Nathan Morris tops Australia’s largest working dog auction for the second year in a row

from Australian Working Stock Dog Magazine - Issue 22, March 2023

by Australian Working Stock Dog Magazine

The Last Run

On the final day of The Working Dog Challenge, some of the best working dogs were offered under the hammer with buyer interest from across Australia looking to secure a trained, well-started, or started Collie or Kelpie.

Overall, 49 of 56 working dogs sold to a top of $22,500 to average $7770. In the breakdown, 35 of 43 adult dogs sold to a top of $22,500 and averaged $9486, and 14 of 16 pups (under 12 months) sold to $7500 and averaged $3285.

Hitting the $22,500 high was Barru Lizzy, offered by Nathan Morris, Forbes, and purchased through Stock Live to Hune Simpson, St George, Qld. The 18-month-old bitch was sired by Barru Luke out of Barru Mouse.

This was the second year in a row Mr Morris had topped the sale at The Working Dog Challenge after selling Lokabe Purple (Poppy) for $24,000 in last year’s sale.

Mr Morris said it was great to have the top-priced dog for the second year in a row.

“It is nice to be rewarded for all the hard work you put in, it takes a lot of time behind the scenes getting a dog going that well,” Mr Morris said.

“It is great that people are really starting to appreciate the value of a working dog.

“It is getting harder and harder to find people to work for you, particularly in agriculture, so people are relying more upon their dogs, so that is converting into value, that is the way I see it.

“Within Kelpies, there are more and more being bred and focused towards yard dogs, and they certainly have got their place, but those paddock mustering dogs are getting harder and harder to find.

“The dog I had last year, and Lizzie this year, are both proper mustering dogs with a lot of brains and a lot of style, and there are more and more people searching for those dogs.”

Mr Morris purchased Lizzie from Barru Working Kelpie Stud late last year to focus on her and train her for this sale.

“She goes back to some of the foundation Kelpie bloodlines in the Kurrawarra, and she is very true to type,” he said.

“(Lizzie is a) very intelligent mustering dog with a lot of natural arc and good cast reads the livestock very well.”

Topping the pups at $7500 was Stanford Stone, offered by Peter and Megan Rutherford, Blayney and purchased by Salmond Pastoral Company, Oberon.

The 11-month-old black and tan Kelpie dog was sired by Stanford Mars, which placed third in the Sire Shootout on Friday night, and was out of Stanford Coco.

A high seller in the pups was Bluegum Spur, account Avalon McGrath and Sam Picker, Bluegum Kelpies, Bigga, which Greg Alcock purchased through Nutrien Livestock Bombala for $6750.

Collies sold to the high of $12,000 twice, firstly for Shady Acres Heidi account Wayne Wayte, Stanthorpe, Qld, purchased by Ray White Emms Mooney for AB, KC, and CP Bailey, Gingkin.

Also reaching the $12,000 high in the Collies was Wildcard Shadow account TR and PE Flynn, Ridgelands, purchased by Central Tablelands Lamb.

Bowyer and Livermore’s Tom Card said the number of dogs in the auction was on par with last year’s sale but was dearer as a whole, with a higher average across the field and a wider buying support with dogs selling from Queensland to Tasmania.

“It was a good buying spread from local and interstate buyers,” Mr Card said.

The sale was conducted by Bowyer and Livermore Livestock, Bathurst, with Nick Fogarty taking bids.