
Muster Dogs: Collies & Kelpies: meet the cast
Third season showcases three Collies and three Kelpies and trainers, to settle an age-old debate of which breed reigns supreme.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News, Top Stories
Muster Dogs season 3 puts both Border Collies and Kelpies to the test to determine the ultimate Champion Muster Dog.
In the six-part series, six passionate graziers are challenged to train a puppy – three Collies and three Kelpies – into efficient working members of their mustering pack within 12 months.
Training experts then set challenges and rate each pup’s progress. They will be assessed on the similarities and differences between the two iconic breeds to compare techniques, aptitude and job suitability. They will focus on finding the perfect breed to match the farmers’ personality, stock and conditions.
Viewers will discover the strengths and weaknesses of Border Collies and Kelpies, settling the age-old debate of which breed reigns supreme. Just don’t call it Collies v Kelpies!
Trainers
Jack Kennedy, 30, Dunkeld, Victoria.
Jack of all Trades
Passionate, Inquisitive, Charismatic
Dog: Pesto
Jack is a true Dunkeld local with deep roots in the community. As the son of a shearer, Jack has inherited a strong work ethic and a love for the land. Currently operating as the farm manager for the Dunkeld Pastoral Company, Jack oversees a vast property spanning 3,000 acres, home to 7,000 merino sheep and 150 cows. Driven by curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, Jack is always seeking to expand his skills and interests. Despite his demanding schedule, he remains engaged in both personal hobbies and the community. Jack is the President of the “Tough Guy Book Club” Hamilton chapter, a monthly gathering that brings together men from across the region who often live and work in isolation with the aim to get them to “read more, talk more and have more friends”. When he’s not tending to his responsibilities on the farm, Jack can be found on the football field, where he proudly represents the local club the Glenthompson- Dunkeld Rams. Recently Jack and his wife Niki expanded their family with the arrival of their daughter, Mara. Jack is also very passionate about dogs and currently shares his home with 11 black and tan kelpies and their pet whippet, Bagel. Having trained several dogs in the past, Jack is excited to welcome another new addition to the family – Pesto! With aspirations to transform Pesto into the Champion Muster Dog in just 12 months, Jack is juggling a multitude of responsibilities as he embarks on this training journey. Jack knows that he has the skills and perseverance to turn Pesto into a winner and if you ask anyone in Dunkeld, they’ll tell you; if anyone can, it’s Jack!
Renee Spencer, 25, Central Highlands, Queensland
Animal & Nature Lover
Vibrant, Devoted, Intelligent
Dog: Pockets
At the age of 25, Renee is passionate about nature, animals, and sustainable farming practices. She grew up on her family-run cattle property in the Central Highlands, Queensland where they focus on organic, grass-fed cattle farming, employing time- controlled grazing methods. Despite venturing away from the land to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree and teaching in Brisbane, Renee realised that her true calling lies in agriculture, leading her back to the family farm. She’s now actively involved in the daily operations of the property, where her four working Kelpies play a crucial role in moving and handling their livestock. A passionate and dedicated person, Renee wants to make a meaningful impact. She has a strong desire to educate others about agriculture, livestock handling and the potential of working dogs. Her approach will be to train her pup on-the-go, ensuring it develops the necessary skills to meet the demands of their family’s property and tackle each milestone challenge.
Blythe Calnan 39, Uduc, Western Australia.
A New Hope
Positive, Strong, Bubbly
Dog: Banksi
Blythe is a first-generation farmer, purchasing her 450 acre former dairy farming land five years ago. The decision was driven by Blythe’s prior experience working on the property, where she initiated the regenerative process that has become her farming ethos. When the opportunity arose to purchase the land, Blythe jumped at the chance to become a full-time farmer, despite the financial burden incurred. As a respected and sought after regenerative farmer, Blythe’s entire philosophy centres on restoring soil health, optimising water systems and mineral cycling and minimising reliance on chemicals and artificial inputs. She authentically walks the talk and is passionate about sharing the benefits and principles of regenerative agriculture with others. Known for her positivity and sense of humour, Blythe’s greatest challenge will be finding the time to train the Champion Muster Dog. Balancing the demands of the property, implementing the foundational systems that underpin her beliefs, expanding her business, navigating debt and training a new pup will undoubtedly test Blythe’s resilience.
Marlene Brewer 60, Bingara, New South Wales.
