Some came ready for the Friday night jackpot and some were consigned by World Champions, and a class collection of rope horses - 140 in all - came jackpot and rodeo ready for Billings Livestock Commission Company’s fifth annual “Rope Horse Special and April Catalog Sale” April 26 - 27.

Performance power was proven in a packed pre-sale team roping jackpot held Friday afternoon at the Horse Palace Arena where 144 teams - all aboard sale horses - showed their stuff under competition circumstances.

When it was all said and done, a weekend total of 897 head of horses - all kinds and classes - were bought and sold, finding new homes in 20 states and scattering across the map from California to New Jersey.

The gather was on the ropers as 12 out of the top 20 selling horses - 3 of them grade - were cataloged as rope horses and shown in the pre-sale jackpot.

And rope he did, entering the jackpot as both a heel horse and head horse, and Hip 140 “Niks Trip” a 92 AQHA Gray gelding by Kaniksu Kid and out of a Jet Deck bred mother, was a solid, stylish, and all-business kind of guy, turning heads and bringing a final bid of $8,500.

Shown by Jeff Bailey, Bend, OR, and owned by Tonya Mott, Bend, OR, the 15.3 hand, 1275 lb., gelding moved to the Silver State with Garry Rogers, Sparks, Nevada.

Another switch-ender who had seen plenty of trips to the pay window, Hip 146 “Blue” a 96 Grade Blue roan gelding consigned by Pablo Good, Greybull, WY had the magic mix of talent, gentleness, and eye appeal.

Placing in the jackpot on the heading side and with a background in ranching, the quality arena and using gelding brought $7,000 and sold to Double RL Ranch, Ridgeway, CO.

They don‘t make them anymore and “Neats Star” was every bit the star she was bred to be, and the 00 AQHA Red Dun mare by Gray’s Starlight and out of AQHA World Champion “Neats Prescription” x Docs Prescription topped the weekend’s sale event with a selling price of $14,500.

Consigned by Double D Creek Ranch, Sauk Rapids, MN the special mare was purchased by J H & Associates, Kimball, SD.

Bred to be a cowhorse and earning his living as a top flight calf horse, “Especially Chick” an 86 AQHA Sorrel gelding x Especial was the hauled and won on kind having won go-arounds and earning paychecks in the last two months at PRCA rodeos and Circuit Finals.

Offered by Chris Witcher, Miles City, MT, the dead-shot rope horse sold to Corey Alban, Sidney, MT for $7,500.

Offered by three-time World Champion Allen Bach, Millsap, TX and purchased by PRCA Stock contractor and NFR Qualifier - Ike Sankey, Joliet, MT, Hip 162 “Frosty Fourteen” by Frosty Eddie was a tried and true head horse.

Shown in the pre-sale jackpot by well known roper, Phil Luman, Poplar, MT, the 91 AQHA Bay gelding brought $3,900.

He’s living proof that it’s wild out west and Hip 424 “Taz” - a 99 Tri-colored Longhorn cross steer - was gentle, broke to ride, used to wrangle the saddle horses, ridden in the Days of 76 parade in Belle Fourche, SD, and the Sturgis Bike Rally parade last summer.

A cool dude, the steer was owned and ridden in the saddle horse preview by Troy Crowser, Whitewood, SD.

The big guy with the good attitude moved to Green Bank, New Jersey with Buddie Pino for $2,700.

Loose horses rock and rolled with 293 head offered “as is, how is, where is” - from riders to buckers - with Billings Livestock’s loose horse market again setting the pace for the nation.

The top horse on the loose demanded $1,600, followed by $1,400, $1,350, and $1,300.

Loose horse averages came in at $1,360 on the top five; top ten at $1,197; Top 20 brought $1,044, the top 50 averaged $851, and the top 100 head of loose horses brought $686.

The top 50 working geldings offered over the weekend ranged from a low of $1,800 to a high of $8,500, depending on experience, condition, pedigree, and disposition.

Demand for gentle, finished geldings continues to be strong, while true value was again found in the younger, less experienced horses.

Seeing an increase over last year’s figures, sale averages for the entire sale reflect a sound, solid market for quality individuals - the top five selling horses averaged $9,600 - a $2,400 increase over 2002 - while the top ten averaged $8,190 - a $1,500 increase over last year, followed by the top twenty at $6,830 - a $900 increase - the top 50 at $5,115 - a $300 increase, and the top 100 head of horses sold averaged $3,956 - a $220 per head increase.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event is set for May 24 - 25 and will feature the annual “Cow Country Classic” catalog sale in addition to the “Best of the Remuda” Ranch Gelding competition. Featured in May will be Ranch geldings along with kid’s ponies and horses.

Ranch Horse competition is set for 5 p.m. Friday, May 23 in the BLS Arena.

Cattle will be available both days to preview the rope horses and cutting horses.

For more information, to consign or request a catalog, contact Bill and Jann Parker, BLS Horse Sale Managers at 406-245-4151 or see it all at www.billingslivestock.com