JACK BODY 1909 - 1992

For many years around the sheepdog trials of Australia, the late Jack body was always welcomed and referred to as a real gentleman of the sport. In fact you would be hard pressed to find anyone who has a bad word to say about him. He was good at handling sheepdogs and his Kelpies made a big name for themselves in trials and on properties right around Australia. Even today he is missed at the big Sheepdog Trials and a number of handlers have commented on the sence of fun and sportsmanship that Jack brought to the sport. If one of Jack's dogs made a mistake on the field he would still come off laughing about it. However I think Jack will be best remembered for his devotion and the care he took of his beloved Kelpies.

The Glenlogie Kelpie Stud was never a big concern but produced a number of exceptional Kelpies including Glenlogie Rex and one of the most influencial of the late 1980's and 1990's in Glenlogie Lucky, owned by Chris Stapleton of the well known Capree Stud.

Jack Body had always been a dog lover. In 1920, when only eleven, he was given his first dog, Teddy, by an old teamster named Jack Osborne. Teddy was a saddle-back Kelpie and was a very handy station dog. Eventually Teddy was stolen from him, so Jack lost a very good dog early in life. At that stage Jack used to do odd jobs with travelling stock or any job that would give him a chance to work Teddy. Teddy was with him about five years before he was lost.

RUFF

Jack was given a job on 'Kinross Station' at Holbrook, penning up for 16 shearers. With the experience of the two learners, 186 sheep a day was dragging the chain. At this stage he didn't have a dog of his own capable of working the shed. He bought a dog from Les Anderson for one pound and it turned out one of the best dogs he'd had.

Les Anderson was a boundary rider on 'Kinross' for many years and was an exceptionally good hand with sheep dogs. Mr. Neil Ross, part owner of 'Kinross and Harry Burgun, another worker on the station, were also excellent men with sheep dogs and it was from these three men Jack received his early education on handling and training sheep dogs.

Ruff, the dog he had bought from Les, was an early type Kelpie often seen on stations in those days. Ruff was prick eared with a rough red coat. He was 12 months old and a better dog in the shed and yards than he was in the paddock.

Before buying Ruff, Jack was unable to fill the catching pens and a shearer complained about being held up for sheep. Ruff showed his form and that same shearer had to lift the first sheep over the door, as the sheep were packed in that tightly. - Part of article loaned to us by Mrs. Body

REX

Through to the early 1930's Jack had various dogs which he broke in and sold. He was always interested in trials but there were not many about at that time. Being married and raising a family, it was always impossible to get time off to go to a trial and even if he could get away, he had to consider the money and a conveyance, as he only had the horse and sulky or a motor bike.

In 1932 Jack bought Rex from A. Jeacock of Culcairn for two pounds. He was sired by 'Kemps Jocker' out of 'Jeacocks Jean'. Rex was very intelligent, a big black and tan kelpie, a good all-round dog who could work three sheep, or a thousand. He would lead a mob of sheep or come back and work the tail. He was also a good yard dog. Rex died in 1942. - Part of article loaned to us by Mrs. Body

BLACK CHIEF

Sire:	All Black
Dam:	Black Bess
Born:	1939

'Black Chief' was a full black Kelpie and usually still referred to as a 'Barb' in those days. He was a very good dog on the station and always very reliable. He had been bought from Mrs. A.F. Parkes of Hornsby for three pounds. 'Black Chief' was also a very good show dog and had been entered in 13 shows, with a first placing at every show, plus several championships. He died in 1947 from snake-bite, still undefeated in shows. 'Black Chief' was the first Kelpie Jack registered at the Working Sheep Dog Association and he was a life member until his death.

For a short period, Jack was living and working in Holbrook (southern NSW) and having no sheep, it was hard work to break in good dogs. In 1954 he purchased 15 acres of land and some sheep so that he could get on with the Job of once again training some dogs.

"In 1965, Sheepdog Trials were set up at Holbrook. The trials were then held each year with a good attendance from quite far afield with the top men coming from all over Victoria and New South Wales. They considered the trials good and well run, they returned many times to compete.

