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ALL AUSTRALIAN SITE

A SHORT HISTORY

The Australian Working Kelpie came into being around the late1860's from a number of different sheepdog strains (not Border Collies). The Kelpie name came from a bitch owned by Jack Gleeson, that he had called Kelpie. Some time later she had a litter and Mr. Gleeson gave a black & tan puppy to Mr. King as a present. He called the pup after her mother, Kelpie. She was at first known as 'Young Kelpie' but later became better known as 'Kings Kelpie' after her new owner. These outstanding sheepdogs were now being called Kelpie's pups or just 'Kelpie'.

By 1879, Kings Kelpie had made a big name for herself by getting equal first place at the big Forbes Sheepdog Trial against top dogs including Tweed from Tasmania who she shared the 1st prize with. Even before this, a dog related to her, Brutus had won two trials further south in the Lambing Flats district (now Young) in 1871 and 1872. By 1880, sheepdog trials in Australia were attracting up to 600 spectators.

The Kelpies were being bred for the tough conditions in Australia and improved rapidly during this period. By the time Mr. John Quinn won the Sydney Trials with Coil in 1898, the Kelpie sheepdogs were in great demand. Other good Quinn Kelpies were Clyde, Gay, Rose, Wallace, Red Cloud, Chrome, Tweed and Boy Blue.

Koonawarra Downs Miracle

At the turn of the century the partnership of King & McLeod was formed and Mr. McLeod aggressively promoted and trialled the breed within Australia as well as New Zealand. They later bought Quinns Coil and Quinns Wallace. Biddy was also one of their most famous Kelpies. A good Kelpie pup by 1901 was selling for around £5, 5 Shillings (A lot of money way back then).

NOONBARRA MAGGIE AS A PUPPY

In the 1920's the most famous Kelpie was probably Red Hope. He won 52 major prizes at sheepdog trials and was both a grandson and also a great-grandson of the famous Quinns Coil. There were many good breeders and handlers between the 1920's and today. Some made big names for themselves in those early days like Frank Scanlon, (Scanlon Stud), Jack Goodfellow (Currawang Stud), and Stan Collins just to name a few.

It has been estimated that Australia has more than 450,000 sheepdogs today and the vast majority are Working Kelpies.

In 1914, Robert Kaleski wrote," Take the Kelpie ...Where would our breeders of Merino sheep be without him? ... The Kelpie is king in the sheep world of Australia".

KOONAWARRA DOWNS

The KD Kelpies are bred down from those renowned working sheepdogs that made the Kelpie name so famous. Our Kelpies are breed to work stock and are presently working on both sheep and cattle properties. They have also been worked in arena and yard trials with some success. Koonawarra Kelpie Stud is owned and run by Merrilyn Mulcahy and her daughter Kate and is situated adjacent to the town of Molong, 35 km from Orange in the central west of N.S.W. Australia. The Kelpies in the Stud are based on bloodlines from Rockybar, Noonbarra, Woorayl, Glenville, Liscannor and the Redcliffe Kelpies.

Koonawarra Downs Kelpie Stud

Merrilyn and Kate Mulcahy

Arrowhead Station,

O'Connell, NSW, Australia.

Phone 02-6337 5754 Mob:0429 10 11 50