Gabrielle Duykers, Naracoorte Community News
An Edenhope trained kelpie fetched more than $35,000 at a recent auction for his superb herding abilities, smashing the world record for the purchase of a working dog.
Photo: Naracoorte Community News.
The two-year-old dog named Hoover was sold to a Victorian sheep and cattle grazier at the Casterton Kelpie Association’s 25th Annual Working Dog auction on June 13.
The sale broke the previous auction record of $22,000 set in 2019.
Association president Karen Stephens said the successful bidding was a surprise after the auction had to move online at the last minute due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“We had no idea how it was going to go, but we broke quite a few records and the rest is history now,” Ms Stephens said.
The Casterton Kelpie Association had to cancel its usual festival and auction altogether in 2020.
Ms Stephens said the annual event provided a valuable platform for farmers to purchase working dogs, and its absence contributed to higher bids this year.
“I think there’s been a huge demand (because) farmers have been wanting to replace working dogs on their farm, and they haven’t had the ability to do that,” she said.
“We get some of the best breeders from across Australia and they all come together annually in June.”
Trained by Edenhope local David Lee, Hoover amassed 277 bids before selling to a farmer in north-east Victoria.
His new owner has over 20,000 sheep and needed a new alpha dog after losing his number one kelpie from a team of seven.
Ms Stephens said she expected to see kelpie prices continue to rise in the future.
“We hear all the time how farmers cannot get people to come and work on their farm, and primary producers say their working dogs are invaluable to them,” she said.
“Good working dogs can replace the work of two or three workmen on the farm, and they don’t grumble.”
A kelpie puppy was also sold for a record price of $9,050, breaking the previous highest price of $2,000.
Ms Stephens said she hoped the usual festivities would proceed in 2022.
This article appeared in Naracoorte Community News, 23 June 2021.
