BLOODLINES
BLOODLINES
Spinifex Working Kelpie Stud was formed by Mrs. Erin Caterson in 1962. The Stud was founded on Working Kelpie bloodlines from the Karrawarra and Doonan Studs. Tony Parsons had the Karrawarra Kelpies and was well known for his breeding of good Kelpies. Tom Doonan ran the Doonan Stud and was highly regarded in sheepdog trials. Mrs. Caterson won her first sheepdog trial at Windsor in NSW in the 1960's.
Some of the first Kelpies used in the Spinifex Stud were Karrawarra Nap, who was quite a clever dog and a beautifully marked black and tan with a lovely coat. Another early foundation Kelpie was Doonans Boss bred by Tom Doonan, well known Qld breeder and trial man.
DOONANS BOSS
Boss was bought as a puppy from the Doonan Stud and used as a sire in The Spinifex Stud. Doonans Boss produced all top workers and good looking dogs. He was used in magazine advertisements for products such as Pal dog food and is featured in The Kelpie and Cattle Dog, a book written by Monty Hamilton Wilkes in the 1970's. Doonans Boss first won a beginners trial out at Goondawindi in western NSW and the trophy was a lovely coffee set. That was about 1968.
Doonans Stormy was another early Kelpie bitch in the Stud and bred some very nice pups for us.
SPINIFEX BIG BEN
During this period one of our best sires was Spinifex Big Ben. I regret not using him often enough as he produced good type kelpies that had strong walk-up strength to sheep. He was a good companion dog and often came fishing with us and got excited whenever we caught anything. He is found in a lot of my dogs during the late 1970's and is still in the pedigrees of my dogs today.
KARRAWARRA LISA
Karrawara Lisa was one of the better Kelpies bought into the stud in the 1970's. She was a top brood bitch and produced some excellent kelpies including Spinifex Louise Too. Dam of Spinifex Lola and many others.
SPINIFEX LOCH
During the 1980's a lot of good Kelpies were produced by Spinifex Loch including Spinifex Starlight (Tara), who went to the Noonbarra Kelpie Stud, Spinifex Black Frost who went to the Meson Kelpie Stud and Spinifex Flying High , to the Koriki stud. Not forgetting Spinifex Flash Flood who we retained in our own Stud. These Kelpies had excellent conformation and clean markings. They were dogs with good stamina and able to work all day without giving up.
OTHER STUDS
Some of the early Spinifex Kelpies went to top handlers and other Kelpie Studs such as Steve Weyman (Wundurra Working Kelpie Stud), who became one of Australia's top Kelpie handlers and trialists during the 1980's. He won two National Kelpie Trials.
Spinifex Kelpies also went to Les Tarrant of the Rockybar Stud in Queensland, John Donaldson, of Cloverhills Working Kelpie Stud, and the Mudu Working Kelpie Stud.
Spinifex Kelpies also went to the Glendon Working Kelpie Stud, when it was run under Don Jewel (it is now run by Karl Hinselwood), who bought two or three of my Kelpies. Spinifex Kelpies are now also found in many overseas countries including: USA, Japan, NZ, Hawaii, Norfolk Island, Germany, Malaysia, Hong Kong.
During the last 36 years I have been breeding Working Kelpies I have introduced some other good bloodlines including, some of the Rockybar Kelpies such as Elgovers Casey, Rockybar Star etc. I also used Meson Thistle and Cudgee Dodger.
In the 1990's I used Rockybar Joe (Glendon Claude X Rockybar Cherry Cheer) with good results. He put a lot of calmness into the dogs and they were very easy to control. Dogs that would listen to commands, including Spinifex Sara from Spinifex Star, who is a good natural worker. Also, Spinifex Henry that went to Nick Kerr in New Zealand. Now everyone is trying to buy him.