gelded sons of Doc’s Oak, Chick N San, Dual Pep, and Doc’s Sug - all with seasoned educations and all four years old or older - brought $7,250, $7,000, $7,000, and $6,800, respectively.

Justin Martin, Evanston, WY offered Hip 64 “Bueno Slic Cutter” a 99 AQHA Bay gelding x Chick N San . The reined cowhorse competitior had learned his basics on the ranch where he had been used to rope, doctor, and sort.

The pretty, usable fellow brought $7,000 and sold to Bronc Maloney, Hysham, MT.

They came to town in their work clothes and the home-raised, home-used four horse hitch of Willie, Wanda, Harvey, and Harriet, were truly a sale highlight. All four were broke to ride, pack, drive single, double, 3,4,5, and 6 up.

They were all raised on the Waid Ranch, Havre, MT and proudly offered by Lon and Stacey Waid, and ranged in age from three to 11.

Willie and Wanda, 11 and 9 years old, brought $7,000 and sold to Duaine Hagen, Douglas, WY, while Harvey and Harriet, both three, brought $6,000 and sold to Larry Thomas, Bozeman, MT.

T Triangle Quarter Horses, Miles City, MT consigned two big, stout, ranch used geldings that they raised including Hip 128 “Te Tri Diamond Blaze” a 96 AQHA Sorrel gelding x Diamond Lode and out of a Tee Jay Super Jack bred mare.

Used to rope yearlings and run horses in the big country, the quiet, sensible gelding brought $4,300.

Wowk Ranch, Beavallon, Alberta consigned ten head of the bigger, draft cross type geldings, coming gentle broke and colorful.

Draft cross’ brought from $800 to $2,200 depending on age, size and experience.

Sale averages - from top to bottom - include the top five at $8,650; Top ten brought $7,420; Top 20 selling horses averaged $5,953; Top 50 came in at $4,160; while the top 100 head averaged $3,190.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event is set for April 24 - 25 and will feature the sixth 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 23, 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.