The Le Cliff Stud in Tasmania has bred a lot of very good Kelpies over a long period. The Stud was very active during the 1980's and early 1990's with many of these early Kelpies being descendants of Lance's great Trial dog, Liscannor Pace. A lot of Le Cliff Kelpies made a big name for themselves such as Le Cliff Pete, Le Cliff Jock, Le Cliff Gentle Ben, Le Cliff Trixie and many more. His dogs went to many Studs throughout Australia and overseas as foundation stock. Lance is still breeding and trialling in 2006 but on a smaller scale. Nearly every year Lance comes up through Victoria to the Canberra Nationals in the ACT and then to Molong in NSW for the State Championships. He is always on the lookout for a good Kelpies with natural ability, distance on the sheep, as well as the style and strength to win the big trials. 

We are great admirers of the Liscannor and Le Cliff Kelpies and even today all of our Noonbarra Kelpies go back to these fantastic dogs and to their ancestors in Chondo Doll, and Kalari Basil.  In the early 1980's, we had a wonderful Le Cliff Jock daughter who we sent down to Tasmania to be mated back to Liscannor Pace (her grandsire) and we got exceptional pups from this litter. One of these was Noonbarra Tim. Later, we leased Le Cliff Gabee of the Alinta Stud and mated her to Noonbarra Tim and really consolidated our future bloodlines. Today we are still linebreeding back to these exceptional dogs and keep breeding to their strengths. We owe a lot of the success of our Stud to other breeders such as Lance Clifford, Pat McCormack and Les Tarrant.

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The Le Cliff Kelpie Stud was established in 1969 with the purchase of a bitch pup from the Liscannor Stud of Mr. Pat McCormack in Victoria. A further two bitches and two males were later obtained from the Liscannor Stud. Two Kelpies were also obtained from the Glenville Stud of Mr. Bert Bromham in NSW.

Lance Clifford in his Stud Catalogue wrote:" I believe they represented the best bloodlines available, and due to their consistency in producing working dogs of above average ability. These dogs have proved to be natural stock dogs with the ability to handle all classes of stock. Pups bred from this stock have proved to possess the same abilities. I have also been impressed with the keenness and natural holding ability displayed by all pups at an early age. Temperament is also very good, the pups and dogs have all been friendly and able to accept discipline."

"Whilst the dogs I obtained were produced from breeders which had to earn their keep doing station work, their adaptability can be seen by the fact that they have been able to win trials on three sheep and yard dog events."

Liscannor Pace

( Rockybar Buff X Liscannor Emma)

Born: 8th Nov. 1974

Liscannor Pace was owned from a puppy by Lance Clifford in Tasmania. This amazing dog became a legend on the trial field winning and placing in over 60 Sheepdog Trials, more than any other Kelpie. He won Arena Trials, Yard Trials and Utility Trials. Lance Clifford went to a lot of expense to trial him a number of times on mainland Australia. He trialled in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and of course Tasmania. Lance was an experienced handler and made sure that Pace got every chance to prove himself.

Liscannor Pace was also an extremely versatile dog. He could work any stock, he backed and barked in the yards but he showed style and eye on three sheep work. He also had a good cast.

He sired a lot of top Kelpies including Le Cliff Pete, Le Cliff Roy, Brigalow Maxine, Noonbarra Tim, Le Cliff Fonz, Le Cliff Goldie, Le Cliff Spider (Exported to Canada), Scoriochre Mick, Le Cliff Gentle Ben, as well as the great Le Cliff Jock, owned by Des Vincent.

Le Cliff Jock was a renowned worker, trial dog and sire in the Riverina district of NSW. Jock in turn also produced a number of top dogs including, Liscannor Norm, who won the South Australian State Yard Dog Championship on two separate occasions in 1985 and 1986. Liscannor Norm also took 2nd place in the 1986 Australian National Yard Dog Championship.

Liscannor Pace also sired Le Cliff Gentle Ben, one of the few Kelpies to do well at the Canberra Nationals for many years. He placed 2nd in the Improvers of the National in 1980. He also won the North East Novice Championship. After an accident he went blind when he was just 2 years old.

Liscannor Pace also sired Le Cliff Pete. Le Cliff Pete was the winner of the biggest trial in Tasmania, the State Championships. He was also 3rd in the 1991 National Kelpie Trial. Pete was also 3rd in the 1988 Australian National Yard Dog Championship.

