Sired by the boys who made the big-bang in the business - Peppy San Badger and Doc O’Lena - direct sons and daughters bearing their industry-impacting genetics brought the folks to town for the November 23 "Holiday Special Catalog Sale" at Billings Livestock Commission Company.

They are no longer in production and the top five selling horses tell the story - three sired by the $24 million dollar sire - Peppy San Badger - and two sired by the $15 million dollar sire - Doc O’Lena.

Top-shelf breeding stock was available - and - in strong demand - while tried and true using geldings maintained their dominance in the ride horse department.

With nearly 400 buyers from 20 states and three Canadaian provinces registered for the one-day sale spectacular, a total of 693 head of horses passed through the gates of Billings Livestock.

The sale was headlined by a designer set of mares - 30 in all - offered by the Burdettes’ of Lufkin, TX. 22 of the mares were bred to their former stallion - Badger Starlight - who has since been sold - including daughters of Peppy San Badger, Doc Tari, Doc’s Sug, Doc Fair, Doc Clabber, and Doc O’Lena.

All eyes were on Hip 118 "RW Peppy Olena" as he set a new, all-time sale record at Billings Livestock Commission Company demanding a final bid of $42,000.

"RW Peppy Olena" a 93 AQHA Bay stallion by Peppy San Badger and out of Partner in Law by Doc O’Lena was all he was bred to be - smart, stylish, and a show-stopper.

The finished cutter, complete with AQHA points, stood 15.1 hands, weighed 1,200 lbs.and moved like a cat.

Offered as part of the Burdette consignment, the class stallion was purchased by Clyde Krebs, Glen Ullin, ND. "RW Peppy Olena" will stand to outside mares in 2003.

Daughters of Doc O’Lena - both possessing size and substance - seized the number two and three sale positions bringing $12,500 and $9,000.

"Bitsy Bar O’Lena" a 91 AQHA Sorrel Mare x Doc O’Lena and out of a Peppy San daughter was offered by the Purdy Ranches, Buffalo, WY and sold to John Johnson, Brookings, SD.

Consigned by the Burdettes, Hip 125 "Deb O’Lena" an 83 AQHA Sorrel Mare x Doc O’Lena and out of a daughter of Jericho Lark sold bred to Badger Starlight and moved north with Gerhard Loeffeler, Canim Lake, British Columbia.

The good geldings continued to meet with strong demand - both registered and grade - with the top five geldings averaging $5,000.

A something for everyone market, real using geldings brought from a low of $1,500 to a high of $5,000.

Defining the areas of demand, 19 of the top 20 selling horses were over the age of five and had an established occupation - from broodmare, arena money-earner, to using ranch horse - they had found their permanent calling.

Softness in the market continues to be in the younger, plainer horses looking for work.

In the loose horse division, 340 head sold with the top loose horse ringing the bell at $1,950, followed by $1,750, and $1,350.

On the loose, the prospects pushed the market with the top five loose horses averaging $1,530, top ten at $1,315, top 20 bringing $1,084, top 50 came in at $775, while the top 100 loose horses brought $579.

As a whole, the entire sale averaged $15,800 on the top five; top ten at $10,960; top 20 came in at $7,660; top 50 at $5,066; while the top 100 head of horses sold averaged $3,613.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event is set for December 28 and will feature the "New Year’s Special Catalog Sale" and regular monthly horse sale at BLS.

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