The demand for working dogs continued to grow in 2022, as their status as a tireless and reliable worker, excellent economic returns and loyalty remains highly attractive to producers. Following ongoing labour shortages and rising farm input costs, the enthusiasm for producers to have a “good” dog has never been stronger. The involvement of AuctionsPlus in interfacing working dog sales has increased significantly over recent years, as producers look far and wide across the country to secure their next “best friend”. Exposure to a national audience across all states on the AuctionsPlus platform provides vendors and breeders unmatchable exposure to sell their working dogs.
A highlight of the year was the breaking of the Australian working dog record in the Capree Poll Merino & Invitational Working Dog sale. “Capree Eve” offered by breeder Chris Stapleton sold for an impressive $49,000 - beating the previous record set in 2021 by $13,800. 2022 also bought the addition of four new sales, seeing AuctionsPlus working dog sales stretch into Queensland and Western Australia. A total of 12 working dog sales have been interfaced with the AuctionsPlus platform in 2022 – up from 8 in 2021.
2022 in Review:
The Jerilderie Working Dog Auction
Lot 36 – “Harry”
Interfaced with AuctionsPlus for the fifth consecutive year, utilising both video and audio streaming, the annual Jerilderie working dog auction, held on 26th February, 2022, saw a total of 59 dogs catalogued. With a total of 50 dogs sold, the sale reached an average of $10,580 – an increase of $580 from the 2021 results. Lot 36 “Harry” topped the sale selling for $25,700.
Strong online activity saw 1,209 users enter the auction, with 71 active online bidders placing 355 bids – securing 25 lots online. Successful online buyers came from across the country with successful purchases hailing from Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, SA and NSW.
Central West QLD Working Dog Auction
Lot 12 – “Jack”
In a first for working dog sales in Queensland, the Central West Working Dog auction held on the 7th May, 2022, attracted a wider audience by interfacing with live video and audio streaming on AuctionsPlus. A total of 27 dogs were catalogued in the sale, ranging in age from three months to five-years-old, seeing a total of 24 dogs sold to a $4,374 average. Lot 12 “Jack” returned the top price of the sale, with the two-and-a-half-year-old Border Collie selling for $16,000 to an online buyer from Queensland.
Consistent online activity throughout the sale saw a total of 527 users enter the auction, with 31 users located across six different states, placing a total of 113 online bids across 22 lots – resulting in 12 lots selling online. Most online purchases saw dogs remain in Queensland, while several headed across the border to NSW.
Casterton Working Dog Auction
Lot 16 – “Hazeldell Kimmy”
Following an online only sale on AuctionsPlus in 2021, the annual Casterton Working Dog Auction in June returned to a physical sale - which was interfaced online with video and audio streaming. A total of 49 working dogs were on offer in this year’s sale, ranging in age from 15 weeks, to five-years-old. Strong competition throughout the sale saw 46 dogs sell to a $8,850 average – up $1,194 on last year. Topping the sale at $27,000 was Lot 16 “Hazeldell Kimmy”, a two-year-eight-month-old black and tan kelpie bitch.
Online activity saw a total of 7,110 users enter the auction, with 174 bidders placing a total of 2,009 online bids across 48 lots – resulting in 19 lots selling online. Online purchases saw buyers from Tasmania, NSW, SA and Victoria securing lots.
Forbes working Dog Auction
Lot 8 – “Stoneycreek Tucker”
Following a successful sale last year, the annual Forbes working dog auction took place on the 16th July, 2022, with audio and video livestreaming on AuctionsPlus. Offering 48 dogs across the catalogue, they ranged in age from three-months to four-years-11-months-old. A total of 40 dogs sold to an average of $6,124. Lot 8 “Stoneycreek Tucker” returned top price with the one-year-nine-month-old bitch selling for $21,500.
Online competition saw 60% of the offering selling online, with 3,657 users logging in to watch the auction. 90 bidders placed a total of 380 online bids across 46 lots, resulting in 24 lots selling online to buyers from Queensland, Victoria and NSW.
Nutrien Wagga Working Dog Auction
Lot 40 – “Mardi Judy”
Utilising AuctionsPlus since 2019, the annual Wagga Wagga Working Dog Club auction took place on 13th August 2022. Utilising pre-bidding in the week leading up to the physical auction and live video and audio streaming on sale day, the 2022 auction saw a total of 48 dogs offered - ranging in age from three-months to four-years-old. Competition from buyers both online and at the sale saw 37 dogs sell to an average of $7,028, with two-year-old bitch “Mardi Judy” (Lot 40) topping the sale at $18,000.
3,301 users logged in to watch the action on sale day, with 76 bidders placing 473 bids across 45 lots -resulting in 22 lots (59%) selling to online buyers from Queensland, Tasmania, SA, Victoria and NSW.
WA Sheep Expo Working Dog Auction
Lot 17 – “Shimmy Downs Tanner”
Another first for working dog sales on AuctionsPlus was the inaugural WA SheepExpo and working dog auction - taking place on the 19th August, 2022. The 17-dog offering ranged in age from 19-weeks to four-years-old. Pre-bidding online was open for the week leading up to the sale, while the auction utilised live audio streaming on sale day through AuctionsPlus. Averaging $5,083 for the 12 dogs sold, the $15,900 top price went to three-year-old brown and tan bitch “Shimmy Downs Tanner” (Lot 17).
