Snaring the top price for a kelpie at the Australian Kelpie Muster at Casterton on the weekend was a bittersweet moment for Jack Leonard.
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While Mr Leonard was happy to get the $12,000 top price, it also meant he had to give up 18-month-old Dotti who he had bonded with while training her from an eight-week-old pup.
Mr Leonard said he sometimes found it difficult to sell quality dogs that performed outstandingly and selling Dotti to an undisclosed NSW buyer was one of those occasions.
He said Dotti had great versatility in both the sheep yards and paddocks, was easy to command and had an imposing bark.
Dotti was one of 60 fully trained dogs and 14 pups auctioned at the kelpie muster on Sunday for a total of $211,000.
Casterton Kelpie Association president Karen Stephens said those bidding for the dogs included a veterinarian who came all the way from Japan to buy but found the prices a bit of a shock.
Ms Stephens said the 21st Australian Kelpie Muster was another huge success bringing thousands of people from throughout Australia and overseas for a weekend celebration of canine cleverness.
In the kelpie high jump on Saturday, Bailey again showed his athleticism by scaling a wall of slats to a height of 2.51 metres to gain his third consecutive win in the event.
While the jump was not as high as his world record effort of 2.91 metres in a previous year, it was still streets ahead of his rivals.
The hat trick of wins earnt Bailey, who is owned by Tegan Eagles of Melbourne, a place in Casterton’s Kelpie Hall of Fame.
The muster featured many novelty events that included kelpies rounding up Indian runner ducks, doing a 50 metre dash up Casterton’s main street and racing up a steep hill.
Ms Stephens said it was hoped the planned Australian Kelpie Centre, which celebrates Casterton as the birthplace of the kelpie breed, would be ready in time for next year’s muster.