Ireland’s Michael Gallagher produced another top dog at Craven Auction Mart's sale of working dogs at Skipton, last week, when his rising two-year-old bitch, Vera, sold for 6200gns.

Mr Gallagher from Armoy, Co Antrim, led the way with his August 2016-born black and white entry, which sold back to Ireland with trialist, Tony Kearins, Dromard, Co Sligo. Vera, which was bred in Co Antrim, is by Allistair Lyttle’s Jim – last year’s Irish National reserve champion – and out of Chris McNaughton’s prolific Mist that bred two other top notch dogs for Mr Gallagher to include his 2017 world finalist, Val and 2018 reserve nursery champion, Bud.

Vera is also a grand-daughter of Littledale-based Ricky Hutchinson's International reserve champion, Sweep, while her dam is also mother to Flo, which sold last year at Skipton for 9500gns. The bitch could become a mother herself too having been mated last month to Blake, from Welsh breeder Sophie Holt.

Scottish flockmaster, Jock Sutherland, Sangormore, Durness, was again in action, forking out the second top price of 6000gns to buy the 13-month-old black and white bitch, Bella from Welshman Dewi Jenkins, of Tynygraig Farm, Tal-y-bont, Aberystwyth. Another bred in Ireland, she is by James McLaughlin’s 2016 reserve champion, Dan, out of Robert Hardman’s Morag, which is a full sister to Ricky Hutchinson's 2017 International champion, Jock.

Mr Sutherland also went to 2800gns for Peg, a 30-month-old black and white bitch from Irish breeder Colm Doherty, of Quigley’s Point in Co Donegal. By Glencregg Silver, the 2014 International champion from Co Donegal’s James McGee, out of Co Derry-based Brian Quigley’s solid work bitch, Cindy, Peg already had four nursery wins and two open places under her belt.

And at 3000gns, Mr Sutherland bought Floss, a February, 2016, black and white bitch from local breeder Philip Melllin, of Oakworth, on behalf of Shetland's Elaine Williamson. She is by Kevin Evans’ Jim, and has already proven herself on the trials field, winning three winter nurseries, with many other placings to her credit.

Mr Jenkins had a particularly good day, as he also received 4100gns for the penultimate field-run entry, Mist, another 13-month-old bitch again by Glencregg Silver, purchased by D Lewis, of Llanwrda in Camarthenshire.

First-time Irish vendor Kieran McFadden, from Derryreel in Co Donegal, made an impressive debut too, achieving 4900gns for his January, 2017-born black and white bitch, Sky, a grand-daughter of Ricky Hutchinson’s Sweep by fellow Irish breeder Seamus Gormley’s Zac, out of M Doherty’s Meg. Sky found a new home high on the Cumbrian hills with Richard Harrison, who farms Swaledale sheep and beef suckler cattle at Shap.

Next highest disclosed price at 3700gns was Cefneithin Mac, a 15-month-old home-bred black and white dog from North Wales sheep farmer and dog trainer, Sion Jones, who runs Cefn Eithin Sheep Dogs in Corwen. By his Straid Bob, out of Foxridge Gypsy, Mac joined Mid Wales handler Aled Bebb, of Llwydiarth, in Powys.

Another familiar face from Ireland, Willie Torrens, of Killen, Castlederg, in Co Tyrone, received 3600gns for his May, 2017-born black and white bitch, Tara, by S Venney’s Glen, out of his own Jill. She was claimed by Stephen and Helen Robinson, of Dunsop Bridge.

The record entry of 71 dogs in the unbroken pen, saw a top price of 1600gns for 21-year-old Laura Barnes, of Whitehorm Farm, Cropton, when her 10-month-old, tri-coloured bitch, Kate, sold to Leicestershire sheep farmers, Ken and Jean Gill, Burton Lazars. She is by Jim and out of Jess, from Irishman Pat Byrne, of Ballyglass in Co Roscommon.

From a total entry of 74 field-run broken dogs, registered bitches sold to 6200gns to average £2931, while registered dogs peaked at 3700gns, to level at £1505.

In the unbroken pen, registered bitches saw a top price and average of 1600gns and £661 respectively with registered dogs to 1050gns. The two unregistered bitches both made 850gns.