Jackie Merchant came to the Casterton kelpie muster on a mission. One of just four women selling the purebred cattle dogs at the country's foremost kelpie auction, she wanted to prove women could not only train dogs, but part with them, dry-eyed, at auction.

"It's not to say the car won't be quiet on the way home," she said.

Ms Merchant, from Ulverstone in Tasmania, wound up doing more than well. Her dog, Beloka Red II, sold for $7400 — a world record — with the sum donated to the beyondblue foundation for depression.

There will be no blues for Ms Merchant, though: it emerged that the buyer was her father, Dennis, who promptly handed "Reddy" back to Ms Merchant, because he knew how fond she was of the dog.

The record came just hours after another dog, Lofty, the tan and black kelpie, drew gasps when it sold for the-then record price of $7000 at the Casterton Netball and Football Club oval.

"Powerful everywhere, very strong, big cast, big bark, good backing, rides on motorbikes, has worked a lot of goats," read Lofty's description in the pedigree working dog auction pamphlet.

Casterton, in south-west Victoria, has been the centre of kelpie working dog auctions since 1997.

Since 2001 the town has hosted a vibrant muster that spans the long weekend and also features a sheep obstacle race called Mutton Mayhem, kelpie triathlons and kelpie high jumps (the record is a 2.6-metre wall).

Farmers come from all around Australia to buy and sell the best working dogs at the Casterton auction.

Several animals, most of which sold for more than $2000, will even be heading to Western Australia and Queensland.

Lofty was bought on behalf of Yass farmer Kim Dyson by Matthew Johnson, who said Mr Dyson had asked for a "really tough dog".

Lofty will now move from south of Broken Hill, where he mustered 10,000 goats a year, to a sheep farm.

Lofty's trainer, Ricky Jones, has trained more than 100 dogs. But does he ever feel sad saying goodbye to the auctioned animals? "Nah, I'm callous."