Sixth Annual Bots Sots Horse Sale Held on Saturday

The high selling horse Lil Joe Cartwright

The Sixth Annual Bots Sots Remount horse sale was held on Saturday, June 4, on the lawn of the Kendrick Mansion.

“Bots Sots” is a Crow Indian term which means “heap good”. The Absaraka, area, stretching north from Casper, Wyoming to Miles City Montana, and west from the Dakota border to Billings, has a very rich equine history.

The Plains Indian tribes were excellent horsemen, and one historian referred the plains tribes as the greatest light horse cavalry in history. Horses were considered wealth to the Native American’s, the horses were used for war, buffalo hunting, and moving the camps.

When the rich English cattle barons began ranching in Wyoming, they brought their love of good horses with them. They imported Thoroughbred stallions and crossed them with the mustang mares, and the horses thrived on the rich native grasses, and grew strong in the rough Wyoming country.

Seeing the need for good horses for the US Army, the government started the Remount Program where ranchers were given Thoroughbred stallions to cross with their mares. The rancher then could sell the horses back to the army and thousands of horses from Wyoming were shipped to the armies overseas first in the Boer War in South Africa, and then during World War 1, and even into WW2.

Bringing ‘heap good’ horses to Sheridan is the Bots Sots Remount sale, held each June on the lawn of the Kendrick Mansion bringing together the best horses from an array of disciplines and building on this rich equine history

According to the Bot Sots website, “every horse here has been hand selected! We look for horses that are well-broke, classy and, above all, safe. Each horse comes with documentation of vaccinations, a letter of soundness from a certified veterinarian.”

The horses were consigned from throughout the United States, and the bidders, via internet, were from many states.

Shawn Madden from Torrington was the auctioneer at this year’s sale, talked about the horses that were being sold on Saturday,

Reata Cook, Sheridan County Rodeo queen, sang the national anthem and she and Vivian Morey, Princess, helped with the sale.

The horses ranged in size from Big Red, a 16.3 grade Brabrant gelding, broke to ride or drive, down to a pony mare, Lucy.

The high seller was was a registered AQHA Gelding, Lil Joe Cartwright, (Snickers) consigned by Mozaun and Sarah McKibben, Scottsdale, Arizona, that sold for $130,000.

Several horses sold for over $20,000, including a pair of Friesian-cross geldings, Ruger and Remington, full brothers, consigned by Buckeye Acre Farm, and sold as a pair for $20,000 each, two times the money. The pair were trained to drive, either singly or as a team as well as both were taught to ride.

A big screen television not only gave buyers a close up look at the featured horses, but also ran videos show-casing each horses’ special talents and training.

Quarter Horses predominated the sale, but there were also Friesian-crosses, Gypsy Vanners, and several draft horse crosses. All were well broke and could be used in a variety of disciplines.

The Bots Sots sale, carrying on the tradition of ‘Heap Good’ horses, held annually in June in Sheridan, Wyoming.