NCHA Super Stakes Sale Highlights

5-year-old Austin Rey tops sale

Austin Rey, a 5-year-old gelding sired by TR Dual Rey, topped the 2013 NCHA Super Stakes Sale at $55,000, on Saturday, April 20 in Fort Worth. An NCHA Futurity open finalist and the earner of $129,221 under his consignors, Tatum and Kylie Rice, Austin Rey was bred by Bennett-Martin Cutting Horses and purchased by Shane Plummer, Fort Worth, Tex.

Austin Rey was one of four geldings from the auction’s top 10 high-seller’s roster. Ann Olenas Cat, a 6-year-old gelding and earner of $87,533, went for $29,000, the third-highest price of the sale. Sired by WR This Cats Smart, Ann Olenas Cat was consigned by Jacob Pinheiro and purchased by David Taurel, Carac, Venezuala.

New owners for Western Bloodstock

Jeremy & Candace Barwick buy sale company

Western Bloodstock, for over 20 years the premier sale company for the cutting horse industry, has been sold by Ben Emison and Milt Bradford to Jeremy and Candace Barwick of Stephenville, Tex.

“I could not be happier,” said Emison, 75, a licensed auctioner with over 40 years experience in the cutting horse business. “Milt and I are still going to be on the Western Bloodstock team. Don’t look for any changes, except for having a young guy with a lot of bright ideas to move things forward.

“Jeremy knows as much as I do about the horse industry,” added Emison, who first met Barwick at a Silverbrook Ranch Sale in the late nineties, when Barwick was a teenager, and has known Candace and her family for 30 years.

The Barwicks, who also own Shadow Oak Ranch, a Quarter Horse breeding, training and rehabilitation center, are both NCHA World Champions. Jeremy, 36, claimed the NCHA Open World Championship in 2006, 2007, and 2009 on Dual Rey Me, the career winner of $818,177, ranked third among cutting’s all-time leading money earners. Candace was 2008 NCHA Non-Pro Reserve World Champion on Dual Rey Me.

NCHA Futurity Sales reflect a 5-year high

December 10-15

Need proof that the economy is on the mend? Check out the results from Western Bloodstock’s 2012 NCHA Futurity Sales.

“We had the highest overall average and the highest overall percentage of horses sold since 2007,” said Milt Bradford, of Western Bloodstock.

The bottom line for the cutting industry’s largest and most prominent sales event was: 745 sold from 924 offered, for an average of $16,420 and 81% completed sales.

“The highlights of the sales were horses under saddle,” said Western Bloodstock’s Ben Emison. “Two-year-olds and older show horses were in high demand. Breeding stock seemed to be off somewhat from previous years, but good yearling prospects with clean radiographs were really hot.”