This year’s event on June 22 and 23 looks set to be another cracker with organisers predicting they will catalogue up to 50 mature dogs in the sale and about 15 pups, aged eight weeks to six months.  

Co-selling agent Dean Taylor, of Davidson Cameron Clydsdale Taylor, Scone, said at the 2017 sale, two dogs and two bitches sold for more than $10,000, with a Kelpie bitch making the sale top of $12,000 and a Border Collie bitch making $11,500.   

“A good dog or two can save you a man in a lot of respects,” Mr Taylor said.

“Yes, $8000 to $10,000 might seem a bit of money for a dog but it’s a pretty cheap investment really.”

The 2017 top-priced bitch was sold by Bronson Macklinshaw of Armidale, called Glenfaba Willow, out of Glenfaba Flint by Orjgardens Chance.

Mr Macklinshaw said he would support this year’s sale with another dog in the sale as well as a pup.

Entries for the open trial, futurity trial and sale open on April 30 and close May 25.

The event has run since 2009 and this year the futurity trial is worth $5000 to win.

It is open to dogs aged four years and under that have been purchased at previous NWSDFS sales.

One such dog is Macelbri Shift, a two-year-old purchased two years ago by Adam and Lisa Wrobel of Denman, this year being the fourth in a row the Wrobels have sold dogs at the event.

Shift will compete in the futurity and then will be offered in the sale.

The open trial prize is a guaranteed $2000 purse to win.

NWSDFS steering committee member Sallina Crowe said the concept of the sale was to create an avenue to showcase genuine working dogs.

“Anyone can compete in the open trial but there’s a limit of two dogs per competitor,” Mrs Crowe said.

“And if you’re selling a dog the entry fee is discounted.

“Vendors can also sell a pup for free.”

Last year’s sale attracted buyer interest from every State bar the Northern Territory, as well as Texas, USA.

Mr Taylor said dogs ready to go straight to work sold extremely well.

“The majority of our buyers are stock people and all sale dogs demonstrate their working ability on cattle prior to the sale,” he said.  

·         2017 – 44 dogs averaged $4,011, top $12,000; 14 pups averaged $1,035, top of $1700; sale grossed $191,000

·         2016 – 35 dogs averaged $4400, top of $9500 for Ben Crowe’s Glenfaba Gibber; 14 pups averaged $1164, top of $2900 for Murray Wilkinson’s Yarrum Stella; sale grossed $175,300

·         2015 – 31 dogs averaged $3238, top was Rambo at $7750; 18 pups averaged $1118, top of $3900 for Bell’s Chance

Selling agents are Zac Ede, Baileys Livestock (Singleton) and Dean Taylor, of Davidson Cameron Clydsdale Taylor (Scone).

For details see www.nationalworkingstockdogsale.com or find the Facebook page.