The performance horse market was strong during the recent Triangle Winter Sale, which broke an average record on Jan. 22-23 in Oklahoma City.
Officials say the sale, which also is known as the January Sale, this year drew a crowd of buyers from 29 states, Canada, Mexico and Venezuela –– and broke the net average sale record for the venue at $12,750 per head on an 86-percent sales completion. The prime sales drove Triangle’s Top $10,000 Club membership to a record, with 132 horses selling for more than $10,000, or 53 percent of 317 catalogued horses, less withdrawals.
“We had a total of 76 new buyers that really added to the sale’s success,” said Triangle Horse Sales owner Jim Ware said in a statement.
2021 Winter Sale High Sellers
The Top Five sellers from the 2021 Winter Sale included horses fostered by some of the best in the roping and performance horse industry. The high seller at $76,000 was Hip No. 228, Beer An Ice (A Smooth Guy x One Fabulous Carley x One Famous Eagle). The 2018 buckskin colt was consigned by long-time horseman, Marty Powers, of Wynnewood, Oklahoma, who as an agent sold the horse to Jimmy Harrel, Leedey, Okla.
The second-high seller was Brother Cat, a 2016 gelding by Equi-Stat Elite $7 Million Sire Cats Merada and out of Wil She Spoon (by Hes A Peptospoonful). Consigned by National Finals Rodeo (NFR) World Champion heeler Kollin VonAhn, the gelding sold for $60,000 to Miles Hooper, of Decatur, Alabama.
RR Shiners Fame, a 2014 palomino gelding by Lions Share of Fame, was the third-high seller at $54,400. The gelding out of Shiners Vaquera (by Shining Spark) was consigned by nine-time National Finals Rodeo header, Kaleb Driggers, Albany, Ga., and purchased by Michael Smith, Midland, N.C.
The fourth-high seller was cutting horse Swing Thru The Drive, a mare that was the 2019 National Cutting Horse Association Amateur World Champion with Corrie Rousey. The 2010 mare by Hydrive Cat and out of Justaswinging Peanut (by Justa Swinging Peppy) was sold by Rousey in foal to Don’t Stopp Believin for $50,000 to Clyde Scott of Murchison, Texas.
The fifth high seller was Hip No. 174, Gun Metal Cat (Couless Red Lazer x Blues Benji Lou) a 2011 red roan gelding, who sold for $40,000 as a consignment by Turner Performance Horses, of Congress, Ariz., to Steven Riley, of Crosbyton, Texas.
Demand for Team Roping Horses
An extensive preview was held the day before the Triangle Winter Sale and included demonstrations for cutting, barrel racing and team roping entries. Each horse’s talent was displayed for buyers present and allowed an opportunity for professional video recording of team roping horses, which was shown sale day.
Team roping horses led sales as a collective group, averaging a remarkable $23,700 per head. This was followed by cutting and cow horses at $15,450.
“Triangle has always been a good place to buy and sale team roping horses,” Ware said. “However, we realized— especially when we relocated to Oklahoma City—that many of our high sellers were team roping horses, and we’ve had many of the industry’s most competitive team ropers connected to horses consigned in our sales.”
Some examples of that success at other Triangle sales last year includes Red White N Smooth (Smooth As A Cat x Star Fillagree by Grays Starlight), who was consigned as Hip No. 398 in the 2020 Triangle Winter Sale (January 2020), selling for $40,500 as a top consignment by Flag Ranch in Purcell, Okla. The 2012 stallion was purchased by Top of the Rock Quarter Horses/Robert Witte, Waurika, Okla., and went on to win the 2020 American Quarter Horse Championship in Level 2 Dally Team Roping-Heeling, with World Champion heeler Wesley Barlow, Overbrook, Okla.
Travalin Joe (Lil Joe Cash x Travelin Gracie by Travalena) was fifth high seller in the 2020 Triangle Fall Sale (November 2020), selling for $50,500. Travalin Joe was consigned by Vicki and Jeff Tebow, Piedmont, Okla., and sold to Mike Nankervis, Golden, Colo. The gelding went on to finish third in the 2020 American Quarter Horse Championship Junior Dally Team Roping-Heeling, ridden by multiple-time World Champion team roper, J.D. Yates, Pueblo, Colo.
“We had some sellers visit with us about the potential that was present for team roping horses, and so we tried to provide added opportunities to showcase those talents,” Ware said. “We are planning to vamp up pre-sale demonstrations for all disciplines in the future.”
2021 Spring Sale
Triangle’s 2021 Spring Sale is slated for April 30 and May 1 in Oklahoma City. Like the Winter Sale, the Spring Sale will also be a two-day format, providing a day-long preview for all disciplines under saddle the day prior to the sale. The preview will include demonstration times for cutting, team roping and calf roping. After the calf roping, there will be an opportunity for consignors to dry work their horses in ranch boxing/roping, and barrel racing.
The preview will be held Friday, April 30 in the Barn 6 Performance Arena and will be available for viewing as a webcast at trianglehorsesales.net. Viewers use the same webcast site for the preview and sale day. The sale will start Saturday, May 1 at 9 a.m. in the Oklahoma State Fair Park Super Barn.
For more information or nomination forms for the 2021 Spring Sale, go to www.trianglehorsesales.net.
