Swedish photographer and dog enthusiast Evelyn Edblad has trained her three Australian Kelpies to be extraordinarily still.
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Low winter sunshine on the Kelpies on the Forth and Clyde Canal in Falkirk, Scotland, on Dec. 229.
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And in a finale of embroidered cobweb tulle dresses with frothing feather hems that told a tale of shipwrecks and kelpies and adventure fit for a warrior queen.
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Kelpies have been portrayed in their various forms in art and literature, including two steel sculptures in Falkirk, The Kelpies, completed in October 2013.
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There were a number of Kelpies named Red Cloud. The first and most famous was John Quinn's Red Cloud in the early 20th century. In the 1960s, another Red Cloud became well known in Western Australia. This started the tradition in Western Australia of calling all Red or Red and Tan Kelpies, especially those with white chests, Red Cloud Kelpies.
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Different kennel clubs' Show Kelpies are generally a little heavier in build and not as tall as Working Kelpies. ANKC "Show" Kelpies are now becoming very popular both nationally and internationally as family pets, companion dogs, running mates and sport dogs due to their trainability, good nature and low maintenance of care and can be found all over the world.
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Construction of the 1,600-tonne foundations for the Kelpies began in early 2013. The steel structures for the Kelpies were fabricated at Sherburn-in-Elmet in North Yorkshire by SH Structures; delivery of the main steelwork began in March 2013. Each Kelpie weighs 300 tonnes, and once the structural steel framework was erected, they were clad in 990 uniquely shaped stainless steel plates, with construction completed in October 2013. The Kelpies hosts a visitor experience, enabling visitors to examine the complex and impressive internal structure of The Kelpies.
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Another view showing its hollow cladding and canal basin Built of structural steel with a stainless steel cladding, The Kelpies are 30 metres high and weigh 300 tonnes each. Construction began in June 2013 and was complete by October 2013. The Kelpies are positioned either side of a specially constructed lock and basin, part of the redeveloped Kelpies Hub. The forms are inspired by Clydesdale (draught) horses.
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In Australia, there are two separate registries for Kelpies. Working Kelpies are registered with the Working Kelpie Council (WKC)The Working Kelpie Council of Australia and/or the Australian Sheepdog Workers Association. The WKC encourages breeding for working ability, and allows a wide variety of coat colours. Show Kelpies are registered with the Australian National Kennel Council, which encourages breeding for a certain appearance and limits acceptable colours.
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"Boy on white horse" by Theodor Kittelsen. Kelpies were said to occupy several lochs, including one at Leurbost.
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The Kelpies in Falkirk The Kelpies are 30-metre-high horse-head sculptures depicting kelpies (shape-shifting water spirits), located in Grangemouth, near Falkirk, standing next to a new extension to the Forth and Clyde Canal, and near River Carron, in The Helix, a new parkland project built to connect 16 communities in the Falkirk Council Area, Scotland. The sculptures were designed by sculptor Andy Scott and were completed in October 2013. The sculptures form a gateway at the eastern entrance to the Forth and Clyde canal, and the new canal extension built as part of The Helix land transformation project. The Kelpies are a monument to horse-powered heritage across Scotland.
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"(King's) Kelpie" tied the prestigious Forbes Trial in 1879,Historical Sheepdog Trials and the strain was soon popularly referred to as "Kelpie's pups", or just Kelpies. The King brothers joined another breeder, McLeod, to form a dog breeding partnership whose dogs dominated trials during 1900 to 1920. An early Kelpie, Sally, was mated to Moss, a Smooth Collie, and she produced a black pup that was named Barb after The Barb, a black horse which had won the Melbourne Cup in 1866. Consequently, black Kelpies became known as Barb Kelpies or Barbs.
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Kelpies compete and are exhibited in livestock working trials, ranging from yards or arenas to large open fields working sheep, goats, cattle, or ducks.
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Kelpie competing in a dog jumping class Show Kelpies generally excel in agility trials and may be shown in conformation in Australia. Kelpies are intelligent and easy to train dogs making them well tempered and good pets especially with children. However they do require a lot of physical exercise and mental stimulation. Otherwise they can get bored and be disruptive by constantly barking or digging, or by chewing on things.
