AgGrow working dog sale tops at $5500

With 12 dogs offered, 10 sold for an 83 per cent clearance, gross of $23,450, average of $2345, and a top price of $5500. 

Top priced dog was Paul Wroe’s Brutunvale Flat, a seven-year-old black and white male dog.

Purchased by Matt and Kristy Lisle, Grosvenor Park, Kunwarara, Mr Lisle said he went to the sale specifically to buy Flat. 

“I saw him at one of the dog schools and I was pretty impressed,” he said.

“I wanted to get him, I knew he was going to be dear.”

The Lisles have about 300 Brahman and Brangus breeders on agistment. 

Mr Lisle said he started buying working dogs last year, after he moved towards them to cut down on management costs with workers. 

Mr Wroe said selling older dogs was always tough emotionally.

”He’s a bit special – he’s been a hard-working dog, he’s seven years old, and he’s worked right from day dot,” he said. 

Flat had all the points on the board – after winning the first Queensland futurity, and he also won the Queensland championships in Home Hill in 2014.

Mr Wroe said he’s not just a trial dog – but a solid work dog who has travelled thousands of kilometres behind horses working. 

He said he was more than happy with the price he fetched. 

“I thought he’d make the $5000 because of the amount of people who have rung me about him,” he said.

“Not only is he a work dog and a trial dog, but he also breeds on.”

Mr Wroe, who has spearheaded the working dog sales in Central Queensland, said overall the sale was a success. 

“On the price that cattle are today, it’s really in the scheme of things to pay $5000,” he said.

“You’re paying $50,000, $100,000, and $200,000 for horses – let them loose and see if they can bring a mob of cattle back to you on their own.

“I think dogs made what they were worth in my opinion.

“It’s always a bit tough up here – it’s easier in New South Wales, but we battle along here and try to keep this going.”