Retired Fife-based shepherd/stockman, John Hastie, made his presence felt at last week's working dog sale at Skipton, buying the top priced lot at 8500gns.

His purchase was the 13-month-old red and white bitch, Graylees Rose, consigned by Welsh breeder, Dewi Jenkins, Ceredigion. A daughter of Michelle Anderson's Red, Rose was purchased from the Bellingham-base trialist as a youngster, and is out of fellow Northumberland shepherdess' Emma Gray's Glan y Gors Peg

The long trip south from Shetland to Skipton also proved fruitful for David Murray, when he sold his young tri-coloured bitch, Maid, to Blackface and Jacob sheep breeder, Ewen Macmillan, Lurg, Fintry. The eight-month-old Maid which was placed fourth in her first nursery trial, is by the twice Irish National champion, James McLaughlin’s Dan, and out of Seamus McManus’s Nell, which in turn is a daughter of Ricky Hutchinson's International reserve supreme, Sweep.

Also heading home to Scotland, Borders' Cheviot sheep breeder, T Elliot, Jedburgh, bought the next highest disclosed lot at 3900gns. This was the December 2017-born black and white bitch Cynfal Jill, from Welsh handler, KB Williams, Bryn Melyn. She is by Aled Owen’s Welsh National and International supreme champion, Llangwm Cap, out of Mr Williams’ own Floss.

County Antrim’s Michael McAlister, of Glenariffe, received 3400gns for his 16-month-old tri-coloured bitch, Peg, by Pat Byrne’s Jim, out of P McQuillan’s Cindy. She sold back across the Irish Sea, with Co Sligo’s Eugene Feeney.

Just behind on 3300gns was the 12-month-old tri-coloured dog, Bob from Co Durham's Jean Howes. He boasts some international genetics, being sired by Finnish handler, Anja Lehtio’s Coel, out of Scottish breeder Sandy McCullock’s Risp, and sold to Red Rose handler, Jim Cropper, of Bacup.

Headline performers in the unbroken pen were 12 entries from the Irish-based Byrne family – father Pat and this three sons, Micheal, Daire and Niall – from Ballyglass in County Roscommon, who sold all bar one for a total of £9400. All were fathered by the 9200gns Moss, acquired by Mr Byrne here in 2017 from Brian White and Aoife Smith

A three-month-old bitch out of the same litter as Mr Byrne’s Grace – the dam of the current Irish National Champion – sold for the top price in this section of 1600gns. Penny, a tri-coloured bitch, was bought by Scotland’s Jock Sutherland, of Sangormore, Durness.

A total of 20 dogs sold up to 1500gns, with 15 more making 1600-2000gns and a further 20 selling between 2100gns and 3000gns.

By the end of the day, 24 registered dogs sold from 600gns to 3400gns to average £2067; 32 registered bitches sold between 400gns and 8500gns to level at £2302; five unregistered bitches sold from 600gns to 2050gns (£1187); 19 part/unbroken dogs from 250gns to 1400gns (£525) and 16 registered bitches from 200gns to 1600gns (£677).