Kelpie fetches record-breaking $50,000 for charity

The ‘Kelpies for Kids’ charity auction, held at the Perth Royal Show and interfaced through AuctionsPlus, has raised more than $70,000 for the children’s health charity, Telethon.

The highlight of the auction was the final dog, a black and tan pup named “Pilbara Brutus,” who made history with a record-breaking bid of $50,000 by the foreign-owned mining company, Alcoa.

This set a new Australian record for the highest price paid for a Kelpie in Australia.

Three other dogs also went under the hammer: Pilbara Ruby fetched $5,500, Pilbara Bob sold for $4,000, and Beraking Gabby for $6,500.

Telethon supports medical research into childhood diseases, and provides equipment, services, and life-changing opportunities for sick, disadvantaged, and vulnerable children.

The four-lot auction featured Kelpies bred by Western Australian breeders Aticia Grey from Pilbara Working Dogs, Narrogin, and Tim Bending from Bendings Kelpies, Coolup.

Ms Grey and her dog Gossip were previously featured on the first series of Muster Dogs, aired on ABC and Netflix.

The auction was organised by Kate and Rohan Willcocks from Lake Grace, who founded Kelpies for Kids after Ms Willcocks faced a medical emergency during her pregnancy, which required her to spend months away from home.

“We were living in Pingrup, 360km southeast of Perth, and I had to stay in Perth for my treatment,” Ms Wilcocks said.

“That’s when I realised the enormous challenges faced by regional families with sick children.”

As part of the auction, four children from the Telethon Stars foundation were paired with the Kelpies.

Brutus was matched with eight-year-old Emily Houston from Harvey, located 140km south of Perth.

In 2021, Ms Houston was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of four. Her family had to relocate to Perth, where she spent 13 months undergoing treatment.

Now in remission, Ms Houston met Brutus after being named a 2023 Telethon star. She was gifted the record-setting Kelpie after the auction, and is now the proud owner of a canine that has been called "the most expensive working dog alive".

Brutus’ sale surpassed the previous record, set in 2022, when the Capree Stud from Newbridge, in Central New South Wales, sold a 20-month-old Kelpie for $49,000.

“We were thinking if we raised $2,000 to $5,000, we were doing a good job," Ms Willcocks said reflecting on the event.

The main aim was to raise awareness.

“Our goal was to remind families, especially those in rural areas, that we’re thinking of them and the challenges they face.”

Thanks to the generosity of regional families and businesses, the auction raised more than $70,000 for Telethon.

“The support has been overwhelming,” Ms Willcocks said.