Being out of the trial game for many years, Jack had to build up a trial team again. He started off with Ginger, who was of doubtful breeding. In the first trial he crossed, so was retired. 'Brennan's Buffy' and 'Jodie' were next. They were by 'Glenville Glen' out of 'Glenville Jewell'. Buffy worked at Taralga in 1970 and Tumbarumba where she was placed second in the Novice. She also worked in Coolamon in 1971. Jodie didn't work in trials as as he was sold when quite young. - Part of article loaned to us by Mrs. Body

EARLY SHEEPDOGS

Tip was another good early dog that Jack owned. He had been given to him but had been broken in on dairy cattle and was a red kelpie. At that stage, Jack was a boundary rider on 'Wyanawah Station', the property of Mr. Alistair Ross. There was plenty of sheep work on the station, so Tip could be well broken in. Jack also worked Tip in trials in Henty in the late 40's. He later sold Tip to a man at Parkes and a fortnight later received a letter stating "When Tip has me broken in we will make & good team!"

Another of the early dogs was Flossie. Flossie was a kelpie/collie cross, pedigreed on both sides. She was also a starter in the Henty Sheepdog Trials. One of her features was her exceptionally big cast. One thousand acres was no trouble to her. Flossie was sired by 'Jeacocks Rex' out of 'Wattle Grange Wattie'. - Part of article loaned to Mary Bilson by Mrs. Body

KARRAWARRA PUNCH

Karrawarra Punch was one of seven dogs Jack got when he visited the Karrawarra Stud. Jack had been keen on Kelpies a long time and had owned a number but wanted to start breeding and winning on the trial circuit. At the time Bert Bromham (Glenville Kelpie Stud - also at Holbrook in southern NSW) was doing very well in trials with Karrawarra Sergeant so Jack went up to the Karrawarra Stud to buy one dog. He came back with seven!

Tony Parsons who runs the Karrawarra Stud knew that Jack was a man who looked after his dogs and had the ability to get the best from them. At the time, Tony was laid up for a year with an injury caused by cattle and so he decided to give Jack some well bred dogs to get him off to a good start. Along with Karrawarra Punch was Chondo Promise, who later became the dam of the well known, Glenlogie Rex. Tony Parsons thought she was a lovely bitch and had he been well would not have let her go. Mr. Parsons also said that Karrawarra Punch was a nice natural working dog but a bit on the small side.

NULLABEAN GIFT

Jack had the good fortune of having 'Nullabean Gift' given to him. She had been bred by Mr. Lionel Whale at Boorowa but the chap who had her said she had too much 'eye' for farm work. She was a very strong dog and was placed in 26 trials, She was by 'Wabba Sam' out of 'Karrawarra Sally 3rd'. 'Nullabean Gift' died in 1983, aged 15 years. She was probably under-rated by history but as her trial record showed she was up there with the best.

Just a few of her trial placings (still incomplete)

1972	4th	Nullabean Gift	Jack Body	Open	Taralga Trials	70/39
1972	1st	Nullabean Gift	Jack Body	Novice	Jeralderie	78
1972	3rd	Nullabean Gift	Jack Body	Open	Narrandera	78/89
1973	3rd	Nullabean Gift	Jack Body	Novice	Taralga Arena	67
1973	3rd	Nullabean Gift	Jack Body	Novice	Taralga	?
1975	12th	Nullabean Gift	Jack Body	Open	Bob Martins National Kelpie Trial	62
1975	3rd	Nullabean Gift	Jack Body	Improver	Holbrook - Southern Championship	70
1976	1st	Nullabean Gift	Jack Body	Local	Holbrook Southern NSW Champion	86

 SETTING UP THE GLENLOGIE STUD

"In 1970 Jack decided to start his own registered stud of kelpies, which he called 'Glenlogie'. He travelled to Katingal, to Mr. A.D. Parsons, to get a sire and arrived home with 5 dogs of mixed ages and sex. Among the dogs was 'Karrawarra Punch', 5 months old. Punch was by Karrawarra Darby' out of 'Karrawarra Lena'. He was a good all-round dog, handy at home and in trials and was in fact placed 24 times in trials. Punch died in 1983 at 13 years of age.