Online activity was dominated by intra-state buyers, with 1,195 users logging in throughout the sale. A total of 8 active bidders placed 32 bids across 9 lots - resulting in 4 lots selling online, with all lots remaining in WA.
Hayes & CO 1st Annual Working Dog Sale
Lot 12 – “Buckol Betty”
The inaugural Hayes & Co working dog auction held on the 21st August, 2022 was another sale utilising AuctionsPlus’ interfaced sale package in 2022. With pre-bidding available online in the week leading up to the sale, in addition to live video and audio streaming on sale day, the 28-dog catalogue strong online activity. 27 dogs aged between four months to five years sold to an average of $5,163, with two-year-old Border Collie bitch “Buckol Betty” (Lot 12) returning the $12,500 top price.
Interstate online activity was strong, with 1,965 users logging in throughout the sale, seeing 64 active bidders placing 512 bids across 26 lots. A total of 6 lots sold to online buyers in Queensland, Victoria, and NSW.
Lucindale Working Dog Auction
Lot 12 – “Mulga”
In its second year, the Lucindale working dog auction held on 26th September was run in conjunction with AuctionsPlus, offering pre-bidding in the week leading up to the sale along with live video and audio streaming on sale day. The 43-kelpie dog offering ranged in age from 5 ½ years to 4-months-old, selling to a $6,675 average. Lot 12- four-year-four-month old dog “Mulga” topped the sale, selling for $15,500 to an online buyer from Victoria.
Online activity saw 503 users logged in to watch the pre-work and sale action, with 28 active bidders from Victoria, NSW, Tasmania, Queensland, and SA placing bids on 60% of the offering, resulting in 10 dogs (33%) selling to online buyers.
Geurie Golden Collar Working Dog Sale
Lot 2 – “Bells Willow”
Running as an online only sale for the second year in a row, the annual Geurie Golden Collar working dog sale took place on AuctionsPlus. The auction was open for pre-bidding for the week prior to the sale which was held on the 15th October. The 41-dog offering saw the Border Collie breed account for 88% of the offering while ages ranged from three-months-old to eight-years. Demand for the 27 dogs sold was strong, with the average reaching $7,938 – up $1,549 on last year, while the $21,500 top price was returned by six-year-old Border Collie bitch “Bells Willow” (Lot 2).
A total of 4,169 users connected to the sale across the week, with buyers from across the country. A hive of bidding activity throughout the sale saw 98 bidders competing for the offering, resulting in dogs heading as far north as Queensland and south as Victoria.
Capree Poll Merino Ram Sale & Invitational Working Dog Sale
Lot 62 - "Capree Eve"
Following the success of last years mixed commodity sale, vendor Chris Stapleton again offered both Poll Merino rams and working dogs in the one sale. The 2022 sale saw a new record for working dogs established, hitting $49,000 to surpass the previous record set in 2021 by $13,800. Held on the 20th October, the sale offered pre-bidding for the working dogs in the week leading up to sale day, along with live audio streaming of the physical auction. Selling to a 100% clearance, the 10 working dogs on offer averaged $12,525 – increasing by $2,275 on last year.
Strong online competition saw 19 bidders from Queensland, Tasmania and NSW place 60 bids across 90% of the working dog offering. A total of three dogs sold to online buyers, including the top priced recording breaking Lot 62 “Capree Eve.”
11th Annual RMA Network Working Dog Sale
Lot 10 - "Mandalay Tex"
The 11th Annual RMA Network Working Dog Sale, held in conjunction with AuctionsPlus since 2016, was held on Saturday the 12th November. Auction results sored to new heights, with the sale averaging $8,471 a $861 increase on last year, with Lot 10 – “Mandalay Tex” topping the sale at $29,000 - $3,500 up on last years top price. Pre-bidding access in the lead up to the sale resulted in a total of 3,124 users logging in from across Australia to view the 42 catalogued dogs.
Online activity again proved strong for the sale, with bidding activity up 26% on last year, seeing 68 bidders place over 250 bids on 98% of the catalogue, resulting in 20 dogs selling online to buyers across four different states.
Go-Getta Kelpie Stud Working Dog Auction
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Lot 5 – “Go-Getta Trunk (Mouse)” Source: Go-Getta Kelpie Stud
The inaugural Go-Getta Kelpie stud auction saw vendor Joe Spicer offer 15 dogs, with the sale average of $17,733 setting a new Australian record for the highest average across a working dog sale. Held as an online only sale, pre-bidding was open in the week leading up to the sale, with the auction concluding via timer on Sunday, November 20th. Selling to strong demand the offering saw a wide range of breeds and training levels, with the top price of $28,000 returned by one-year-five-month-old “Lot 5 – Go-Getta Trunk (Mouse).”
Buyer’s willingness to look far and wide for working dogs saw 60 active bidders from around Australia competing for the offering, with dogs selling to buyers from WA, NSW and Victoria.
How has each sale performed over the years – click here to see
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