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Other notable specimens include Gunner and Red Dog (c. 1971 – 21 November 1979), a Kelpie mix which was the subject of a movie, Red Dog, released in 2011. Kelpies have now been exported to many countries including Argentina, Canada, Italy, Korea, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States for various pursuits. Kelpie circa 1915 By 1990, Kelpies have been trained as scent dogs with good success rates.
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On leaving Grangemouth the route crosses the Forth and Clyde Canal adjacent to The Helix and its Kelpies. It passes through open countryside as far as the city of Stirling.
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This imposing brown bear sculpture was designed by Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, who is most famous for artworks like the Kelpies in Falkirk and the Beacon of Hope in Belfast.
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The wide standards allowed by the WKC mean that Working Kelpies do not meet the standard for showing. In the US, the Kelpie is not recognised as a breed by the American Kennel Club (AKC). However, the United Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club recognise the Kelpie and allow them to compete in official events. As of 2015, Australian Kelpies have been accepted by the AKC as Herding Dogs allowed to compete in AKC sanctioned Sheep Herding Trials.
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The most visible feature of the development is the two unique equine structures known as The Kelpies. Each structure measures around in height. The Kelpies were the brainchild of Andy Scott who also created the "Heavy Horse" sculpture at the side of the M8 motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Another inspiration was the fact that Carnera, the UK's largest Clydesdale horse, once resided in Falkirk, hauling wagons of the soft drink Irn-Bru for Robert Barr.
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The blue men of the Minch (also known as storm kelpies), who occupy the stretch of water between Lewis and mainland Scotland, looking for sailors to drown and stricken boats to sink.
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The good working Kelpies are herding dogs that will prevent stock from moving away from the stockman. This natural instinct is crucial when mustering stock in isolated gorge country, where a good dog will silently move ahead of the stockman and block up the stock (usually cattle) until the rider appears. The preferred dogs for cattle work are Kelpies, often of a special line, or a Kelpie cross. They will drive a mob of livestock long distances in extremes of climates and conditions.
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Kelpies that are bred under the ANKC registrations are registered for show (Main Register) only in the following colours: Black, Chocolate, Red, Smoky Blue, Fawn, Black and Tan and Red and Tan. They have a double coat and pricked ears. The other colours can be registered as pets and sporting dogs (Limited Register): Blue and Tan, Fawn and Tan and Yellow/Cream. It was during the early 20th century that Kelpies were first exhibited, at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
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Kelpie walking across the backs of sheep An Australian Kelpie competing in a cattle dog trial, Woolbrook, NSW Kelpie going back down a race to move the sheep forward The Working Kelpie comes in three coat types: short, smooth and rough. The coat can be almost every colour from black to light tan or cream. Some Kelpies have a white blaze on the chest, and a few have white points. Kelpies sometimes have a double coat, which sheds out in spring in temperate climates.
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The Minch, a strait that separates the northwest Highlands of Scotland and the northern Inner Hebrides from the northern Outer Hebrides, is home to the blue men. The Scottish Gaelic terms for the blue men is na fir ghorma (in the genitive fear gorm, for example sruth nam fear gorm "the stream of the blue men"). The blue men are also styled as storm kelpies. The most common water spirits in Scottish folklore, kelpies are usually described as powerful horses, but the name is attributed to several different forms and fables throughout the country.
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According to the Swedish naturalist and author Bengt Sjögren (1980), present-day lake monsters are variations of older legends of water kelpies. Sjögren claims that the accounts of lake-monsters have changed during history, as do others. Older reports often talk about horse-like appearances, but more modern reports often have more reptile and dinosaur-like appearances; he concludes that the legendary kelpies evolved into the present day saurian lake-monsters since the discovery of dinosaurs and giant aquatic reptiles and the popularization of them in both scientific and fictional writings and art. The stories cut across cultures, existing in some variation in many countries.
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Entitled Of the Drocht na Vougha or Fuoah, which is given the translation of the bridge of the fairies or kelpies, it features a group of voughas. The spirits had set about constructing a bridge over the Dornoch Firth after becoming tired of travelling across the water in cockleshells. It was a magnificent piece of work resplendent with gold piers and posts, but sank into the water to become a treacherous area of quicksand after a grateful onlooker tried to bless the kelpies for their work. The same story is recorded by Folklore Society member and folklore collector Charlotte Dempster simply as The Kelpie's Bridge (1888) with no mention of Voughas or Fuoah.
