Jester Sells for $400,000: Inside Morgan's Mountain Performance Horses' Record Sale at Premier's Big Sky Horse Sale
How does a family-raised colt named Jester become the reserve high seller — selling for a record-breaking $400,000 — at Premier's Big Sky Horse Sale? On this episode of Horses, Hope & Hustle, I sit down with Lisa Morgan, BJ Morgan, and Kelsey Friedly of Morgan's Mountain Performance Horses (MMPH) to break down exactly how it happened.
For over 30 years, this Montana horse breeding and training program has focused on raising working ranch horses — real using horses with mountain experience, not arena-bred show horses. Jester, a half-draft colt out of a Percheron bloodline, spent his early years packing salt, moving cattle, and working 25,000 acres of grazing land before ever setting foot in a sale ring.
We talk through the full journey to the Big Sky Premier Horse Sale: the professional photography and video marketing strategy that turned Jester's story into a must-follow, the registry and DNA testing scramble before the deadline, and what it actually felt like in the bleachers as the bidding blew past every number they'd imagined. As Lisa put it, "We didn't really think we had a story. We were just living it."
This episode covers:
- How Morgan's Mountain Performance Horses built a 30-year horse breeding program from a single Percheron stud
- What it takes to qualify for a premier performance horse sale (registries, scoring rubrics, professional video)
- The marketing strategy behind Jester's record-setting sale price
- The emotional, faith-filled moments behind the scenes at the sale
- Advice for anyone consigning a horse to a major sale for the first time
Whether you're a horse breeder, a ranch horse enthusiast, or just love a good underdog story, this conversation about Jester's $400K sale at Big Sky is one you don't want to miss.
Follow Morgan's Mountain Performance Horses: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube — search "Morgan's Mountain Performance Horses." or "Steele Pony Mohair"
Get entered at horseshopeandhustle.com
Brought to you by Colorado Horse Sale — quality ranch, trail, and performance horses. Next sales: Aug 22 (Eaton) & Oct 10 (Montrose) Visit- www.coloradohorsesale.com
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