Fast, slow, and everything in between - find your fit, color, and kind - rope horses came made-to-order at Billings Livestock Commission’s “Cow Country Classic Catalog Sale” and “Fall Rope Horse Special” September 22-23.

Rope, rope and rope some more, the roping rush was on as 88 teams competed in the tell-all pre-sale jackpot on Friday afternoon.

Spinning three steers in 22.17, the team of Troy Arbon, Deweyville, UT aboard Hip 227 “Sams Pepsi” and Chad Braun, Casper, WY riding Hip 249 “Miracle C Rouge” aced first in the average, collected a fast-go check for a 6.74 run, and claimed the BLS trophy rope bags.

Both horses cracked the top twenty sellers listing where rope horses reigned supreme - 14 of the top 20 came right out of the rope horse session bringing with them an average sale price of $7,092.

Jackpot head-horse champ Hip 227 “Sams Pepsi” a 2001 AQHA gray gelding x Sabres Little Peppy owned by Jeanne Wheatley, Deweyville, UT and shown by Arbon, rang the bell at $8,000 and headed west to the Golden State with Robert Anderson, Millville, CA.

On the heel side, Hip 249 “Miracle C Rouge” was only a four-year-old - and the sorrel, AQHA gelded son of Miracle Concion was offered by Aaron Raley, Baggs, WY. Calm and quiet, the nice ride sold to Keith Lashmore, Creemonia, Alberta, Canada for $5,000.

September saw horses by the hundreds as a whopping 1,063 head came to Billings, Montana with 957 horses actually changing hands over the two days.

Red roan and a rockin’ good rope horse, Hip 57 “Red Western Jack” a 98 AQHA gelding x Red Cody Jack had won checks at WTRC and USTRC events, including USTRC National Shootout positions.

Head or heel, the gentle fellow was solid in the box, came with lots of run, was offered by Mike and Kay Lynn Francke, Hagerman, ID and sold to six-time National Finals steer tripper J.R. Olson, Cody, WY for $10,000.

Snappy fits him, and Hip 216 “Poco Snappy Yankee” a 97 AQHA brown gelding x Smart Alley Cat was every part a better-end heel horse packing wins at the California High School Finals, three trophy saddles to his credit, and took home third and sixth place average checks at the BLS jackpot on Friday.

Demonstrated by Dustin Ostrum, Joliet, MT and offered by Wes Vansickle, Joliet, MT, the proven jackpot and rodeo horse sold for $9,500 to NFR heeler Cesar De la Cruz, Tucson, AZ.

The weekend’s high selling horse was a finished reiner with NRCHA and NRHA earnings. The 2000 AQHA Bay Mare x Smart Chic O’lena brought $15,500.

Consigned by Carmen Kincheloe, Fromberg, MT, the classy mare sold to Patricia Cremer, Broadview, MT.

Honesty packs a punch, and the good-gelding craze continues to experience strong market demand while again, the younger, less experienced horses continue to see a softer market. Using geldings ranged in price from $1,000 to $8,000 - with occupation, quality, eye appeal, and user friendliness tilting the buyer scales.

Horse for horse the BLS loose market does not skip a beat - the last U.S. processing plant unexpectedly closed their doors on Friday afternoon, September 21.

The BLS loose market persevered and remained alive and well with 469 horses offered as is, where is, standing in their tracks - with the top ten averaging $1,440, top 20 at $1,189, top 50 at $838, and the top 100 loose bringing $653 - that is an increase of $126 per head (on the top 100) over Sept. 2006 figures.

All inclusive sale averages including the cataloged horses show the top five at $11,200; top ten averaged $9,360; top 20 came in at $7695; top 50 at $5,689; and the top 100 averaging $4,320.

An expanded sale format is set for October 26-27-28 for Billings Livestock’s “Fall Special Catalog Sale” where three, big days of horse sales are planned.

An indoor, climate and ground controlled preview for the barrel horses, cutters, saddle and ride horses, calf horses, and team roping horses is set for 12 noon on Friday, October 26 at the HorsePalace Arena.

Sale times include a Friday evening catalog horse sale October 26 beginning at 6 p.m. With Saturday and Sunday catalog sale times set for 12 noon.