Williams cattleman part of big day in Red Bluff

The selling was fast and furious, the animals were top notch, and in most circumstances, both the buyers and sellers went away happy.

Such was the action of the 72nd Red Bluff Bull and Gelding Sale held at the Tehama District Fairgrounds last week.

This year's event brought in more than $1.8 million just in the sales of bulls, geldings and working livestock dogs.

However, that amount doesn't bring into the light the bucks spent at the event's trade show, dinners and art show or the dough dished out throughout Tehama County for meals and accommodations related to the sale.

One of the biggest events of its kind west of the Rockies, the Red Bluff sale brings in thousands of people from across the western states and is home to country tradition and a rural lifestyle.

Sale Manager Adam Owens said the sale committee is very happy with how well the event went.

"Bull prices were slightly lower than last year, but that was expected because we had more bulls this year and the bull market has been a bit weak this fall and winter," Owens stated. "I'm very happy with the gelding sale and average price which was up from last year. That's encouraging of things to come in the future. He said the champion Hereford bull brought the highest sale price the sale has seen in quite some time.

"It was a Morrell Ranch bull and it sold for $13,750," Owens said.

According to the sale manager the event drew wonderful crowds this year and the trade show vendors told him foot traffic was heavy and sale good.

"Everyone I talked to seemed to be well pleased with the sale outcome," he stated.

The most expensive animal to be sold this year was the horse donated to Water for Life, a 7-year-old sorrel named Dipper, donated by Roaring Springs Ranch of Frenchglen, Ore., which auctioned off for $17,500. The ranch horse was bought by Glenn Barrett of Bonanza, Ore.

Funds from the sale of Dipper will go to Water for Life, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of agricultural water rights.

Another Water for Life donation was a 2-year-old male Border Collie working livestock dog, Lazy D Slingblade, donated by Kirk Winebarger of Post, Ore., who was bought by Pat Fulton, of Bayside, for $3,500.

After three outings of displaying their talent on a small herd of cows, 15 working livestock dogs were auctioned off on Friday afternoon in the Don Smith Pavilion. The total sales was $64,650, with the top dog, a 4-year-old female Border Collie named HH Amazing Grace, selling for $8,700.

One dog, Whistlin Dixie, a 2-year-old female Border Collie sold by Brian Jacobs of Herald, was sold to a ranch clear across the county in South Dakota for $5,600.

The dog sale average was $4,310, down just a bit from last year's sale average of $4,455. The 2012 total sale number was $75,750.

Friday was also home to the 51st Annual Gelding and Mule Sale, which brought in $553,200 on 83 horses and five mules sold. The average price was $6,286. Both of these numbers exceeded last year's average of $5,558 and total sale amount of $511,400.

This year's bull sale exceeded the million dollar mark, bringing home $1,223,600 — about $20,000 less than last year. The average was $3,237 with 378 animals sold.

The top dollar bull was the 2-year-old, 2,055 pound champion Hereford, consigned by Morrell Ranches of Willows, that sold for $13,750, to Golden S Ranch of Dixon.

Local ranches that sold bulls were the CB Ranch and Hogan Ranch, both of Gerber, Honey Run Ranch of Tehama, Sunbright Angus Ranch of Red Bluff, White Ranch of Corning, and Oak Knoll of Flournoy.

For complete bull, gelding and livestock dog results go online to www.redbluffbullsale.com.