North Wales dog trainer Sion Jones, had a double win at Skipton Auction Mart’s summer working sheep dogs sale, claiming top call of 10,000gns on the trials field and repeating the feat in the unbroken pen with a 1600gns youngster. It is thought to be the first time a single handler has achieved a top price double at the venue.

Mr Jones made history for himself with achieving his highest ever price, with his 20-month-old tri-coloured bitch, Tess. She is a daughter of Netherlands-based former World Sheep Dog Trials champion Serge van der Sweep’s Gary. She was bred by Andrew Procter’s and acquired at ten-months-old with already having a litter of eight pups to Mr Jones’ renowned stud dog, Straid Bob.

The same home also led the way in the unbroken pen with a 1600gns sale to Scottish buyer, Jock Sutherland, from Sangormore in Durness. The tri-coloured dog, Cefneithin Rex, rising six-months-old and one of a second litter out of the highly regarded home-bred working bitch, Cefneithin Jan.

Two dogs made joint second top call of 6600gns and both fell to the same Welsh buyer, top trialist Kevin Evans, of Penclyn Farm, Modrydd, Brecon, Powys. First up at the beginning of the day the black and white dog, Pen-y-Borough Bodger, from North Craven’s Shaun Richards, who runs Pen-y-Borough Sheepdogs in Eldroth. He is by Derwen Doug, who won the 2018 European Nursery Championships and out of Mr Richards’ own bitch, Rose, acquired as a pup from her Welsh breeder Dean Addison.

The second price at 6600gns was from Dylan Edwards, Penrhyndeudraeth, with his 16-month-old black, white and mottled bitch, Lecsi. She is by his own trials-winning dog Ben, out of Jes, now with Adam Griffiths.

David Wood, Derbyshire sold his 14-month-old black and white bitch, Liz, for 5400gns. The dog was acquired as a pup from Tom Ollerenshaw. She is a daughter of his own Bet, while the father is Gunnerwell Rock, from Shap’s John Harrison. Liz found a new home in the Shetland Isles with Lerwick’s Eric Graham, who was buying the dog on behalf of his 21-year-old son, Sean

Next top call was 4700gns for Ceredigion’s Dewi Jenkins' 15-month-old black and white dog, Troedrhiw Sweep sold to Richard Harrison. He is sired by the home-bred dog, Moss, now ten-years-old and out of fellow Welsh breeder Karen Price’s Fly.