KELPIES sold for up to $12,000 in a record-breaking National Working Stock Dog Futurity and Sale at Murrurundi, New South Wales, on the weekend.

Dual King of the Range Stockman’s Challenge winner Bronson Macklinshaw sold his 34-month-old Kelpie bitch Glenfaba Willow for $12,000 to Queensland beef producers Chris and Sue Zahl in the working dog sale on Saturday.

Buyers seeking working dogs with the ability to work cattle, goat and sheep were the focus of bidders, with the sale organisers selling 44 of the 52 dogs offered for an average of $4011.

Auctioneers Dean Taylor of Cameron Davidson and Co and Zac Ede from Bailey also sold 14 of the 17 pups offered for an average of $1030, with Mr Macklinshaw’s four-month-old pup Fred making the top price of $1700.

The sale at the Rosedale Complex at Murrurundi north of Sydney grossed $195,500, with buyers also coming from Western Australia, New South Wales and South Australia. Other top sales included lot 52, four-year-old tri-colour bitch Blue Fox Zephyr, which sold for $11,500 for owner Yo Aoki, and; lot 30, Chris Stapleton’s five-year-old Kelpie bitch Capree Tease, which made $10,500.

Sue Zahl with Glenfaba Willow

Wycheproof Grazing’s Sue  and Chris Zahl said they liked how Willow worked in the sale demonstration and her bloodlines. They also want to breed Willow and also have some Capree blood dogs.

“She was in the right position and had a bit of force. We want to use her for tailing (educating) weaners.”

Sue and husband Chris, with their two sons Cody and Reece, and Chris’ parents Bernie and Josie, run a beef cattle operation at Alpha on the 6880 hectare central west Queensland station ‘Wycheproof’. They have 1500 commercial Angus, Charolais and Santa breeders, joining 500 of the Angus cows to Wagyu bulls. They also intend to use the Kelpies to educate Wagyu sale bulls.

Mr Taylor said the strong beef cattle, goat and sheep markets, and the timing of the sale close to the end of the financial year helped the sale.

“They would rather spend it on a dog than give it to the taxman at the moment — the rural industry is strong at the moment.

“But there were dogs there for $1500-$2000, so there was something for everyone – it was the most dogs we’ve ever had a broader range of prices.”

Zac Ede sold Glenfaba Willow in the sale and said the strong interest in dogs came mostly from the beef cattle industry.

“But the dual purpose dogs – the ones that work cattle, sheep and goats – were the most sought after making $6000-$10,000, and a few specialist breeders pushed some dogs a bit dearer.”

The futurity trial and $3000 prizemoney was won by Chris Stapleton’s Claselle Toss from Glenfaba Gibber, owned by Gavin Clarke and trialled by Ben Crowe. Third place went to Peter Hogan’s Tyde Park Junior. Chris Stapleton also won the open trial and $2000 in prizemoney with Capree Crash, from Cameron Douglas and Basil, with Jonathan Randle’s Soda in third.

Apart from selling Capree Tease for $10,500, the Capree stud also sold two other dogs for $6000 and $4000. The Capree sire Orjagarden Chance has sired the top-priced sale dog for the past two years.

The $12,000 top price at Murrurundi equals the price paid for the top-priced Kelpie bitch Moora Dotti at the recent Clark Rubber Casterton Working Dog Auction, which was believed to be an Australian auction record price for a working Kelpie bitch. In 2012, Tasmanian breeder Matthew Johnson sold Kelpie dog Tom to set a $12,000 Australian record price at the Casterton auction.