Dewi Jenkins with his top-priced Skipton working sheep dog, Llwynsarn Non, joined by sister Sara Jenkinson, left, and girlfriend Sara Lewis. image – Moule Media.

A BORDER Collie bitch has sold for about A$27,000 (£14,700) in the latest Skipton Auction Mart sale in the United Kingdom.

Welsh handler and trialler Dewi Jenkins declared his three year-old black and white bitch Llwynsarn Non was the best bitch he’d ever brought to the leading North Yorkshire venue for the Spring sale on 19 May.

Dewi, of Tynygraig, Talybont, near Aberystwyth in Ceredigon, has been responsible for multiple top price Skipton dogs at live and online sales in recent years. He sold the top-priced dog in the Skipton March sale for £18,100 or A$34,000.

Moule Media said Dewi — 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, that he also represented Wales with 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.

Non is out of Llwynsarn Eve, bred in North Wales by Hefin Jones, himself a former Welsh National champion. The bitch was reared until 10 months-old by Dewi’s 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.

The top-priced bitch was 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, Moule Media said. The 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 in the sale 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 trialler.

Out of Tony’s own Ruby, 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 is the third dog purchased by the Browns at Skipton and the bitch will be used a work dog and a replacement for a working bitch, Mali, who is now nine years-old and was also bought at a CCM working sheep dog sale.

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).

Dewi Jenkins puts Llwynsarn Non, through her paces on the Skipton trials field. Image – Moule Media.

Source – Moule Media.