Run barrels, rope, or goat tie - seasoned rodeo veterans and fashionably pedigreed young competitors were the products in demand August 25-26 at Billings Livestock’s “August Catalog Sale Event”.

Performance horses - with a push on barrel and speed bred horses - flavored the weekend’s offering where the top five selling horses averaged $12,620 - and - included two 13-year-olds, a 17 year-old, and two young horses - three and six years of age.

A full sale weekend saw 932 head of horses come and go over the two days selling across the map to 595 registered buyers with addresses in 15 states and Canada.

Friday night’s Open/NBHA approved barrel race rocked with 136 runs including 15 sale horses while Sunday’s seventh annual “Montana Miniature and Pony” sale wrapped up the weekend with a 130 head mini and pony offering.

A big selection of better-end, reliable geldings all with “gentle” as the common denominator - continue to drive the overall market as traditional ranch geldings are the hottest-ticket-in-town. The top five stock horse geldings averaged $6,780.

Bred to be a big-time barrel horse - he’s sired by John and Cindy Baltezore’s “PC Frenchman’s Mark” - a son of Sunfrost and out of the famous mare Casey’s Charm (dam of Bozo and Heyday) - Hip 192 “TRM Ima Frenchman” a 2001 AQHA Buckskin gelding consigned by Kylan Campbell, Harrision, Arkansas earned high seller honors with a final bid of $17,500.

A proven barrel horse, he’d been hauled to rodeos and jackpots and came with earnings in excess of $7,000, the head-turning, stand-up gelding sold to Gordon Perry, Vernal, UT.

Already running a smooth pattern and looking every bit the professional, Hip 90 “French Baby Jet” a 2004 AQHA Buckskin gelding sired by Frenchman’s Mercedes x Frenchman’s Guy claimed the runner-up high sellers position bringing $16,500.

Quiet, confident, and well on his way, the good colt sold to Charles Decher, Oelwein, Iowa, home of the colt’s sire, Frenchman’s Mercedes.

He’d qualified for two College National Finals Rodeos in the goat tying, was a finished breakaway and barrel horse, too, and Hip 186 “Mr. Driftwood Doc” a 94 AQHA Bay gelding was offered by Lexy Burghduff, Casper, WY.

The three event rodeo package brought $10,500.

Billings Livestock was proud to offer an own son of Rocket Wranger - "Cajo" a 1990 AQHA Brown Stallion consigned by Bill Wingate, Blue Mound, KS.

With 65.5 Open AQHA barrel points, 16 amateur points, AQHA Superior in Barrels and Amateur ROM, the good-looking stallion was out of a daughter of Jet's Pay Day.

Lee Caldwell, Lehi, UT purchased the stallion for $10,000.

She sold at the end of Saturday’s sale, late on the catalog supplement, and barrel racers sat up and took notice of Hip 356 “Kibbles” a 94 grade sorrel mare offered by Cara Stritzke, Yakima, WA.

She proved herself in the pre-sale barrel race, splitting second and third in the open division, clocking a 14.957 and earning the sale horse bonus, the tough competitor was trained by Stritzke’s brother, Craig, and sold to Bryan Christoferson, Billings, MT for $8,600.

Mini’s and ponies highlighted Sunday’s events where the top selling registered miniature brought $1,600.

Consigned by Doug and Cherie Stoddard, Billings, MT Hip 701 “Squires Montana Doolin Dalton” a 2004 AMHR Buckskin stallion x Boones Little Showboy sold to Justin Hoffman, Glendive, MT.

The top five registered miniatures - including AMHR and AMHA registered - averaged $890 with the top ten averaging $725.

Teams topped both the mini and pony sale charts, with Hips 450 and 450X “Nip and Tuck” a 2003 and 2002 Mini sorrel gelding team consigned by Leon Odekoven, Gillette, WY bringing $2,800 and selling to Steven and Mary Graham, Fromberg, MT, and in the pony division, Hips 617 and 617X “Batman and Robin” a 1999 and 1998 Grade black and white pony team offered by Meadow Valley Ranch, Elko, NV sold to Judy Hutchinson, Aladdin, WY for $2,500.

Top five individual riding ponies averaged $1,920.

It’s a day to day market, however a substantial jump in loose horse values was seen at the August event where the top prospect commanded $2,100, the top five averaged $1,770, and the top ten came in at $1,482.

With 392 head offered in the loose division, compared with 372 in July, the top 20 averaged $1,156, a $311 per head increase over one month ago, while the top 100 averaged $692 each - compared with $519 in July - a bump of $173 per head.

Inclusive sale averages - from beginning to the end, from top to bottom - include the top five at $12,620, top ten came in at $9.850; top 20 averaged $7,315; top 50 brought $4,820; with the top 100 at $3,502.

Billings Livestock’s annual “Cow Country Classic” catalog sale is next on the BLS Sale agenda September 22 - 23.

The big, fall sale event will headline “Rope Horses” with a team roping jackpot for sale horses only set for 1 p.m. Friday, September 21 in the BLS Arena.

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 September 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.