'Karrawarra Patti 2nd.' was another of the pups that Jack brought home from Katingal. 'Patti' was very timid and shy of crowds so didn't achieve anything in trials, but she was wonderful in the training of young pups. - Article about Jack Body, loaned to us by Mrs. Body

CHONDO PROMISE

'Chondo Promise' or 'Bonny' as she was known was also a good all-round dog, on either sheep or cattle. She was by 'Chondo Chance' out of 'Karrawarra Black Bess . Bonny worked many good trials and would have done more but died of blood poisoning when 'Glenlogie Rex' was born in 1974. She had been placed in 11 trials. - Part of article loaned to us by Mrs. Body

GLENLOGIE REX

'Glenlogie Rex' is the brainiest dog Jack ever owned, or ever had the pleasure of working. He was placed 40 times in trials and was placed in many finals. His greatest achievement was 11th place in the Rotorua Expo International Sheep Dog Trial in New Zealand in 1978. - Part of article loaned to us by Mrs. Body

He was a finalist four times in a row at the National Kelpie Trial between 1977 and 1980. He also won the award for fastest time in 1976. After his good performances in the National Kelpie Trial and other big events, Glenlogie Rex got himself a good name and even today breeders are proud to have their pedigrees go back to this dog.

Glenlogie Rex also sired another good kelpie called Glenlogie Emma and owned by Bob Peake of the Orvale Kelpie Stud. Glenlogie Emma went on to gain a place in the 1983 and the 1984 National Kelpie Trial.

Below are a few of Glenlogie Rex's trial results. It is by no means complete.

GLENLOGIE BONNY

Karrawarra Punch X Glenlogie Tess

'Glenlogie Bonny' was born in 1976 and was a good handy worker in all classes of work. 'Bonny' won the Kelpie Council trial at Jindabyne in 1980 and was equal first in the Open trial the same day. She was placed 13 times in trials She was a good brood bitch and when mated with 'Rex', produced some very good all-round workers. 'Bonny' is by 'Karrawarra Punch' out of 'Glenlogie Tess'. 'Glenlogie Mandy' is by 'Glenlogie Rex' out of 'Glenlogie Judy'. 'Mandy' is a good trial dog and has been placed in 30 trials. She is also a good farm dog and was born in 1977. Part of article loaned to us by Mrs. Body

GLENLOGIE DELL

Glenlogie Rex X Glenlogie Judy

Born: 1979

'Glenlogie Dell' is the same breeding as 'Mandy' and was born in 1979. She has been placed 20 times in trials is a good all-round worker and a pleasure to work. - Part of article loaned to us by Mrs. Body

1985

5th

Glenlogie Dell

Jack Body

Open

NSW State Arena Championship

176

This is the only trial record of Glenlogie Dell we have found so far. We would love to add the other placings she achieved in trials if anyone can help.

GLENLOGIE LEE

Glenlogie Rex X Glenlogie Bonny

Born: 1983

Glenlogie Lee was owned By Greg Prince, who is now considered probably the best Arena Trial man in Australia. Greg did well with Lee but was not at his peak as a handler at the time. Below are a few trial results we found in old publications. Once again it is by no means complete and we would gladly welcome additions.

1985	4th	Glenlogie Lee	Greg Prince	Open	NSW State Championship	161
1985	1st	Glenlogie Lee	Greg Prince	Novice	Queensland Championship	85/94
1985	1st	Glenlogie Lee	Greg Prince	Improver	Stuart Town Arena Trial	69
1985	Finalist	Glenlogie Lee	Greg Prince	Open	Stuart Town Arena Trial	69
1986	2nd	Glenlogie Lee	Greg Prince	Open	Forbes Show Trial	84/58

