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Agriculture

Legends of Ranching Sale most successful yet

May 7, 2012
by Coleman Cornelius

Colorado State University's Legends of Ranching Performance Horse Sale on April 28 was the most successful in the program's seven years, generating more than $330,000 in sale proceeds, organizers said.

A total of 63 American Quarter Horses were auctioned at the B.W. Pickett Equine Center.

Of these, 34 young horses – ages 2 and 3 – were consigned by CSU’s industry partners and were started by equine students with faculty guidance; students trained the young horses for seven months. An additional 29 older horses were directly consigned to the sale.

A trademark educational program

The Legends of Ranching Performance Horse Sale annually caps a trademark educational program in CSU Equine Sciences. In the program, CSU students have the unique opportunity to train well-bred young horses, taking the animals from barely halter-broken to working calmly under saddle.

“Our success with the Legends of Ranching sale this year is a reflection of the high-quality performance bloodlines represented in the sale horses. It also demonstrates the strong support from consignors and buyers for the program’s hands-on educational foundation,” said Jerry Black, director of undergraduate programs for CSU Equine Sciences, who also holds the Wagonhound Land and Livestock Chair in Equine Sciences.

“We like to say that with the Legends of Ranching sale, what matters most is what the students learn,” Black added. “These students are the future of our industry.”

Equine students not only train most of the horses auctioned, but plan and manage most aspects of the sale.

Nation’s best-known Western horse ranches 

Twenty-two consignors, including some of the nation’s best-known Western horse ranches, contributed horses to the 2012 Legends of Ranching Performance Horse Sale.

The average price for all quarter horses in the sale was $5,376. The average price for young horses trained by CSU students was just over $4,000, according to sale records. The average price for aged horses was $7,424.

High-selling horses 

 Two horses brought $18,500 – a tie for high-seller.

• A 3-year-old black mare named Sparkling Rendition, sired by Wimpys Little Step, one of only two horses ever to have won both the All-American Quarter Horse Congress and National Reining Horse Association Open Futurities. Her dam, Shiney Miss Hickory, is a National Reined Cow Horse Association money-earner. Wagonhound Land and Livestock consigned the mare. CSU student Kortney Bahem worked with Sparkling Rendition. Bahem, from Idaho, grew up showing horses and has been active on the CSU Livestock Judging, Horse Judging, Versatility Ranch Horse and Seedstock Merchandising teams.
   
• A 2008 buckskin gelding named WR Cal Pepper, consigned by Wood Ranch, also brought $18,500. He was sired by BP Smart Little Pep; his dam is Cal Beauty. The attractive gelding came to the sale experienced in ranch work and roping.

Auctioneer Jeff Tebow and announcer Kevin Meyer staffed the sale. Proceeds are split among sale costs, consignors and the CSU Equine Sciences Program.

Preparing students for success

The Legends of Ranching Performance Horse Sale helps prepare Equine Sciences students for success in the diverse horse industry, which has an annual economic impact of about $102 billion in the United States, according to the American Horse Council.

More information

For information about the 2013 Legends of Ranching Performance Horse Sale, contact Gary Carpenter, CSU Equine Sciences industry outreach and liaison director at (970) 491-8373 or Gary.Carpenter@colostate.edu.