Teach your kid’s to ride - they came with no special care - and 21 head of seasoned trail experts headed to town with the Boulder, CO, based Sombrero Ranches, the largest supplier of recreational horses in the United States, leasing out over 1,000 head of horses to guest ranches, hunters, and kid’s camps.

The one-day sale saw 266 head offered with a slim 14 head no-saled or passed out by the consignor - computing to a 95% completed sales figure.

Better geldings continued their dominance of the top twenty sellers listing where every position but three was claimed by a gelding.

Roped on, used in the branding pen, and with the “stay gentle” promise, Hip 14 “Perfect Grand Finale” a 2004 POA Palomino gelding offered by Jeff and Amy Mundell, Crane, OR was an all-around sort of guy.

The ranch and using pony brought $3,300 and sold to Stephen Porter, Lander, WY.

Offered by Chip Giles and Jane Giles, Kuna, ID Hip 12 “Cash Bars King” a 99 AQHA Brown gelding sired by Kingsilver Sherman and out of a Three Oh’s granddaughter was a fancy broke, pretty gelding.

Used outside on a large ranch to doctor and brand, the horse had also been in the roping pen as a breakaway and heel horse combo.

Clinician Ken McNabb, Powell, WY purchased the gelding for $3,000.

Everett Jones, Baker, OR consigned Hip 49 “Bartendin Dude Too” a 2002 AQHA bay roan gelding that was gentle, a good traveler, and just plain nice to be around.

Straight Pitzer bred on the topside, the good gelding was sired by Bart Bartender x Two Id Bartender and out of a daughter of Blondy’s Dude.

Rancher and respected horseman Les Best, Big Horn, MT purchased the quality gelding for $2,800.

Grade geldings also made a splash with seven of them crowding the Top 20 Sellers listing including Hip 17 “Rocky” a 2001 grade black half draft gelding used and offered by McCoy Cattle, LLC, Dillon, MT.

Coal black and built to last, the strong horse had been used outside on the ranch calving and doctoring and sold to Jeff Tift, Banner, WY for $2,600.

Nationally, the loose horse market continues to be volatile, however, loose horses held the ground they gained in November at Billings Livestock and a steady loose horse trade saw 132 head offered as is, where is, how is, with the top five averaging $745, the top ten at $676, the top 20 at $552, and the top 50 bringing $383.

Complete sale averages include the top five at $3,060, top ten at $2,860, top 20 averaged $2,420, and the top 50 head averaged $1,661.

January 26 will feature the “Winter Special Catalog Sale” and regular monthly horse sale in addition to the “Cabin Fever” Tack Sale offering collectible and used tack.