A “robust” entry of “readily affordable dogs to suit all tastes and pockets” came under the hammer in the most recent CCM Skipton online working sheepdog sale.
Some 110 dogs from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales achieved close to a 70% clearance and recorded “solid” averages.
According to organisers, 75 found new owners at home and abroad in the timed online sale, which had real-time bidding over two days (Monday, November 29th, 2021) and Tuesday (November 30th, 2021).
The fixture offered a “multi-purpose” selection of fully trained, part-broken, and unbroken dogs and pups, both registered and non-registered, covering all ages and abilities.
Sheepdog prices
Top dog on price yet again at £8,000, was renowned Welsh handler and triallist, Kevin Evans, of Llwynfedwen Farm, Modrydd, Brecon.
Topping the price charts was his fully broken young black and white bitch, Kemi Fly.
She is a January-2020, daughter of fellow Welsh breeder, Ross Games’ top trials dog, Roy. Also, she is a granddaughter of Kevin’s dual European Nursery and Royal Welsh Champion, Tanhill Glen.
Out of the breeder’s own Knockmaa Lill, Fly will venture to West Cumbria to Russell Ireland, of Drigg, Holmrook.
Again, well represented with a trio of fully broken and well-forward entries, Evans was responsible for the second top call of £7,000.
Foxridge Dale, a younger black and white dog, was born on April 1st. This is a son of Mr Evans’ own Derwen Doug, a European Nursery Champion and dual Welsh and International Brace Champion, out of Tanhill Ruby, now with DN Edwards. The dog joins Graham Eusden in Godalming, Surrey.
Another Derwen Doug son, the March-2020 Mac, out of J Wheaton’s Jess, fetched £6,400 for Mr Evans. This one is bound for Co. Kerry with Killarney’s Tom O’Sullivan.
Kevin’s triallist father David Evans of Penclyn Farm, Brecon, was represented with a fully broken, June-2019, black and white dog.
Sango Jim is also by his son’s Derwen Doug, out of JG Sutherland’s Jan, another daughter of Ross Games’ Roy.
Having already run in nursery trials, Jim made £4,100 and heads to the east coast to join Goole’s Stuart Walton.
He also took home £3,000 with a part-broken ten-month-old brown and white dog, Wheatwood Woody. This is yet another one of his son’s stud dogs, the red Spot, acquired from Germany. Out of R Fowler’s Fran, Woody is bound for Norway and Torvastad’s Hilmar Eide, a past Skipton purchaser.
£6,500 and under
Townson, of Moor Lodge Farm, Oakworth claimed joint third top price in sale at £6,500.
Fetching this price tag was his January-2017, black and white bitch, Kay, who has been placed in open trials. By AD Carnegie’s Linburn Rock, out of P Martin’s Jen, she is heading to mid-Glamorgan and Porth’s Cerys Millichap.
Matching this sum was Welshman Dewi Jenkins, of Talybont, with the fully broken 15-month-old black, white, and mottled bitch, Sky.
She is a daughter of his main stud dog Jock, responsible for many top prices Skipton dogs in recent years for the renowned Ceredigion handler and triallist, who currently holds the world record price of £27,000 for a working sheepdog sold at an official sale.
Out of North Craven handler John Harrison’s Sky, daughter Sky returned to the dam’s breeder in Clapham.
Cumbrian vendor Richard Fawcett, of Hawes, achieved £5,300 with his fully broken black and white dog, Croft, a February-2020 son of Tanhill Glen, out of RH Fawcett’s Lola, an English team member and winner of multiple open trials, including many double gathers. A new home in Carmarthenshire, Wales, with Llandeilo’s Logan Williams, awaits.
From Lower Wensleydale, Paul Fairburn, of Thornton Steward, caught the eye with a £5,100 sale of his three-year-old tri-coloured dog, Marriforth Ben.
By Sergio Perello Galdon’s Murguia Jim, the 2018 English National Singles Champion, out of a solid farm bitch, by Kemi Mirk. Ben will work in Cumbria with Jeff Burrow, of Grayrigg, Kendal.
Daniel Worthington, of Caithness, claimed £5,000 with his fully broken April-2019 black and white dog, Foinaven Max.
Ireland: Sheepdog prices
Heading the Irish selling prices at £4,600 was Prince, a fully broken three-year-old black and white dog from Michael Doherty, from Foyle Springs, Co. Londonderry.
Having been the main farm dog, with other younger dogs now ready to step into his shoes, the son of Netherlands-based former World Sheep Dog Trials champion, Serge van der Sweep’s Gary, out of a daughter of Knockmaa Jack, remained in Ireland and Co. Tyrone, when claimed by Omagh’s John Armstrong.
A young part-broken nine-month-old tri-coloured bitch from the Isle of Man, Finn Partington’s Kim, was much sought after.
Though herself unregistered, this Welsh sheepdog-x-Border Collie, whose sire is ISDS-registered and by Welsh legend Aled Owen’s renowned Llangwm Cap, out of a dam registered with the Welsh Sheepdog Society, made a solid £4,100 when going to Cumbria and Cockermouth’s Mag Todd.
Fully broken entries
One of the first fully broken entries to go under the hammer and making £4,000 was the Scottish-bred Jim. This January-2020, black and white dog is from Strathnaver’s Ian Sutherland and by Irishman Pat Byrne’s Jim, out of D Byrne’s Lynn, Jim.
From the north mainland of the Shetland Isles, Swarthoull’s Morgan Robertson had a £3,900 sale with his three-year-old black and white bitch, Libby.
This entry is by R Scarborough’s Zac, out of C Robertson’s Lola and will join Colin Thomas in Velzie.
Other sheepdog prices:
- Sophie Holt, from Hendre Brynach, Brecon, headed the unbroken prices at £3,600 with her three-month-old black and white bitch pup, Kira. She is a granddaughter of International Supreme Champion, Hybeck Blake, and European Nursery Champion, Derwen Doug;
- John Bell, of Parks Farm, claimed second top call among the unbroken entries with a £3,500 sale of his eight-month-old tri-coloured bitch, Jem. She is by C Worgan’s Black Jack, out of Mr Bell’s Smithymoor Tweed daughter, Parks Farm Fan;
- Mr Bell claimed £1,900 with an unbroken black and white litter sister of Jem’s, Dusk.
Broken dogs:
- £3,500: Neil Sutherland’s August-2019, red and white dog Coco (Lad), by top triallist James McGee Glencregg Silver;
- £3,300: Leyburn’s AR Hunter with his fully home-bred two-year-old black and white bitch, Gem;
- £1,850: Flash, a rising five-month-old black and white dog. This entry was from former Skipton world record price pup holder, Donal Mullaney, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
Top sheepdog prices and averages:
- Broken registered dogs to £6,500 (av £4,171);
- Broken registered bitches to £8,000 (av £4,057).
- Part-broken registered dogs to £3,000 (av £1,238). Part-broken registered bitches to £2,600 (av £1,636), part-broken non-registered bitches to £750 (av £583).
In the unbroken and pup section:
- Registered dogs to £3,600 (av £1,087);
- Also, registered bitches to £1,400 (av £780);
- Unregistered dogs to £600 (av £433).
