| Peta and I started our life together approximately 15 years ago on a large sheep and cattle property called “Retreat Station”; I went there as a stockman and Peta a month later as station cook. We eventually married, started a family and now have 2 girls Jayde & Christie. The girls play a big part in raising our pups and are learning how to work dogs. |
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| Retreat is situated on the banks of the Barcoo River near the township of Windorah in western Queensland and is around 350 000 acres with a mixture of country from Open Downs and River Channels to Spinifex and Mulga to rough jump up country . It runs approximately 27 000 sheep and 2000 head of cattle and with stock work lasting up to 10 months of the year, it was great experience for both myself and my dogs. While working here I learnt the true value of working dogs for both their labor saving ability and their ability to handle large numbers of difficult stock for long periods in some of the hottest and hardest country I have worked in. |
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Since leaving Retreat we have managed various types of properties ranging from smaller more intensive fattening and background enterprises to larger pastoral stations. |
| We are currently managing a property just west of Tambo in western Queensland called “Minnie Downs”, it is 56000 acres and we run approximately 1500 Brahman X cows which produce steer for the EU market. We are able to do all the work here with just Peta, myself and one other stockman and our team of Border Collies. Before we took over the management of Minnie, contractors were used for the majority of the musters. Because of our working dogs we have been able to stop using the contractors saving approximately $10 000 per year. Not only are our dogs saving money the cattle are becoming quieter. |
| As well as using our dogs for working cattle we are able to attend a couple of sheep dog trials a year, Peta and I find this sport both challenging and enjoyable. It also helps to keep our dogs trained to a high standard and is a credit to the Border Collie to be able to muster and handle 500 cows and calves one day and win or place in 3 sheep trials the next. |
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| We have been selecting and breeding high quality Border Collies from some of the best bloodlines in Australia, UK and New Zealand for the last 15 years, these dogs need to have a high work drive, intelligence, strength and stamina for mustering work as well as the right temperament to be able to handle the intensive training for trial work. |
