really, really good
All the way around and all the way through – a strong horse market prevailed on a diverse selection of horses, ponies, and mules at Billings Livestock Commission’s “Fall Special Catalog Sale” October 28-29.
The top five sale horses tell the tale – October’s number one at $30,000 – a gentle, ranch, ride, or rope horse gelding, $25,000 for a registered gypsy vanner, $21,500 for a fancy bay roan draft cross, $21,000 on another top shelf buckskin gelding, and $20,000 for a team of ride or drive fjords – a motivated and energetic buyer base bought ‘em on premise and….online in Billings, Montana and made the top five average a smooth $23,200.
A one-day total of 780 head included 515 offered in the loose division, 36 no sales or pass outs, and on premise buyers from California to Maryland and online buyers from coast to coast.
Every. Single. Month. Billings offers all sizes, kinds, and colors, all disciplines, ages, and talents, and all price points, quality and caliber – with something for everyone and every pocketbook as 54 head of October catalog horses brought between $5,000 and $7,500.
October’s rockstar at $30,000 Hip 97 “A Prairie Pirate” a 2017 AQHA Buckskin Gelding x Apirates Life For Me consigned by Kera Washburn, Altamont, UT was the whole package – gentle, handsome, ranch and trail ridden, as well as made head horse – he sold for $30,000 and moved to Maryland.
Drafts and draft crosses rock Billings Livestock month in and month out, with Hip 132 “Sir Noble” a 2016 Gyspy Horse Association registered Black Piebald Gelding consigned by Danyale Bressler, Sioux Falls, SD earning reserve sale honors at $25,000.
Cool as cool can be and bonused by the bay roan color, Hip 93 “Rambo” a 2016 grade draft cross gelding offered by Kristin Mulhall, Covina, CA brought $21,500 and sold to Phil Jore, Williston, ND.
Unprecedented October sale averages show the strength of the Billings horse market – not just the top end, but the middle as well – the top five averaged $23,200, top ten at $20,100, top 20 at $15,922; top 50 averaged $11,341, and the top 100 brought $8,613.
22 head of horses hit $10,000 or better, including Hip 1658 – a loose horse – which commanded $10,200.
True validation of the strength of the Billings loose trade 49 head brought $3,000 or better, with 89 at $2,000 plus.
Loose horses are offered as is, where is, how is with no guarantee and are sold with no rider, no speech, no footnotes.
In this division the top five averaged $7,430; top ten at $6,545; Top 20 at $5,665; Top 50 averaged $4,338; and the top 100 averaged $3,287.
Up next – November 26 “Holiday Special Catalog Sale” featuring performance horses with loose horses selling in the morning. An indoor, climate and ground controlled preview is set for Friday, November 25 at 3 p.m. at the HorsePalace Arena.
See it all – consign, see what’s coming, and sign up for online bidding at www.billingslivestock.com