The world record price for a working sheep dog at an official sale was smashed at Skipton Auction Mart when Northumberland shepherdess, Emma Gray's two-and-a-half-year-old black and white bitch, Megan, hit 18,000gns (€22,644).
Skipton Auction Mart’s general manager and auctioneer Jeremy Eaton, who sold Megan, said: “It was an unbelievable sale given the conditions on the day and in the run up.”
Megan shattered the previous record price of 14,100 guineas (€17,738) set by Northern Ireland’s Padraig Doherty, of Ardagh Sheepdogs Co Donegal, in 2016.
Irish sales
There was again strong Irish representation among the vendors.
Mr C McLaughlin, from Cloontagh, Co Donegal, made 4,300gns with his 21-month-old black and white bitch, Moya, by Moss, from County Roscommon’s Pat Byrne, out of James McLaughlin’s Jess.
The granddaughter of the latter’s Ben (Dan), a twice Irish National Champion, and Ricky Hutchinson’s famed Sweep, will travel north to Dumfries and Galloway with Newton Stewart’s J Mitchell.
Neil Hirrell, also from Cloontagh, made 4,100gns with his 13-month-old black and white Convert Gubitch, Nan, another product of Pat Byrne’s Moss, out of DP Mullaney’s Queen. The dog found a new home in Wales with Wrexham’s G Davies.
A granddaughter to County Antrim-based Michael Gallagher’s renowned trials dog Cap, Nan has already successfully reared a litter of seven pups. She sold for 4,400gns to Scottish contract shepherd Allan Gordon, of Kilmalcom in Renfrewshire, and will be used solely as work dog, primarily on Scottish Blackface sheep.
Northern Ireland schoolgirl Olivia McLaughlin with her dog Jim, who topped the unbroken pen prices at 1,600gns, joined by buyer Tom Bebb.
Olivia's delight
Doing best in the unbroken pen with a 1,600gns top price on what was her first appearance at an official working sheep dog sale was 11-year-old Northern Ireland schoolgirl Olivia McLaughlin.
Olivia and her father Owen travelled from Cloontagh, Co Donegal, to make the sale.
Olivia, set the pup pen alight with her nine-month-old black and white dog, Jim, who is also by Owen’s brother, James McLaughlin’s twice Irish National Champion, Ben (Dan).
Broken dogs of both sexes sold to an overall average of £2,740 (€3,282) per head. A total of 28 registered dogs sold from 400gns to 6,500gns (average €2,828), with 25 registered bitches selling from 700gns to 18,000gns (average €3,632). Two unregistered bitches also sold at 2,000gns and 2,500gns.
Of the part/unbroken entry, 16 registered dogs sold from 80gns to 1,600gns and 14 registered bitches from 300gns to 1,500gns. A single unregistered dog also made 450gns.
Skipton’s next working sheep dog sale is on Friday, May 15. Catalogue entries close on 1 May.
Read more
Walkers urged to control dogs around sheep in upland areas
In pictures: 400-500kg stores average over €2/kg in Birr
My Country Living: 'You can't go in and talk to your quad at night'
The world record price for a working sheep dog at an official sale was smashed at Skipton Auction Mart when Northumberland shepherdess, Emma Gray's two-and-a-half-year-old black and white bitch, Megan, hit 18,000gns (€22,644).
Skipton Auction Mart’s general manager and auctioneer Jeremy Eaton, who sold Megan, said: “It was an unbelievable sale given the conditions on the day and in the run up.”
Megan shattered the previous record price of 14,100 guineas (€17,738) set by Northern Ireland’s Padraig Doherty, of Ardagh Sheepdogs Co Donegal, in 2016.
Irish sales
There was again strong Irish representation among the vendors.
Mr C McLaughlin, from Cloontagh, Co Donegal, made 4,300gns with his 21-month-old black and white bitch, Moya, by Moss, from County Roscommon’s Pat Byrne, out of James McLaughlin’s Jess.
The granddaughter of the latter’s Ben (Dan), a twice Irish National Champion, and Ricky Hutchinson’s famed Sweep, will travel north to Dumfries and Galloway with Newton Stewart’s J Mitchell.
Neil Hirrell, also from Cloontagh, made 4,100gns with his 13-month-old black and white Convert Gubitch, Nan, another product of Pat Byrne’s Moss, out of DP Mullaney’s Queen. The dog found a new home in Wales with Wrexham’s G Davies.
A granddaughter to County Antrim-based Michael Gallagher’s renowned trials dog Cap, Nan has already successfully reared a litter of seven pups. She sold for 4,400gns to Scottish contract shepherd Allan Gordon, of Kilmalcom in Renfrewshire, and will be used solely as work dog, primarily on Scottish Blackface sheep.
Northern Ireland schoolgirl Olivia McLaughlin with her dog Jim, who topped the unbroken pen prices at 1,600gns, joined by buyer Tom Bebb.
Olivia's delight
Doing best in the unbroken pen with a 1,600gns top price on what was her first appearance at an official working sheep dog sale was 11-year-old Northern Ireland schoolgirl Olivia McLaughlin.
Olivia and her father Owen travelled from Cloontagh, Co Donegal, to make the sale.
Olivia, set the pup pen alight with her nine-month-old black and white dog, Jim, who is also by Owen’s brother, James McLaughlin’s twice Irish National Champion, Ben (Dan).
Broken dogs of both sexes sold to an overall average of £2,740 (€3,282) per head. A total of 28 registered dogs sold from 400gns to 6,500gns (average €2,828), with 25 registered bitches selling from 700gns to 18,000gns (average €3,632). Two unregistered bitches also sold at 2,000gns and 2,500gns.
Of the part/unbroken entry, 16 registered dogs sold from 80gns to 1,600gns and 14 registered bitches from 300gns to 1,500gns. A single unregistered dog also made 450gns.
Skipton’s next working sheep dog sale is on Friday, May 15. Catalogue entries close on 1 May.
Read more
Walkers urged to control dogs around sheep in upland areas
In pictures: 400-500kg stores average over €2/kg in Birr
My Country Living: 'You can't go in and talk to your quad at night'
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: