He's never seen anything like it.
That's the way Central States Fair General Manager Ron Jeffries, described the sales at the horse auction Friday at the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo.
Ranchers say thanks to an increase in demand, a strong export business, and big attendance numbers at this year's Stock Show, livestock sales are up big.
As a change Friday, organizers hosted the Ranch Horse Competition before the horse sale. That meant buyers saw the first 15 horses minutes before the auction began. Horse Association leader Vicky Kirkeby says those first 15 horses brought in about $8,200 each. She said that's probably a couple thousand more than normal. The other horses also had a field day. The top-selling, non-ranch horse went for $18,000.
Kirkeby attributes the success, in part, to the top-level quality the Stock Show and Rodeo offers.
"The horse prices have been down in the past. They have been (down) all over the country," Kirkeby said. "But the horses that are really well-trained and really broke and safe, and have a skill, are still bringing top dollar. That's what we have at this sale."
Fast-forward to Monday when the top-notch bulls hit the auction arena. They garnered a similar result: increased sales.
Central States Fair Livestock Coordinator Kadee Hande said the sale got off to a fast start. The Angus Champion sold for $16,000. The Reserve Champion netted $15,000. Ranchers said the numbers dropped off a lit bit after that. But, according to Stock Show records, the average sale still turned out to be a stunning $5,400 per bull.
"Cattle prices are going to be high all week regardless because the market is so high right now," Hande said. "We are seeing the lowest amount of cattle we have had in the United States."
But while cattle and horse prices are up, ranchers say they face a new challenge. Faith's Lyle Weiss says with higher fuel costs, a rancher can spend a couple hundred dollars just to fill up the tractor to go feed.
"Even though cattle prices are better, it's no runaway because everything we have to buy costs a lot more these days," Weiss of Faith's Pine Creek Angus Ranch said.
Even so, ranchers say they aren't complaining. They'll take the higher sales and say they hope those increases numbers translate into a bright future for the agriculture industry.
