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Top of the West Performance Horse Sale set for May 7

Bill Brewster

Plans are being finalized for the upcoming Top of The West Performance Horse Sale and Derby Day at Copper Spring Ranch on May 7 with a roster of exciting activities organized for the popular event.

The performance horse sale features a dozen colts started by Montana State University (MSU) students, another half-dozen broken by students from University Montana-Western and a catalog full of premium performance horses consigned by horse breeders in the region.

The event is being held in conjunction with the Kentucky Derby viewing on a giant screen in the indoor arena. A huge trade show with more than 75 indoor and outdoor vendors will showcase equine and western lifestyle related items.



A popular Derby Day hat contest is also planned before the May 7 sale. Last year almost 2,000 people attended the event from throughout the region’s horse industry.

Activities actually get underway on Thursday, May 5, with students from both universities competing in a horsemanship show with colts they have started before a panel of judges.



On Friday afternoon, May 6, after a cowboy mounted shooting jackpot, Copper Spring Ranch trainer and colt starter Brett Badgett will share suggestions on successful colt starting. In addition, a panel of equine experts will present a Q&A program, allowing guests the opportunity to ask questions about topics that would help them to become better horsemen.

On Saturday morning, May 7, a preview of the sale horses will be held in the ranch’s outdoor arena before sale activities get underway.

As more details are determined, they will be announced by the organizers.

The actual sale is being sponsored by the Equine Boosters of MSU as a way to provide additional funding to expand the facilities needed for the equine program at MSU’s College of Agriculture’s Animal and Range Science Department. Brent Poppe, an ag loan officer at Stockman Bank in Belgrade, MT, is chairman of the Booster organization.

Copper Spring Ranch will serve as the event host, working with the planning committee to expand the equine program at MSU and other college equine educational programs as a way to expand the horse industry in Montana.

Plans are being finalized for the upcoming Top of The West Performance Horse Sale and Derby Day at Copper Spring Ranch on May 7 with a roster of exciting activities organized for the popular event.

The performance horse sale features a dozen colts started by Montana State University (MSU) students, another half-dozen broken by students from University Montana-Western and a catalog full of premium performance horses consigned by horse breeders in the region.

The event is being held in conjunction with the Kentucky Derby viewing on a giant screen in the indoor arena. A huge trade show with more than 75 indoor and outdoor vendors will showcase equine and western lifestyle related items.

A popular Derby Day hat contest is also planned before the May 7 sale. Last year almost 2,000 people attended the event from throughout the region’s horse industry.

Activities actually get underway on Thursday, May 5, with students from both universities competing in a horsemanship show with colts they have started before a panel of judges.

On Friday afternoon, May 6, after a cowboy mounted shooting jackpot, Copper Spring Ranch trainer and colt starter Brett Badgett will share suggestions on successful colt starting. In addition, a panel of equine experts will present a Q&A program, allowing guests the opportunity to ask questions about topics that would help them to become better horsemen.

On Saturday morning, May 7, a preview of the sale horses will be held in the ranch’s outdoor arena before sale activities get underway.

As more details are determined, they will be announced by the organizers.

The actual sale is being sponsored by the Equine Boosters of MSU as a way to provide additional funding to expand the facilities needed for the equine program at MSU’s College of Agriculture’s Animal and Range Science Department. Brent Poppe, an ag loan officer at Stockman Bank in Belgrade, MT, is chairman of the Booster organization.

Copper Spring Ranch will serve as the event host, working with the planning committee to expand the equine program at MSU and other college equine educational programs as a way to expand the horse industry in Montana.