There was also Le Cliff Roy (Liscannor Pace X Le Cliff Jess ) who was 3rd in the 1981 National Kelpie Championship Trial at Mortlake in Victoria. He also won the Novice Tasmanian Championship in 1981. Unfortunately Le Cliff Roy died of Parvo virus when he was about two years old. He never had a real chance to show what he could do. Le Cliff Roy was also the sire of Abernant Jim, who was the main sire used in the Karrawarra Stud in the 1980's and 1990's.

Tony Parsons of the Karrawarra Stud wrote in his book - The Working Kelpie (1986): " I think he (Pace) is one of the best all round dogs I have seen in late years and one of the only Kelpies I have seen which bears comparison with some of the best dogs of thirty years ago".

Lance Clifford of the Le Cliff Stud : "Pace is easy to control. Strong eyed and very stylish with a careful approach. He has a long, wide cast and also works cattle. He is not afraid to move up to touching his sheep and will not back off".

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LISCANNOR PACE TRIAL RECORD

27th Sept. 1975	2nd	Novice	Burnie Show Trial	85 points
9th Oct 1975	4th	Novice	Launceston Show	83 points
12th Nov 1975	1st	Novice	Scottsdale Show	85 - 67 points
28th Mar 1976	1st	Improver	Murrurundi	92 points
28th Mar 1976	2nd	Open	Murrurundi	92 points
3rd Apr 1976	2nd	Special Utility Trial	Captain Payne Cambridge	86 points
19th Apr 1976	3rd	Open	Wynyard Tas.	87-86 points
1st May 1976	2nd	Open	St. Leonards	86-87 points
25th Sept 1976	1st	Open	Burnie Show	90-83 points
10th Nov 1976	3rd	Open	Scottsdale	92 points
Nov 1976	3rd	Open	Tas. Championships	80-68 points
22nd Jan 1977	3rd	Open	Scottsdale	94-89 points
29th Jan 1977	1st	Open	Wynyard	76-66 points
23rd Apr 1977	1st	Open	Ulverstone	82-36 points
5th Nov 1977	2nd	Open	Brighton	83-78 points
11th Feb 1978	1st	Open	Bishopsbourne	84-72 points
May 1978	1st (equal)	Open	Vic. Championship Werribee
May 1978	1st	Cast, Lift & Draw	Victoria Championship.
2nd Apr 1978	1st	Open	Sheffield	91-93 points
8th Apr 1978	2nd	Special Utility Trial	Captain Payne Cambridge	54-73 points
22nd Apr 1978	1st	Open	Ulverstone	96-74 points
11th Nov 1978	1st	Open	Brighton	94-89 points
17th Nov 1978	1st	Open	Scottsdale	95-87 points
4th Apr 1979	4th	Open	Ross	51 - Lost Sheep
10th Feb 1979	3rd	Open	Bishopsbourne	66-43 points
17th Feb 1979	4th	Open	Chudleigh	89 - X
5th Mar 1979	1st	Open	Moriarty	80-96 points
24th Mar 1979	1st	Open	Ulverstone	74-83 points
12th Oct 1979	2nd	Open	Launceston	94-66 points
12th Oct 1979	1st	Championship	Launceston	85 points
5th Nov 1979	2nd		Cressy	83-80 points
10th Nov 1979	1st	Open	Brighton	37-77 points
23rd Nov 1979	4th	Open	Devonport	100-32 points
Feb 1980	1st	Open	Bishopsbourne	73-72 points
19th Apr 1980	3rd	Open	Scottsdale	91-85 points
8th Nov 1980	1st	Open	Brighton	91-93 points
31st Jan 1981	2nd	Open	Scottsdale	82-84 points
7th Mar 1981	3rd	Open	Winnaleah	84-76 points
2nd May 1981	3rd	Open	Bowood	?
July 1981	2nd	Open	Tas. Yard Dog Championships	87-93 points
9th Oct 1981	2nd	Open	Launceston	?
9th Oct 1981	2nd	Open	Launceston Yard Championship	83-94 points
Nov 1981	1st	Open	Meander Yard Trial	?
9th Jan 1982	1st	Open	St. Helens	86-71 points
Jan 1982	2nd	Open	Ross	38-50 points
1st Jan 1982	1st	Open	Moriarty	86-88 points
1st May 1982	3rd	Open	Cambridge	86-83 points
8th Oct 1982	1st	Open	Launceston	90-89 points
8th Oct 1982	1st	Open	Championship Launceston	86 points
1st Nov 1982	3rd	Open	Championship Exeter	87-85 points
Oct 1982	4th	Open	Hobart	91 - lost sheep
Nov 1982	4th	Open	Devonport	95 - lost sheep
Nov 1982	2nd	Open	Scottsdale	90 points
Feb 1983	1st	Open	Chudleigh	73-71 points
5th Mar 1983	1st	Open	Beaconsfield	80-91 points
12th Mar 1983	1st	Open	Winnalea	83-83 points
July 1983	2nd	Open	W.A. Mananup	69-84 points
1st Oct 1983	1st	Open	Waverly	93-95 points
1984	2nd	Open	Scottsdale	99 + 90=189
2nd Oct 1984	2nd	Open	Waverly	91-81 points
3rd Jan 1985	3rd	Open	Pyengana	100-33 points
2nd Mar 1985	2nd	Open	Beaconsfield	92-87 points
Oct 1985	Placed	Open	Hobart	91-lost sheep
14th Nov 1985	2nd	Open	Scottsdale	99-90 points
1976-1977	2nd		Tasmanian State Consistency Trophy
1978-1979	1st		Tasmanian State Consistency Trophy
1979-1980	1st		Tasmanian State Consistency Trophy
1982-1983	1st (equal)		Tasmanian State Consistency Trophy