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Sign at Ardlethan, New South Wales, claiming the town as "The home of the Kelpie" Casterton, "Birthplace of the Kelpie". The ancestors of most Kelpies were British dogs known loosely as collies (sometimes spelled colleys). These were mostly black, i.e. dark brown, dogs – hence the name collie, which has the same root as coal.
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Some growers have found that Rottweilers are especially suited to move stubborn stock that simply ignore Border Collies, Kelpies, and others. Rottweilers use their bodies to physically force the stubborn animal to do its bidding if necessary. When working with sheep, the Rottweiler shows a gathering/fetching style and reams directions easily. It drives sheep with ease.
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Folklorists who define kelpies as spirits living beside rivers, as distinguished from the Celtic lakeside-dwelling water horse (each-uisge), include 19th-century minister of Tiree John Gregorson Campbell and 20th- century writers Lewis Spence and Katharine Briggs.Briggs, Katharine, An Encyclopedia of Fairies, quoted in This distinction is not universally applied however; Sir Walter Scott for instance claims that the kelpie's range may extend to lochs. Mackillop's dictionary reconciles the discrepancy, stating that the kelpie was "initially thought to inhabit ... streams, and later any body of water." But the distinction should stand, argues one annotator, who suggests that people are led astray when an each uisge in a "common practice of translating" are referred to as kelpies in English accounts, and thus mistakenly attribute lake-dwelling habits to the latter.
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Agouti is not unusual, and can look like a double coat. Working Kelpies vary in size, ranging from about and . The dog's working ability is unrelated to appearance, so stockmen looking for capable working dogs disregard the dog's appearance. A Working Kelpie can be a cheap and efficient worker that can save farmers and graziers the cost of several hands when mustering livestock.
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The Helix is a land transformation project to improve the connections between and around 16 communities in Falkirk Council, Scotland, including the eastern end of the Forth and Clyde Canal, and to regenerate the area near where the canal joins the River Carron. The most visible feature of the development is the two unique equine sculptures known as The Kelpies.
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The baculum of a hamster, only long, is the smallest item in the collection and needs a magnifying glass to be viewed. Sigurður has described the collection as the product of "37 years of collecting penises. Somebody had to do it." The museum also has a "folklore section" exhibiting mythological penises; its online catalogue lists specimens taken from elves, trolls, kelpies, and "The Nasty Ghost of Snæfell".
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Because Edgar believes that most of his own allure comes from his charming looks and silver tongue, he's wary of other men with similar beauty. :Typically Kelpies will take a female human form. Kelpie's own male form with his dark locks of hair may be a nod to the Manx [Glashtyn]. ; : :Paul is a human in his late-twenties who is trying to become a great artist.
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An English Springer Spaniel taking part in the Dog Show As part of the Sydney Royal Easter Show there is a Dog Show in which about 3,000 dogs are displayed and judged. There is also a Cat Show and competitions for caged birds, rabbits, mice and rats. There is a large pigeon show. Displays are given by working dogs, Australian Kelpies, Border Collies and Australian Cattle Dogs.
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Two steel sculptures in Falkirk on the Forth and Clyde Canal, named The Kelpies, borrow the name of the mythical creature to associate with the strength and endurance of the horse; designed by sculptor Andy Scott, they were built as monuments to Scotland's horse-powered industrial heritage. Construction was completed in October 2013 and the sculptures were opened for public access from April 2014.
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The company, now based in Edinburgh, produces the Falkirk Herald, the largest selling weekly newspaper in Scotland. Attractions in and around Falkirk include the Falkirk Wheel, The Helix, The Kelpies, Callendar House and Park and remnants of the Antonine Wall. In a 2011 poll conducted by STV, it was voted as Scotland's most beautiful town, ahead of Perth and Stirling in second and third place respectively.
