The W.T. Waggoner Estate reduces its horse herd at auction in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
The historic W.T. Waggoner Estate will disperse about 60 of its horses during a special session at The Marketplace at Ardmore sale, April 23 in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
The ranch, owned by the same family since 1849 and the largest contiguous ranching operation in the United States, is based in Vernon, Texas. It sold in February to Stan Kroenke, who owns the Los Angeles Rams and Denver Nuggets.
Legendary in the world of American Quarter Horses, the Waggoner Ranch was once home to Poco Bueno. Today’s horse herd includes a number of standout stallions, performance horses and ranch horses. The sale will include about 50 mares, including yearlings, 2- and 3-year-old fillies, and broodmares; seven geldings; and two stallions.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for people to buy horses that represent the work we’ve spent years on,” says Trace Cribbs, horse division manager at Waggoner Ranch. “This is a reduction sale. It’s not a cull sale. We are moving down to 60 head, but we’re going to continue to raise horses. It’s important to the Kroenke family to continue the tradition that the Waggoners had of raising horses.”
Cribbs says he selected a number of mares that are going to foal in May and June, a few with foals at their sides and some that are open and ready to breed. Also included are six geldings that have been used on the ranch and several horses with show records. Among the sires of sale horses are Cat Man Do, Cruze Mode, Metallic Cat and Wimpys Little Step.
Greyt Whiz, a son of Topsail Whiz and out of Easter Cabin by Easter Gentleman, will be among the horses sold. The 2002 gray stallion is the sire of eight money earners, including Greyt Socks, the 2014 American Quarter Horse Association world champion in amateur ranch riding and a multiple Stock Horse of Texas champion. The sale also will feature Pocket Fulla Pepto, a 2010 red roan stallion by Peptoboonsmal and out of Studio Playgirl by Freckles Playboy. He is a National Cutting Horse Association earner of $6,476, and his oldest foal is a 3-year-old.
“He’s a really good-minded horse, and can still be shown,” Cribbs says. “This will be a good chance for someone to get an own son of Pepto out of a great mare.”
The Marketplace at Ardmore sale manager Susie Reed says she was pleased to get the Waggoner consignments for her spring sale, which spotlights performance horses and has a total of 156 consignments.
“We are so excited to be the venue chosen to showcase the horses from this legendary Texas ranch,” Reed says. “For many, this offers what might be their only chance to own a part of history.”
A complete sale catalog can be found at wwww.themarketplaceatardmore.com. The auction also will be broadcast by Superior Livestock at www.superiorlivestock.com with bids accepted online and by phone.
