Billings, MT - Arena professionals wearing name-brand labels powered the market at Billings Livestock’s “Mid Summer Special” catalog sale featuring “Cutting and Performance Horses” July 28 - 29.

The top five averaged $15,700 and included two geldings - one by Shorty Lena, the other by Mr. Metallic - and three stallions - sons of CD O’lena, Smart Chic O’lena, and Smart Little Lena.

It was full-speed ahead as ambitious summer buyers came from 22 states and Canada to get the honest, sharp, and finished ride.

Demand increased for the better-end horse - setting a July sale record at BLS where the top 100 horses sold averaged $4,899, compared to $4,462 last year - an increase of  $437 per head -  and $3,804 in 2005 - up a striking $1,095 per horse from two years ago.

A better market for a better horse is substantiated in the overall sale averages where the top ten averaged $12,600, top twenty brought $9,725, and the top 50 averaged $6,632 - up $400 per head over 2006.

Official  head count of 985 head of horses came to Billings Livestock with 96 no-sales or pass outs - computing to a strong completed sales percentage of  90.2%.

The first horse in the ring rang the bell with a $20,000 price tag, and Hip 1 “Shortys Boy” a 2001 AQHA Bay gelded son of Shorty Lena had all the right parts to be a big-time cutter.

Purchased by Don and Kathy Boone, West Columbia, TX, Kathy’s father, Jim Reno, had co-owned the late Shorty Lena.

He’d  made the short-goes at Pendelton, Walla Walla, and Omak, and was just home from Reno, and Hip 138 “ImPlum Driftwood” a 99 AQHA Brown Gelding x Mr Metallic came solid, seasoned, and ready-to-rodeo.

Talented and pretty, too, the big-time bull-dogging horse was offered by Tyler and Jamie Morgan, Prosser, WA  and sold to Rex Bohn, Winnett, MT for $19,500.

Black Rock Ranch, Coeur D’Alene, ID offered 18 head from their nationally promoted program including Hip 96 “CD Spark” a 2002 AQHA sorrel stallion by CD O’lena and out of a full sister to Shining Spark.

The stylish cowhorse was an   NRCHA money earner and AQHA point earner and sold to David Scheffler, Wittmann, AZ for $15,000.

Doug Carpenter, Sulphur, OK offered a top-of-the-line prospect with Hip 154 “Chicody Leo” a two-year-old sired by the Babcock Ranch’s $8 million dollar sire, Smart Chic O’lena and out of a Topsail Cody daughter .

Started soft and right, the special colt brought $13,000 and sold to Benny Guitron, Merced CA.

Miller Land and Livestock, Big Piney, Wy offered Hip 130 “Chic Olena 0067” a 1997 AQHA sorrel stallion x Smart Little Lena and out of Gay Sugar Chic.

The full brother to Smart Chic Olena sold to Bob Hanson, White Sulphur Springs, MT for $11,000.       

In the gelding department it was gentle, eye appeal, and ride-a-round that got their attention and a dun, a buckskin, and two palominos cracked the top twenty - packing a $6,475 average.

A whopping good set of colored, quality yearlings were offered by Tom Keenan, Henderson, NE and included duns, palominos, blue roans, and blacks.

The yearling fillies and stud colts averaged $1,175.    

With one processing plant now reopened in the United States, the loose market held steady as 372 head were offered loose.

The day’s top loose prospect brought $1,900, with the top five averaging $1,310, top ten brought $1,062; top 20 came in at $845, top 50 brought $647; and the top 100 averaged $519.

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

An open, 4-D barrel race with $300 added will kick off the weekend’s activities on Friday evening, August 24 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.