44TH ANNUAL RED BLUFF STOCK DOG SALE
Jan. 28, Red Bluff, CA
17 Dogs: $9,559
Auctioneer: Trent Stewart
To attend the Red Bluff Dog Sale is an experience. It is one of the most prestigious dog sales across the country, and the few entries that are accepted are elite athletes. Each year, the bar of competition is set higher and higher while dogs are entered from around the country to compete for top honors.
As the competition has increased, so has its reputation, which has driven the average sales price up each year. This sale continues to build momentum, which is a large reason why a new sale record was set this year after the previous record was set just four years ago!
Dogs are entered into a three-trial competition where qualified judges score each dog’s every move. They are graded on how they obey the handler’s commands, control the cattle, how they apply and release pressure on the cattle, and how they maneuver the course, plus various other things the judges are looking for. Many times, a single point is the difference between one placing and the next.
The trials are always action packed. A full audience of hundreds of people attend each trial, waiting to see which dog will surface to the top. The first and last trials are held in an outdoor venue that consists of a 4-acre paneled area next to the fairgrounds. A group of five yearling cattle is let loose and pushed to the far end of the pasture.
The dog is then sent by the handler to fetch the cattle and bring them back with the intention of driving them through an open set of panels that resemble a fence line gate. From there, the cattle need to be controlled and driven again before ending up at an open stock trailer where the dog pushes the cattle on board. The handler is only able to shadow the cattle and is discounted for assisting the dog. Many times, the full course isn’t completed, but it shows how the dogs handle, obey, work and control.
The second trial is set indoors, inside an arena on the fairgrounds. This trial is much like the outdoor trials, except the cattle need to end up in a pen rather than a trailer. The cattle don’t have as far to get away from the dogs, and dogs are able to show their intricate techniques and handling.
This year, a very neat group of dogs was consigned. Hannah Cash of Alturas, CA, consigned the champion dog, named Bruce. Her scores were consistent and high throughout the trials and easily won the overall championship. After that, the next four dogs were extremely close. Two of the dogs each had two great runs, with one that was subpar, while the fourth was as consistent as any dog in the competition. This is the advantage, or disadvantage depending on your point of view, to a three-trial scoring system. It takes a dog of extreme talent to score in the top and stay at the top in Red Bluff.
A new sale record was set by Jeff Clausen’s “208 Skittles” at $45,000. This red and white female is an awesome dog. A tougher trial with cattle that didn’t want to cooperate was the difference, but the buyers found her! She carries more than a price tag; she carries genetics, breeding value, reputation and future return on investment. Congratulations to Clausen on resetting the high-selling dog achievement.
Congratulations to all the consignors and committee members who work tirelessly to keep this sale at the top of its industry. Without the commitment of the committee, the consignors and the buyers that support this sale, we wouldn’t have much to enjoy. Go to www.redbluffbullsale.com to learn more, watch videos and view results of the dog sale!
TOPS: 208 Skittles, a 2018 red and white female by Sleeve; from Jeff Clausen, Melba, ID, to Neal Sillar, Penn Valley, CA, $45,000. JLR Steel, a 2020 steel male by DSW Lux; from Caleb Runfola, Gainesville, NY, to Bill Webb, Malta, MT, $12,000. Ruby, a 2019 red and white female by Imp. Holt; from Jaime Gonzalez, Klamath Falls, OR, to Neal Sillar, CA, $11,000. Bruce, a 2020 black and white male by Duncan; from Hannah Cash, Alturas, CA, to Tom Atwood, Red Bluff, CA, $10,500. Sister, a 2018 tri-colored female by Punch; from Madi Post, Wallowa, OR, to Mike Vandallen, Lindon, UT, $10,000. Lazy D Cove, a 2019 black and white female by DSW Maverik; from Katie Starr, Paulina, OR, to Kathryn Mead, Jackson, WY, $8,500. — LOGAN IPSEN
