A revamped horse sale at Canadian Western Agribition drew more entries, a bigger crowd and stronger prices this year.
The select ranch horse sale no longer features a competition and this year included ranch horses, barrel prospects and even a pony.
Organizers said the idea was to feature a wider selection of quality horses for a variety of uses.
Sydney Pedersen of Milestone, Sask., consigned the pony, Slingshot. She said he was a versatile, family pony that could be used for roping, barrels or poles.
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“I think it’s some other little kid’s turn to have fun with him,” she said of selling the 10-year-old gelding.
You can find all our Canadian Western Agribition 2016 coverage here.
She guessed before the sale that he would sell for up to $3,500, but Raylee Edwards of Lethbridge bought him for $6,700.
“There was a lot of activity in the barns before the sale,” Pedersen said.
“A lot of kids wanted to sit on him.”
The top selling horse was Factory Cat, a mare consigned by Kassidy Williamson of Mankota, Sask. She went to Frehlick Quarter Horses of Estevan, Sask., for $17,500.
Ray Frehlick is no stranger to the Agribition sale, having bought or consigned top sellers in previous years.
“I think it’s a horse that fits into our program,” he said of his most recent purchase.
“We are always looking to have the best in the world.”
He liked the bloodlines and the opportunities the mare gives his stable, which currently includes 36 horses.
“She can be used for a barrel horse, cutting, reining or roping,” Frehlick said.
“Or, she could be a brood mare. She’s only a three-year-old, so there is lots ahead of her.”
Frehlick also sold the second-highest seller, BR Star Lit Nic, a black mare that went to 3J Farm Ltd. of Cochrane, Alta. for $16,000.
Sixteen horses, including two prospects trained on site at the show, sold for a total of $139,500, which compares to 11 lots that sold for $66,000 last year.
This was the second year the sale included Canadian Barrel Horse Incentive prospects, which require a Super Stakes certificate.
Colts between two and four that sell at Agribition are eligible to compete at the CBHI Futurity next year.
Organizer Sherri Quam said four year olds that are sold in Regina can run for a purse of $118,000 at Ponoka, Alta., next October.
“Some of the three year olds will be able to run in two years and they’ll run for $140,000, so it’s big money for these colts,” she said.
The colts are bred specifically to run barrels, and Quam said genetics are improving all the time.
“Lots of people have imported stallions from the United States just for the purpose of barrel racing,” she said.
“These horses are second to none, the bloodlines that we have up in Canada now.”
The advantage to buying at Agribition is that the colts have already been started, she added.
However, only three barrel prospects sold for an average price of $6,133.