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Founded as ‘Lomond Coffee Service’ in November 1985, the company now known as Caffia Coffee Group underwent a re-brand and change of name in summer 2013 – the objective was to create a more modern image. A small but significant local employer, Caffia has seen good growth and supplies coffee to The Kelpies Sculptures visitor centre in Falkirk on the re-juvenated Forth and Clyde Canal.
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Breeds that may be at risk include Welsh Corgis, Boxers, Australian Kelpies, Boston Terriers, Collies, Dachshunds, Old English Sheepdogs, and Pekingese. Perineal hernias are rare in female dogs and uncommon in cats. Dogs with benign prostatic hyperplasia have been found to have increased relaxin levels and suspected subsequent weakening of the pelvic diaphragm. In cats, perineal hernias are seen most commonly following perineal urethrostomy surgery or secondary to megacolon.
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The name was chosen by Scottish Canals at the inception of The Helix project, in 2005. The Kelpies name reflected the mythological transforming beasts possessing the strength and endurance of ten horses; a quality that is analogous with the transformational change and endurance of Scotland's inland waterways. The Kelpies represent the lineage of the heavy horse of Scottish industry and economy, pulling the wagons, ploughs, barges, and coalships that shaped the geographical layout of the Falkirk area. According to sculptor Andy Scott, "The original concept of mythical water horses was a valid starting point for the artistic development of the structures." He also said that he “took that concept and moved with it towards a more equine and contemporary response, shifting from any mythological references towards a socio-historical monument intended to celebrate the horse’s role in industry and agriculture as well as the obvious association with the canals as tow horses”.
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Kelpies have natural instincts for managing livestock. They will work sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, and other domestic livestock. The Kelpie's signature move is to jump on the backs of sheep and walk across the tops of the sheep to reach the other side and break up the jam. A good working Kelpie is a versatile dog – they can work all day on the farm, ranch, or station, and trial on the weekends.
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Kelpies are a hardy breed with few health problems, but they are susceptible to disorders common to all breeds, like cryptorchidism, hip dysplasia, cerebellar abiotrophy and luxating patella. Current research is under way to find the genetic marker for cerebellar abiotrophy in the breed. They tend to live to around 10–12 years although many injure themselves as they get to the age of 10 or 11 and start to become weaker.
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Reserves may also be located on many roadways that are not the typical wide TSRs. The travelling stock are driven by a drover and stockmen using Australian Stock Horses or vehicles. Other working animals include working dogs such as Kelpies, or their crosses which have been bred for working sheep and cattle. The stockman may also be accompanied by a packhorse, carrying supplies and equipment, or a wagon with supplies might follow the stock.
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The main vehicular access to the desert is via the unpaved Birdsville Track which runs northwards from Marree to Birdsville. The Mungerannie Hotel is the only location between the two towns that provides services. The Tirari Desert region has a number of large cattle stations which are stopping points on the Channel Country aviation mail run. Dulkaninna Station has been run by the same family for 110 years, has 2,000 cattle and breeds horses and kelpies.
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The tempestuous water around the Shiant Isles to the north of Skye, an area subject to rapid tides in all weathers, flows beside the caves inhabited by the blue men, a stretch of water known as the Current of Destruction owing to the number of ships wrecked there. Although other storm kelpies are reported as inhabiting the Gulf of Corrievreckan, described by poet, writer and folklorist Alasdair Alpin MacGregor as "the fiercest of the Highland storm kelpies", the blue men are confined to a very restricted area. According to Donald A. Mackenzie they have no counterparts elsewhere in the world or even in other areas of Scotland; such limited range is rare for beliefs in spirits and demons. Folklorist and Tiree minister John Gregorson Campbell says they were unknown in Argyll on the nearby coast of the mainland for instance, although Church of Scotland minister John Brand, who visited Quarff in Shetland in mid-1700, recounts a tale of what may have been a blue man in the waters around the island.
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Robert Kaleski published the first standard for the Kelpie in 1904. The standard was accepted by leading breeders of the time and adopted by the Kennel Club of New South Wales. Contemporary breed standards vary depending on whether the registry is for working or show Kelpies. It is possible for a dog to both work and show, but options for competition in conformation shows might be limited depending on ancestry and the opinions of the kennel clubs or breed clubs involved.
