A stock horse showcase stuffed full of no-nonsense using horses loaded the offering at Billings Livestock Commission’s annual “Cow Country Classic” catalog sale May 26-27.

The two day sale featured ranch horses and the annual Appaloosa Sale Session on Sunday.

“As good at it gets” working ranch horses filled Friday’s “Best of the Remuda” ranch horse competition where 48 head of genuine ranch horses touted their talents at the Horse Palace Arena.

The top ten “Best of the Remuda” cadillac kind of ranch horses averaged $6,330, with the entire sale session averaging $4,142.

Official sale statistics include 562 registered buyers, 818 horses, 19 roping steers, and 80 no-sales - computing to 91.4% completed sales percentage.

He’s a two-time champion - winning back to back BLS Ranch Horse titles - and Chad Turner, Turner Performance Horses, Victor, MT put on the winning performance riding Hip 268 “Leos Freckels Bar” a 2001 AQHA Sorrel Gelding x Sir Fred Von Freckle x Freckles Playboy.

The big, broke sorrel horse made it look easy - aceing the reining, cow work, and roping divisions. The quality ride brought $6,000 and sold to Tami McDonald, Gardiner, MT.

Double K Ranch, McCook, NE offered five head of fancy geldings including Hip 150 “Classicos Whiskey” a 93 AQHA sorrel gelding x DJ Classico x Sonny Dee Bar.

Quiet, gentle, and safe, the fool-proof fellow sold to Teton Ranch, Oelrichs, SD for $7,500.

He did tricks like a dog - lay him down, get on, and get on with it and Hip 208 “Knipper Bay Bars” a 2002 AQHA Chestnut gelding x Bay Bar’s Skipper also came consigned by Double K Ranch, McCook, NE.

Used to calve on, logged, ponied colts, and gentle, too, the multi-talented guy brought $5,000 and sold to John Scott Productions, Longview, Alberta.

Slick, cool, and coal black, Hip 298 “Zan Kilo” a 2001 AQHA gelding offered by Lee Pedersen, Milestone, Saskatchewan had been roped on outside and came suitable for anyone going any direction - ranch, arena, or 4-H.

The top-end gelding was purchased by Mort Fleischer, Lewistown, MT for $8,900.

She’s a daughter of the business - High Brow Cat - and her mother is a daughter of Doc’s Prescription and Hip 95 “Cats Rockin Robin” a 2003 AQHA sorrel mare was the weekend’s top sale horse at $30,000.

With four white socks, blaze face, and roan hairs throughout, the mare wore the Waggoner Ranch brand and was well on her way in the cutting pen. The hot little number sold to John and Judy Bostedt, Nye, MT.

Gentle today, tomorrow, and two months from now, the horses in demand continue to be the older, trustworthy, and honest kind.

Younger horses with little or no riding and horses in poor condition continue to meet minimal demand.

Sunday’s special “Appaloosa Session” offered 65 head with Hip 423 “You Dun Spotted Me” earning high sellers honors with a price tag of $4,000.

Complete sale averages, all classes, all kinds, include the top five at $15,700; Top 10 averaged $11,815; Top 20 brought $9,105; Top 50 came in at $6,530, while the top 100 head sold averaged $4,918.

Despite the current closure of all three U.S. horse processing plants, the loose horse market remained steady to a touch better with 242 head offered as is, where is, how is.

The top five on the loose averaged $1,530, top ten brought $1,450, top 20 came in at $1,270; top 50 averaged $979; and - the top 100 - that’s 41% of the entire offering - averaged $709.

The “Summer Special Catalog Sale” will headline Saturday and Sunday‘s events, June 23 - 24 and will feature “Team Penning” horses and a special session of “Buckskins“. All classes and types of horses will sell including rope horses, cutters, reiners, prospects, mares, stallions, and finished arena and using horses.

An open, draw-pot team penning is set for Friday, June 22 at 3 p.m. with one horse in each team being a sale horse.

Cattle will be available to show the cutting horses and rope horses beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Ride horse previews will follow.

To consign or request a catalog, contact Bill and Jann Parker, Billings Livestock Horse Sale Managers at 406-245-4151 or see it a all at www.billingslivestock.com