MARCH 24-25
DRAFT CROSSES & MULES
Trail-wise and tourist-tested, mules, drafts, and draft crosses made the news at Billings Livestock Commission’s “Spring Special Catalog Sale” featuring the 25th annual “Trail, Outfitting, Guide, and Guest Horse” offering March 25.
A one day total of 589 head of horses and mules came to town including 100 cataloged mules.
The top sale spot of $20,000 was shared by Hip 234 “Midnight” a 2018 Grade Black Percheron Cross Gelding consigned by Deven Heitland, Sheffield, IA and Hip 147 “CC Peppy Nitro Flash” a 2017 AQHA Sorrel Gelding x HA Nitro Pepup consigned by Luke Sheehan, Sheridan, WY.
Fancy, gentle, and weighing in at 1500 lbs, “Midnight” had been trail ridden, loped like a little horse, and came started on the hot heels.
Hip 147 “CC Peppy Nitro Flash” had been used all over the ranch, was started on barrels, poles, heeling, and calf roping, and came gentle, honest, and willing.
Trophy Mountain Outfitters, Afton, WY consigned 12 head of proven trail and guest horses that had seen the sights of the Teton Range of the Rocky Mountains and brought from $1,800 to $16,000.
A special consignment from K Lazy 3 Outfitters, Lincoln, MT also included the tried and true outfitter, guest, and trail horses – plus mules – including hip 107 “Ike” a 2017 Grade Gray gelding that brought $12,000.
Consigned by well respected mule man, Jake Clark, Powell, WY, Hip 165 “Easy Money” a 2015 Grade Black John Mule earned the day’s top mule honors with a sale price of $12,500. .
Bred and raised by the Clark’s, “Easy Money” had been used for five years in their outfitting camp packing supplies with guides riding him to guide hunters each fall.
Dillon Corrington of Rafter D Mules, Hastings, MN brought 17 head of mules – ride, drive, or pack – from fancy to functional, a mule for every job.
A raging loose market continued at Billings where the top horse on the loose fetched $9,750 with seven head at $6,000 plus. Loose included 244 head with 88 at $2,000 or better, a top five average of $7,510;, top ten at $6,680; top 20 brouight $5,955, top 50 at $4,570 and the top 100 averaged $3,436.
Overall sale averages included the top five at $18,200, top ten averaged $16,340, top 20 at $14,245; The top 50 averaged $11,106, and the top 100 brought $8,940.
Next up at Billings – both on premise and online – is the “April Special Catalog Sale” featuring the Spring Rope Horse Sale session. All kinds and classes will sell with a special highlight for rope horses.
Consign, see what’s coming, and sign up for online bidding at www.billingslivestock.com
https://www.billingslivestock.com/wp-content/uploads/MARCH-2023-TOP-20.pdf
FEBRUARY 24-25-26
Simply. Bedazzled.
Five-star and fancy, Billings Livestock’s February 24-25-26 sale presented the business with a catalog sale top of $98,000, a loose horse at $9,700, a zonkey sold for $7,000 and the coolest mules around brought $33,000 and $20,000.
A jam-up, quality filled February event highlighted by the annual “Sons and Daughters” sale sessions where horses are sired by money earners, AQHA Champions, or horses with a record themselves.
The crackerjack set of horses, mules, and ponies saw 114 head bump $10,000 or better, with 45 over the $20,000 mark and six pushing $50,000 plus.
Leader of the pack, Hip 310 “Metallicat” a 2011 AQHA Sorrel mare sired by the $52 Million dollar sire, Metallic Cat and out of Mates Matrix x Smart Mate was herself an AQHA Open World Champion Head Horse as well as an NRCHA Open Futurity Finalist.
All eyes on the blue-chip mare, she came consigned by Ty Smith, Whitesboro, TX and sold for $98,000.
Two foals – a filly and a stud colt – out of Metallicat and by the $8 million dollar sire Woody Be Tuff also sold bringing $24,000 each.
Number two for the day was Hip 282 “The Mamba” a 2017 AQHA Red Roan stallion sired by the boss – Metallic Cat – and our of an Abracadabracre daughter – came with NCHA earnings of $77,000 plus.
Offered by Alan Chappel, Collinsville, TX the handsome stallion sold to Steve Cockerum, Fruitland, ID.
Red roan and a stallion, too, this one sired by Metallic Cat’s number one son – Stevie Rey Von and out of a daughter of Peptoboonsmal – Hip 321 “Stevies Final Play” a 2019 model that had two years of cutting training as well being paid to date in the Riata Buckle Rope Horse Futurity.
Consigned by Cooper Smith, Whitesboro, TX he was purchased by Bryan Orton, Spanish Fork, UT for $64,000.
Eight out of the top ten selling horses were Riata Buckle eligible with seven out of the top ten having Royal Crown eligibility. The top ten averaged $76,600.
Oh, those mules!! Hip 319 “Hollywood” a 2018 Grade Gray John Mule consigned by Nebo Valley Farms, Fredericksburg, OH looked like a mule but rode like a reiner!
The unique fellow had been used daily on an Amish farm, ridden by riders from 3 to 65, used on a drill team, carried flags in parades, and would lay down on cue.
He brought $33,000 and sold to Michael Boitnott, Prescott, AZ.
The top three selling mules brought $33,000, $20,000, and $19,500.
Loose horses started the year on fire with 198 head offered in this division with the top five loose at $9,700, $9,000, $8,700, $8,700, and $7,750.
Sixty six head on the loose brought $2,000 or better with 20 at $4,000 plus.
Overall sale averages reflect the quality offered in February as the top five averaged $76,600; top ten at $58,850; Top 20 brought $44,150; top 50 at $30,758; and the top 100 at $22,590.
Something for every pocketbook as 88 head brought between $5,000 and $7,500.
Loose averages show just how good it was – the top five at $8,770, top ten at $7,600; top 20 at $6,195, top 50 brought $4,307; and top 100 – that’s half – averaging $3,065.
Up next – March 25 – the Spring Special Catalog Sale, it‘s on premise and online. Consign, see what‘s coming, and sign up for online bidding www.billingslivestock.com
https://www.billingslivestock.com/wp-content/uploads/FEBRUARY-2023-TOP-40.pdf