HE WAS there when the first dogs were sold off the back of a ute in 1997 and this year, even before the first dog arrives in town, Ian Murphy will be on the ground, working to ensure the 2023 Australia Premier Working Dog Auction is once again an international success.

While happy to be in the shadows, behind the scenes ‘Murph’ is a pivotal character in the script for the biggest event on the local calendar and this week there was no avoiding the limelight as the Casterton Kelpie Association presented him with the John ‘Chiefy’ McGrath Volunteer Award.