Nine-week-old pup Pentir Lassie sells for £7600 record

Achieving the new record for a pup was the nine-week-old Pentir Lassie, from Welshman and first time consignor Glynne Jones, of Pentir, near Bangor in Gwynedd. His March 12-born Pentir Lassie, an unusually lilac coloured bitch, smashed the previous record of £6100 established at Skipton’s previous online sale in January for an 11-week- old black and white bitch, Bet, from Welshman David Evans.

Glynne Jones’ nine-week-old Pentir Lassie set a new world record price of £7600 for an unbroken pup

Lassie is the first litter of pups by Emma Gray's Reiver Gray and bred from her Graylees Cêt, which Mr Jones purchased as an eight-week-old pup in August, 2014. Cêt has already produced a number of ISDS pedigree pups.

Mr Jones who farms 100 acres in and around Pentir, and aims to breed top quality working sheepdog pups from the best DNA tested bloodlines in the UK, sold Lassie to Damian Barson, of Tessleymoor Gundogs, a dog behaviourist and gundog trainer based in Woodplumpton, near Preston. Mr Barson is now taking an increasing interest in sheep farming, running a flock of Ryelands, and required a high-class four-legged companion to assist.

Top dogs from Powys father and son breeding and trialing legends David and Kevin Evans, again proved popular, with the duo selling six fully broken and unbroken dogs for a combined £50,000 plus.

David Evans, of Penclyn, Brecon, topped the sale at £13,800 with the November 2017-born black and white dog, Pen-y-Borough Spud, by son Kevin’s Kemi Ross, a member of the 2015 and 2016 Welsh National teams, also a 2016 European Nursery finalist, as well as running in the same year’s International.

Spud, or Buddy as he is better known is also a grandson of the top trial dog, Tanhill Glen, while the dam, Derwen Wot, bred by Shaun Richards, of Pen-y-Borough Sheep Dogs, is a full sister to the Evans' other noted trial dog, Derwen Doug. Already a star performer at trials, Buddy fell to American buyers Kellie Herrington and her husband, Terry Dear, for trial and sheep work based at Ponder, Texas.

Kevin Evans of Llwynfedwen, Brecon, then received £12,800 for his 16-month-old black and white dog, Wyverne Brodie, another fully trained son of Derwen Doug, out of David Meek’s Wyverne Meg, a daughter of a twice International Champion. Brodie also sold abroad, to Norwegian purchaser, Jon Arnesand, of Lier in Viken County.

Another Derwen Doug daughter from Kevin made £9900. His June, 2019, black and white bitch, Pat, out of a daughter of Netherlands-based former World Sheep Dog Trials champion Serge van der Sweep’s Gary, fell to Laura Field, Oldbury, West Midlands.

Next from Mr Evans at £6200 was Foxridge Layka, purchased by Langholm-based William Tod, Glenshanna. This 20-month-old black and white bitch is a daughter of Kevin’s supreme champion, Hybeck Blake, while her dam is DW Edwards’ Tanhill Lilly, which is a full sister to top stud dog Tanhill Glen, bred by Kirkby Stephen’s Alec Baines and acquired by Kevin at just 15 months.

Father David Evans sold a brace of unbroken pups both by son Kevin’s own red dog, Spot, acquired from Germany and breeding well. The youngest, Conn, a 10-week-old red and white dog made £5100 to a French buyer, with the five-month-old black, white and mottled bitch, Jess, making £4050 to Mark Reid, Taynuilt, Argyll.

Dewi Jenkins, another top Welsh handler and trialist from Tal-y-bont, near Aberystwyth, claimed £10,700 for his 10-month-old red and white home-bred bitch, Tynygraig Lil Red, by fellow Welshman Ross Games’ chocolate and white dog, Caefelin Clem (Taff) – the sire of the £27,000 Kim sold earlier in the year – out of Mr Jenkins’ own Mia. Red sold to an undisclosed buyer.

Just behind on £10,000, Lyn Howells, Port Talbot, West Glamorgan, sold the two-year-old black and white bitch, Lexi, to North Country Cheviot breeders, Phil and Amy Jones, Raglan, Monmouthshire. Lexi is by Mr Howells' own red and white dog, Boss and is a litter sister to former £10,300, £6000 and £5000 dogs sold at online sales.

Welsh-bred dogs dominated much of the proceedings, with the 26-month-old fully broken black and white dog, Bryniau Celt, from Reece Griffiths, Ty Coreswyntoedd, Ceredigion, making £8000 to Silsden's Martin Throup.

Next best at £6900 was very first lot to be offered. Belle, a fully home-bred 28-month-old black, white and mottled bitch from North Wales handler, Dylan Edwards, of Maes Hendre in Gwynedd. By own trials-winning Ben, Belle was knocked down to Frank Hickson, Jedburgh.

The record breaking entry of 149 fully, part, and unbroken dogs saw 108 find new homes of which only 15 sold at three figure prices with the lowest being £500.

Pic caption 1 (choice of pics): Glynne Jones’ nine-week-old Pentir Lassie, which set a new world record price of £7,600 for an unbroken pup at Skipton’s latest working sheep dog sale.