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The wise man then asks the kelpie, once again transformed into the handsome young man the girl had first met, whether if given the choice it would choose to be a kelpie or a mortal. The kelpie in turn asks the girl whether, if he were a man, she would agree to be his wife. She confirms that she would, after which the kelpie chooses to become a mortal man, and the pair are married. Traditionally, kelpies in their human form are male.
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Water spirits such as the each- uisge, which inhabit lochs and waterways in Scotland, were said to appear as a horse or a young man.Katharine Briggs, An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Boogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures, "Shape-shifting", p360. Other tales include kelpies who emerge from lochs and rivers in the disguise of a horse or woman in order to ensnare and kill weary travelers. Tam Lin, a man captured by the Queen of the Fairies is changed into all manner of beasts before being rescued.
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Stockman, an Australian Stock Horse and Kelpies ready for work on Australian property. A pannikin, quart pot and saddlebag as used by stockmen to boil the billy and carry lunch when riding. The role of the mounted stockmen came into being early in the 19th century, when in 1813 the Blue Mountains separating the coastal plain of the Sydney region from the interior of the continent was crossed. The town of Bathurst was founded shortly after, and potential farmers moved westward, and settled on the land, many of them as squatters.
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Candy Harlots were formed in 1987 in Sydney by guitarist Ron Barrett (aka Ron B. Gypsy, ex-Glam Savages), drummer Tony Cardinal (ex-What??!!, Soggy Porridge), vocalist Mark Easton (ex-Suicide Squad, Kelpies, Soggy Porridge, Glam Savages) and bass guitarist Nick Szentkuti (ex-Glam Savages). Shortly after the band was formed, Easton met guitarist Marc De Hugar in Melbourne and invited him to join the group. Szentkuti spent six months as bass guitarist; he was followed by Scott Millard (ex-The Faith) and then Leeno Dee (ex-Roxx).
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On 30 April 1980, the first single on the Phantom label, "Face with No Name" by The Passengers was released. 7 days later, "Cool in the Tube" by Surfside 6 was released. Phantom Records went on to become an indie phenomenon, releasing the debut records of great Australian bands such as the Hoodoo Gurus, Sunnyboys, Flaming Hands, Stephen Cummings, Machinations, punk legends The Kelpies, and an early EP by The Cockroaches. These were followed by a succession of pivotal singles and EPs, and the label became as important as the shop in its exposure of new alternative music.
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The Kelpies at Helix Park Today, the economy of Falkirk is focused on retail and services, in contrast to the heavy industries and manufacturing sectors which contributed to the growth of the town over the last 300 years. Falkirk is a large retail centre catering to the town itself and a wide surrounding area, stretching from Cumbernauld in the west to Bo'ness in the east.Smith, R (2001) p345 The flagship retailer Marks and Spencer opened a store in Falkirk in 1936. The High Street was pedestrianised in the late 1980s and the Howgate Shopping Centre opened in 1989\.
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Koolies are bred to meet the needs of the stockman, grazier and farmer, all agile, all with the same ability to adapt to any situation, all with a strong willingness drive. The Koolie vary from in size and are a contrast of coat, colour and body type, although they are merled coat pattern. The solid red or black Koolie are often mistaken for Kelpies, and some bi coloured Koolie have been taken for Border Collies by the general public, rarely if ever by breeders. As all of these breeds share Collie ancestry, they resemble each other.
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Notable people who participated in the event include Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, Jeremy Corbyn, Sir Paul McCartney, Kylie Minogue, David Beckham, Daniel Craig, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Naomie Harris and Sir Elton John. The Queen referred to the Clap for Our Carers campaign as an “expression of our national spirit”.Acknowledgements, Clap for our Carers. Retrieved 5 June 2020 Landmarks such as The Shard, Tower Bridge, the London Eye, Blackpool Tower, the Tyne Bridge, the Radio City Tower,The Kelpies, MediaCityUK, and Windsor Castle were illuminated in blue during the event.
