The WRANGLER Horse and Rodeo News is an equine and rodeo publication with circulation in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, Utah and Idaho.
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44 • The WRANGLER • February, 2023 What Makes a Horse Sale Great? By Kaycee Monnens E lite horse sales are not produced in a season; rather, they consist of year round planning, marketing, researching, and building connections with sellers and buyers. Reputable sales take years of consistency, and no matter the amount of Facebook followers or the size of the ad in a magazine, nothing beats the attention garnered on a personal level, by word of mouth, according to Legend Buttes Horse Sale founder, Robin Scherbarth. She and her husband, Cody, hosted their first sale in Crawford, Nebraska in 2019. "It was very scary to start with," she says. The couple were not yet married, and Robin was still in college, but they took the leap with the help of Robin's relatives, who have owned Crawford Livestock Marketing for decades. The stability of the sale barn, including the clerks, location, and facility, were available to them from the start, not to mention their lifetime in marketing livestock of all kinds, and their own experience as both ranchers, breeders, and trainers. "We appreciate what auctions can bring to sellers," she says. While it can be difficult for horse sales to distinguish themselves from one another today, Scherbarth says they take an individualized approach to selling horses. Large quantities of horses is not the goal of the sale. Their aim is to ensure that the sellers and the buyers are happy. To do this, horses are vetted to be "sane and sound." She says, "It's about finding the horse a good home." Their slogan is "Honest people, honest horses." Taking her lead from her family's approach to selling cattle, who are happy to sell for the owner of a herd of 400 down to 40, she knows the key to remaining relevant and growing is to treat the "little guy" no differently than anyone else. Scherbarth has also taken a unique approach to ensuring marketing quality with incoming horses. Consignors to the Legend Buttes Horse Sale have the option to purchase a "media package" where professional level photos and videos are offered for a fraction of the regular cost, in addition to their consignment fee. She also utilizes several social media platforms year round to garner interest. Though a relatively young sale hosted by relatively young people, the Scherbarths have remained patient Featuring the League of Legends and Legend Buttes Sales Above: The Legend Buttes Sale, named for the nearby landmark in Crawford, Nebraska, brings together all around horses of every caliber to suit any buyer. Courtesy photo. Left: The League of Legends Sale is the leading AQHA gelding performance horse sale in the United States. Photo by McFarland Productions.