News

Rosie’s not for sale at any price

By Daneka Hill

Feb 18, 2022

Colin Flanagan has seen people beg to buy his dog. The 10-year-old kelpie entered his life in South Australia when he was running the Granite Ridge Angus stud on the Limestone Coast. Now they run Prime Angus outside Benalla.

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Tell us about Rosie.

She’s been on the front of Stock and Land. The first time we were a part of Beef Week a photographer came out and she took a picture of me and Rosie on a bike. She said it was a nice picture and I didn’t take any notice — I thought it was just her personal photography. Then it’s on the front page of the paper.

Driver’s seat: Rosie poses in the Polaris for the ‘puparazzi’. Photo by Daneka Hill

How old is Rosie?

She’s 10. She’s from South Australia and came with us when we moved to Victoria. She’s a little semi-retired now. She’ll always come out to work but we’ve got to be careful with her now because she’s got that bit of age on her.

How does she work?

We work with bulls a lot and she goes a hundred miles and hour with them. Her speciality is bulls really. When we sold our old Angus stud the new owners begged to keep her. Even during Beef Week people will come and see her working and ask to buy her. One couple wanted to buy her as a field dog.

Captive listener: Rosie in the rose garden. The family’s new farm outside Benalla comes with a historic homestead and established garden. Photo by Daneka Hill

How did you get Rosie?

She was a 60th birthday present from the kids. I’d had a kelpie years ago but it got run over and I never got another dog. Then this one turned up. She’s a good dog.

Words and pictures: Daneka Hill