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Agricultural Department Sale Brings Good Prices German-Bred Stallion Sold for ,900, Tops for Thoroughbreds FORT RENO, Okla., June 6.— Unusually high prices for thoroughbreds, both registered and unregistered, plus several fantastic figures for Arab stallions, featured the Agriculture Departments "all out" sale of former government-owned horses here this week. More than 150 animals were sold and bidding was spirited in every instance. Scores of would-be buyers came in from ■many points and many of them were visibly disappointed when bidding for the various horses reached high levels. The crowd was one of the largest to attend a Government sale, and the whole auction, under the capable direction of Louis Mer-ryman, Jr., Sparks, Md„ and protege of Humphrey Finney, moved along swiftly. Highest price among the thoroughbred stallions offered was for Branaxo, a German-bred horse, not recognized by The Jockey Club, which brought ,900. Close behind was the three-year-old stud, Son Up, by Taj Akbar, out of Pickmeup by Son In Law, which sold for ,300. Hard Tack colts sold well, several of the Remount breds bringing in excess of ,000, and Hard Tack fillies also were in prime demand. A surprising feature was the high level sustained by the German-bred mares, many of them selling in the thousands. Several homebreds, like Corindy, by Port Au Prince out of Cindy, sold for more than ,000. The most amazing point, from the buyers angle, was the manner in which Arab stock sold. Witez TJ., 11 years old, brought ,100. Three Nordlicht fillies sold for over ,000 each, and other youngsters brought good amounts. The stallion -Eagle Pass brought ,425, Remolino ,675 and Excite, a son of Stimulus out of Arena by St. James, and foaled in 1933, brought ,500. Several Kentucky owners were represented at the sale. One Blue Grass breeder went to ,300 to secure the son of Taj Akbar out of Pickmeup by Son In Law. C. E. Mickens, Falfurrias, Texas breeder, was on hand but was unable to acquire anything. Bud Burmester, Fort Worth, representing several owners, was another disappointed agent. "These are too high for my people and Im going home without a thing," he said. Harry Arnold, Derwood Crunch representative, was on hand greeting users of his product. •Another prominent thoroughbed patron on hand for the sale was Carl Rose, of Rosemere Farm, Ocala, Fla., who made the long trek by air from the Everglade to the Sooner State in vain. "I had in mind buying a stallion, but at these prices I verily believe I would do much better in Kentucky" commented the Florida man, who -later motored to Texas and inspected some of the Lone Star States breeding farms en route home. O. K. Shannon, Harry Brants and Fred Lege m., all of Fort Worth, motored to the Reno vendue in search of prospective jumpers. None was available within the price range of the Texans. Dr. Henry A. Burns, Tulsa, Okla., breeder, E. K. Moulder and Jack Oldham, both of Tulsa, attended the sale, which also attracted nearly all of the former commanding officers at the post. Noted among the crowd were Cols. Joe Dprnblazer, Wilkinson and Ireland. Col. Louis LAbbe assisted auctioner Louis Merryman on the rostrum. Merry-man, incidentally one of the youngest auctioneers in the business, turned in a really magnificent job. This was his first major sale, and he handled it very well.
