The bragging rights for top dog at CCM Skipton Auction Mart’s Spring field sale of 35 working
sheep dogs with real time bidding went to Barnard Castle’s Rob Hutchinson, Valley Farm, who
secured the day’s highest price of 8400gns (£8820) for his three-year-old black and white bitch,
Jet. (Fri, May 23)
Jet, by Rob’s own Hendre Taff, fast developing into a top stud dog, out of County Durham
handler Frank Whitfield’s Heyshaw Molly, had a very successful nursery season, winning several
trials and being placed on most occasions.
Rob, who runs a prize-winning 800-strong pedigree Swaledale sheep flock and also farms 35
Limousin-x and British Blue-x suckler cattle, was only selling dogs at Skipton for the third
time, with Jet going to an undisclosed phone bidder north of the border.
Rob Hutchinson with his 8400gns dog, Jet
Dewi claims second top 7400gns
Leading Welsh handler and trialist Dewi Jenkins, from Tynygraig, near Aberystwyth, who has
held pole position on price on many occasions at Skipton at both live and online sales, had to
settle for second top call when his sole home-bred entry, the March ‘23-born black and white
bitch, Gwydr Jill, out of Gwydr Lily, sired by his own 2016-born Clwyd Bob - himself from a fine
line of champions and son of his stud dog and International Supreme Champion, Jock - was
knocked down for 7400gns (£7770). She travels to Derbyshire with Gordon Birchenall, Hollow
Shaw Farm, Chinley, where he keeps Herdwicks and Texel-crosses on an 18 acre smallholding.
Dewi Jenkins, right, with 7400gns bitch, Jill, and her new owner Gordon Birchenall
Austrian buyer flies over to secure his ideal dog
There was international interest at the sale too when Robert Eder, a sheep farmer, restaurateur
and Alpine adventure retreat owner - alongside his wife, Elisabeth - at Kohlschnait Mountain Inn,
Gries im Pinzgau, Salzburg, Austria, flew over purposely to secure a dog for his flocks of Lleyn,
Meatlinc and Stone sheep, the meat of which ends up in their restaurant, served alongside their
own home-brewed beer.
Robert, attending the sale with his sons David and Philip, said it was his third visit to Skipton. The
first one was to observe, the second some years back when he bought a bitch and on this
occasion when he was seeking another quality dog.
He was the successful bidder at 3900gns (£4095) for Sweep, an alert and sleek black, white and
mottled February ‘23-born dog sold by Richard Holt, Great House Farm, Rossendale. Sweep has
unquestionably excellent lineage, being sired by Dewi Jenkins’ aforementioned Jock and homebred
out of Fly, a daughter of top handler and trialist Kevin Evans’ dual European Nursery and
Royal Welsh champion, Tanhill Glen, who has had a major impact on selling prices at the leading
North Yorkshire venue in recent years.
Robert, who had clearly done his homework in securing what he described as his ideal dog,
having followed a number of Skipton vendors, said: "I am very happy with my purchase and think
he will do well. He is a very good natured dog. Once all the paperwork is sorted I hope to get him
home in just a few weeks."
Richard Holt, right, with 3900gns dog, Sweep, and his new Austrian owner Robert Eder, centre
and Robert's son, David, left
TV cameras follow Hellifield handler Ellie Street
There was further interest in the day's proceedings when sale-goers learned Channel Five TV
cameras were following Hellifield’s Ellie Street, Hull House, as she expertly juggled putting her
bitch and two dogs through their paces in the field while cradling 10-month-old son, Hendrix, in a
baby sling.
Ellie and her partner, Ed Thornalley, have been in Hellifield for around five years, having located
to the area from Suffolk. Back in 2012, Ed paid a then new world record working sheepdog price
of 8000 guineas (£8400) – since eclipsed many times over – for an 18-month-old bitch from local
handler Shaun Richards.
The cameras, as well as a discreet drone, closely followed all three of her sales to be shown on
the channel’s ‘Our Great Yorkshire Life’ reality TV programme at a date to be determined.
Describing Ellie as a tremendous multi-tasker, CCM auctioneer Jeremy Eaton quickly had
bidders competing for her two-year-old classy black white and tan bitch, Sugarhill Kate.
Home-bred out of Tilly by Vicky Ibbotson’s Gore Hill Chap, Kate - litter sister to Vicky’s multiple
nursery trial winner, Moss - trained by Ellie herself, sold for the day’s fourth high price of 5200gns
(£5460). She was bought by phone bidder Chris Purdham, Appleby.
Ellie’s two other charges, an August ‘23-born dog, Sugarhill Harri, by E Hawkins’ Gorehill Jock,
and the part-trained December ‘23-born black and white dog, Titus, sold for 2600gns (£2730)
and 500gns (£525) respectively.
