WA's Clarabelle cow statue a fundraising favourite for cancer research and Keep the Sheep campaign

What's pink and plastic, and lives in the South West?

Clarabelle the cow. 

The fibreglass statue is known across Western Australia for raising much-needed funds for cancer research, with more than $300,000 being donated over the past three years. 

It's an initiative that started when some blokes were sitting around in a shed having a beer, trying to work out what to do for a friend who had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

So began the Cow for Cancer fundraising initiative.

Mark Talbot was among that initial group. 

He is a farmer and transport operator based in Brunswick Junction, about 160 kilometres south of Perth. 

"The idea came from our committee — each year at the Brunswick Show, we will sell Clarabelle and whoever buys her owns her for the 12 months," Mr Talbot said.

"They can do whatever they like with it, use it for corporate functions, raising money, whatever it will be most needed for, but we'd like to see it used at some stage for cancer awareness." 

Lending a helping hoof

Funnily enough, Clarabelle's most recent owner happens to be Mr Talbot, who, with a family from the Wheatbelt, bought her at last year's agricultural show for $10,000. 

"She's done things this year like raising money for different initiatives for men's health, prostate cancer," Mr Talbot said.

Her most recent adventure was to the streets of Perth, where she was strapped to the back of one of Mr Talbot's trucks. 

The truckie said it was incredible to see the smiles Clarabelle brought to people's faces as they drove among the hundreds of other farmers who had come out for the Keep the Sheep campaign, against a ban on live sheep exports. 

"It was great to see so many young people there, and families wanting photos and pointing," Mr Talbot said. 

All aboard the Clarabelle convoy

Local member for Forrest, Nola Marino, is no stranger to Clarabelle's legacy. 

Having grown up in Brunswick Junction, she said supporting an initiative like this was extremely close to her heart. 

"I went along with Clarabelle and Mark to the Keep the Sheep convoy to not only support farmers but also livestock transport operators," she said.

"There's no doubt that the live cattle industry will be targeted next — I don't think people understand in the live sheep business there are cattle on those boats too."

Ms Marino is excited to see what's next in store for the South West's iconic pink cow. 

"She's a symbol of what we have here in the South West, it's home to some of the best food in the world," she said.

It's a sentiment echoed by Mr Talbot, who will return Clarabelle to the Brunswick show come October, ready for her next owners.