A kelpie all the way from Macarthur, Victoria, has fetched $16,000 at the annual Forbes working dog auction.
Kraken Punch was the top-priced dog at a sale that reflected the strength of the current livestock market, with 29 sold under the hammer to an average $5606.
President of the Forbes Working Dog Club and Elders auctioneer Jake LeBrocque said vendors came from as far south as Tasmania and as far north as Grafton for the sale event.
The Forbes event offers the unique opportunity for vendors to showcase their dogs’ work in the paddock with sheep, cattle and goats in the lead-up to the sale, and in the yards on the day of the sale.
Kraken Punch is a red and tan two-year-old who showed his skills as a powerful yard dog with plenty of style, plenty of cover and deserving of the price, LeBrocque said.
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Good weather sealed a great attendance of some 160 spectators at the showground, with 29 registered bidders in person and another 86 online through Auctions Plus.
By the end of the day, dogs were on their way to their new homes from as far south as Ballarat, Victoria to as far north as St George, Queensland.
The top priced pup was from James Rayner’s Stoneycreek for the third year in a row: at just 11 months old Stoneycreek Tag sold for $10,000.
Top-priced female was Karana Jedda VIII, sold by Lilli Tickle, for $10,250.
LeBrocque was thrilled with the day and the quality of the dogs on offer.
“I think the difference is being able to work three different types of livestock, we're the only auction in the country that offers that,” he said.
“We had 14 dogs demo on sheep in the paddock, four on cattle and four on goats, and the Saturday demos went really, really well.”
The Forbes sale is also unique in the incredible sponsorship that enables them to give $1000 cash back on the top price dog, pup and female, and as such any summary of the day for the club president starts with thanks to those supporters.
Elders Forbes sponsored the top-priced dog for $1000 cash back; SRV Livestock Transport sponsored the top-priced pup for $1000 cash back; and Constables Hay and Transport sponsored $1000 the top-priced female for $1000 cash back.
CopRice gave every vendor a bag of dog food.
LeBrocque also thanked those who brought in livestock for the demonstrations, including sheep from G3 Partnership and goats from Lochie Thomas.
It’s his fourth year of involvement in the sale, clearly now becoming established, and he said the Forbes Working Dog Club looks forward to doing it all again in 2026.
