Two five-figure sales coupled with another new world record price for an unbroken puppy were the highlights of Skipton Auction Mart’s second virtual working sheep dog sale of the year.

And, like the first such sale in July, it was the same consignors who hit the headlines with Welsh trialist, Kevin Evans, again selling the two top sellers and Northern Ireland breeder, Donal Mullaney achieving a new record for a pup.

Mr Evans, from Modrydd, near Brecon, sold two dogs that go back to his own dual European Nursery and Royal Welsh champion, Tanhill Glen, with the dearest at £12,100 selling to Levi Joensen, of Klaksvik on Bordoy, the northernmost Faroe Island.

Selling at this price was the February 2019-born black and white bitch, Barcroft Sophie. She is by Mr Evans’ own trials dog, Derwen Doug, a European Nursery champion and dual Welsh and International brace champion that also sired the £12,550 bitch, Eve. The dam is Sophie Holt’s Jet, another top trial dog, now with Ross Watson.

Mr Evans’ other dog, the November 2018-born, tri-coloured Wyverne Tan, realised £10,000 to Janus Joensen, of Eysturoy, the easternmost and second largest island on the archipelago Faroe Islands.

Tan’s sire, Dan, won nurseries for Mr Evans, while the dam, David Meek’s Wyverne Meg, is a daughter of fellow Welsh handler, Ross Games’ Roy, twice International champion, and from a daughter of Netherlands-based former World Sheep Dog Trials champion Serge van der Sweep’s Gary.

A new world record price of £2700 for an unbroken pup was again established by Irishman, Donal Mullaney, from Letterkenny in Co Donegal, who bettered his £2350 record set at the July sale with his five-month-old Jim.

Mr Mullaney saw his 3 1/2-month-old black and white unbroken bitch, Kate, by the same dog as Jim, and out of Mr Mullaney’s own Nell, sell online to German buyer, Bernd Nöthen, from Bergheim.

The Mullaneys also sold the eight-month-old fully broken bitch, Maid, for £3600. She is by top Irish trialist James McGee’s Glencregg Silver, out of another solid home-bred bitch and fell to Scottish buyer, K Donald, of Dalrymple.

Third top price of £8800 was paid for Dewi Jenkins’ 12-month-old dog, Roy, from Tynygraig, Tal-y-bont, near Aberystwyth. Roy was bred in Northern Ireland by Hugh O’Kane, and is by his Malta Spot, out of Bet. Roy sold to the breeder’s family, having been purchased by Hugh’s uncle, James O’Kane who runs a large cattle and sheep farm in Ballymena, Co Antrim.

Heading up the English prices at £7300 was Northumberland shepherdess Emma Gray’s Hottbank Karla, a rising two-year-old by her own Tweedale Jamie, out of Jonjo Pattinson’s Jen, which was twice National Brace champion with Scottish trialist Peter Martin. Karla sold up to Aberdeenshire with the Ingram family from Logie Durno, Pitcaple, Inverurie.

Leading the Irish sales at £6200 was Padraig Doherty’s fully broken 13-month-old bitch, Lass, from Ardagh Sheepdogs, Co Donegal. By G McLaughlin’s Mac, out of J McFael Jnr’s Flo, she sold to an undisclosed Scottish buyer.

Other Scottish sales included £4600 from Will Barrie, Newton Stewart, who bought Arran Games’ June 2018-born tri-coloured bitch Millie, from Welshman, Arran Games, Talgarth.

In an all Scottish transaction, David Murray’s June 2019-born black and white bitch, Groesfaen Ellie, from North Roe, Shetland Isles, made £4000 selling to back up north to Norman Mackintosh, Inverness. She is by Aled Owen’s Welsh National and International champion, Llangwm Cap.

Overall, 43 dogs averaged £3487.

Auctioneers: CCM Auctions.