SHAWNEE, OK—APRIL 7 2016—The 2016 Triangle Spring Horse Sale, held March 18-19 at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center in Shawnee, Okla., concluded with strong sales to wrap a successful first round of restructured sale dates for the venue. The total sale averaged $5,750, with an 82 percent sales completion, which continued a steady gain for Triangle Sales’ total sale averages.

The recent Spring Sale event featured demonstrations and a $10,000-added Triangle Versatility Ranch Championship competition on the 18th, followed by the sale the next day.

“I was about as pleased with it overall as any of our sales so far,” said Jim Ware, owner of Triangle Sales. “I consider several things at the close of sales, including the success with which we are able to meet reserves. Sellers had reasonable reserves, and in many cases we were able to sell horses above those reserves, which led to good sale statistics.”

“This is the first sale we had that was a big, one day sale,” Ware said. “It allowed us to have our demonstration and our versatility competition the day before, and I think people liked that a lot. We will probably use a similar format in the future, even for our multi-day auctions.”

The sale calendar was restructured under new ownership last fall and includes Fall and Winter sales, along with the recent Spring Sale. This will also be the schedule maintained in the next sale cycle: Oct. 27-29, 2016; Jan. 26-18, 2017 and March 16-18, 2017.

The Spring Sale tallied a Top 10 average of $23, 800 and a Top 20 of $17,900. Even the top 50 held a strong average of nearly $10,000. This helped contribute to Triangle Sales’ Top $10,000 Club, which is a designation for horses bringing more than $10,000, and has gained 81 horses thus far in 2016. Since its inception in the Winter 2015, the Top $10,000 Club has added 270 horses to its roster.

High selling horse sold was the second lot of the day, Redman GB (High Brow Cat x Peptolena Lucinda x Peptoboonsmal), a 2010 red roan gelding that sold for $41,000. Redman GB was consigned by Jonathan and Judy Rogers and purchased by Atwood Ranches of Colma, Calif.

The gelding’s National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) record reflects $48,133 in earnings, with a third place split in the 2014 Tunica 4-Year-Old Open Futurity, and was the 2014 Breeder’s Invitational Senior Non-Pro Derby Champion, in addition to a Top 10 finish in the 2015 NCHA Limited Non-Pro Classic/Challenge, among other accomplishments.

Hip 280, Cats Super Smart (WR this Cats Smart x Sarahs Super Dually x Dual Pep) consigned by Gloria Marwell, was second high seller of the day for $32,000. The 2008 sorrel gelding, which sold to Mark Johnson of Montgomery, Texas, has won $63,442 in NCHA earnings, accumulated in part from achievements such as the Southern Open Classic Co-Reserve Champion, NCHA Classic/Challenge Senior Limited Non-Pro Rider Co-Reserve champion and finalist in the Breeder’s Invitational $10,000 Limited Open Derby.

Third high seller was Marcie Playground (Dual Smart Rey x Marmosets Playgirl x Freckles Playboy). The 2011 sorrel mare sold for $26,500 to Hannah Gamble from Othello, Wash., and has NCHA earnings totaling $7, 624, with a show career that includes a sixth place split placing at the 2015 West Texas Non-Pro Cutting Derby, a Top 10 in the 2015 Breeder’s Invitational $100,000 Novice Horse Non-Pro and third in the 2015 Cattlemen’s Limited Open Derby. Smooth Mitch (Smooth As A Cat x Wahine Dually x Dual Pep) consigned by John and Hope Mitchell, sold for $25,500, to mark the fourth high seller. David Taurel of Whitesboro, Texas, bought the 2009 chestnut gelding, which has shown for $72,048 in NCHA earnings. Smooth Mitch placed third in 2013 at the NCHA Non-Pro Derby, was the NCHA $10,000 Novice Super Stakes Co-Champion, Open Gelding Super Stakes Co-Champion and NCHA Non-Pro Gelding Derby Reserve Champion.

Fifth high seller was the 2011 sorrel mare, Chers Smoothee (Smooth As A Cat x Shesa Smarty Lena x Smart Little Lena) for $22, 500, consigned by Andrew Viola and sold to Keith McMahan of Mounds, Okla. Chers Smoothee has $9,875 in NCHA earnings with achievements such as San Antonio Non-Pro Derby Co-Champion and Pacific Coast Cutting Horse Association (PCCHA) Summer Novice/Amateur Reserve Champion.

The Triangle Sales Versatility Championship competition showcased 15 horses in the $10,000-added event judged by James Gholson of Waurika, Okla. Smart Haida Rey II (Dual Smart Rey x Lipshy x Haidas Little Pep) was ridden and consigned by Todd Richardson, Cowboy Collection Quarter Horses, to take the event championship. The win gleaned a $5,000 payout, Roy Henderson spurs, Triangle vest and a choice of sale order.

Smart Haida Rey II sold to Tommy Day of Rebecca, Ga., and was the co-high seller for $11,000 within the ranch and roping horses, along with MJA Commander Leo (Starlight N Freckles x Commander Jill x Vanbar Commander). Reserve Champion was Chick Flickn Sheriff (YB The Sheriff x YB Chick Flick x Zans Last Request) ridden and consigned by Kelton McMillen and sold to Melynn Hamilton of Coweta, Okla., for $8,000. McMillen also earned an additional $3,000, Roy Henderson Spurs and a Triangle vest for the win.

“We had some good horses in the show,” Ware said. “There are some things we are doing in our versatility competition that I feel are working well—we definitely try to place a lot more emphasis on the cow work and roping than we do on the dry work. I think this shows off a ranch horse’s greatest talents.”

Another feature of the Spring Sale was a special offering by Stuart Ranches, which included eight head of prospects and averaged $6,150.

Considering averages by discipline— cutting, reining, trained horses, broodmares and prospects together averaged $9,300 on 65 head. Ranch horses and roping horses, including mares, gelding and stallions (4 years old and older) averaged $5,025 on 47 head.

“Our January sale [Winter Sale] was really big in terms of numbers,” Ware said. “This was a smaller sale—we didn’t have as many horses. March is just the time of the year that we won’t see a lot of prospects (yearlings and 2-year-olds) in the sale. We made up for it with strong riding horses.”

“The market was good on pretty much everything, particularly the riders—whether they were cutters, ropers or ranch horses. Anything that rode, we had a lot of interest and completed sales. People like to buy them ready to go.”

Strong sales for broodmares and barrel horses was also prevalent with a $9, 450 average on six head of finished barrel horses, and a high sell of $18, 300 going to Takin De Cash (Gallo Del Cielo x Takin De Kas x Takin On The Cash) consigned by Larry Rice.

“We are still early in our ownership of things,” said Ware who purchased Triangle sales in October 2014. “We learn something every time we have another sale. And anytime you sell the volume that we sell you are going to have some horses that some people like better than others. But our sellers keep bringing us good horses, and we will continue to advance our efforts to be the premiere outlet for quality, versatile horses.”