Tough Lady on Tough Country
Authentic, Resilient, Knowledgeable
Dog: Hudson
With over three decades of dedicated work on the farm, Marlene, now 60, embodies a wealth of knowledge and experience. Her journey began at the young age of 24 when she purchased her first block of land in Bingara, New South Wales. Life on the land presented significant challenges, leaving Marlene with the daunting task of handling all farm operations entirely by herself. With a son to raise and a farm to manage, Marlene took on every challenge, embracing the role of boss and being the driving force behind the farm’s future. Building the farm into a legacy for her son became Marlene’s mission, compelling her to learn every facet of farm management and succession planning. From mastering horseback riding to cultivating her expertise with working dogs, Marlene committed herself wholeheartedly. Always eager to take on new challenges, she has recently started testing her abilities in dog trialling. Marlene sees every opportunity as a chance to improve and refine her craft, turning each new experience into an investment in the farm’s future. Her journey has been marked by significant trials, yet each challenge only deepened her commitment to the land. Today, Marlene’s dedication goes beyond her own farm; she’s driven by a desire to empower younger women in the industry, hoping her story will inspire others to step confidently into roles of leadership. While she lacks formal training in dog handling, Marlene’s experience and deep connection to the land position her uniquely to train the Champion Muster Dog.
Kim Dodson 45, Kaniva, Victoria.
Striving for Success
Shy, Resilient, Motherly
Dog: Banjo
Farmer and mother, Kim Dodson lives and manages a 6,000-acre property in Kaniva, Victoria with her husband and two sons. Their bustling family life is filled with activity, with both sons at an age where they engage in a lot of extracurricular activities. Balancing the demands of daily farm chores with their children’s commitments presents Kim with many challenges. With a shy and reserved nature, Kim’s passion for farming shines, particularly in her deep bond with her working dogs. Her dogs not only play a pivotal role in farm operations but are a source of mental support and companionship. Kim cherishes moments spent with her children, actively involving them in farm activities and nurturing their connection to the land in the hope that they will one day inherit the family legacy. However, the difficult decision to send her eldest son to boarding school weighs heavily on her heart as she strives to provide him with the best opportunities for the future. With a wealth of experience in dog training and a diverse pack of dogs on her property, Kim’s approach to training is adaptable, as she believes each dog is unique and may respond differently to various training methods. Kim is excited to welcome a new pup into the family. The biggest challenge she faces is managing an already busy household and property with finding the time to commit to the new pup.
Nathan Obst 17, Kingaroy, Queensland.
Wise beyond his Years
Confident, Motivated, Wise
Dog: Chief
At the young age of 17, Nathan is incredibly wise and has a great sense of self, his goals and where he sees the future of the agriculture industry going. Raised on his family’s 750-acre property in Kingaroy, Queensland which his parents purchased from his grandparents, Nathan has been immersed in farming from a young age. Confident and motivated, Nathan is in his final year of high school and is excited to complete his final exams so he can dedicate his time to the farm, his true passion. School has never been his top priority, as such the school holidays are his favourite time of year, where he can be outside with his dogs working on the land. Nathan is an experienced and knowledgeable dog trainer for his age, having participated in several Neil McDonald schools and benefited from the wisdom of his grandfather ‘Poppy’. Nathan’s biggest challenge will be managing his school workload and family expectations while training a puppy. Nathan says, “Mum and Dad have always told me to try my best. Even though school wasn’t for me, I still tried my hardesWith a pack of Kelpie dogs, Nathan is excited to take on the challenge of training a Border Collie. He’s eager to explore the unique traits of this breed and expand his knowledge and skills in dog training.
Narrator
Lisa Millar
Lisa Millar was the co-host of ABC News Breakfast for 5 years and is a regular guest presenter on the ABC’s popular Back Roads program. She’s also the voice of the smash hit show, Muster Dogs. Lisa was an ABC foreign correspondent for 12 years in the US and Europe before returning to Australia in 2018. She grew up in country Queensland and is part of a still expanding family. Her childhood in the small town of Kilkivan features in her best-selling memoir ‘Daring To Fly’. She has lived in Melbourne since 2019 and is a regular tennis player and runner and hopes that her ability in both will eventually catch up with her enthusiasm. In 2024 Lisa released a companion book to Muster Dogs, ‘From Pups to Pros: How ten dogs stole hearts and changed lives forever’. The book takes you behind the scenes to meet the cast, crew and the star dogs themselves. She looks at how the show began and why it resonated with audiences, as well as the impact on her own life, juggling the Muster Dogs world.
Experts / Breeders
Neil McDonald, 65, South Australia
Dog and Stock Handling Educator & Supplier of the Kelpie Pups
Neil grew up in the South Australian outback, learning the sheep shearer game from the ripe age of 14 years old. Back-breaking days in the sheds didn’t leave too much down time but when he had it, Neil would study the habits and characteristics of working dogs purely as a hobby. It wasn’t until his early 30s that Neil realised, he was making a special connection with these animals, turning his hobby into a profession. Calls were coming in from all over the country as farmers wanted to learn his secret to successfully train the ultimate working dog. These days Neil runs world-class working dog and stock handling schools all around Australia, teaching seven basic non-negotiable principles for training a working dog. For dog and animal lovers worldwide, this clinical approach is polarising, but as we discover through our series, it is the structure, respite and discipline that these dogs seek and thrive on. It’s critical to their welfare and the welfare of livestock. Neil is the supplier of the three Kelpies featured in the series. Bred from a strong bloodline, this litter of Australian Kelpie pups includes a mix of black and tan head and red Kelpies.