KIRRIBILLILUCKY

Glenlogie Rex X Quarrells Biddy

Born: 1980

Another who is a pleasure to handle is 'Kirribilli Lucky', who is by 'Glenlogie Rex' out of 'Quarells Biddy'. She was born in 1980 and has been placed 7 times. She is very soft and easy to work. She is always willing and wants to please, with lots of brain and balance. - Part of article loaned to us by Mrs. Body

GLENLOGIE LUCKY

Barambogie Mack X Kirribilli Lucky

Born: 1983

Glenlogie Lucky was owned by Chris Stapleton of the Capree Stud. He bought her as an adult from Steve Weyman, the owner of the late Barambogie Mack. She was a late maturing Kelpie and was about 18 months old before she really started to show any outstanding ability.

Chris Stapleton once refused $20,000 for Glenlogie Lucky. She won a number of big trials including the 1989 National Kelpie Trial at Bairnsdale in Victoria. She was against 73 entries in the open competition. She was also an excellent breeding bitch. One of her pups, Capree Watch went on to become the top Yard and Utility Trial dog in Australia. His breeding has probably had a bigger influence on Kelpies than any other dog in the last ten years.

"Lucky didn't have an easy task when she set out for her trial in the final heat. Though she had scored the highest total in the first heat, she had to trial last and the four dogs before her had progressively taken over as leader from each other.

But Lucky knuckled down to produce a scintillating 95 out of a possible 100 points to pip the closest rival, John White's Nap by six points. The win topped off a great weekend for Lucky, who together with four of her progeny, took out the first five placings in the Novice trial earlier in the day.

She goes back in pedigree to a Malcolm Peake dog called Barambogie Mack which has been a foundation sire of many top Kelpies throughout Australia. Her ability to consistently produce good performing offspring has not gone unnoticed, and owner, Chris has had to simply stop taking orders for her pups." - Weekly Times 1989

1985	1st	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Novice	NSW Yard Dog Championship	85/84
1985	2nd	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Novice	National Kelpie Utility Trial
1985	Award	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Best Yard	National Kelpie Utility Trial	72 (75)
1986	1st	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	Armidale Yard Trial	91/98
1986	1st	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	Old Junee Yard Trial	151
1986	1st	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	Australian Champion Yard Title (SA)	97
1986	2nd	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	Carcoar Show Trial	80/83
1987	1st	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	Muresk WA Yard Trial	47. 5/41. 5
1987	1st	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	Southern NSW Yard Championship	182. 5
1988	2nd	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	Southern NSW Yard Championship	172
1988	1st	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	New England Yard - Armidale	97/95
1988	2nd	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	Australian Yard Championship	87/96
1989	3rd	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Novice	National Kelpie Trial	63/83
1989	1st	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	National Kelpie Trial	95/95
1990	3rd	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	Federation Yard Championship	83/87/170
1990	2nd	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	NSW Yard Championships - Expo	98/94
1991	2nd	Glenlogie Lucky	Chris Stapleton	Open	Oberon Show Yard Trial	185

GLENLOGIE BESS

Barambogie Mack X Kirribilli Lucky

Black & Tan. Born: 1983

Other handlers from all over Australia wanted Glenlogie Kelpies. Many did well in sheepdog trials but most just went to work on properties. Matt Willis, a well known Yard trial competitor also did well with Glenlogie Bess. Bess was a full sister to the famous Glenlogie Lucky. Below are a few of her trial results.

Jack Body will probably be best remembered for his great love of his Kelpies and his distain for any handler that treated a dog badly. He was a caring man that made many friends in the sport of sheepdog trialling. Mrs. Phyllis Body who was married to Jack for just under 50 years and saw him work many dogs said in all that time she never saw Jack ever hit a dog. Jack was like that. He loved his dogs and it was clear they loved him. He certainly proved you didn't have to be hard on a dog to get the best from them.

When Jack passed away the Kelpie world lost an important man. A first class handler that could match his Kelpies against any sheepdog in the country, a popular Sheepdog Trial judge, a friend and mentor to many handlers and breeders across Australia.

