Dan Raffan figures horses and cattle go together, so a ranch horse event in conjunction with the Calgary Bull Sale seemed like a natural fit.
“We wanted to put something back into Calgary that would appeal to ranchers,” said Raffan, who raises horses and cattle and is a partner in Valley Auction at Armstrong, B.C.
This was the first time a ranch horse show and sale were attached to the 106-year-old bull sale.
“The bull sale is a foundation event where the industry gathers every year. We wanted to promote a positive side of agriculture industry and show we are alive and well,” Raffan said.
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Despite frigid temperatures, the demonstration drew large crowds to watch well-trained cow horses go through their paces with a herd of steers. Organizers wanted real cowboys and horses capable of doing a hard day’s work with cattle, rather than a performance show.
“It’s a showy event. People like to see horses. There’s a bit of horse in everybody,” Raffan said.
Twelve horses ranging in age from three to eight were entered from ranches in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. A packed house was on hand for the evening auction March 2 where the sale finished with a $84,700 gross and a $7,058 average.
The high seller was a palomino Quarter horse born in 2000. Owned by Gerry Hofer of White Lake Colony of Nobleford, Alta., the quiet gelding was a crowd pleaser. It sold for $16,000 to R & V White Ranches of Jenner, Alta.
