Top dog on price at Skipton Auction Mart’s March timed online-only sale at £18,100 was the 12-month-old Gwyddil Ben, a black and white dog from leading Welsh handler and triallist, Dewi Jenkins, of Tynygraig.

Mr Jenkins who regularly produces top priced dogs at live and online sales, eclipsed his £7000 lead paid here in December, with a son of Clwyd Bob which is by his own main stud dog Jock, the reigning 2022 International supreme champion.

The 2016-born Clwyd Bob goes back to multiple champions, to include the former International supreme champion Glencregg Silver on his grand-dam's side. Ben’s own dam is Malta Jill, acquired by Dewi from Carlaine Thom, of Malta Border Collies, Co Tyrone.

After being mated at home to Clwyd Bob, Jill sold in-pup to fellow Welshman T Davies carrying both Ben and litter sister Bess. Ben returned at eight weeks old to Mr Jenkins, while Bess is due to be sold at Skipton this May.

Gwyddil Ben which is proving to be a top-notch nursery trials prospect, sold to Staffordshire buyer, Eamonn Vaughan, who farms beef and sheep. He clearly thinks a great deal of Jenkins' bloodlines having previously paid the former world record price of £27,100 in 2021 for Dewi’s Kim.

Mr Vaughan, who farms the Partridge Nest pedigree Texel sheep flock and also has herds of pedigree Charolais, Limousin and Simmental cows, now plans to put Ben to Kim next year, which he described as a 'phenomenal' bitch. “She is out every day and absolutely flying, a superb worker, so strong, a serious bitch,” he enthused.

Kim has already bred a world beater for Mr Vaughan, when her 11-week-old Kim jnr made £11,600 – a new record price for an unbroken pup.

Welsh vendors were responsible for the majority of the leading online prices at Skipton. Next best at £6200 was James Jones, of Rhayadar in Powys, with his 22-month-old black and white bitch, Brondrefawr Misty, a daughter of fellow Welshman Kevin Evans’ trialling legend, Tanhill Glen, a dual European Nursery and Royal Welsh champion.

She is out of Cefneithin Jan – a £7000 fully broken online purchase from Sion Jones, of Cefn Eithin Sheep Dogs. Misty, which had been mated prior to the sale to Dewi Jenkins’ Jock, was closely followed online from the outset and sold to Japanese sheep farmer Shinjro Kigawa, of Deergrove Sheepdogs in Shizouka, a city on the south coast with views of Mount Fuji.

While sheep are not prevalent in Japan, he runs a 70-strong mixed hybrid sheep flock, including Suffolks and Cheviots, and also trials, having competed in the 2017 World Sheepdog Trials in Gloucestershire.

Read more: John (Jock) Welsh, renowned sheepdog handler, Straiton, Ayrshire

Mr Kigawa commented: “In Japan, trials were not held for several years due to the influence of Covid, though they are about to be re-opened. Before I knew it, all my dogs were 10-years-old and it became urgent to raise the next generation of dogs. I prefer to be able to feel the growth of dogs rather than competition. And I like to help people who are having trouble raising dogs.”

Next best at £5700 was the rising two-year-old home-bred black and white bitch, Hilltop Lil, or Gwen, from Nataly Matthews, of Ebbw Vale in Gwent. By her own Vince, and out of Lil, she is already mother of a litter of six red pups. The first dog in the online catalogue, she found a new home in North Devon with Bideford’s TJ Nicholls.

North Yorkshire vendor, Peter Simpson, of Dacre, Harrogate, took £4400 for the 25-month-old black and white bitch, Heyshaw Sue, a daughter of Moor Lodge Ben, Oakworth-based Carol Mellin’s accomplished trials dog. Sue is out of Gillieglen Mist and already placed in nurseries, headed home with an undisclosed buyer in Southern Ireland.

Bellingham triallist, Michelle Anderson claimed £4300 for her April, 2021-born black, white and tan dog, Dunelle Billy, by her own Red, out of Dunelle Jess. The buyer was from South Yorkshire.

Top price amongst the unbroken prices at £4100, was the near six-month-old tri-coloured bitch, Fynbos Juno, from Jeff King, of Hilperton in Wiltshire. By Telf Joff, out of Lloyd Loraine, a daughter of 2022 English National Champion Frank Richards’ Lola, Juno sold to the Republic of Ireland.

Selling to Germany at £3800 with Ulrika Stromer, Barum, Lower Xaxony, was Welsh triallist, Kevin Evans' July, 2020-born tri-coloured bitch, Gyp, by DTA Williams’ Kemi Doc, out of EH Lloyd’s Gail. She was mated last month to Kevin’s own Red Spot.

Kirsty Marr, Lauder, received £3500 for her February 2021-born part-broken black and white dog.

Auctioneers: CCM.