A LEAD call of 4700gns for a broken dog and a new centre record high of 2000gns for a youngster sold in the unbroken pup pen were the highlights at Craven Auction Mart's working sheep dog sale, at Skipton.

Northern Ireland’s William Gallagher, of Bavin, Kilcar, Co Donegal, sold the highest priced dog when his September, 2015-born black and white Rock, was purchased by Welsh triallist Nigel Watkins, Panthowell, Llangadog.

Bred in Co Donegal, Rock is out of Creeslough-based Lorcán McDaid’s Jill, a mountain dog better known at home as Violet, while the sire is his brother Peter’s Elwy Eric.

Shetland Isles crofter, Sandy Fraser who runs pedigree Aberdeen Angus cattle and traditional Shetland sheep at Gardens Culswick, set the trade alight in the unbroken pen, when he went to 2000gns over the telephone, for the eight-month-old black and white pup, Solo.

Surpassing the previous best for a youngster of 1850gns, in July 2015, was the best from Dick Roper, the reigning One Man and His Dog champion and International Sheep Dog Society (ISDS) English national president, from the Cotswolds.

Already working well at hand, Solo is fully home-bred and one of eight litter pups to Mr Roper's own Spot – the 2015 National champion, out of Emma, which is a daughter of Littledale-based Ricky Hutchinson’s reserve supreme champion, Sweep. Notably, Emma is out of the Ian Brownlie's supreme International champion, Brownlie Mo.

Also heading up to Shetland on 4000gns, Jock Sutherland, Sangormore, Durness, bought Dewi Jenkins' Jill, from Tynygraig, Aberystwyth, on behalf of an Island farmer.

Jill, a 14-month-old black and white bitch, is a product of Welsh breeding being by IB Jones’ Tim and out of SK Jones’ Mist. She was bought as an eight-week-old pup and trained by Mr Jenkins, who farms Welsh Mountain ewes and Welsh Black cattle.

First time consignor, Angie Blackmore, who farms Welsh Cheviots and is also a director of the International Sheepdog Society, from Ledbury in Herefordshire, also enjoyed a good day with sales at 3000gns and 2550gns for bitches.

The former, Malta Snip, an October, 2015, tri-colour bred in Northern Ireland by Carlaine Thom, was purchased by Jim Walker, of Saddle End Farms in Chipping, Preston.

Making 2550gns was the July, 2014, black and white bitch, Fly, a daughter of Dick Roper’s 2015 National champion, Spot, out of R Jones’ Roy. Local farmer, David White, who runs Swaledale ewes and a few Mules in Horton-in-Ribblesdale, forked out the cash.

Another heading across the Border at 3000gns was Irtlands Jack, a three-year-old black and white dog from local vendor William Bell, of Foulridge. Fully bred by M Cottam, Jack is by his Ant out of Irlands Tess, and sold to Craig Davidson, Dunoon, Argyllshire.

Argyllshire dog handler, James Weir, Appin, was well rewarded for his 600-mile round trip to Skipton, too, when his 14-month-old black and white Glen, sold to semi-retired sheep farmer, John Jones, Gwynned. Glen is by Mr Weir's own Sweep, a son of Boredale Gus, bred by former Scottish National champion Ian Brownlie, and out of Floss, acquired at Skipton five years ago by Mr Weir.

By the end of the day, 78 dogs sold to give an 87% clearance for field-run dogs and 71% in the unbroken pen.

The 30 broken registered dogs sold from 600gns to 4700gns to average £1955 and 17 registered bitches changed hands from 850gns to 4000gns to level at £2233. In the unbroken section, 10 registered dogs sold from 80gns to 2000gns to average £634 with 20 registered bitches selling between 200gns and 1150gns to balance out at £613.