The Phils Creek Working Kelpie Stud was started about 1983 by Greg Carmody of Boorowa in NSW. We first met Greg and his dogs in early 1988.

We were told about the Phils Creek Kelpies by some American kelpie Breeders, Vern and Susan Thorp of the Windrush Working Kelpie Stud in Iowa, USA. The Thorps were coming on one of their many visits to Australia and asked if we could take them out to see the Phils Creek dogs.

When they arrived, we drove them down to a sheep property just south of Cowra, where Greg was working in his capacity as a shearing contractor. He gave us all a demonstration of his dogs ability in the shearing shed. They were obviously very experienced at this type of work and showed excellent backing ability and bark where neeeded. We were all impressed.

When the shearing stopped for lunch, he showed us his team of dogs cast out and pick up a mob of sheep in the next paddock. He then got Phils Creek Tess to work a couple of the sheep straight off shears. Greg showed his dogs were very capable of doing hard work and they were under excellent control. It was amazing that very few people had even heard of the Phils Creek Stud at that time.

Not long after we went down to his property near Boorowa and spent a day watching his dogs work. Dog after dog showed control, experience and good natural ability. They were a credit to him. Even a young pup he had of about 4 months of age (Phils Creek Sid) did some excellent work. In fact we asked if he was for sale but he was already sold.

We did a lot of video taping of his dogs and added it to a video called Kelpie Studs of Australia which we released in 1990. The next year the Thorps returned to Australia and we again went to see the Phils Creek Kelpies. Once again, we went to a shearing shed where Greg was working. we were just in time to see his dogs bringing in a big mob from one of the back paddocks. We watched them penning up and doing the work that is required on thousands of Australian properties every day. Once again we were very impressed with the versatility of his Kelpies.

We thought the best dog he had was Phils Creek Ben. This dog seemed to be able to handle anything. He was also Greg's favourite dog and his close companion. We asked about using him as a sire over one of our own bitches and set up the future mating to Noonbarra Kate. We only had to wait until she came back on heat. Finally, she did and we phoned Greg to do the mating but only a few days before, Phils Creek Ben had died.

Greg was understandably very upset and didn't want to talk much. It seemed that Ben was doing so well that Greg decided to build him a good dog run with a kennel but Ben jumped up and hit his head on the top (I guess a rail or something) and died. It was a huge loss to Greg but it was also a huge loss to Kelpies in general.

We then heard that Ben had a full brother called Phils Creek Sam who had sold to Jim Luce of the Coogee Stud near Goulburn. He called Sam 'Pat' and was already winning a few Sheepdog Trials with him. We later used Sam over two of our bitches, Avenpart Gayleen and Noonbarra Jenna II.

PHILS CREEK SAM

Phils Creek Sam went on to be one of the best known trial Kelpies in Australia.

There is no doubt that Phils Creek Sam is one of the most renowned Kelpies today on the Sheepdog Trial circuit. Sam has won a National Kelpie Trial and has placed three times. He won the Australian Yard Dog Championship in 1994. He has also won the State Yard Trial and also a 3 Sheep trial to name a few. He has run a perfect score of 100 in Yard Trials.

Phils Creek Sam - Trial Results (Not completed)

1989	1st	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	NSW State Yard Trial Wagga	187. 5
1989	1st	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	Wagga Yard Dog Championship	187. 5
1990	3rd	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	Australasian Yard Trial Keith	178
1990	3rd	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	NSW Yard Championship - Expo	95/96
1990	1st	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	Riverina Utility Trial	85/79
1991	4th	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	NSW State Yard Championship
1992	1st	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	Riverina Utility	162
1992	1st	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	National Kelpie Championship
1993	4th	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	Southern NSW Yard Champ
1994	1st	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	National Australian Yard Championship
1994	3rd	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	National Kelpie Championship
1994	2nd	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	Goulburn Yard Trial	94/95
1995	1st	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	NE Victoria Yard Championship	97/100
1995	2nd	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Novice	Dalgety Utility Vic.	90/87
1995	2nd	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	Aust Yard Championships Tas.	92. 5/90
1995	5th	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Open	Goulburn Yard Trial	94/85
1997	2nd	Phils Creek Sam	Jim Luce	Farm	Sydney Royal Show - Yard	93/84

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THE HORTON INFLUENCE

Graham Horton ran the Hortons Working Kelpie Stud. It was a small breeding establishment near Rugby (not far from Boorowa). Greg Carmody got some of his first good Kelpies from this breeder. The first was Hortons Boss. He still lists Hortons Boss in his list of top five dogs.

Later, he mated Hortons Mister to Avenpart Chreema and produced Phils Creek Darkie, considered by Greg to be one of his best all-round workers ever! Hortons Squire was also used and was mated to Avenpart Chreema and produced Phils Creek Ben and Phils Creek Sam.

He bought Avenpart Chreema from Mary McCrabb at Deniliquin in western NSW. He went out there and had a choice of about 5 litters. He like Chreema who was by Avenpart Zondo. He said she was the toughest Kelpies he had ever seen. Extremely tough but also a bit excitable and when young would also nip. It took him a while to train her but she become an exceptional worker. She was always keen and never stopped. In Gregs own words "She was a terrific worker". Greg has always thought that the toughness came from Avenpart Zondo. (Zondo was also the sire of Capree Watch). Later on, Avenpart Chreema won a few Sheepdog Trials. As a breeder she produced exactly the type of dogs that Greg likes - a true all-round worker.

Some of the present Kelpies in the Phils Creek Stud are:

Phils Creek King, this red and tan male is by Hortons Squire and from Avenpart Chreema. He was born in 1992 and regarded by Greg as a very good allround worker. His best dog at the moment he thinks is Phils Creek Jim. Jim is by Phils Creek Sam and from Avenpart Happy. Happy was a good bitch that he has since sold. Her work leaned more to paddock and she was a bit strong-willed for Greg. Another young dog he has is Phils Creek Fly. Fly is by McGees Ben and from Phils Creek Elle. Although still young, he is turning into a terrific allround dog and hopefully will become one of the top kelpies in the Phils Creek stud in the future.

In the past Greg also bred in with his brother Damien Carmody. Damien has the Karalee Prefix. One of his better known Kelpies was Karalee Max. Max was owned by Jim Luce of the Coogee Stud (who also owns Phils Creek sam). Max was from Phils Creek Tess. Jim Luce called Max, Carmo and ran him in trials under that name. Phils Creek Sam was run in trials under the name Pat so often people were a little confused about the breeding of these dogs.

Another Phils Creek Kelpie to do well is Phils Creek Harry. Harry is a litter brother to Phils Creek Jim. Harry is owned by Steve Condell and has just had a lot of publicity over the media as he was taken to compete in New Zealand and did an outstanding job to lose first place by just 1 1/2 points.