Dewi Jenkins’ 14,000gns bitch claims another CCM Skipton working sheepdog sale top call

Dewi, of Tynygraig, Talybont, near Aberystwyth in Ceredigon, has been responsible for multiple top price Skipton dogs at both live and online sales in recent years – he was again top dog on price by a country mile with an £18,100 online-online sale this March.

The man of the moment in the working sheep dog world arrived at the latest fixture with another impeccably bred entry by his main stud dog Jock, the reigning ISDS International supreme champion, with whom he also represented Wales at last year’s BBC One Man and His Dog final. Another daughter of Jock set a then new world record price of 26,000gns for the Welsh wizard.

His black and white Non is out of Llwynsarn Eve, bred in North Wales by Hefin Jones, himself a former Welsh National champion, with Dewi’s latest success proving a real family affair, as the bitch was reared until ten-months-old by his girlfriend, Sara Lewis, then trained by Dewi and also used for two lambing seasons on his sister Sara Jenkinson’s neighbouring farm. Both Dewi and his sibling also ran Nan successfully in novice and nursery trials respectively.

Having been mated earlier this month to fellow Welshman Aled Owen’s Llangwm Bud, the 2022 reserve supreme champion behind Jock, Non now looks set to produce yet more top-class progeny, as well as being primed for open trials. She was the subject of avid ringside, phone and online interest, eventually falling to an online bidder from the Welsh borders who requested anonymity.

Next best at 4,000gns was another former Skipton top price performer, Tony Birkett, Carnforth, with his two-year-old red and white bitch, Jess, by Kevin Evans’ red Spot, a German import who has also had a major impact on selling prices at Skipton for the legendary Welsh handler and trialist.

Out of Tony’s own Ruby, herself a daughter of Ricky Hutchinson’s 2015 reserve supreme champion, Sweep, the top-class all-rounder joined Leyburn husband and wife, Martin and Val Brown, well-known Beltex sheep breeders and themselves familiar faces at Skipton. Jess, the third dog purchased by the Browns at Skipton, will be used a work dog and was bought as a replacement for a working bitch, Mali, who is now nine-years-old and was also bought at a CCM working sheep dog sale.

Six dogs made 3,000gns and above. The best of them at 3,800gns was Mist, a June, 2020, tri-coloured bitch from Skelmersdale’s Michael Woods, a dog fully bred by Welsh trialist GA Lewis. She went north of the border to Dumfriesshire with a lady purchaser M Lewis, Sanquhar.

Close behind at 3,700gns was a regular vendor from Northern Ireland, former jump jockey Michael McAlister, Glenariffe, with Bill, also by Kevin Evans’ red Spot, out of the Co Antrim breeder’s own Mag. Bill was accounted for by a Scottish purchaser, with Tess, another October, 2021 black and white bitch from the same home making 2,200gns.

Away at 3,300gns was Jock, a May, 2021, black, white and mottled dog from Limavady, Northern Ireland, sheep and cattle farmer Loughlin Conn, which excelled in its first nursery season in 2022/23, winning twice at regional level, then a nursery final, before qualifying for the Four Nation Nursery Final, though was unfortunately unable to compete.

The aptly-named Jock, by D McNeill’s Yellowhill Tommy, out of J Connell’s Lynn, went to Scotland with AR Mundell, Moffat. Mr Conn also claimed 1,900gns with a same way bred November, 2020, dog, Joker.

Trialist and shepherdess Janine Ashworth was the first of three entrants from Rossendale who had well-sold entries, making 3,500gns with one of the youngest field-run dogs, her 11-month-old black, white and mottled Mot, fully bred by HJ Simpson. The solid up-and-coming prospect sold locally to Paul Hallam, Horton-in-Ribblesdale.

Richard Holt, Helmshore, made 3,100gns with his black and white dog, Ted, a well-bred February, 2021, son of Kevin Evans’ dual European Nursery and Royal Welsh champion, Tanhill Glen, who found a new home in Oakham, Rutland, with TW Needham.

Selling at exactly 3,000gns was Floss, a 32-month-old tri-coloured bitch from Craig Kempson, Waterfoot. She has already proved herself in the nursery trials circuit, winning two and placing in many others, as well as running in the English Nursery final. She joined regular North Wales buyer John Roberts. Mr Kempson also sold a second December, 2020, black and white bitch at 2,950gns.

Top call of 1,400gns in the unbroken pen fell to Carnforth’s WH Huddleston with Roy, a July, 2022, black and white dog by Ricky Hutchinson’s well-known trials winner Jonah, who qualified for last year’s international supreme and whose progeny are doing really well. Out of J Kelsall’s Peg, Roy joined Ribble Valley working sheep dog aficionado, John Palmer, Twiston.

Back on the field – the live sale was supported by both telephone and real-time online bidding - broken dogs for both work and trial were again available for all tastes and budgets, five dogs in total making from 2,100-2,900gns, another eight at 1,400-1,950gns. Of the 35-strong field entry, 25 dogs successfully found new homes.

Skipton’s next two working sheep dog sales, the first online only, are scheduled for Tuesday, 13 (entries close May 26), with another live field sale on Friday, July 21 (entries close July 5).

Top prices and averages: Registered broken dogs to 3,700gns (av £2,363), registered broken bitches to 14,000gns (av £4,369) – without the 14,000gns top price these averaged £3,077. 1 unregistered broken bitch at 1,700gns.