ROPE HORSE SOURCE

Custom built and ready to rodeo, a game-ready set of rope horses fit for the Friday night jackpot or the Sunday matinee cranked it up at Billings Livestock Commission’s 10^th annual “Cow Country Classic” catalog sale and “Fall Rope Horse Special” September 27-28.

Good, better and best - it was absolutely the best set of rope horses ever offered at Billings Livestock - head horses, heel horses, or breakaway - all in one place, all at one time, and all in a one-stop-shop marketplace.

They showed it to you, too, and Friday afternoon’s “sale horse only” team roping competition flat out rocked with 140 teams showcased in a pick one-draw-two format, with two complete go-arounds and a top-ten finals.

The first-class, put it-all-out-there jackpot came produced by Wrangler Team Roping Championship’s Dennis Tryan, and first-place jackpot titles went to Lyle Mitchell, Wolf, WY aboard Hip 108 and Lane Siggins, Ruidoso Downs, NM pitching from Hip 29 - nailing three steers in 24.37.

The top rope horse brought $15,000, top five rope horses averaged $11,350, and the top ten “ropers only” - nine geldings and one mare - cracked $9,075 a head.

Horses, horses, and more horses - 1,117 head of horses - plus three working cow dogs and one Zebu bull - completed the weekend’s offering from consignors hailing from 19 states and Canada. A 90% completed sales percentage prevailed as 1,001 head changed hands.

Over 540 individual buyers registered for the expanded three-day horse sale showcase.

Fit, fancy, and finished, Hip 274 “Lotto Lena Last” a 2001 AQHA Sorrel gelding by Lotto Lena had been hauled and seasoned and came owned and shown by Siggins Horse Co, Ruidoso Downs, NM.

Ellison Carter, Santo, TX purchased the rodeo-quality head horse for $15,000.

Pink, polished, and a Paprika Pine grandson, Hip 288 “Jacksons Strawberry” a 2000 AQHA Red Roan gelding x Strawberry Flair was a hard-to-find, pretty package of head horse, heel horse and started barrel horse complimented by “gentle”.

Darnell Versatility Horses, Pueblo, CO offered the USTRC and rodeo money winner and John Gebbers, Brewster, WA had the final bid at $13,500.

Hip 170 “Annie is Tuf” was oh, so nice, and came with seven AQHA roping points and glamour- girl looks.

The only rope horse mare to make the top ten, the 96 AQHA Buckskin sired by Tuf N Busy was a finished head and heel horse consigned by Cliff Kellmer, Post Falls, ID.

The striking mare was purchased by Karen Stepp, Boulder, WY for $8,750.

A blockbuster all-around junior and high school rodeo horse- run barrels, poles, goat tie, and breakaway - Hip 186 “Baldy” a 96 grade roan gelding offered by Jamie Strand, Bison, SD previewed in both goat tying and breakaway.

Ridden in parades, carried flags, and used at brandings, the all-in-one gelding brought $7,500 and sold to Chris and Billie Schaff, Worden, MT.

Better prospects also pushed the market, as did real deal ranch geldings including Hip 254 “Blue Windy Drift” a 2000 AQHA Blue roan gelding consigned by Big Horn, MT working cowboy Les Best.

The gentle, true ranch horse brought $4,600.

It was good and stayed that way - the last horse in the Saturday offering Hip 377 brought $9,500 - as sale averages either exceeded 2007 figures or held steady.

Again, the younger, plainer, less experienced horses continue to see lessened demand while the better, overall quality individuals have not skipped a beat.

Complete sale averages show it - the top five averaged $12,600 compared to $11,200 last year; top ten brought $10,275 versus $9,360 in 2007; top 20 came in at $8,042 while in 2007 the top 20 brought $7,695; top 50 at $5,583 compared to $5,689 one-year-ago, and the top 100 averaged $4,146 versus the 2007 average of $4,320.

The BLS loose market held it’s own as 529 head of horses sold standing in their tracks - as is, where is, how is - and the top five prospects averaged $1,085, the top 10 commanded $955, top 20 brought $805, top 50 averaged $582, and the top 100 loose averaged $440.

An expanded sale format is set for October 24-25-26 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 24 at the HorsePalace Arena.

Sale times include a Friday evening catalog horse sale October 24 beginning at 6 p.m. With Saturday and Sunday catalog sale times set for 12 noon.