Ride N’Around

A tiptop selection of famous label prospects, ranch geldings, and arena horses filled the cowhorse superstore at Billings Livestock’s three day “Fall Special Catalog Sale” October 24-25-26.

Reiners, ropers, working cowhorse, or cutters - the catalog was stuffed full of the sought after contemporary genetics of today’s arena competitor.

Sons and daughters of Smart Chic O’lena, Doc’s Hickory, Smart Little Lena, Gallo Del Cielo, Smart Lil Scoot, and Playgun peppered the weekend’s offering highlighted by special consignments from Jim Babcock, Babcock Ranches, Gainesville, TX and Black Rock Ranch, Coeur D’Alene, ID.

Folks came from 18 states and three Canadian provinces to get them, and 526 individual buyers registered to purchase 970 head of horses. 85.5% of the horses offered, sold.

The top five selling horses averaged $16,300.

His honors are many and include over $10 million won riding his offspring, Hall of Fame positions in both the NRHA and NRCHA, and he’s the sire to the number one selling horse of the sale - Hip 396 “Chic’s Bold Rooster” a 2005 AQHA Sorrel stallion by Jim Babcock’s multi-talented sire “Smart Chic O’lena”.

The extra-broke, smart looking stallion was out of a daughter of Gallo Del Cielo and sold to Robin Faller, Lisbon, ND for $27,000.

Three palominos - every one a mare - claimed top seller positions three, four, and five, bringing $13,000, $12,500, and $9,000 respectively.

Blonde, broke, and oh, so pretty, Hip 283 “Chics Palogun” a 2006 AQHA filly also by Smart Chic Olena previewed flawlessly in the riding horse demonstration and sold to Gus Evagelopoulos, Calgary, Alberta for $12,500.

Grade, gray, eight-years-old, and an industrial strength ranch gelding - Hip 74 “Judge” came shown and consigned by rancher Bill Johnson, Big Sandy, MT.

The gentle, ranch expert brought $8,000 selling to Flying Triangle Ranch, Grand Junction, CO.

Good horses sell and people come to get them - the top ten averaged $12,095; Top 20 brought $8,742; Top 50 averaged $6,117, and the top 100 averaged $4,404.

Market solidity prevails in the better using horses and top-end, performance bred prospects. Demand continues to diminish for the plainer, thinner, more common type horses.

Driven by supply and demand, the loose horse market dipped as the horse market continues to feel the effect of the closure of all U.S. Processing plants. All U.S. plants have been closed since September of 2007.

But, even in the loose division, a definite shift towards the “better” type horse - the top five averaged $1,100 compared to $860 last year - with the high selling loose horse commanding $1,600 this year versus $1,300 in 2007; Top ten averaged $870 compared to $767 one year ago; Top 20 at $663 - that’s $22 better than the the 2007 figure of $641; Top 50 brought $435 against $493 in 2007; and the top 100 averaged $315 this year compared to $395 one year ago.

Billings Livestock's next sale event is set for November 29-30 and will be the final sale of 2008 for Billings Livestock.

The big sale weekend will include a pre-sale preview of cutters, ride horses, and rope horses on Friday, November 28 at the HorsePalace Arena.

“Holiday Special” Catalog Sale headlines Saturday and Sunday’s schedule with loose horses selling Sunday, November 30 at 9 a.m.