"I Worked at Tralgon , Victoria in 1983 and in West Australia also in 1983 gaining 2nd with Pace and also having Brigalow Maxine in the final of the Open. Only worked one trial there. Worked in Canberra in 1982, following the Mortlake National Kelpie Trial and gained equal 2nd in the National Improver trial with Le Cliff Gentle Ben, the dog who injured his leg at the Mortlake trial. "

"At that time I had Gentle Ben and Le Cliff Roy, the dog who ran 3rd at Mortlake when only 15 months old and coming on well. In fact Roy worked well at Canberra and latter that year won the Tasmanian Novice Championships and also 2nd in the Improver Novice Championships but I lost him with Parvo that Christmas and Ben who I had leased to Curley O'Kane following Canberra got distemper and never got over that, going fairly blind and finally dropping out that put me a couple of years behind with my dogs as you can only bring up about one really good dog a year unless you have more time than me. I then brought up a Scoriochre dog by Pace from a Rockybar bitch but while being a good dog at home or in a work situation, didn't have all the qualities needed for trialing, so another year behind. Next one, Brigalow Maxine, a good trial type but not what I would call a utility type so not considered the type for National Kelpie Trial. Has won a Novice trial at 8 months and can trial well, also made the Open final in Western Australia."

"In the meantime I brought up a Border Collie I had given to me, she made 3rd to Roy in the State Novice in 1981, Won the State Improver Championship and 2nd in the State Open Championship in 1983, a pretty good bitch. The last 20 months (in 1985) have seen me buy a bigger place and running a lot more stock. and have not done any of my dogs justice lately. Just get them off the chain and taking them to trials but had a couple of wins and a few places. In fact Pace has been unlucky not to have won two trials this year. I reckon only poor judging kept him out, has had a 2nd and a 3rd and also in one of them ran 100 a perfect score in the first round which isn't bad considering he is 11 years old and partly blind." Part of a letter to Stephen Bilson (Noonbarra Stud) from Lance Clifford 1985.

Le Cliff Jock - (Liscannor Pace X Liscannor Trixie) Born: 1975 - Le Cliff Jock was owned and worked by Des Vincent of the Mintara Stud. He put up some excellent trial runs including being only one point out of the finals of the most prestigious trial in Australia, the National Championship Trial at Hall, Canberra.

 In an article in 'The North Eastern Farmer (1986), he was described as, "..a great casting dog and a good yard dog with bark and push. Angora goats, sheep and cattle have all been a part of the day's work. Jock has won many trials and been placed in others including fourth in the Australian Yard Dog Trial and sixth in the Victorian Championship 3 sheep trial out of 146 entries."

Both his sire, Pace and his Dam, Trixie were by Rockybar Buff. Le Cliff Jock was considered by many as one of the strongest and best workers in NSW in his time. He was highly sought after as a sire especially in the Border district. (NSW and Victoria). He sired approximately 180 pups. All of these pups were guaranteed and none were ever returned to the breeder. Mintara Buster, Mintara Tippy, Avenpart Gayleen, Liscannor Norm & Mintara Ben were some of his better known offspring. Liscannor Norm was two times winner of the South Australian State Yard Title.

