Casterton Revisited

Is it a trick of the light or can you really see the ghosts of Jack Gleeson and Kelpie by the banks of the Glenelg River ? Is that the sound of distant hoofbeats echoing in the wind as they make their hurried escape ?

Probably not, as I just made that up. True, the photo really was taken by the banks of the Glenelg River, but it's just Atilla and L with a bit of help from good old Photoshop.

But I'm sure that if the aforementioned ghosts ever did decide to pay a visit back to Casterton, it would have to be during the Kelpie Muster. After attending every year from 2003 I missed last year when I decided to go agility trialling over the long weekend instead, so this year it was time for a return trip, even if it does mean that it will be July before I get back to trialling thanks to all the trial cancellations this year and restricted trials over June that we're not eligible for. (Apparently putting kilts on kelpies for Scottish breeds trial just doesn't cut it.)

Anyway, back to Casterton we went for a weekend of kelpie fun with no agility equipment in sight.

There's a ton of information about the muster on the net, and I did a detailed write up on this blog in 2008 http://agilitykelpies.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-09-23T09%3A40%3A00%2B10%3A00&max-results=7 so this year it's going to be mainly photos I think.

Henty Street Casterton with the Albion Hotel in the distance. It wasn't this deserted for the most of the day, but this was during the High Jump competition so no prizes for guessing where every man and his dog were.Big kelpie banner shielded the Rotary ? Lions ? (not sure which) Club while they barbecued. Atilla earned himself a sausage for sitting up and looking pretty while I snapped away so he was pretty impressed with the whole thing.

Site of the legendary hill climb competition. The dogs run from just in front of the truck to the top of the hill. You can just make out the white gates part of the way up - a 5 second deduction of your time if your dog goes through them on the way up.

Apart from kelpies, the next most common sight is probably cows - these ones watch the hill climb from the paddock next door, until Cruz pulled the lead out of L's hands and moved them off the fence that is.L watches the hill climb while Cruz watches me - or more likely the cows behind me after his bit of unplanned active service.

The trains don't come to Casterton any more. We did the kelpie trail walk and finished up at the old railway yards, a pretty spot but a bit sad really. Looks as if some effort has gone into preserving the old station at least.

And finally a trip down memory lane. First of all L and Atilla as a young pup back in 2003.


And in the same spot, 2010. The drizabone is a bit worse for wear, the kelpie is older and wiser, or should that be more 'street smarts' and sneakier ??