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From left, Taylor Wedel, of Madrid, and Ted and Darcy Howard of Oakley, Kansas warm up their horses for the sale during the preview time last weekend. (Johnson Publications photo)

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Chance Greeley of Seneca, Kansas and son Wyatt warm up a horse during the preview at the horse sale last weekend. (Johnson Publications photo)

Return of regular horse sales in plans at Imperial Auction Market

The Imperial Auction Market was packed at last Saturday’s horse sale.
Owner Preston Smith said 30 of the 36 horses shown in the sale’s catalog were sold.
The six horses that didn’t sell were the yearlings, Smith said, which can be hard sales “because they’re just off of their mothers.”    
Smith plans to now schedule two horse sales a year due to a change in ranchers’ needs.
In the past, horses were all that ranchers used. When UTVs became popular, horses were expensive and the machines were cheaper, Smith said.
Before that time, horse sales were a common occurrence at Imperial Auction Market, but Saturday was the first one Smith has had since he took over ownership in September 2014.
“We’re an auction market and we want to service our community in any way that we can,” Smith said.
The tables have seemed to flip, Smith said. UTVs are now becoming more expensive than horses, so ranchers are moving back to using horses in their operations.
Horses vs UTVs
“(Horses) are easier to use compared to UTVs,” Smith said.
“They’ll go on any terrain, you can use them any time of the year and they’re not going to catch on fire.”

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The Imperial Republican

308-882-4453 (Phone)

622 Broadway St

PO Box 727

Imperial, NE 69033