"I purchased Le Cliff Jock from the Le Cliff Stud at 5 years old as a new sire for my own Stud. He was a slow starter and had several owners before I had him. He was by the great 'Liscannor Pace' with 'Liscannor Trixie'.

He was a big casting dog always looking for sheep. He had good coverage, gentle on a few, great walk up force and good back and bark on command. He won a few trials in Tasmania. I bred many pups with this dog, he was sought after as a sire and I had many Stud bitches to him. He developed arthritis as time went by and I had to put him down." - Des Vincent Jan. 1999

"Jock is an old dog now. His beautiful, sculptured head with those fly-away Emma ears, furled at the tips - a legacy from his grandmother, Liscannor Emma - has scarcely changed with time. But he is the victim of arthritis, and at over 12½, his work is limited. Impossible now is that wide, sweeping cast, the light as a cat run over woolly backs, the urgent scramble over and under sheep in the drafting race.

Jock is one of the most sought after sires in the border district. ..a great casting dog and a good yard dog with bark and push. Angora goats, sheep and cattle have all been a part of the day's work. Jock has won many trials and been placed in others including fourth in the Australian Yard Dog Trial and sixth in the Victorian Championship 3 sheep trial out of 146 entries " - The North Eastern Farmer Newspaper 1986.

Liscannor Trixie - (Rockybar Buff X Wyvelloe Loo) "Trixie has been a Champion bitch, good cast, strong approach, work sheep or cattle. Extra good on ewes and lambs especially at lambing. Trixie was the winner of the WKC trophy at the Canberra Nationals in 1976 and also a finalist in the NSW Championships that year. She is also the winner of Open trials in Tasmania and a dam of trial winners. The best known of these is Le Cliff Jock, a trial winner in Victoria, NSW and Tasmania and also a top working dog. A sister to LeCliff Jock, LeCliff Pat is retained at this Stud. Pat and Jock were sired by Pace.

"First time in 1976 I went for a month to Canberra, Molong, Nyngan and Murrindi. That year Trixie won the Kelpie Trophy at Canberra, made the final of the NSW Open Championships, Pace won the Improver Trial at Murrindi and was 2nd in the Open Upper Hunter Championships and also trophy for highest score at the trial."

Le Cliff Pete - (Liscannor Pace X Bogan Lucky) Born: 1985 - Le Cliff Pete has been one of Lance Clifford's top Kelpies in the 1990's. He was placed 3rd in the 1991 National Kelpie Trial. In 1992, he won the Novice event at the National Kelpie Trial held in Sydney and was 4th in the Open Championship. His biggest win was no doubt the Tasmanian State Championship Arena trial. The biggest Sheepdog Trial in the State. Pete was also 3rd in the 1988 Australian National Yard Dog Championship. In 1994, he was placed once again in the National kelpie trial in 5th spot.

" Also in 1978 I worked 3 dogs in the Victoria Championships at Werribee and gained the best three dog aggregate with Pace, Trixie and Ross and also equal first in the cast, lift and draw with Pace. This trial has one of the longest casts of any trial in Australia, held on an old aerodrome over a quarter of a mile."

Tony Parsons (Karrawarra Kelpie Stud) on the Le Cliff Kelpies in 1986: "The dog Spider he took to Canada seems to be a strong dog and he has kin to him. He took three dogs as it seems and they all performed well ... when it came to showing off like backing etc. they showed up a lot of the glamour Borders."

"I think the amount of useful dogs Pace has sired indicates that he has been a success as a sire. Moreover, Spider and the ones he has kept were bred as I suggested to him from a Pace daughter mated back to Pace. So he can't be siring too badly as some dogs wouldn't stand that.

"Lance is above average as a handler and gets the most out of them for the little work he is able to give some as he is a full time employee. He works like blazes when he can and would show a lot up."

"Many who have had Pace dogs say they are touchy etc. but this Jim [Abernant Jim] I have which I obtained purely for calmness has a double cross of Pace and he is a lovely natured dog." I think Lance would get dogs into shape that a lot of others wouldn't get to first base on. He puts in a fair bit of work on them and is a glutton for work. Gets up early and works late on top of running a place and being a postmaster. He gets results because he is a keen man. A lot wouldn't get out of bed."

Mary and Stephen Bilson Noonbarra Kelpie Stud