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The Charnock Bradley Building is a hub for the Easter Bush Campus, providing a home for the Roslin Innovation Centre, Easter Bush Science Outreach Centre (EBSOC) and the Easter Bush Gym. Opened in May 2018 by HRH Princess Royal the building contains office and laboratory space. Located in front of the building sits Canter a sculpture by Andy Scot, who is best known for The Kelpies. it was unveiled in May 2018 at the same time as the building opened and the 15ft steel statue of a horse’s head forms the centrepiece of the entrance plaza.
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The sculpture was cast in stainless steel and bronze in 40 separate sections by the Pangolin Editions foundry in Stroud. The sword, which gives the statue much of its height, and the upper left arm is one fibreglass piece. Before being cleared for erection the statue was subjected to tests in a wind tunnel to ensure that it could cope with high winds and spray from the sea. Measuring 25cm (10 inches) higher than the Angel of the North, Verity became the tallest statue in the UK when it was put into place, but is now surpassed by The Kelpies, near Falkirk, Scotland, at .
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In Scottish mythology the hag goddess of winter, Cailleach Bheur, uses the gulf to wash her great plaid, and this ushers in the turn of the seasons from autumn to winter. As winter approaches, she uses the gulf as her washtub, and it is said the roar of the coming tempest can be heard from as far away as , lasting for a period of three days. When she is finished with the washing, the cloth is pure white, and becomes the blanket of snow that covers the land. The Cailleach occupying the whirlpool was described as "the fiercest of the Highland storm kelpies" by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor.
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Pictish beast featured in a line drawing of the Maiden Stone Pictish stones dating from the 6th to 9th centuries featuring what has been dubbed the Pictish Beast may be the earliest representations of a kelpie or kelpie-like creature. Victorian artist Thomas Millie Dow sketched the kelpie in 1895 as a melancholy dark-haired maiden balanced on a rock, a common depiction for artists of the period. Other depictions show kelpies as poolside maidens, as in Draper's 1913 oil on canvas. Folklorist Nicola Bown has suggested that painters such as Millie Dow and Draper deliberately ignored earlier accounts of the kelpie and reinvented it by altering its sex and nature.
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James Haldane, retired sea captain and founder of the non-denominational Society for the Propagation of the Gospel at Home Long after the triumph of the Church of Scotland in the Lowlands, Highlanders and Islanders clung to a form of Christianity infused with animistic folk beliefs and practices. The cults of saints like Bride and Maelrubha persisted, beside rituals like the sacrifice of bulls and the cleansing of milk, along with tales of fairies, kelpies and other beasts. There had been localised success during the Reformation, undermined by a shortage of Gaelic-speaking clergy and the vast scale and inaccessibility of some parishes.C. G. Brown, Religion and Society in Scotland Since 1707 (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1997), , p. 85.
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Some kelpies were said to be equipped with a bridle and sometimes a saddle, and appeared invitingly ready to ride, but if mounted they would run off and drown their riders. If the kelpie was already wearing a bridle, exorcism might be achieved by removing it. A bridle taken from a kelpie was endowed with magical properties, and if brandished towards someone, was able to transform that person into a horse or pony. Just as with cinematic werewolves, a kelpie can be killed by being shot with a silver bullet, after which it is seen to consist of nothing more than "turf and a soft mass like jelly-fish" according to an account published by Spence.
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Red Dog was believed to have been born in the town of Paraburdoo, Western Australia in 1971. Red Dog was called by a variety of names by those who knew him, including Bluey, Tally Ho, and Dog of the Northwest. Tally Ho was his first name, given to him by Colin Cummings, who is believed to have been his first owner, and to brought him to Dampier. The nickname "Red Dog" has been attributed to the red dirt of the Pilbara Region (although 'red dog' is a common nickname for red kelpies and heelers, much in the same way as 'blue dog' or 'Bluey' is a common nickname for the Australian cattle dog).
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The Little Minch, home to the blue men The blue men of the Minch, also known as storm kelpies ( ), are mythological creatures inhabiting the stretch of water between the northern Outer Hebrides and mainland Scotland, looking for sailors to drown and stricken boats to sink. They appear to be localised to the Minch and surrounding areas, unknown in other parts of Scotland and without counterparts in the rest of the world. Apart from their blue colour, the mythical creatures look much like humans, and are about the same size. They have the power to create storms, but when the weather is fine they float sleeping on or just below the surface of the water.
