King of the Kelpies

Here’s our mate Ian O’Connell and our Rousie. Ian is the inspiration behind The Stockman and the Casterton Kelpie Muster. I call him Ian — King of Kelpies, but most people just call him “Spud”.

Ian was generous enough to demonstrate Rousie at the Casterton Kelpie Auction where he ‘fetched’ the price of $1,600. Pardon the pun. Rousie spent a week before the auction at Ian’s place getting to know him. Ian took Rousie everywhere with him for four days — where he claimed his territory by pissing into Ian’s opened tool box on the back of the ute and filling it up.

Everytime Ian now picks up a shifter, he is reminded of Rousie’s stay with him! So thanks so very very much Spud for your time and energy in getting Rousie to the auction and sorry about your tool box!

While we’re on Spud, here he is with his auction dog, Bagalla Becky. Becky sold for over $4,600 and is the half sister to last year’s auction record price dog, Mick who made $5,400. Mick is our Bagalla Connie’s full brother.

Becky came second out of 84 dogs at the Victorian Yard Dog Championships in the novice and her mum is currently Victoria’s Cattle Trial Champ. Ian is a humble kind of fella … but I reckon he should take much of the credit.