Highlight reels! That seems to be the takeaway from the 2024 Red Bluff Bull, Gelding, and Stock Dog Sale. In every species, there were highlights that rose to the top of the competition in every way and when they hit the sale ring, there were people willing to pay their value and set new records!
2023 was a year that offered a continuation of strong markets in all three species sold at Red Bluff. Stock dogs continue to bring more and more attention to finished dogs as labor shortages are seen across many of the Western ranches.
Red Bluff has several major auctions that happen, and the week starts with a video sale hosted by Western Video Market. At first, this sale was just for replacement cattle, but has transformed into a feeder cattle sale with a female sale at the end. Having both products brings in more buyers but offers sellers another opportunity to market cattle during a different time of year. It’s been a formula that has worked well for everyone.
After a year of cattle market rallies, the feeder cattle sold extremely well under Col. Max Olvera. On the replacement female market, Col. Rick Machado conducted a very successful sale and saw bred heifers range from $2,500-$3,250/head throughout the offering. A few pairs and older cows were offered as well.
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Dogs have proven to be valuable assets to any operation on multiple levels. The breeding value these dogs have also followed suit and have become good investments for breeders wanting to build programs around stock dog trials and competitions. This year was an exciting year as Red Bluff set a new record for the high-selling dog at $50,000! Consignor Henry VanOrnum consigned RC5 Luee, the reserve champion dog after the three-trial series. This dog’s skill was impeccable and was a highlight for many to see. When he entered the sale ring, it was off to the races as in-state buyer Elwood Ranches won the final bid in a highly contested race. It was a highlight reel for all involved.
The horse market has not seen any sign of expansion, and horses with youth, capability, mind and pedigree are still hard to find. Red Bluff was slightly down in consignment numbers and opened entries up to mares and cold bloods this year. Adding mares to the sale was a big boost and everyone looks for this area to grow in coming years. In fact, the high-selling mare was the third overall high-selling horse in the sale.
Cowboys across the West are riding more and more mares and seeing Red Bluff allow them into the sale for the first time is a big step in the right direction. The crowd at the Red Bluff Horse Sale always reaches about 4,000 in attendance. It’s one of the highlights for WLJ to be a part of. People from across the West travel to this sale, as well as hundreds of people watch the live stream online.
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A new record was set in the horse sale. Vyntage, a 2018 bay gelding by Doc’s Hickory, consigned by Walt and Mary Vermedahl, Flagstaff, AZ, sold to Legacy Pro Rodeo, Corvallis, OR, for $72,000. This gelding was set apart in so many ways and held several honors during the sale. A deserving finale for a gelding that represents everything Red Bluff is trying to accomplish.
As the horse market continues to climb, the next few years could be interesting to see how long this record holds. Each time a record is set it seems all the competition rises, and looking forward to the future is a lot of fun for this sale.
The cattle market saw a good year in 2023 and there’s a lot of optimism going into the new year. 2023 saw the lowest cow herd on inventory in over fifty years so tight supplies have seen a rally in the marketplace. 2024 has an optimistic outlook and the bull sale at Red Bluff sees this trend show up in the sale average. Consignments were down overall, but the quality remained at an excellent level.
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With over 250 bulls in a consignment sale, there will be variation in quality, but Red Bluff has been able to maintain strict measures on their quality control with the help of a sifting committee before the grading committee evaluates each bull. Commercial cattlemen can truly put together a bull battery of half-brothers or similarly bred bulls to take home to their commercial cows. The bull sale was excellent throughout the entire day as prices stayed strong across the board. The final average was $6,147 on 259 total bulls.
For anyone who hasn’t been to the Red Bluff Bull, Gelding, and Stock Dog Sale, it’s a must-see event. There aren’t words or social media posts that can describe what happens in one week. The schedule is filled with everything imaginable in a western event. Range and halter bull shows, dog trials, equine competitions, socials, a trade show, guest speakers, an art gallery, bull riding and so on. There’s something for everyone. It’s an event the entire family can come to and enjoy something unique about it.
The traditions that are carried on throughout the week ring true to a blending of past, present and openness to the future. As someone walks through the main street of the fairgrounds with cattle pens on one side and tradeshow vendors on the other, it’s easy to see how things have progressed in agriculture. From genetics in the cattle and their appearance, to management and irrigation vendors all sharing ideas on how to move forward in the best of their abilities. It’s an information sharing week with livestock transactions going on the entire time.
We encourage everyone to visit www.RedBluffBullSale.com if they want to learn more about the week’s events. Live feeds of each show and trial are available for viewing and navigation to where animals can be bid on during the live auctions is easy to find. You can also find information on their social media platforms, namely Facebook for the latest information. There you’ll find coverage and pictures by the incredibly talented Crystal Amen of Crystal Amen Photography. Her photos are used in this issue and WLJ is grateful for her sharing her work with us. Next year’s events will take place Jan. 23-27, 2025, and we encourage everyone that can attend to do so. — Logan Ipsen, WLJ president
