AuctionsPlus have been involved with working dog auctions for several years, but the growth the industry has seen in recent years has been rapid, with sales embracing online connectivity at physical sales to expand the potential avenue to buyers. Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021 have pushed the industry further, forced to adopt online selling methods due to the unfortunate movement restrictions and border closures. The past two years has seen a huge evolution from traditional selling practices, and although missing the social aspect of a sale, descriptions, photos, and videos have allowed vendors to sell their dogs to a national audience.
With Covid restrictions easing, exclusive online sales are expected to be scaled back, as physical sales again become the normal procedure. However, access to the online community at these sales will remain as standard, as the success of allowing online bidding has been demonstrated through the interstate purchasing and numbers of bids per auction.
Analysing working dog auction data on AuctionsPlus from 2019 to 2021, the benefits that online connectivity brings to the sale day is clear, with total auctions increasing from 4 in 2019 and 2020 to 7 sales so far in 2021. New auctions to join AuctionsPlus in 2021 were the Lucindale Working Dog Auction, the Forbes Working Dog Auction and the Capree Invitational Working Dog Sale. 2021 has seen strong online bidding and purchasing at all dog auctions, with the demand for working dogs robust and reflecting the current booming confidence levels, with users connecting to auctions from all over Australia.
2021 in review:
Capree Poll Merino & Invitational Working Dog Sale
Capree’s inaugural sale on AuctionsPlus saw vendor Chris Stapleton create a mixed commodity sale to capitalize on the strong demand for sheep and working dogs. The working dogs had pre-sale bidding available through AuctionsPlus, running for a week between the 5 - 12th of October. The working dogs averaged $10,250, topping at $15,500 for lot 63 “Capree Minnie”. Online competition was strong with bids being placed from Tasmania, SA, Queensland, Victoria, and NSW. The catalogue saw 10,346 views across the two auctions, highlighting the strong interest in the complimentary commodities auction.
Lucindale Working Dog Auction
For the first time in 2021, Lucindale held their working dog auction in conjunction with AuctionsPlus on September 26th. The online catalogue received 9,076 views for the 31 dogs offered. The auction averaged $9,707 with lot 6, “Josie” returning the top price of $29,000. A total of 173 bids were placed on AuctionsPlus across 30 different lots by 51 different bidders, resulting in 14 lots being sold to AuctionsPlus buyers. The 14 different lots were purchased by buyers from right across Australia with successful buyers hailing from Victoria, SA, NSW, Tasmania, and Queensland.
The Geurie Golden Collar Working Dog Auction
On Sunday, September 19th, the Geurie Golden Collar Working Dog Sale ran on AuctionsPlus as an online only auction. The sale ran from the 19-25th September. For the 47 dogs offered, 39 sold for an auction average of $6,562, topping at $30,100 for lot 26, “Cabra Glebe Big” from Casino, NSW. The catalogue received 22,985 views and the auction saw 1,689 users enter the auction of which 162 registered buyers were actively bidding - placing a total of 2,368 bids. Successful buyers came from NSW, SA, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania.
Wagga Yard Dog Club, Working Dog Auction
For the third consecutive year, the Wagga Yard Dog Auction was interfaced with AuctionsPlus on August 14th 2021. The auction had pre-bidding available for the week leading up to the physical auction and had live audio and video streaming available for online users on sale day. The catalogue received 10,822 views for the 53 lots offered. Online competition was strong, with 17 lots being sold to online users for an average of $9,676, while also seeing the top priced dog secured for the day - Lot 51 “Eveready Spud” selling to an online user from NSW for $31,000. 559 users entered the auction, with 68 registered bidders placing a total of 433 bids across 45 different lots. Plenty of interstate purchasing took place, with dogs being sold to NSW, Victoria, SA, WA and Queensland.
Forbes Working Dog Auction
Another dog sale to utilize the online interfacing system for the first time in 2021 was the Forbes Working Dog Auction, taking place on July 17th, 2021. There was a pre-bidding sale on AuctionsPlus that ran for a week leading up the physical sale, with the physical auction utilizing both audio and video livestreaming. The auction averaged $6,457 and topped at $11,500 for lot 31 “Karana Susie II” selling to a buyer present at the sale. 542 users entered the auction, with 46 bidders placing 144 bids across 29 lots. 10 lots were purchased online, seeing dogs go to NSW, Victoria, SA, and Queensland. The catalogue had 7,080 views online for the 29 dogs offered, of which 23 sold.
Casterton Working Dog Auction
After a year off in 2020, the Casterton Working Dog Auction was back again with AuctionsPlus in June 2021 after first utilizing the platform in 2019. This year the sale was run exclusively on AuctionsPlus as an online only sale. The online catalogue received 35,987 views for the 51 lots on offer. A total of 5,604 users entered the auction, with 122 active bidders placing 2,803 bids. The sale averaged $7,656, with lot 33 “Eulooka Hoover” recording the highest price of $35,200 by a Victorian buyer. Interstate purchasing was again strong with dogs being secured by buyers from NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA and Tasmania.
The Jerilderie Working Dog Auction
At the start of the year the Jerilderie working dog Auction was interfaced with AuctionsPlus. The Jerilderie sale has been interfaced with AuctionsPlus every year since 2018, and in 2021 had both audio and video streaming. The sale had 58 dogs on offer of which 54 sold, averaging $10,083 for a top price for lot 26, “Stanford Ninja” selling for $18,750 to an online bidder from Victoria. Online activity was strong, with 742 people entering the auction, of which 77 were active online bidders who placed 426 bids - securing 22 lots online. The catalogue received 7,574 views. Again, we saw buyers from far and wide with successful purchasers hailing from SA, Queensland, NSW, Victoria and WA.
How much online growth has each sale had over the years?
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