"Fall Special Catalog Sale"

High-octane geldings grabbed the market and gripped a front and center presence during the October 26 "Fall Special Catalog Sale" event and regular monthly horse sale at Billings Livestock Commission Company.

Gathering up 15 out of the top 20 selling positions, all-business geldings governed the market, with the fit, fancy, and finished kind continuing to meet solid demand.

The one-day sale event welcomed 686 head of horses.

He’d been through school and worked for a living and Hip 114 "Buddy" a 95 grade gray gelding consigned by Tim and Jackie Bernstein, Faith, SD had been headed, heeled, and breakaway roped on - and did it all again in Saturday morning’s preview - in addition to seeing some long day’s dragging calves to the fire.

The model using gelding brought $4,250 and sold to Jeff Thompson, Prairie View, KS.

Consigned by Marc Matlick, Rapid City, SD, Hip 105 "Mitos Houdini" a 97 AQHA gray gelding x Mito Cody came with a solid ranching background and showed ‘em all in the rope horse preview that he was well started heading.

They always ride a good horse and Ediger Quarter Horses, Wolf Point, MT purchased the stout, everything in order gelding for $4,900.

A seasoned show horse, "Invitational" a 95 AQHA sorrel gelding x Invitation Only and out of a granddaughter of Doc Prescription and The Investor, came complete with a good attitude and his AQHA points.

Offered by Tina Elmer Morris, Colbert, WA, the "gentle for youth or amateur" gelding brought a final bid of $7,000 and sold to Ann Wells, Victor, ID.

All-in-all, the top five geldings - all with solid backgrounds and chosen careers - averaged $5,000.

The day’s top selling horse - a weanling - "Flying Heart Playboy" brought $7,300.

The 2002 AQHA Bay stallion x Sunfrost was out of a daughter of Wilywood that was out of a daughter of Freckles Playboy.

With pedigree to burn from three of the industry’s top breeding programs, the real stallion prospect was brought to BLS by Mike and Tammy Hollibaugh, Hollibaugh Flying Heart Ranch, Chadron, NE and purchased by Tim Goodman, Greenfield, MO.

Hollibaugh’s also consigned Hip 151 "Flyinghearts Lady" a 2000 model sorrel filly x Frenchman’s Guy.

Riding like a million-bucks with a mere 20 rides, the bred to run-the-barrels mare was eligible for five barrel futurities and sold to Jake Clark, Powell, WY for $5,000.

Catalog sale averages breakdown as follows - top five brought $5,790; top ten at $4,830; Top 20 came in at $3,810; and the top fifty averaged $2,626.

A rampant loose horse trade tells its own tale with the top loose horse of the day fetching $1,825, followed by $1,700, $1,475, and $1,250.

Rhyme and reason being a full slate of buyers in attendance at BLS - from top-end to bottom-end - from prospects to recipients - from riders to buckers - the buyers are on the seats to buy them "as is, how is" and that’s why the top five on the loose averaged $1,500 across the board, with the top ten commanding $1,290, the top 20 at $1,068, top 50 came in at $857, while top 100 loose horses averaged an unprecedented $699 each.

Featured loose horses included an offering from three separate bucking horse producers - from South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event is set for November 23 and will feature the "Holiday Special Catalog Sale" and regular monthly horse sale.

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