Ross Fletcher has been training working dogs for almost four decades, and he’s a big supporter of the rma Working Stock Dog Auction at Glen Innes.
The longtime sale vendor will have three 22-month-old Kelpies in this year’s sale – Cracker, Dodger and Surf – all from the same litter, by Jones’s Gina from Ehsmans Percy.
“They’re very handy with sheep, but they've also done some cattle work,” Mr Fletcher said.
“Two of them would make handy trial dogs, and the other a good station dog.
“They’re more yard dogs, because that's the way I've trained them, but they'd soon pick it up paddock work. Both their mother and father are handy paddock dogs.”
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Gina, bred by Broken Hill trainer Rick Jones, has been one of Mr Fletcher’s best workers over the years, and these are the last pups that will be available from her.
“I bought her and Curly from Rick, and they’re two of the best bitches I’ve ever had.”
Mr Fletcher is now a full-time trainer since retiring a few years ago.
He trains the dogs on a small four-hectare block at Macksville, where he runs about 40 sheep.
He grew up at Glen Innes, and got involved training and trialling there.
It’s one of the sales that’s continued to improve each year. It’s a great concept for anybody wanting to sell a dog.
- Dog trainer Ross Fletcher
“A good friend of mine in Glen Innes was a dog trialler and he gave me a beaut little pup,” Mr Fletcher said.
“I had some success with her, and I’ve been training pups on and off for nearly 40 years.
“When I left Glen Innes I worked as a stockman at some abattoirs, which was great for the dogs.
“I had a nice team of dogs. You can't beat that regular work to get pups going.
“Having well-trained dogs on a farm is the only way to go. They’re the hardest workers, and the cheapest.
“Kelpies are all about continuous hard work.”
Mr Fletcher has had some good prices at Glen Innes over the past six years, with two dogs making $7200 and $6000 in the 2017 sale.
“It’s one of the sales that’s continued to improve each year,” he said.
“It’s a great concept for anybody wanting to sell a dog.
“And for the buyers, they can have a fair look at the dogs before the auction. They can watch them work and see all their faults.”