Record turnover at Skipton working sheepdog sale
Shaun Richards July-2013 born Marchup Roger topped trade at 5,000gns despite remaining unsold in the ring at Skipton’s Spring working sheepdog sale on Friday (15 May).
Bred by Andrew Throup, Roger is a son of Marchup Dave and out of Marchup Pip. The dog, which had earlier been reared (not trained) by Cononley’s Richard Wallbank, before rejoining Mr Throup, then on to Mr Richards, reached 4,800gns, not quite up to the vendor’s on-field expectations, who said he was prepared to let him go for 5,000gns. An undisclosed Cumbrian bidder agreed to pay the full asking price after the sale.
With 96 dogs forward, good, solid trade throughout the day was responsible for a new turnover record, with quality broken dogs for both work and trial once again in keen demand. Broken registered dogs averaged £2,217, with part-broken registered dogs selling to 800gns and averaging £440. One broken unregistered dog sold at 820gns.
Next highest with bids of 4,250gns and 3,400gns, were two 11-month-old sisters from John Bell, Howden, Selby.
Mr Bell’s tri-coloured bitches were bred in Wales by triallist Aled Owen’s Llangwyn Cap, an open trials winner and were out of Glynn Evans’ Taddymoor Jem.
Groesfaen Fern commanded the higher price of 4,250gns when returning to Wales with a regular Skipton buyer, Carmarthenshire’s Nigel Watkins.
Her sister, Groesfaen Bracken joined a sheep farmer in North Yorkshire for 3,400gns.
Former One Man and His Dog presenter, Gus Dermody, Nantwich, Cheshire, sold his two-year-old black and white bitch, Fran, for 3,250gns. Fran was bred by Thomas Longton, of Quernmore, Lancaster, and is by Tot, one of his 2013 English National Brace Champions, out of Bess.
Fran’s buyer was Chris Watmore, Rothbury, Northumberland. The same buyer also paid 2,000gns for the August-2010, black and white dog, Cloverhill Ron, sold by well-known County Antrim triallist Michael Gallagher.
The 2014 One Man and His Dog winner and 2013 Irish National champion, James McClaughlin, Clonmany, County Donegal, sold his 23-month-old tri-coloured bitch, Gwen, for 3,100gns.
Gwen is by fellow County Donegal breeder, James McGee’s Seth and out of a dam by Allistair Lyttle’s Spot. She went home with sheep farmer William Sproat of Borgue, Kirkcudbright.
Another 3,100gns achiever was Paul Turnbull, of Kildale, Whitby, with his experienced five-year-old tri-coloured bitch, Lyn, by his own Kep. Bought from John Bell as a pup, she is out of L Jones’ Bess, and went to a North Yorkshire buyer.
Kirkby Stephen’s Frank Satterthwaite made 3,000gns with his well-bred August-2013, tri-coloured bitch, Blue, by AR Griffiths’ Sam, out of ARP Warmington’s Sue. She is a granddaughter of Bobby Dalziel’s renowned trials dog, Spot, and great granddaughter of Aled Owen’s world champion, Roy. Blue joined Reuben and Hilary Atkinson, of Forest-in-Teesdale.
A 20-month-old tri-coloured dog, Glen, from David Wood, of Bamford in Derbyshire, also sold well at 3,000gns. By Kevin Evans’ Caleb and out of J Nagle’s Sanduck Kit, he found a new home in Cumbria.
Emrys Jones, of Tal y Bont, Gwynedd, achieved 2,950gns with his 14-month-old black and white smooth-coated bitch, Glan y Gors Lass, by Netherlands breeder and leading triallist, Serge van der Zweep’s Garry and out of IJ Caroll’s Nell. The dog sold locally to Beverley Fort, of Steeton.
Andrew Throup sold a fully home-bred two-year-old black, white and mottled dog, Marchup Ben, by Bob, out of Gem, for 2,900gns to a buyer from Scotland.
A 2,800gns performer was James McLaughlin’s brother, Owen, also from Clonmany. His 12-month-old tri-coloured bitch, Kate is by his sibling’s own top dog, Ben and out of PJ Doherty’s Peg. It joined buyer Joe McRobert, Biggar, Lanarkshire.
Carnforth’s Tony Birkett achieved 2,500gns with his 14-month-old tri-coloured bitch, Peg, by Tom Lawrenson’s Clyde, out of his own Floss, herself a daughter of Irish breeder, County Antrim’s Michael Gallagher’s top-performing trials dog Cap. Buyers were C&M Symons, Yetholm, Kelso, who also paid 2,000gns for another Shaun Richards dog, the August-2012, black and white bitch Pat.
Chris Taylor, Keasden, North Craven, made 2,400gns with his November-2013, tri-coloured bitch, Gayle, by C Steiner’s Cain, out of W Todd’s Peg, who was knocked down to a regular buyer from Wales.
G Fearon, of Keswick, sold his November-2011, tri-coloured dog, Kemi Dez, for 2,200gns, while Mist, a 15-month-old black and white bitch from Irish breeder CP Kelly, Dungiven, County Londonderry, made 2,050gns.
Nap, a two-year-old black and white dog from Belgium breeder Jo De Meyst, from Zwevezele, between Antwerp and Gent, sold at 2,000gns.
Catching the eye in the pup pen was a four-month-old fully home-bred black and white bitch from Oakworth’s Carol Mellin, which sold for 700gns to Stephen and Helen Robinson in Dunsop Bridge.
Skipton’s summer sale of working sheep dogs is now scheduled to take place a week earlier than initially planned on Friday, July 3. Entries close on June 19.