This annual event is held in the small Victorian country town of Casterton, not far from the South Australian border. A great celebration of the breed and a totally shameless 'kelpie-fest.'
If you are a kelpie lover and have never been, mark the Queen's Birthday weekend in your diary now.
A brief background of the kelpie's ties to Casterton for those who don't know the story :
In the 1870's a young stockman named Jack Gleeson worked on Dunrobin Station, just north of Casterton. The neighbouring property, Warrock Station was owned by a man named George Robertson. (Warrock Station still survives and is open for visitor tours) In 1871, Robertson mated a pair of Scottish collies that had been imported into the country. Gleeson took a liking to a black and tan bitch from the mating and asked to buy the puppy, but Robertson refused and gave her to his nephew instead.
Robertson's nephew knew that Gleeson wanted the pup and arranged to swap her for a horse of Gleeson's that he wanted (just like 19th Century e bay). They met at night on the banks of the Glenelg River in Casterton to perform the trade. Gleeson named his new pup 'Kelpie' - meaning a malignant Scottish water spirit that haunts streams and rivers in the shape of a horse.
Shortly after this, Gleeson left the area and moved to the Ardlethan district of NSW. It was there that Kelpie was mated to a black dog named Moss and another working dog named Caesar. The resulting progeny were highly sought after and when one (also named Kelpie after her dam) gained fame for her performance at the very first sheepdog trial in NSW, the name Kelpie was adopted as the breed name.
If you drive through Ardlethan you will see that they also claim rights to the origin of the kelpie breed, but Casterton beat them to the idea of the annual muster !
On Saturday there is a street parade featuring local schools and businesses, and kelpies of course.
The parade is held on the main street of Casterton. In the background you can see the hill that the kelpies run up in the hill climb event. (It doesn't look all that steep in the photo but believe me, it is. ) The owners are driven to the top of the hill and you need someone to hold your dog at the bottom. They are then recalled up the hill until they reach the owner and run into a designated area at the top. This is timed and the best time wins. Just to complicate matters, there is a set of gates with an opening in the centre part way up and if your dog goes through the opening you get 5 seconds off your time. This year the climb was combined into the kelpie triathlon along with the high jump competition (jumping up boards that make a high jump into the back of a hay laden ute, boards are added incrementally and it works as a knock out type contest) and a 50 metre race down the main street. There are other activities you can join in if the athletic side of it doesn't do it for you, such as 'Kelpie Idol' (show off your kelpie's tricks), Pinball (herding Indian runner ducks through croquet hoops), or Kelpie/Owner look alike contest. There is also the stockman's challenge on the banks of the Glenelg River ( the ghosts of Jack Gleeson and little Kelpie may very well be watching on) where kelpies herd sheep around a set course, directed by a modern day stockman- or woman- on horseback. This is my favourite event to watch and something I would love to try one day, dream on !
On Sunday there is a big working dog auction - the jury is still out on what I think about this - but you get to see some really good dogs work during the demonstrations and it is exciting to see the prices that they fetch, around $6,000 is usually the norm for the top priced dog. (Although I wouldn't accept a million for either of mine !) I have just read on a dog related forum that this year the top priced kelpie was 'Beloka Red 11'. Sold for $7400, paid by the owner's father and then donated back to her and the breeder. Proceeds went to 'Beyond Blue' for rural depression initiatives. Nice to read a story like that for once.
There are kelpies everywhere in Casterton, including a 'kelpie trail' that you can walk along the river and through the town featuring kelpie sculptures and information about the breed and the artists. Fascinating stuff for us kelpie addicts, plus the kelpies enjoyed the walk.
Atilla wasn't quite sure about this one - he kept waiting for it to move and sniff him back.
It's a fun weekend for kelpie fans and a great chance to catch up with others who share the same obsession. I wonder what Jack Gleeson would think if he knew what his long ago clandestine meet on the banks of the Glenelg River had started ? I know I am grateful that it happened because if not, then I would never have this .........
or this .........................................
And both are eternally grateful that I DON'T make them run up that great big hill each year !
