To describe the manner in which each dog did his allotted task - coolly, without hurry and without mistake would be impossible. In their hands the sheep were under the most perfect command and all present, were unanimous in declaring, that this was the feature of the Show and that the committee had kept the best to the last.

Of course everyone, got a good drenching, but the sport afforded, amply atoned for it. The prize was divided between Mr King's black and tan bitch Kelpie and Mr Gibson's black and tan dog Tweed. We, in the name of all, are greatly indebted to Mr Dennis for initiating the dog contest and trust to see many more such, as nothing is of greater value to a squatter that to encourage the breed of good sheep dogs.

Sydney Mail: August 9 1879 p 17 ‘At the trial of sheep-dogs today, there were seven entries, including some of the best dogs in the colonies. After some severe tests the judges divided between Mr Charles King's Kelpie and Mr C F Gibson's Tweed. The latter dog was sent for especially from Tasmania to compete. Both dogs worked magnificently and it is likely that the amount of prize money (20 Guineas) will be doubled, so that both owners will get equal money. Flock masters came from a distance of 150 miles to see the trial and avowed that it was the grandest contest ever. The dogs worked one and three sheep respectively etc etc. ‘

The following extract from a newspaper published letter written by C T W King confirms the breeding of his Kelpie and her age at the time of the first Forbes trial. Which establishes that she was whelped 1875.

‘..... Mr Gleeson was the owner of Moss and a black and tan slut called Kelpie. She had half-pricked ears and was mated to a dog called Caesar, belonging to Mr Rich, manager of Narriah Station, N S W. The dog Caesar was a son of Jennie and Brutus. Mr Gleeson made me a present of a slut pup out of his slut Kelpie by Caesar, which I called Kelpie after her mother. I broke her in myself, and when she was four years old I worked her at Forbes, (N S W) Show (in first dog competition ever held there) for a 20 guineas prize. Eight other dogs competed. Mr Charles Gibson, of Tasmania, promoted this competition, his object being to bring out a dog called Tweed, belonging to an uncle in Tasmania, who was a great sheep-breeder.....’

The following data from published correspondence by Mr David Hawkins of Barmedman, NSW confirms the part played by the Gleeson Strain of Kelpie. Mr Hawkins was living at Ungarie when Mr C T W King took his slut Kelpie to Forbes and was with her. Mr Hawkins states that she, (Kings Kelpie) had no Brutus blood in her (this statement conflicts with WKC research findings0 although R W Creswick stated he was unsure if Kings Kelpie was out the litter by Moss or the next litter by Caesar but that Brutus and Jenny blood may have been crossed at a later date. He went on to say: ‘Gleeson came from the Western districts of Victoria with his dogs to Wallandool (R W Creswick suggests) Walbundrie also owned by the Ryan's in the Albury district early in the seventies, and thus the Kelpie strain, of which King's slut was a descendent, was introduced into New South Wales. King refused 50 pounds for Kelpie. This at the time was considered a high price, but subsequent events proved otherwise, when the value of the blood became better understood. Mr Hawkins witnessed the working ability of Gleeson's Kelpie as follows: ‘They had been drafting sheep at Bolera (Bolero. A killer was required for station use). After the other sheep had been taken away, Gleeson threw the killer over the fence, mounted his horse, and rode to the homestead, whilst Kelpie brought the sheep after him to the station yard- a beautiful piece of work, which Gleeson regarded as nothing out of the common’.

Gleeson's Kelpie had at least two further litters to Moss. Gleeson worked a young male named 'Corby' of this breeding against 'Kings Kelpie' at the 1879 Forbes trial and had a young all black female named 'Wylie' with him at a sheep muster on Lake Cowal West station late 1879 or early 1880.

Whilst ‘Jack’ Gleeson was on North Yalgogrin he married, 1878, Mary Ryan, daughter of Lancelot Ryan of Wallandool station. Pat Cox of 'Merringreen' and Harry King of 'Wollongong' had earlier married Grace and Elizabeth ‘Kate’ Ryan. Leaving North Yalgogrin, shortly after the death of the owner, John Cox, ‘Jack’ Gleeson took up employment on Lake Cowal West where he contracted hepatitis. With his wife Mary expecting their first child the Gleeson's left the district and made their way to Crossley in Victoria where Jack Gleeson died 1880 shortly after the birth of his son. Mary and her baby son Denis returned to her family on Wallandool.

When leaving the district Jack Gleeson left old 'Kelpie' with his friend T J Garry and 'Moss' with P J Cox of 'Merringreen' who lent him to C T W King for stud purposes. 'Moss' was found dead on the chain at Gainbill, Lake Cagelligo. 'Old Kelpie' developed a cancerous growth and had to be destroyed.

R W Creswick who knew Jack Gleeson in Victoria and NSW wrote a letter to the Australasian giving a good overall account of J.D. ’Jack’ Gleeson's and association with the foundation of the Kelpie. The following extract from the letter further describes the ability of the foundation dogs and also refers to the origin of the name given to the Robertson bred pup and the dog Gleeson entered at the 1879 Forbes trial etc.

‘With Kelpie and Moss Gleeson would do what he liked with sheep, whether few or many. The writer on very many occasions had the opportunity of seeing them work, both mustering and in the drafting-yards, and never saw their equal, nor any man who could handle dogs better than their owner J D Gleeson. The suggestion.....that the name Kelpie was taken from a racehorse of that name is not correct, as Gleeson said when asked where he got the name, that Kelpie was an Irish term for a witch or evil spirit, and that Corby (who competed at Forbes against King's Kelpie) BMC note which was the name of a young dog he had at the time, (a Moss x Kelpie pup BMC note) meant the same thing. He may have said it was Irish or Scotch but in all events, he made no mention of the racehorse of that name.’

‘The last pup old Kelpie had, which survived, Gleeson took with him when he left Yalgogrin, to Lake Cowal. Meeting him there one day at a sheep muster, when he had the little slut with him, he told me he thought she was going to as good as her mother. She was very small, rough-haired, jet black, and I think he called her Wylie. This turned out to be the last time that the writer saw Mr Gleeson, as shortly afterwards, and whilst living at Lake Cowal West, he contracted an illness which resulted in his death.....

In the short space of approximately 7 years Jack Gleeson produced the foundation the breed now known as the Kelpie. As far as is known Gleeson's Kelpie only produced the one litter to J Rich's Caesar resulting in Kings Kelpie, Cunningham's Nero, Wylie II, Swan II. and at least 4 litters to Moss producing Keoghs Swan, S App's Lass/or Old Lass, Gleeson's Corby, Gleeson's Jet, Gleeson's Wylie.