Welsh trialist, Aled Owen, came up trumps at a live working sheep dog sale at Skipton, selling the top priced entry at 5000gns.

Mr Owen from Penyfed, Ty-Nant, Corwen, led the field with his December, 2022-born black and white dog, Nantmel Don. A son of his home-bred Llangwm Bud, the 2022 Welsh National champion and reserve supreme champion the same year that has since been sold privately to South Korean handler Jaehoon Lee,

Out of a solid farm bitch, Denwyn Jen, Don found a new home in the Netherlands with Pim Visscher of Sheepdog Services in Huis Ter Heide, Utrecht.

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Northern Ireland handler, Michael McAlister, Glenariffe, sold a trio of young bitches for a combined £11,760. The litter sisters are sired by Braehead Lad, from fellow Irish breeder Patrick McGoldrick. Co Donegal, out of Mr McAlister's own Lynn.

Selling at 4400gns was Tess, that has already been placed in six nurseries and is a qualifier for the North of Ireland Nursery final. She sold to Dick Roper, Gloucs.

Mr McAlister, a former National Hunt jump jockey followed with sales of 3600gns and 3200gns for litter sisters, Jess and Jan.

Fellow Northern Ireland farmer, Loughlin Conn, took 4000gns for his three-year-old black, white and mottled dog, Tom, by R Price’s Doc, out of TB Lane’s Fern. He was purchased by an undisclosed buyer anonymity.

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Shaun and Sue Richards, of Pen-y-Borough Sheep Dogs, Eldroth, sold at 3600gns and 3000gns. Dearest was the two-year-old tri-coloured bitch, Dot, by JP McDaid’s Ben, out of A Canny’s Penny.

Pip, a three-year-old black and white bitch by Welshman Ross Games' top trials dog, Roy, out of RP Watson’s Eden Valley, made 3000gns

Unbroken entries sold to 900gns for a rising three-month-old bitch pup from Willie Torrens, of Killen, Castlederg, Co Tyrone. His Bell Blue sold locally to Silsden’s Howard Metcalfe.

By the end of the day, eight dogs sold at 3000gns with a further 11 at 2000gns and more. Registered broken dogs averaged £2594); registered broken bitches levelled at £3089; registered part-broken dogs, £315 and registered part-broken bitches, £1053.

Auctioneers: CCM