Helen McDonald, 55, South Australia.
Grazier And Puppy Training Expert
Helen McDonald is a grazier. Married to Neil for over 30 years she runs their sheep property all year round while Neil tours the country running his stock handling schools. Helen’s stock hands are her team of well-trained working dogs. She has used her advanced puppy training skills to guide and shape them into a high functioning and efficient team of working dogs. Helen’s specialty is taking young pups from birth and nurturing that essential bond that ensures they connect with their trainer for life. She’s also refined the timeline for when the puppies should be introduced to stock, safely encouraging the development of their natural herding instinct. Helen is a huge supporter of safe and effective stock handling, supported by well trained dogs and is particularly proud of the women who are participating in this series. Helen has carefully nurtured the Kelpie puppies in this series, tending to their needs, feeding them, and acquainting them with livestock to prepare them for their trainers.
Mick Hudson, New South Wales.
Dog Trialling Champion, Working Dog & Livestock Educator & Supplier of the Border Collie Pups
Mick Hudson is a grazier, and multi–Supreme Australian Champion, National Champion and State Champion. Mick basically wins everything in every state and has done so for years. Mick is the supplier of the three Border Collies featured in the series. He has quality bloodlines of National and Supreme Australian Border Collies going back three generations. He calls his bloodline ‘Australian Working Border Collies’.Mick rarely sells his dogs and breeds them only for those closest to him and his own stock and trialling work. Mick’s skill and expertise as a dog and stock educator is the result of generational nurturing and close observation of animal instincts and intuition.
Carolyn Hudson, New South Wales.
Grazier and Puppy Educator
Carolyn Hudson is a grazier from country New South Wales. Wife of Mick Hudson, they have twin sons in their 20’s and have properties in both Dubbo and Cobar where they have sheep, cattle and goats. Carolyn has endured droughts and hardships and has a deep resilience common with so many women living on the land. Raising the pups and participating in dog trials brings the couple joy and relief from the pressures of grazing. In this series, Carolyn takes care of the Border Collie pups from birth, cuddling and handling them to ensure they are well-socialised, so they will transition nicely to Mick for training, before beginning their journey with our participants.
Judges
Joni Hall
Joni is a highly experienced and respected dog and cattle trainer with over 15 years in the field. She gained national attention as a standout participant in Series 1 of Muster Dogs, where she impressed both the judges and viewers with her unmatched skill in working with dogs and her deep understanding of animal behaviour. Although she didn’t win the competition, Joni’s calm, knowledgeable approach and her ability to bring out the best in even the most challenging dogs made her a fan favourite. Before her time on Muster Dogs, Joni had completed a number of Neil McDonald’s training schools, and she is now arguably one of Australia’s most in demand ringers. Joni has mentored hundreds of people in the art of dog training, her teaching style is hands-on, patient and focused on building trust and respect between handlers and their dogs.
Zoë Miller
Zoë grew up on her family’s cattle station, learning the art of muster dog training from a young age. Her parents, both skilled trainers, instilled in her a love for working dogs and the importance of patience and consistency. Her natural talent for understanding dogs and her ability to work in high-pressure environments led to her standout performance in Series 2. She faced tough competition but due to her unwavering determination and the exceptional skills of her dog, Buddy, took out the title for having trained a Champion Muster Dog. After her victory, Zoë became a well-known figure in the rural and agricultural communities, traveling across Australia to mentor young trainers and share her expertise. Returning to Muster Dogs as a judge for the finale, Zoë brings a wealth of experience and empathy. Her judging style is both supportive and candid, providing helpful feedback to the contestants while recognising the hard work and emotional investment that goes into training a muster dog. As a former winner, Zoë knows exactly what it takes to win, and her insights are invaluable to the competitors.
Barry Knight
Barry Knight has spent his life working with dogs and is a well-respected figure in the sheepdog trial circuit. Since 2015, he has been both competing in and judging sheepdog trials across Australia. His achievements include winning the 2022 NSW Sheep Dog Championships, the 2024 Australian Sheep Dog Championships, and being named the 2024 QLD Supreme winner. Barry is excited to be on the judging panel for Muster Dogs and is looking forward to seeing what the dogs and their trainers have achieved in just 12-months.
7:30pm Sunday February 2 on ABC
Updated.
- Tagged with Muster Dogs