Ellie Street with son, Hendrix, and 5200gns bitch, Sugarhill Kate
Pen-y-Borough quartet in demand
Skipton regular Shaun Richards, Pen-y-Borough Sheep Dogs, Eldroth, himself had four charges
forward, with his tri-coloured bitch, Bella, securing the third highest price on the day at 5700gns
(£5985). Bella, by Jaff, out of Flowerscar Jess, sold to Howard Kitching, Northallerton.
Shaun sold two further bitches, the two-year-old fully home bred Pen-y-Brough Mist, by Sam out
of Pen-y-Borough Nan, for 3100gns (£3255) and tri-coloured Nell, June ‘23-born by Branshaw
Sol out of Tess, for 2300gns (£2415). His male entry, 28-month-old High Ash Hudson, bred by
Roy Driver out of High Ash Sweep and sired by Sailor, sold for 1400gns (£1470).
Shaun Richards and 5700gns bitch, Bella
Five from 4000gns to 4800gns
Five further entries made 4000gns and over. Craig Kempson, Cowpe Bottoms Farm,
Rossendale, secured 4800gns (£5040) for his November ‘22-born tri-coloured dog, Elstan Glen,
which boasts multi-winnings at nursery trials and the Yorkshire Championship. He is by GRN
Saxon’s Don, out of R Chadwick’s Brobar Gem. He went to an undisclosed buyer.
Shepherdess and trialist Janine Ashworth, Hurst Green Farm, Rossendale, arrived with her
December ‘22-born bitch, Sally, another of her well-bred dogs by Kevin Evans’ Hendre Sam, a
Welsh Nursery Champion and multiple Open trials trials winner who is line bred to dual European
Nursery and Royal Welsh champion, Tanhill Glen. Out of C Settle’s Maggie, Sally sold for a very
tidy 4600gns (£4830) to a buyer in Scotland.
A brace of entries from Northern Ireland’s Gerard Moss, Lismulladuff, Co Donegal, also achieved
over the four thousand mark. Ben, a black and white July ‘23-born dog by the vendor’s own Zack,
out of B Doherty’s Midge, went for 4200gns (£4410) and his June ‘22-born black and white bitch
Jill, by A Wallace’s, Cap, out of K McLaughlin’s, Penny, sold for 4100gns (£4305). Respective
purchasers were County Durham’s Jean Howes and K Fawcett, Kirkby Stephen.
Selling for bob-on 4000gns (£4200) was Elslack handler Jim Scriven’s October ‘22-born black
and white dog, Pinhaw Frank, sired by Dewi Jenkins’ Clwydd Bob, home bred out of Mynach
Kim, which remained in the area when falling to Keith Downs, Carleton.
Best of the Rest
Jean Howes herself claimed 3500gns (£3675) with Three Trees Dime, a 26-month-old almost
fully trained black and white bitch bred by MF Doherty out of Glenshane Country Rose and sired
by Prince. Dime goes to Aberystwyth, Wales, with Aled Davies.
Craig Kempson with his second entry of the day made 3000gns (£3150) with the smart and
stylish Brobar Rock, sired by Spot, another of Kevin Evans’ proteges, out of G Brierley’s Ruby.
Barry Hopwood, Top Lodge, Flintshire, sold his dog Bryn Drew Moss, sired by Kevin Evans’ Red
Spot, out of Lex, by Derwen Doug, for 2900gns (£3045). The February ‘22-born Moss has
already fathered a litter of pups, continuing the excellent bloodlines.
Local buyer Roy Nelson, Bordley, was very happy with his 2000gns (£2100) purchase of Sandy,
an October ‘20-born bitch bred by Ireland’s Pat Byrne sired by Moss, out of Tess. Sandy, sold by
John Atkinson, Eskrick, York, has umpteen first prizes at novice and nursery trials and is now
ready for open trials.
Bob, a part-broken 13-month-old dog from Brynley Williams’ Four Acre farm, Mold, reached
1900gns (£1995), while from Glaisdale M Ward’s tri-coloured five-year-old bitch, Midge, sold
for1600gns (£1680).
A brace of dogs sold for 1500gns (£1575) each - Max, a June ‘23-born dog from Ivan Stevenson
- still handling dogs at the age of 86 at his Broughshane home, in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland -
and Peter Blain’s Syfnwy Jaff, from Alltygwine, Bala, North Wales.
In the untrained section, an unbroken bitch sold for 950gns (£997.50) while six pups sold
between 50gns (£52.50) and 200gns (£210).
Prices and Averages
Prices and averages: Broken Registered Dogs from 500gns to 4800gns, av. £2827, Broken
Registered Bitches from 2000gns to 8400gns, av. £4862. Unbroken Unregistered Bitches to
950gns. Puppies: Registered Dogs to 120gns, Registered Bitches to 50gns, Unregistered Dogs
to 200gns.