Four out of the top five selling horses were sired by Equi-Stat’s number two Leading Sire of barrel horses for 2005,  Frenchman’s Guy.

The sire of nearly two million dollars to date in progeny earnings,  Frenchman’s Guy is sired by Sun Frost and out of  a daughter of Laughing Boy.

Flashing his sire’s signature palomino color,  Hip 378 “Frenchman’s Easy Doc” a 2002 AQHA palomino stallion by Frenchman’s Guy was out of the John Scott Ranch raised mare - Easy April Lena.

 Easy April Lena carried her own purple pedigree - she’s by Doc O Dynamite, and her mother is Easy April Bar - making her a full-sister to Rachel Myllymaki’s  multiple NFR mount, “Scott”. 

The special yellow package was offered by Jeff and Kelly Gorrell, Beach, ND, started on barrels by Lisa Scheffer, Hamilton, MT,  had seen ranch use,  was lightly started roping in the arena, and sold for $43,000 to Mike Henry, Douglas, WY. 

Alan Woodbury, Dickinson, ND consigned three home-raised Frenchman’s Guy daughters including Hip 255 “Frenchmans Azalea” a 2002 AQHA Sorrel mare out of a Rocket Wrangler daughter.

In foal to Paddys Wild Whiskey for 2007, the stylish mare sold to Jim Whitcher, Scenic, SD for $12,000. 

Another Woodbury offering included Hip 311 “Freckles Frenchy” a 2004 AQHA Chestnut mare by Frenchman’s Guy and out of a Colonel Freckles granddaughter. The extra-nice prospect brought $7,500 and sold to Mike Henderson, Whitman, NE.

She came dressed in her sire’s tell-tale color and Hip 442 “Smart Girl Gun”  a 2003 AQHA gray mare sired  by the $3.8 million-dollar sire - Playgun -  was out of  Smart Girls R Trouble x Smart and Trouble. She was pretty all over - pretty to look at, pretty on a cow, and came consigned by Cowhorses, Inc., Parma, ID. Mark and Sunny Williams, Caputa, SD purchased the filly with a future for $10,500.

Five star geldings continue their dominance of the market where the weekend’s top selling gelding brought $6,500 and the top five - two buckskins, a gray, a palomino, and a sorrel - averaged $5,580.

 Shown and owned by Gary and April Zilverberg, Holabird, SD,  Hip 471 “DL Two Eyed Diamond” a 2002 AQHA Buckskin gelding by Royal Gold Tex had been started heeling in the arena. Roped on in the pre-sale previews, the class-act-gelding with the first-class start brought $6,500 and sold to Valerie Stepp, Clevelend, TN.

Product testing speaks volumes about the merchandise and the pre-sale previews for the cutters, ropers, and ride horses allowed the sale horses to show - or not show -  their stuff.

With 1,021 horses offered, shopping season on the young horses continues as a “buyers market”  prevails in the two and three year old division, as well as for weanlings, yearlings, and common-type broodmares.

The three-day sale weekend saw 95% completed sales with with 95 head “no-saled” or passed out by the consignor.

Sale averages for October include the top five at $15,900, top ten $10,810, top 20 $7,645, top 50 $4,954, and the top 100 averaged $3,576.

 National pressure on the loose horses did not dampen the BLS market, where all market representatives were in attendance. 

 Loose horse market held steady with the top five on the loose averaging $1,455; top 10 $1,230; top 20 at $1,022; top 50 $786; top 100 averaging $636.

Billings Livestock's next sale event is set for November 25-26 and will include a pre-sale preview of cutters, ride horses, and rope horses on Friday, November 24 at the Horse Palace Arena.

 “Holiday Special” Catalog Sale headlines Saturday and Sunday’s schedule with loose horses selling Sunday, November 26 at 9 a.m.