South Korea’s Jaehoon Lee with one of his working sheep dogs previously bought and imported from the UK.

A SOUTH Korean farmer has had has first Border Collie dog bought from the popular Skipton auction in the United Kingdom safely delivered after a 9000km-plus journey.

Farmer Jaehoon Leepaid £6900 or A$11,950 for the black and white Border Collie dog Wyverne Max at the recent Skipton sheep dog auction in the UK.

Wyverne Max.

It was the auction house’s first sale of a working sheep dog to a South Korean purchaser. Auction organisers CCM Skipton have reported that the dog has arrived safely, is settling in nicely and working well on his sheep flock.

Jaehoon Lee is based in Namhae-gun, a county in South Gyeongsang-do Province, located in the far south-east corner of the Korean peninsula. Wyverne Max was offered for sale by southern Finland’s Ian Dodd, of Mustajoentie, Laylianen.

Mr Lee farms close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple that attracts many tourists.

“I have bought a lot of dogs from England.

“I am trying to be the best in the world and there is only one reason why I bought Max,” he said.

“His ability seemed very good and I thought he would be the dog I needed.”

The auction house said the multi-international transaction has clearly illustrated and again cemented the power of the online selling system and its ability to match dogs with vendors and buyers globally.

Mr Lee’s new acquisition is a well-bred son of leading Welsh handler and breeder, Kevin Evans’ Derwen Doug, a European nursery champion and dual Welsh and international brace champion, out of David Meek’s Wyverne Meg, a daughter of a twice-international champion. David runs Wyverne Border Collies in Maesteg, near Bridgend in Mid-Glamorgan.

At the June Skipton dog sale, Mr Evans, of Brecon, again offered the top price dog when he was paid £7000 or A$12,125 for an 18-month-old Derwen Doug daughter.

About 50 dogs will be offered at Skipton’s summer working sheep dog sale on Friday, July 29.

Source: Moule Media.