Horse auction slated for Fuji Park this weekend

An auction of about 160 horses pastured in Washoe Valley is schedued at Fuji Park this weekend to benefit the Carson City Sheriff's Mounted Unit.

Owned by the Culverwell family, the horses were pastured on Winter's Creek Ranch. The decision to sell the horses was made after the family lost their lease on that property and a collaboration with officials at the Carson City Sheriff's Department followed.

"This is going to be a big sale, one of the biggest ever, locally," said T.M. Casey, auction organizer and intelligence officer at the Carson City Sheriff's Department. "I bought one of these horses and broke him to pack. He came along very nicely, trailers well, crosses water and respect fences. These animals can take care of themselves pretty well."

A member of the Sheriff's Department Mounted Unit, Casey said the money from this auction will go to the group's training program.

Fourteen reserve deputies staff this unit and 11 are volunteers. The program is funded with $1,000 from Carson City, but that barely covers the cost of one uniform, said Casey.

The unit patrols a number of events, from high school football games to the Silver City Auto Classic, a total of about 2,000 hours annually, according to Casey.

"Each deputy must attend 40 hours of Police Officer Service Training in addition to a 10-hour horse baton course," he said. "And the horses receive hours of sensory training."

A preview of the animals to be auctioned this weekend is scheduled from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday. The first 60 animals, horses from 1 to 4 years old, will be auctioned at 6 p.m. Saturday. The auction continues at 10 a.m. Sunday.

According to Casey, the animals are primarily quarter horses. Many are paints, but there are also bays, browns and sorrels.

"Our horses were bred to be smaller working horses, so you won't find too many over 15.2 hands. We found early on that the Leo bloodline gave us the versatility we desired of our working horses, coupled with a calm disposition," the Culverwell family said in a written statement. "We treaded very lightly into the 'fad' bloodlines over the years."

Catalogues for the auction are available at Benson's Feed and Tack, S&W Feed and the Hitching Post.

IF YOU GO

What: Fund-raiser auction to benefit the Carson City Sheriff's Department Mounted Unit

When: 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday, with a preview from 7-10 a.m. Saturday

Where: Fuji Park Fairgrounds

Information: Call T.M. Casey at 849-1892 or 887-2020 x 1703