Just moments after auctioneer Rocky Webb said, “Sold for $15,000 to bidder No. 39,” Julie Williams called her daughter Cheyenne.

“He’s going to be a Pendleton Round-Up horse. He’ll be jumping the fence in September,” Julie said about Mega Maverick, a 6-year-old sorrel gelding.

Williams was one of 80 potential bidders scattered among nearly 300 people Saturday night at the Pendleton Convention Center during the Pendleton Cattle Barons Weekend.

Webb and his wife, Jana, of Auction Sales Co. traveled from The Dalles for the Premier Heifer & Performance Horse Sale.

Cheyenne Williams, a 2008 Pendleton Round-Up princess, is attending the University of Idaho and was competing in a college rodeo in Lewiston.

“She was really excited,” Julie said about her daughter’s response.

Larry Williams, who’s in charge of the queen and court on the Round-Up Board of Directors, said buying the horse was a no-brainer.

“He’s just a nice horse. He’s well-bred,” he said.

As Hermiston resident Ken Linck highlighted the horse’s pedigree – including winning more than $12,000 in the reining event – Shawn Deal spun in circles and rode Mega Maverick around the make-shift arena in the convention center.

“If you saw the horse in the preview, you know what it can do – there shouldn’t be any question,” Webb said as a video projected on the screen.

Owner Pat McCarty then strode to the auctioneers podium as the bids continued to climb.

“You won’t find any horse around that’s won that kind of money for that price,” he said.

The Williamses obviously agreed. The horse was the highest single bid of the night.

However, Calista and Larry Berg of Helix shelled out $17,750 and took home three horses.

Calista was particularly enamored with Fast Four Signals, also known as “Amigo.”

“He’s so gorgeous. I’m a sucker for a pretty face,” she said.

As the bids continued to rise, Calista asked, “Can grandma ride him?”

Pat Beard, a member of the auction committee, assured her Amigo was one of the best young horses to ride.

It was an easy sell – Calista held up her bid card and bought the “pretty face” for $8,250.

Larry Berg also got in on the action and bought his first horse.

Calista admitted Larry’s purchase was for more practical reasons; he chose Rancher Red Rangler for his size.

“Larry’s a big guy and he needed a big horse,” she said.

The red dun gelding also is known as “Frank the Tank.” Standing at 15.3 hands and weighing 1,300 pounds, Linck said the horse was “built to last.”

Calista also bought the first horse to enter the arena – Dynamite Oglo, a 4-year-old black gelding.

The couple, who met two years ago in Hawaii, were attending their first auction together.

“We started out with a bang,” Calista said about purchasing three horses.

Jana Webb said nearly $62,000 in bids came in on the horses.

O’Doherty Cattle Company of Boardman brought five of its 350 head of registered Red Angus heifers.

“He says, ‘Let the cattle speak for themselves,’ ” Webb said before the bids opened.

And they did – selling at an average of $1,000 each.

“They had such quality heifers to sell,” Rocky Webb said.

Webb called the overall event a success.

“They had a tremendous crowd for the first sale – it couldn’t have gone off any better,” he added.