Horses and Branson

Good Morning from the sunny Knolltop. I'm excited because it's actually going to be springlike the next couple of days. That's something to get happy about!!!!!


I guess spring has sprung around here because every spring "Bud" decides to wander around the neighborhood every morning. While enjoying our blueberry pancakes and sausage this morning, we looked out and our neighbor was walking up the road with Bud in tow. Apparently he went to visit "Patty" the neighbor's horse. I went out and took care of him, but I'm sure this won't be the last time I have to deal with a wandering horse with the personality of a farmer who's been stuck on his farm all winter.


So, I see from the comment section that I am not only self appointed as the official Burton-Fellers blogger...Dallas himself has put their success in my hands. That is very scary.


So here is the sale report of the Branson Sale, in case anyone cares about the minor detail of sale averages, gross sales and stuff like that. This is the sale report that I sent to Dallas...upon his begging of me to write it because he was sick. When I looked this morning on the Holstein World website to see if he used what I wrote, I find that he edited my report.......reminder: that is the last time I write anything for him. Mine was way better. HA!

Bringing elite Holstein genetics to Missouri made the 2008 Branson Limited Edition Sale one of the best sales in the business. Within seven short days, the Holstein industry witnessed two of the biggest sales of the year, if not in history; Butlerview and Branson adding investor spark to the already hot Holstein cattle business.

Last weekend, in the luxury resort location of the Big Cedar Lodge, Dallas Burton and Ed Fellers combined an enthusiastic crowd, a top cattle fitting crew and an unstoppable sales force and the results were the highest averaging Branson Sale ever. On 48 lots, the sale averaged $16,448 with a gross of $789,500.

Holstein investor, Robert Goldmann and long time friend of Dallas Burton took home the two top selling lots in the sale. The top seller at $81,000 was lot 5A, a January Baxter calf out of Ralma Goldwin Carmel consigned by R-Z Holsteins of Wisconsin. Goldmann also picked up lot 2 selling two months fresh, Ralma Shottle Dragonfly-ET for $60,000, consigned by Harvey Schoon of Minnesota.

Other highlights of the sale were lot 1, Regancrest G Beauty-ET, now Iowa bound purchased by Mark Butz for $40,000 and consigned by Debra West of Wisconsin. Mark also bought her first choice Ramos female for $13,000, consigned by David Jons of Kansas. Markwell Holsteins of Washington, spent $49,000 on a first choice MAS female out of Ralma Goldwyn Carmel.

Buyers from fourteen states were represented as the very active sales force of Scott Culbertson, Steve Berland, Ray LaBlonc, Bobby Griggs and Les Terpstra worked the phones before and during the sale. A sale like this doesn't happen without generous consigners offering up the best in the breed for an expert sales staff to present quality cattle to eager buyers.