Load ‘n go - to the roping pen, barrel race, or right back to the ranch, the business was on “the business” at Billings Livestock’s “Summer Special Catalog Sale” and regular monthly horse sale June 23-24.

The worry free, finished products made the market where the top five - all ready-to-go - averaged $8.490 and included a reiner, a roper, two ranch horses, and a barrel horse.

Team penners took the stage Friday afternoon competing in the sixth annual BLS Team Penning competition where the team of Brad Shaw, Minot, ND, Jim Berry , Shelby, NE, and Lindsay Shaw, Florence, AZ took home top honors.

The weekend welcomed 874 head of horses, 17 roping steers, a Sooner horse trailer and customers from California to Ontario.

She came solid, consistent, and with a magic eraser for pilot mistakes and Hip 164 “Sting N Annie” a 93 APHA Bay Overo mare was a finished barrel horse offered by four-time NFR qualifier Fallon Taylor, Corinth, TX.

Competitive and tough, the ready-to-run mare brought $13,000 and sold to Bonnie Percival, Oxford, NE.

Pretty as a princess and wearing her sire’s famous buckskin color, Hip 143 “Dun It’s Plain Cowgirl” a 2000 model APHA mare x Hollywood Dun It and out of Lets Talk Trash x Trashadeous came consigned by Carrie Sweeney, Lewistown, MT.

The special mare sold for $8,500 to Painted Horse Stables, Great Falls, MT.

Top-end, made-in-the-west geldings claimed seven of the top ten seller’s positions, with every gelding sporting buckskin, red roan, black, dun, grulla, or blue roan hide.

The top five geldings - each one real and unique - averaged $6,520, with the top ten boys averaging $5,775.

Inclusive sale averages show the top ten at $7,025, top 20 at $5,832, top 50 at $4,535, and the top 100 horses sold averaging $3,468.

Coal black, willing, and every inch a ranch horse, Hip 227 “McContinental Dude” a 2000 AQHA gelding owned and ridden by Dan and Becky Miller, Rexburg, ID had been ridden outside, drug calves to the fire, and used in the feedlot.

The handsome, all utility gelding brought $8,000 and sold to Ann McKay, Martinsdale, MT.

Montana bred and educated, Hip 141 “Beecher Gumbo Chief” an 03 AQHA Blue Roan Gelding x Gumbo Roany tipped the scales at 1,300 lbs and stood 16.1 hands.

With a steady job in big country, with consignor Mike Landers, Miles City, MT in the saddle, the well mannered, kind gelding brought $6,700 and sold to Thomas Osen, Dillon, MT.

Bow, sit like a dog, play dead, say “yes or no” and best of all - gentle - Hip 170 “Cactus Peppy Joe” a 02 AQHA grullo gelding was a total package.

Consigned by Dru Stewart, Hamilton, MT and already a finished jackpot heel horse, the dynamo could spin a hole in the ground and was started in the cutting pen.

Bob Remington, St. Anthony, ID purchased the one-of-a-kind deal for $5,200.

Value continues to be found in the younger, plainer horses with minimal riding and working skills.

Billings Livestock saw 267 head offered on the loose where the top horse brought $1,700 and the top five averaged $1,350.

Despite national pressure, the BLS loose horse trade delivered - the top ten averaged $1,142, top 20 brought $946, top 50 averaged $704, and the top 100 came in at $563.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event is the “Mid-Summer Catalog Sale” featuring cutting horses - set for July 28-29.