Whites Kelpie Stud

Whites Kelpie Stud was established by John and Joy White in the late 1950’s at Hermidale near Nyngan in Western NSW and is one of Australia’s oldest original Kelpie Studs.

“In the early 1950’s I was working at “Canonbar Station” just outside of Nyngan. This was the property, together with “Wilga Downs”, on where the King & McLeod Kelpies originated”, said John.

It was here in the midst of bustling Station life that he discovered the love of Working Dogs, most particularly the Kelpie. He admired the work ethic and natural ability the dog showed.

John was fascinated by the Kelpie and began to breed his own from good Station dogs whose attributes he considered would produce a top dog that would make his stock work on the Station easier.

With large mobs to move around a vast area and on horseback to boot, these selected dogs soon showed they were worth their weight in gold with their wiry, tough, hardworking unparalleled propensity for work.

Even though John also had Border Collies, Kelpies remained his firm favourite.

“I had always had an interest in working dogs and in 1950 the Australian Championships Trials were first held in Nyngan, so it was not long before I became involved”, he said. 44 AWSDM

Article and Photos Provided by Angie White

“Nyngan was the last trial in an annual circuit of trials commencing annually at Canberra, followed by Molong, Wellington and then Nyngan”, according to John. “The circuit of trials attracted sheepdog enthusiasts all over Australia and New Zealand”.

“I immediately became hooked on the sport and breeding of the kelpies”, he said. “At that time, most triallers were people who used dogs in their daily work. Many were retired or semiretired and competing on the circuit was their annual holiday”.

“In those days the dogs were not as intensively trained as is the case now and had to have natural ability to be successful” said John. “It was interesting because triallers were very secretive of their training methods so you had to do the best you could and use the methods that worked for you”.

“Of course, everyone sat around and talked about each other’s dogs and the traits they liked or disliked, which was interesting and could become heated at times, but very few older dogmen passed on training methods”.

“This changed in the 80’s when some of the best dog trainers began conducting training schools”, he said. “This resulted in a much higher standard of work in all types of trials in both the dogs and the workers”.

“I was fortunate to compete against many top handlers from all over Australia, but Greg Prince remains the best trainer and handler I have seen”.

“Over the years I have had many good dogs which did all of my Station work. I used these same dogs to compete in all forms of trial work”, he said. A highlight was taking out the inaugural Henty Gold Trial with a dog I bred, Whites Nap. This trial was the highest prizemoney trial in Australia at that time”.

After studying the sires that he thought would suit him John used dogs such as Doughty’s Chance, Scanlon’s Butch, Glenville Tex and Glenlogie Rex to mate with his White bitch line which included Wren, Teena, Dawn, Candy, Tally and Katie who all bred on well. White’s Dawn went on to win The National Kelpie Field Trial at Forbes, while White’s Toby was also successful on the trialling ground, as well as many others.

John and Joy enjoyed all the amazing friends they made over the years through breeding and trialling and up until a few years ago were still running the Nyngan Sheepdog Trial. John joined the Working Kelpie Council of Australia in the early years to contribute and continue his education and was named WKC Patron in 2019 for his efforts. He still has a cupboard full of breeding lists, crosses, dogs, newspaper clippings and results of trials, a lifetime of history of the kelpie. In the last twenty years son Gary and his wife Angie, have taken over the Stud, continuing on with the legacy Gary’s Parent’s created.

Gary, a 6 times National Kelpie Trial Champion, with 16 State titles under his belt is teaching working Dog Schools all over Australia, USA and Europe and breeding quality not quantity litters for his own use and to cover the demand of people searching for good working kelpies in all sorts of conditions.

Gary offered Zoom lessons during Covid-19, that enabled people to work on training as well as discuss breeding and any issues that they needed help with.

With both Gary and John, the Stud has bred all-round Kelpies that themselves or their progeny, have been successful in many major trials in Australia and overseas though most importantly great dogs for people on the land in day-to-day situations.

Both have mentored and are still mentoring many people who have a passion for breeding, training and trialling and they take great interest and pleasure in watching them succeed. Whites Kelpie Stud will always be first and foremost about breeding all round natural dogs that can be used in any situation required. – John White.

John is turning 90 this year but still has an avid interest in Kelpies – he offers this piece of advice.

Points to remember:

1. Only breed from dogs that suit your temperament. 2. Select from bloodlines of proven ability for which you require. 3. Remember that the dog that is your best mate is invariably your best dog.

Jackie Harris of Roam Photos is a Pennsylvania, United States-based Equine Photographer and Pet Photographer. She started her photographer journey while working her Border Collie, Oakley, for Search & Rescue Cadaver and Live Find. While training, she would practice her skills on all the K9s as they worked. This past January, she had the opportunity to photograph at the Art of the Cowgirl in Queens Creek, Arizona. During this Event, there are workshops and competitions. One of which was the Cattle Dog Trials and workshops for which these photographs were taken. www.roamphotos.com www.facebook.com/roamphoto www.instagram.com/roamphotography