Jack Gleeson, a drover working at nearby Dunrobin wanted to buy the female pup, but Robertson had a policy of not selling females from the stock. Robertson gave the pup to his nephew, who initially refused to sell her to Gleeson, but eventually swapped her for a good horse which he fancied. The swap occurred at a night time rendezvous at the Warrock Homestead ford on the Glenelg River.
Gleeson named the pup Kelpie, meaning ‘A malignant water sprite haunting the fords in streams in the shape of a horse’. Shortly after the exchange, Gleeson left the district. Kelpie was mated with working dogs in New South Wales, “Moss” & “Caesar” (both pups of imported stock). In 1878, King’s Kelpie came equal first in a trial “. . . against the best dogs in the Colonies”. Her pups were known as Kelpie’s Pups and this was eventually shortened to Kelpies. Dogs descended from Gleeson’s Kelpie by the two sires mentioned above were the family on which the Kelpie breed was founded.
On learning the significance of the Kelpie to Casterton, the town launched its claim that Casterton is “the birthplace of the foundation bitch of the Kelpie breed” during the 150th Celebrations in September, 1996. Peter Corlett, well known for his statue of Sir Edward “Weary “ Dunlop, was commissioned to sculpt a statue, which was unveiled during these celebrations. With many significant donations, the cost of the statue was raised within a few months and now stands proudly in front of the Casterton Town Hall.
Casterton now presents the Australian Landmark Kelpie Muster over the June long weekend. Saturday takes a lighter look at the Kelpie’s importance to Australia and Australia’s premier working dog auction on the Sunday.