2023 Colt Sale Raises Over $180,000 for Natural Horsemanship Program

April 12, 2023

The University of Montana Western’s seventh annual Colt Challenge and Sale, held March 31 and April 1 at the Montana Center for Horsemanship, generated more than $180,000 for the UMW Natural Horsemanship program.

The Natural Horsemanship Program, which educates students to work with horses as part of a broad range of equine and academic studies, is a joint program of the University of Montana Western and the Montana Center for Horsemanship. Every year, as part of the Colt Sale course, UMW students work with young horses to be trained and sold at live auction the following spring. All of the horses have excellent bloodlines and are donated by well-known area ranches. The highly anticipated event brings in buyers from around the country and the proceeds are donated back into the Natural Horsemanship program for scholarships, facility updates, and other program needs.

The two-day event began with the Colt Challenge on Friday, March 31. Students showcased their colts and the variety of ranch tasks they had been trained to perform. Montana Western student, Molly Jackson, placed first in the Colt Challenge riding RSR Tarida from the Roaring Springs Ranch. Jackson was awarded a $2,500 scholarship from CHS, a custom saddle from American National Insurance and Frecker’s Saddlery, a saddle stand from 3TR Saddle Racks, a buckle from Nancy Chesterfield of ASA Publications, a mohair cinch from AH Cinches, a halter from Steele Halters, and 40 lbs. of HorsLic from New Generation Supplements.

Top Five Colt Challenge Placings:

• 1^st – Lot 19 RSR Tarida from the Roaring Springs Ranch, ridden by Molly Jackson
• 2^nd – Lot 18 RSR Playguns Swallow from the Roaring Springs Ranch, ridden by Jacob Christenson
• 3^rd–  Lot 7 Royal Island Jet from Harrington & Hirschy Quarter Horses, ridden by TaLyn Neville
• 4^th–  Lot 1 Lightstar Holibar from the Erb Ranch, ridden by Chloe Keith
• 5^th – Lot 4 Bay Goggins Mare from the Goggins Ranch, ridden by Jordan LeCompte

The sale, held the following day on April 1, generated over $180,000, averaging $10,069 per colt. The highest selling colt was MR Fritz Badger, ridden by Gus Hoffman and donated by Hollenbeck Ranch. 

Top Five Highest Selling Colts:

• $17,000- MR Fritz Badger donated by the Hollenbeck Ranch, ridden by Gus Hoffman
• $16,500- RSR Tarida donated by Roaring Springs Ranch, ridden by Molly Jackson
• $14,000- RSR Playguns Swallow donated by Roaring Springs Ranch, ridden by Jacob Christenson
• $14,000- Smoke Three Shi donated by the Erb Ranch, ridden by Molly Jackson
• $12,000- Sacos Blue Bows donated by the Holland Ranch, ridden by Mikala Doss

The University of Montana Western Natural Horsemanship Program would like to thank donors Verna Holland, Koy and Denise Holland, Cal and Brooke Erb, Shirley Harrington, Mark and Barb Harrington, Hollenbeck Ranch, Fred and Lynn Hirschy, Weaver Quarter Horses, the Goggins Family, Bill and Floydena Garrison of Garrison Quarter Horses, Reminisce Angus Ranch, Sitz Angus Ranch, Cubeit Hay Company, Roaring Springs Ranch, and Montana Mad Hatters for making this year’s event so successful. Thank you to our corporate sponsors New Generation Supplements, Zinpro Performance Minerals, Rocky Mountain Supply, CHS Inc., the Montana Center for Horsemanship, and all of the businesses that donated prizes and purchased advertising space for making this event possible.

For more information about Montana Western and the nation’s only Natural Horsemanship degree program, please visit www.umwestern.edu or call 1-877-683-7331.