Ash Caruana, left, sold Beloka Rumble for $25,000, and Welshpool breeder Paul McPhail sold the top priced pup Beloka Sally for $11,000 at the Eukanuba Casterton Working Dog Auction on Sunday.

KELPIE prices followed the fortunes of the lacklustre lamb, sheep and beef sectors at the Eukanuba Casterton Working Dog Auction interface with AuctionsPlus on Sunday.

Penshurst stock contractor and Kelpie breeder Ash Caruana turned a $1500 pup investment into $25,000, when Seymour farmer David Webb bought his rising two year-old Beloka Rumble for the top price at the auction.

Edenhope breeder David Lee’s sold his 35 month-old dog The Lee’s Grit for $20,000, there were several dogs in the $10,000-$15,000 range and Welshpool breeder and trainer Paul McPhail sold a four month-old pup Beloka Sally for $11,000, 35 monthy-old Beloka Max VIII for $15,000 and 45 month-old Beloka Gypsy II for $14,000.

But the average of $7540.50 for the 42 dogs sold of 62 offered was about $1000 lower than last year’s sale, and several station-trained dogs showing solid paddock traits from respected handlers sold for $10,000 or less as buyers favoured yard dog types. The sale average will change as more negotiations on passed in dogs are finalised through AuctionsPlus.

Ash Caruana said it was his third year selling dogs at Casterton and said it was rewarding to get $25,000 for Rumble.

“I run a stud as well so there is a lot of time and effort that goes into it.”

As well as the stock contracting business he runs with his wife Jessica, he also works six months of the year either crutching or keep sheep up to crutchers on a trailer. He said Rumble was only put into the sale when his intended sale bitch was bred. The $25,000 will come in handy as the young family saved money to buy their own house and farm.

Ash said David Webb will use Rumble on sheep and cattle and as a sire in his own Kelpie stud.

Auction coordinator and Elders agent Neil ‘Radar’ Cooper said the sale results followed the same trend as lamb, sheep, goat and cattle prices.

“The livestock prices are back a fair way to what they were 18 months ago.”

Dogs sold strongly to mainly Victorian and South Australian buyers, but also into New South Wales and Tasmania, and even into Queensland and the Northern Territory.