Jack Body was renowned for being kind to his Kelpies. He often said that he was only interested in a fair go for man's best friend. It would be very hard to find a stockman who treated his Kelpies with more care and gentleness. I once watched Jack at a trial ground with a specially made felt lined collar on his dog. When asked about it, he explained that he didn't want the collar to cause any discomfort to the dog. Jack refused to tattoo his Stud Kelpies and because of that all his dogs were registered in Appendix instead of the main register of the Stud book.

There is no doubt that Jack loved his Kelpies and his wonderful performances on the Trial ground showed the strong bond between handler and dog. Jack Body once said that he didn't like his Kelpies to lick him but he did like a Kelpie that wanted to lick him.

Jack did not like the common Drovers practice of putting a dog's foot into it's collar to slow it down. Jack thought it was cruel and often questioned how the handler knew it didn't cause any discomfort to the dog. A number of times he fought against the common practice. He said that God gave the dog four legs to walk on and when one leg is pulled up from under him then all his weight is placed on just one other front leg. With the other leg pulled through the collar the dog must be suffering.

Jack also wrote a small booklet on training called 'The Australian Kelpie - Origin, Breeding & Training'. Part of it read: " Always remember the instinct of the sheep dog is to hold the sheep to you. You must work to this and take advantage of it. ...Remember that although your dog has a lot of working instinct, it still needs your patience and knowledge to do things right. The same as a child who goes to preschool and ends up complete at College - he must be taught by others."

Below are a few other trial results with the Kelpies from the Glenlogie Stud. We would like anyone with additional information on other results to please contact us.

Jack Body went to New Zealand to compete in sheepdog Trials there for the 1978 Expo International Championship. It was his 2nd visit to New Zealand. Here he met a lot of shepherds that use the NZ dog called the Huntaway. These are used to to bark loudly and hunt the sheep out of bracken on the hills and then the Border Collies pick up the sheep. Many of the shepherds also use Huntaways in the yards.

The New Zealanders at the time felt that you could not do efficient yard work with out barking dogs. Of course Jack Body disagreed as he had done plenty of yard work over the years without the need for a lot of barking. His feelings were that the efficiency of yard work should be judged on two main points. The first was how many sheep were moved through the yard in a given time frame and secondly that the sheep were moved without any undue strees or breaking back and hitting gates etc. Finally they talked Jack into proving his point and challenged him to work 3000 Corridale ewes through the yards and a plunge dip with only quiet Kelpies. Jack of course proved his point with his two silent Kelpies.

One thing that did impress Jack when he was in New Zealand was the care that was given to their sheepdogs. He noted that many of the shepherds carried food with them for their dogs when they were doing long days of hard work. He always believed that a dog cannot concentrate on his work or have the stamina to do long days when he is hungry. He pointed out to the New Zealanders that he had met people in Australia that only fed their dogs every three days and some only once a week. Jack liked to feed his dogs every day.

Jack Body has worked in every state of Australia, except Western Australia. He has also judged a lot of Sheepdog Trials and has always tried to do a good honest job and give fair decisions. He always liked a dog that worked naturally, as quite often on the farm a dog must work out of sight of its master and then it has to think for itself.

Jack made many friends among Kelpie breeders and had a lot of correspondence with the late Mr. Walter King, of Albury. He was the youngest of the King brothers who helped found the Kelpie breed of sheepdogs. Back in the 1940's, Jack trained quite a few dogs for Mr. King and in return was told a lot of information about the early Kelpies and their origins.

Jack passed away in Holbrook, after a short illness, on October 3rd 1992. He is survived by his wife Phyllis, son Donald, daughter Wilma and seven grand-children. John, the oldest son, passed away nearly 20 years ago.

Jack was 82 years old.

In a letter to Mary Bilson Mrs. Body wrote:"We met some wonderful people in our 25 years of travelling with the dogs. We made some wonderful friends." Jack & Phyllis Body were married just a few weeks short of 50 years. The article 'Jack Body and his dogs' was put into a newspaper after he had passed away.

Mary and Stephen Bilson Noonbarra Kelpie Stud

 

May 1999 -