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Ronald Binns considers that this is the most serious of various alleged early sightings of the monster, but all other claimed sightings before 1933 are dubious and do not prove a monster tradition before that date. Christopher Cairney uses a specific historical and cultural analysis of Adomnán to separate Adomnán's story about St. Columba from the modern myth of the Loch Ness Monster, but finds an earlier and culturally significant use of Celtic "water beast" folklore along the way. In doing so he also discredits any strong connection between kelpies or water-horses and the modern "media-augmented" creation of the Loch Ness Monster. He also concludes that the story of Saint Columba may have been impacted by earlier Irish myths about the Caoránach and an Oilliphéist.
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The Kelpie by Thomas Millie Dow, 1895 Kelpies have the ability to transform themselves into non-equine forms, and can take on the outward appearance of human figures, in which guise they may betray themselves by the presence of water weeds in their hair. Gregor described a kelpie adopting the guise of a wizened old man continually muttering to himself while sitting on a bridge stitching a pair of trousers. Believing it to be a kelpie, a passing local struck it on the head, causing it to revert to its equine form and scamper back to its lair in a nearby pond. Other accounts describe the kelpie when appearing in human form as a "rough, shaggy man who leaps behind a solitary rider, gripping and crushing him", or as tearing apart and devouring humans.
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The nuckelavee is the most malevolent of the demons in and around the Scottish islands, without any redeeming characteristics. The only entity able to control it is the Mither o' the Sea, an ancient spirit in Orcadian mythology who keeps the nuckelavee confined during the summer months. In common with other mythical sea monsters, with the possible exception of kelpies and the nuggle of Shetland, it is unable to wade through fresh flowing water, therefore it can be escaped by crossing a stream. Tammas managed to escape from the nuckelavee after he inadvertently splashed it with water from the loch he was alongside; this briefly distracted the monster, allowing Tammas to run over to a nearby channel of fresh water and jump to safety on the opposite bank.
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The former town was the subject of a 1917 eight-verse poem of the same name by Scottish-Australian poet and bush balladeer Will H. Ogilvie (1869–1963). :The sandhills north of Barringun stand shimmering in the heat, :The dust is driven dense and dun by forty thousand feet, :And dimly through the clouds that cling, beyond the Border Gate, :The kelpies swing along the wing to keep the leaders straight. :And I remember Barringun of thirty years ago :A few tin roofs that took the sun as white as driven snow; :Two bush hotels where loafers sat, a butcher's shop, a store, :A few goats feeding on the flat – and very little more! Working on the Belalie property, to the south near Enngonia, in the early 1890s Ogilvie was familiar with the New South Wales–Queensland border area.
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At least twice, he has tried to protect Lydia by taking her from Edgar's side, as he believes that her being by Edgar is dangerous for Lydia. He is also considerate of Lydia's feelings; rather than blaming her when she broke the spirit of their deal (that she would stay in the fairy world with him if Kelpie would save Edgar), he told her that he would wait until she no longer had anything holding her back in the human world. :He continues to stand by Lydia even after she chooses Edgar over himself, and once told Lydia that she is the first fairy doctor to have obtained a Kelpie. (Kelpies are, as a rule, feared by most other beings as they feed on almost anything they can kill, including fairies.) :When Edgar first meets Kelpie, he takes an instant dislike to the fairy because of Kelpie's good looks.
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The mythological kelpie is usually described as a powerful and beautiful black horse inhabiting the deep pools of rivers and streams of Scotland, preying on any humans it encounters, One of the water-kelpie's common identifying characteristics is that its hooves are reversed as compared to those of a normal horse, a trait also shared by the nykur of Iceland. An Aberdeenshire variation portrays the kelpie as a horse with a mane of serpents, whereas the resident equine spirit of the River Spey was white and could entice victims onto its back by singing. The creature's nature was described by Walter Gregor, a folklorist and one of the first members of the Folklore Society, as "useful", "hurtful", or seeking "human companionship"; in some cases, kelpies take their victims into the water, devour them, and throw the entrails to the water's edge. In its equine form the kelpie is able to extend the length of its back to carry many riders together into the depths; a common theme in the tales is of several children clambering onto the creature's back while one remains on the shore.
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