Scottish handler, Craig Davidson, Dunoon, Argyll, came home in style from the spring sale of working sheep dogs at Skipton, having purchased the lead disclosed priced dog at 6000gns from Red Rose handler Tony Birkett, of Hall Croft Barn, Carnforth.

Selling at this price was Jaff, a two-year-old black and white dog that already boasts three firsts in local nurseries. Backed by some of the best trial dogs in the country, Jaff is by Littledale-based Ricky Hutchinson's celebrated International reserve champion Sweep, which has bred multiple trial winners across the globe, and out of Mr Birkett’s own red and white bitch, Jess.

Welshman Dewi Jenkins, received 5100gns for his 14-month-old black and tan bitch, Nel, by his own Moss – a dog that finished fifth in the 2017 Welsh National, and out of Fern, from fellow Welsh breeder Aeron Edwards, of Aberystwyth.

A half brother to Mr Jenkins' 9200gns dog sold at Bala the previous week, Jaff found a new home with John Atkinson, who runs White Rose Sheep Dogs at Escrick, between Selby and York.

Flying the flag for the Irish, JD McAllister, Cargan, County Antrim, netted 4600gns with his August, 2016-born tri-coloured bitch, Ruby, a work dog with trials potential. She found a new home in Nidderdale with Middlesmoor sheep farmer David Verity.

Fellow trialist, Michael McAlister, of Glenariffe was also in the money with the brace of dogs that together netted 7600gns

First up was his August, 2015, tri-coloured bitch, Fly, a farm dog with nursery placings and an intermediate trials success under her belt. By J Hamilton’s Jim, out of SMA Price’s Annie, Fly sold for 3600gns to Scotland’s Ben Edmondson, of Eskdalemuir, Dumfriesshire.

Later, Mr McAlister received 4000gns for the 14-month-old black and white dog, Sango Jimmy, by W Cook’s Jimmy, out of Jock Sutherland’s Udale Deni. He caught the eye of Joe McRobert, who runs Cheviot Sheepdogs at Fingland, near Biggar in Lanarkshire.

Ribble Valley-based Gordon Haynes, Mitton, forked out 4200gns for the 14-month-old black and white bitch, Meg, from Roger Jewitt, of Naburn, York. She is bred from J Richardson's Calderdale Bess and by Aled Owen’s International champion, Llangwm Cap.

Lead Scottish breeder, Dean Aitken who also breeds Texel and Beltex-cross, and Blackface sheep in Lockerbie, achieved 3000gns with Tweeddale Woody, a two-year-old black and white dog by P Turnbull’s Glen, out of Mr Aitken’s own Tami. Woody went home with Welsh buyer, D Rees, from Brecon.

The sale saw 94 dogs forward, to include 57 field-run dogs, of which 22 registered dogs sold from 500gns to 6000gns, to average £2678; 21 registered bitches sold from 1000gns to 6800gns to level at £3040); 43 registered broken dogs and bitches averaged £2029; 12 registered unbroken dogs, £622 and 15 registered unbroken bitches, £579.