JUST. SO. BILLINGS!!
Rope horses, draft crosses, ponies, and prospects, it was one, big day of the business June 26 in Billings, Montana for the “Summer Special Catalog Sale” at Billings Livestock
Rope horses shined, real deal ranch and rodeo horses lit up the board, and oh, those drafts and draft crosses had quite a day under that Big Sky.
With 842 head of horses offered – one day, one place – all sizes, kinds, and colors, all disciplines, ages, and talents, all price points, quality and caliber – horses sold both on premise and online – to over 400 registered buyers.
June’s number one to Hip 180 “Thirdstrikeyourout” a 2013 AQHA Sorrel Gelding sired by Third Cutting and out of a Dual Rey daughter owned and shown by Slick Robison, Weatherford, TX.
Solid made and gentle, the standout gelding brought $32,000.
Reserve sale position at $25,000 to Hip 134 “Dual Purrfection” a 2010 AQHA Bay gelding x Cats Merada consigned by Jake Ream, Spanish Fork, UT.
Truly a sale highlight, the fancy gelding had been ridden on the hit television series “Yellowstone” for the past four seasons, and the broke-the-best, all around gelding brought $25,000.
The day’s top selling draft cross brought $19,000 and Hip 152 “Lucky” a 2013 Grade Chocolate Palomino Gelding offered by Colter Morris, Cody, WY stood 16.1 hands and came broke to ride or drive single or double, was traffic broke, and had been everywhere in the mountains.
He’d had “western exposure” working on a guest ranch and being ridden next to buffalo, bear, and elk. The gentle gelding sold to Isabella Jacobsen, Eastvale, CA.
All kinds and a run on quantity means all price points, too, as 77 head of catalog horses brought between $4,000 and $7,500.
A really good set of horses pushed the catalog sale averages where the top five averaged $25,500; top 10 at $22,750; top 20 at $19,612; top 50 at $14,083; and the top 100 at $10,289.
The loose horse trade continues to rock at Billings as 551 head were offered in the loose division with a high of $8,000, and the top five all over the $6,000 mark, 22 at $4,000 plus and 240 at $1,000 or better.
The loose averages include the top five at $6,820; Top ten at $6,000 even; top 20 brought $5,150; top 50 at $3,956; and the top 100 averaged $3,106.
Billings Livestock’s next sale event will be July 23-24.
Already loaded with a solid line-up of first-class horses, the annual “Mid-Summer” Catalog Sale – featuring cutting and cowbred horses – includes two previews and one full day of horse sale.
Designed to allow the sellers an opportunity to showcase their consignments and at the same time, giving the buyer an honest, professional opportunity to assess the horses, Friday’s special performance preview will begin at 3 p.m. in the HorsePalace Arena.
Billings Livestock is a federally licensed and bonded facility and offers all classes and kinds of horses. For more information, contact Jann Parker, BLS Horse Sale Manager at 406-855-1947. www.billingslivestock.com