THE GOOD STUFF
Finished rope horses, take-you-to-the pay window ponies, fancy ranch geldings, and those oh, so popular draft crosses, Billings Livestock’s “April Special Catalog Sale” and Spring Rope Horse Special on April 23 was a one-stop-shop for all kinds and classes.
Talk of the day was the loose horse trade as America’s Number One loose market again set another record with a $10,300 high on a loose gelding offered as is, where is, how is, as well as a $12,200 price tag for a matched team also offered loose.
Absolutely on fire from the first horse to the last, the loose division continued to be rocked by the ride prospects and saw a $8,600 top five average, $7,440 on the top ten, and a $3,099 average on the top 100.
Rope horses showed their stuff in the jackpot team roping held exclusively for sale horses Friday afternoon where 99 teams competed in a two-go around and finals format, allowing each sale horse a minimum of six competitive runs to allow buyers a true view of the rope horses.
A full-on performance demonstration of all catalog horses preceded the roping event.
Congratulations to the team roping champs Justin Collins aboard Hip 67 heading and Matt Gingrass heeling on Hip 226 for a payoff of $465 each and Gordy Alderson trophy bits.
The first catalog horse of the day rocketed straight to the number one spot of the sale with a $29,000 price tag.
True blue, the black-headed blue roan ranch gelding caught everyone’s attention and Hip 1 “Jessies Higher Drift” a 2015 model owned and shown by working ranch cowboy J.D. Vukonich, White Sulphur Springs, MT came safe, reliable, and with an extensive ranch resume.
Hip 119 “Atomic Hellcat” a 2018 APHA Bay Overo Gelding x Catatomic x High Brow Cat consigned by the West Fork Ranch, Sheffield, IA earned runnerup sale honors at $24,500.
Fancy, broke the best, the gentle gelding came multi-user friendly, too, and was the complete flawless package. Justyne Young, Billings, MT purchased the quality individual.
Ponies, ponies, ponies!! This one rode like a big horse and came ready-to-roll in the roping pen and Hip 70 “Paycheck” a 2014 Grade Red and White Paint Pony Gelding offered by Norman Mitchell, Tahlequah, OK had been hauled the past two years to rodeos and ropings.
He brought $22,750 and sold to Colby Crago, Belle Fourche, SD.
Always a highlight in Billings and always a plentiful selection, the draft crosses rule – month in and month out – and April’s top selling draft cross was consigned by Ervin Miller, Hulett, WY.
Hip 132 “Dandy” a 2018 Red Dun Draft Cross came gentle, ranch ridden, layed down on cue, side pass to a fence to get on – and all in a pretty buckskin dun color. He brought $15,500.
Good geldings aplenty, as 18 out of the top 20 selling horses were geldings.
With 429 head of horses offered, the top five catalog horses averaged $23,090; top ten at $20,465; top 20 at $18,080; top 50 at $14,043; and the top 100 averaged $10,720.
Billings Livestock’s May 28 sale event salutes the ranch horse with the “Cow Country Classic Catalog Sale” featuring the annual judged Ranch Horse Competition.
The original spring catalog sale for Billings, all kinds and classes will be offered, and will kick off Friday, May 27 with a full performance preview followed by the ranch horse competition.
Horses will be on premise at BLS, with the special ShowCase Sale Session also offered to online buyers.
You can consign, see what’s coming, and sign up for online bidding at www.billingslivestock.com