I Love Ya sold for $100,000. • Photo by Stacy PigottWith her full sister set to compete in the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity Level 4 Open finals just a few hours later, I Love Ya entered the sale ring at the NRHA Markel Insurance Select Yearling Sale on Dec. 3. The bidding was fast and furious, and minutes later, the bay filly walked out as the hammer fell at $100,000.
Loveya ended up tied for 12th in the Level 4 Open with a 218 under Fernando Salgado. Owner and breeder Cam Essick was understandably proud of Loveya’s dam, Love Em N Lena, who was represented by not only a Level 4 Open finalist, but also the co-highest seller at the NRHA Futurity Sales. I Love Ya’s $100,000 price tag matched that of 2-year-old Shine Dot Shine, who sold during the Futurity Prospect Sale the night before.
Sired by Gunnatrashya, I Love Ya sold to Cogualke LLC as Hip No. 3055. In addition to Loveya, I Love Ya is a full sister to Love Em A Lil Trashy, who was the Brookside Summer Reining Derby Non-Pro Reserve Champion earlier this year. She is a half-sister to Who Loves You ($42,015, by Walla Walla Whiz); The One Time ($35,456, by One Time Pepto); NRHA Futurity Open finalist Love Em N Leavem ($30,182, by Peptoboonsmal); and Peptallbonnsmal ($24,260, by Peptoboonsmal).
I Love Ya’s second dam is Slide Me Again, who is also the second dam of the second-highest seller, Hip No. 3063, Slidin Spark, consigned by Beechfork Ranch and purchased by Margarita Buey Arietti for $80,000. Slidin Spark’s dam, Sliden Wright By (by Smart Little Lena), is a full sister to Love Em N Lena. Both mares are out of Slide Me Again, who produced earners of more than $263,000, including NRHA Futurity Open Champion Lenas Wright On (by Smart Little Lena).
Second-highest seller Slidin Spark • Photo by Stacy PigottSlidin Spark is a full brother to BFR Igniting Sparks, who has earned $52,564 and recorded 440 points in the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) while competing in reined cow horse and roping. Another full brother, Spark Me Again, was a top 10 finalist in the National Reined Cow Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity Open while earning $50,165 and 52 AQHA points.
Heritage Farms, Agent for Silver Spurs Equine, consigned the third-highest seller, Hip No. 3060, Custom Freeze. The bay colt sold for $72,000 to Bob Santagata.
Third-highest seller Custom Freeze • Photo by Stacy PigottCustom Freeze is from the first crop of Silver Spurs Equine’s stallion SG Frozen Enterprize, aka “Iceman,” and is out of the Custom Crome mare Custom Nifty Nic. An earner of $43,732, Custom Nifty Nic has produced five money-earners, including NRHA European Futurity Open Reserve Champion Gotta Nifty Gun ($59,943, by Dun It Gotta Gun), multiple aged event finalist Niftys Rock Star ($12,722, by Wimpys Little Step) and others.
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