Evans £13700 top CCM working sheepdog bitch heads to Italy

The fully broken Emi is rising 16 months and was described by her breeder as ‘a class act with pace, power and brain,’ and a great nursery prospect. Out of fellow Welsh handler Rhys Groucott’s Bell, she was sired by Kevin’s own renowned Hendre Sam, a Welsh Nursery Champion and multiple Open trials trials winner who is line bred to his dual European Nursery and Royal Welsh champion, Tanhill Glen, who has had such a major impact on leading prices at both live and online working sheepdog sales at Skipton in recent years.

While asking not to be named, the Italian purchaser farms at Azienda Agricola Fungarino, keeping pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cows and also running a small sheep flock on which to work his dogs. He said: “It’s already a couple of years since I first became involved with sheepdogs to help me in farm work and move cows. I got Emi to do farm work, have great litters and in the future possibly trial.”

The online format at the leading North Yorkshire venue regularly attracts international attention for those seeking undoubted breeding and quality, with two of Kevin's dogs going to both America and Japan in the recent past.

His latest top price performer was one of four dogs put forward for auction from his Llwynfedwen home in Brecon, mid-Wales, all achieving total clearance, His part-trained entry, Gwen, an alert and responsive red and white 15-month-old bitch by his own Thornbury Max, a South Wales Nursery Champion and reserve All-Wales Nursery Champion, out of his father David’s Dunelle Gwen, sold for the part-broken top price of £3700 to William Colton, Yelverton, Devon.

The Welsh handler also claimed top call of £2300 for an unbroken pup. The accolade was earned by Abi, an 11-week-old red and white bitch by Kevin’s Open trials winner, the Swedish-bred Middery Frank, out of Claire Slater’s Whiteley Fleck. The true trials prospect makes her way to Gloucestershire after being snapped up by Dan Davis, Cheltenham.

Abi's red and white litter brother, Wyn, with equal focus and great prospects, sold for £1250 and goes to Nidderdale with Richard Shepherd, Pateley Bridge.

The second highest price on the day was £4500 for Zac, a March ’23-bred fully trained black and white dog with great lineage, being sired by renowned Welsh trialist and breeder Dewi Jenkins’ main stud dog Jock, out of AL Thomas’ Nantcydros Lottie. He was sold by John MacDonald, from the Isle of Skye, as a solid all-rounder and upcoming nursery trial prospect and remains north of the border as he heads to Lanarkshire with Alastair Walker, Hamilton.

Fetching £2900 was Oakworth’s Philip Mellin, Moor Lane Farm, whose fully trained entry with nursery potential, Spen Head Bob, a May ’23-born black and white dog sired by L Bancroft’s Fly and out of the same breeder’s Fly, was snapped up by Graham Oliver, Wooler, Northumberland.

Logan Williams, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, sold fully trained litter brother and sister, Nedwin Zac and Nedwin Tara, two smart black and white entries with trial potential, for £1400 each. They were both May ’23-born by Efail Mick, son of David Howells’ Nip, out of Gray y Gors Erin. Tara remains in Carmarthenshire with Arwel Morgan, Lllandovery, while Zac goes to Newry, Northern Ireland, with Sam McConnell.

A part-broken lilac, white and tan dog, Park Hill Rip, coming up 12-months-old, was a reluctant sale from Dan Moore, from the Isle of Man, whose commitments were forcing him to part company with his charge. Rip is by RJ Dykes’ Martini Silver, out of MG Tomlinson’s Park Hill Peggy. He sold for £2700 to well-known Welsh handler and trialist Ross Games, Powys.

Claiming a sale figure of £2000 was Shropshire’s Neville Bird, Ludlow, for his February ’24-born black and white bitch, Bryn-yr-Orsedd Meg. She is sired by Max, the reigning ISDS World Champion from Norway’s Petter Landfald, out of Bryn-yr-Orsedd Nell. Meg’s new Irish home is in Killorglin, Co Kerry, with John Moriarty.

Stuart Walton, who runs Brackenholme Sheepdogs from Sandhoe Farm, Goole, sold his part-broken 12-month-old black and white dog, Brackenholme Fred, for £1200. He is by Sango Jim out of Scalpsie Maid. Fred finds a new home in Co Durham with Andrew Spence, Consett.

Prices and averages: Broken reg dogs to £4500, average £3535, broken reg bitches to £13700, average £5985. Part broken reg dogs to £1200, part broken reg bitches to £3700. Reg dog pups to £1250, reg bitch pups to £2300.