Sale Report for January 27

Tack Tales

 Billings, MT - Pieces of western history, horses of a different color, and all-business geldings made the market at Billings Livestock Commission’s  “Winter Special Catalog Sale” and annual “Cabin Fever Tack Sale” January 27.

Right from the get-go, the annual “Cabin Fever Tack Sale” seized a captive audience offering only used and collectible tack, including old cowboy gear and Native American items.  The once-a-year event - held each January at BLS -  welcomed a standing-room only crowd and saw the top five pieces average $2,500.

Crafted in the early 1900’s by an inmate in the Montana State Prison, Deer Lodge, MT, a hard-to-find, fully-hitched horse hair headstall - complete with intricate hitched reins and curbstrap - commanded the day’s top sale price of $3,500 - and will retain it‘s Montana residency selling to an in-state buyer.

 Number two in the tack department with a $3,000 price tag, a pair of dainty, double mounted, ladies’ spurs - built about 1915 by early Oklahoma bit and spur maker, J.R. McChesney. 

 Complete with leaves and heart buttons on the band, and complimented by silver overlay on the shank, the pristine pair of spurs was purchased by a South Dakota collector. 

 He came in bright buckskin and bonused with a twist of chrome, and Hip 63 “HA Steady Buck” an 05 AQHA stallion sired by Black Rock Ranch’s pretty palomino son of Smart Little Lena, “Steady Tradition” and out of a Freckles Playboy daughter,  joined the BLS “High Sellers Club” with a final bid of $15,000.

 Purchased by Oregon breeders Stephen and Tammy Hutchings, the keen colt will compliment an already proven program.

Utah’s Fort Ranch bred and a finalist at the National High School Rodeo Finals, Hip 25X “Peppy Olena Leah” a 93 AQHA Sorrel mare x Mr. Peppy Olena and out of Boons Yo Birdie by Boon Bar came consigned by Jake Ream, Mona, UT.

Owned and shown by the Reams for the past five years, the proven mare sold to Kristin Omvig, Billings, MT for $10,000.

Blue roan was the color-of-the-day in the gelding division where three blue roans - every one of them selling grade -   graced the BLS Top 20 Sellers list including Hip 66 “J.J” a 2000 model offered by Matt Matlick, Rapid City, SD.

 Living the ranch life, he’d drug calves, doctored cattle, sorted and trailed cattle, ponied colts, came with a good disposition and sold for $2,800 to Mobley Land, Inc., Olive, MT.

 A stinging loose horse trade prevailed in spite of the temporary closing of two Texas processing plants. 

 BLS’s January 27 loose horse market rocked - with the top-end bringing over 42 cents, and the prospects exceeding the $1 mark. 

 Offered as is, where is, how is, the top two on the loose brought $1,250 and $1,150, driving the top five average to $990, with the top 10 bringing $840, top 20 came in at $703, top 50 at $548; and the top 100 - nearly one-half of the day’s loose offering - averaged $442.

 A snappy January market is reflected in the overall sale averages, where the top five brought $7,640 - that’s an increase of $1,140 over 2006; top ten averaged $5,670, up $570 over last year’s figures; top 20 brought $4,195, top 50 averaged $2,726, and the top 100 head brought $1,860.

 Billings Livestock’s “February Catalog Sale” will feature an expanded three-day sale format February 23-24-25.

 The sale weekend is highlighted by a special, limited session of “Sons and Daughters” of Champions and Money Earners in addition to the NFR Session.  All classes of horses will sell.

 A preview of the rope horses, cutting horses, barrel horses, and saddle horses is set for Friday, February 23 at 11 a.m. at the Horse Palace Arena.  Rope horses, calf horses, and cutting horses will all preview on cattle.

 Catalogs will be available on-line Thursday, February 15 with hard copy catalogs mailed on Friday, February 16.