Billings, MT - Performance bred and competition ready, practiced professionals from name-brand breeding stock to money-earning arena horses, accelerated the market at Billings Livestock Commission’s “Mid-Summer Special” catalog sale July 22-23.

From the beginning to the end, the finished product - some with earnings, all with a solid education in their chosen field - were the horses in demand as buyers continue to seek out the sane, sound, and solid kind.

High selling competition cutting horse brought $20,000, top selling “hauled and won on” rope horse commanded $7,750, and the high selling ranch broke, honest using gelding fetched $7,600.

Home to cowboys and cowhorses, Billings Livestock was proud to welcome horses consigned from 18 western, southwestern, and midwestern states and two Canadian provinces for a weekend total of 884 head.

On the buyers side, 447 individuals registered to buy over the weekend driving the completed sales percentage to 85%. Horses sold to new homes in 20 states and two Canadian provinces including FL, KY, MS, MA, GA, ND, UT, ID, TX, NE, WA, MN, NV, CO, AZ, AR, AL, SD, MT, WY, Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada.

Sons and daughters of Doc O’Lena, Peppy San Badger, Doc’s Hickory, Boonlight Dancer, Doc’s Oak, Dual Pep, Kit Dual, and SR Hallmarked graced the BLS top twenty sellers listing where the average price of a top twenty horse came in at $9,407 - a whopping increase of $2,240 per head over 2005.

With NCHA earnings in excess of $15,000 and currently sitting second in the Central Utah Cutting Horse Association standings, Hip 286 “Hickorys Christmas” a 96 AQHA Bay gelding x Doc’s Hickory and out of a daughter of Doc Quixote was the high selling horse of the weekend bringing $20,000.

Shown in the pre-sale cutting preview, the solid, ready-to-win-on-today gelding came consigned by Rhett Searle, Vernal, UT and sold to Thad York, Saratoga, WY.

Double pretty and nobly bred, Hip 128 “Lean Pickens” a 1987 AQHA Bay stallion x Doc O’Lena and out of a granddaughter of King and Three Bars came consigned by Black Rock Ranch, LLC, Harrison, ID and sold to Ed Broyles, Arkansas City, KS, for $12,000.

She was shown in the NCHA Futurity in December, was raised, trained, and consigned by Winston Hansma, Weatherford, TX and Hip 178 “Shorta Graceful” a 2002 AQHA Chestnut Mare x Kit Dual was the goods.

Bred to Pat and Connie Fitzgerald’s million-dollar-sire “Smart Mate”, the classy, quiet mare sold for $12,000 to Karen Hermstad, Roy, WA.

Seasoned, sound, and ready to haul, Hip 151 “Two Square Catty” a 96 AQHA red roan mare x Two Square Hancock and out of a Quarter Hancock daughter was a 1D-2D barrel horse, had been used for ranch work, ran poles, and had been heeled on.

Brought to Billings Livestock by Lauren Whaley West, Glendale, AZ the quality mare commanded $5,500 and sold to Mary Ellen Penland, Madison, GA.

A heel horse royale and dressed in Matt Dillon buckskin, Hip 74 “Eagle Pocos Barons” a 97 AQHA gelding had been hauled and won on at USTRC Ropings and PRCA rodeos.

Offered by Steve True, Evans, CO, the super stylish package was suitable for a #5 roper and up, had been ridden in the feedlot, and was legged up and rodeo ready and sold for $7,000 to Thomas and Karen McGuire, Wheatland, WY.

Overall sale averages summarized the weekend’s quality offerings with the top five averaging $14,900; top ten $12,350; top 50 averaged $6,249 while the top 100 came in at $4,462.

A full-to-the-brim sale arena witnessed an ambitious loose horse trade as Billings Livestock continues to lead the nation in the loose horse business, month after month, sale after sale - top five averaged $1,390, the top ten brought $1,320, top 20 came in at $1,181, while the top 100 selling “as is, where is”, commanded $691.

Billings Livestock’s next sale event includes the annual “August Catalog Sale”, and “Montana Miniature and Pony Sale” August 26-27.

An open, 4-D barrel race with $200 added will kick off the weekend’s activities on Friday evening, August 26 in the BLS Arena. Sale horses are encouraged to compete and enter with a $100 bonus awarded to the sale horse clocking the fastest time.