Farmers from far and wide gathered for the Paraparamakirikiri Sheepdog Trial Club auction.
photograph: supplied
Organizers of the North Island’s long-running working dog auction are in disbelief after a recent sale brought in $320,000.
Buyers arrived at an auction near Whanganui with extra money in their pockets last Saturday as sheep farming rode a wave of record lamb prices and strong international demand.
Hundreds of people attended the Paraparamakirikiri Sheepdog Trial Club’s annual auction in the countryside near Lake Whangae, with more than 60 dogs up for sale.
The day’s bad weather did little to delay bidding.
Fierce competition pushed Trix, the head dog, to a record price of $12,200, nearly $3,000 more than last year’s record price.
Jonathan Smiles shows 11-month-old Wedge to the audience at the Parapara Makiri Kiri Sheepdog Trial Club auction. She sold for $9,800.
photograph: supplied
A fine hunting dog, Mufasa, owned by Peter Wilson of Taihape, sold for $10,500, and the young farmer also sold three prized working dogs, Spud, Shaggy and Queen. This exceeded last year’s Top Huntaway’s $9,800.
And on Saturday, seven huntaways and two heading dogs were sold for at least $9,000 amid rising prices.
Club spokeswoman Brenda O’Leary said the scale of the price surprised organizers.
“People can’t believe how much money we made at the sale,” she said.
“There is a shortage of quality farm dogs.”
Mr O’Leary believes part of the success of the sale was due to the short amount of time farmers had to acclimate their dogs.
And the top-priced Twix certainly fit that bill.
Taihape farmer Peter Wilson said it was difficult to send his best friend to another home.
photograph: supplied
In the synopsis, she is described as “honest, good-natured, easy to work with, and easy to be around.”
Mufasa, on the other hand, was fully trained and was a “wonderful and powerful dog.”
Wilson acknowledged that it may be difficult to release the dog to a new owner.
On the day of the sale, the sun came out a little.
photograph: supplied
“I’m a big believer that these dogs should go to good homes. After all, they’re my good friends,” Wilson said.
“They do a lot for you. But when someone’s paying top dollar like they’ve ever been, they have to take care of them.”
On average, Huntaways sold for more money, averaging $6,500.
This brought the heading dog average to $4,700.
This event is being run as a fundraiser for the Paraparamakirikiri Sheepdog Trial Club. O’Leary said the $150 auction entry fee per dog will go towards the club’s operating costs. She said most of the funds would be used to organize the annual hillside trials at Palikino, which would also include the cost of taking the sheep to the trials.
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