October 26 -27  Sale Report

Men’s Club

Billings, MT - Breeding stallions , arena geldings, or ranch hands - it was “Men Only” as geldings and stallions claimed the entire top ten sellers list at Billings Livestock Commission Company’s “Fall Special Catalog Sale” and regular monthly horse sale October 25 - 26.

A record number of horses were offered - 990 head - at the two-day sale blitz with a market driven by quality - the top-end horses continued to hold their own and drive demand, while plainer, less experienced type horses met with a softer market.

Every horse in the top ten - all stallions or geldings - were proven performers, some complete with show records, or true prospects, sired by industry leaders - from barrel racing, reining, cutting, or reined cowhorse - and out of mares with their own credentials. All were products of a plan.

A well attended pre-sale preview for the cutters, ropers, and ride horses allowed the sale horses to show their stuff.

Shown on cattle in the preview, the weekend’s top selling horse was offered by Hutchings Quarter Horses, Mel and Virginia Hutchings, Thayne, WY and “RM Arizona Playboy” a 94 AQHA stallion x Freckles Playboy brought $18,000 and sold to Robbin Thayn, Oxford, NE.

As cool as they come, and as class as can be, Hip 132 “Dudes Te” a 97 AQHA sorrel stallion x The Big Te and out of a daughter of Blondys Dude packed the points to prove it and was offered by Harold and Kathy Ott, Troy, ID.

With his GQ looks and 64 AQHA points - in halter, heading, and heeling - the easy to look at stud horse was a big-time rope horse. With a list of wins and credentials that read like a who’s who, the superhorse sold to Alpine Vet Service, Billings, MT for $14,000.

A solid, top-end gelding market was lead by son’s of Doc’s Oak and Frenchman’s Guy, and the top five geldings averaged $6,140.

Nine-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier and currently the number four professional steer wrestler in the world, Birch Negaard and his wife, Louise, Sundance, WY consigned Hip 136 “CG French Fry” a 2000 model AQHA Sorrel gelding x Frenchman’s Guy.

He’d been ranched on, calved on, roped on, and started around the barrels, and the gelding with the shiny bright future brought $7,100.

Folks purchasing horses in the top twenty came from Nebraska, California, Utah, Arizona, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming and Montana.

Sale highlights included offerings from BNH Quarter Horses, Buster and Helen Brown, Whitlash, MT, Thomas Ranch Offering, Harry Thomas, Harrold, SD, and 246 Ranch, Harold and Deb Adema, Sundance, WY.

Complete sale averages include the top five at $11,420; top ten averaged $8095; top twenty came in at $5767; followed by the top 50 at $3898; and the top 100 head of horses sold - averaged $2875.

Continuing the trend, value remains in the younger, less experienced horses looking for a job, while buyers scramble to purchase the finished, honest and proven type horses.

In the loose horse division, 491 head of horses were offered “as is, where is, how is” with the top horse fetching $1,500, followed by $1,250, and $1,200.

Loose averages include the top 5 at $1230; top 10 at $1095; top 20 averaged $958; top 50 at $758; and the top 100 averaged $595.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event is set for November 22 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