Welsh sheepdog becomes one of the world's most expensive puppies

Nine-week-old Pentir Lassie, described as a "lively, confident and healthy" pup, was sold by breeder Glynne Jones, of Pentir, near Bangor in Gwynedd to a dog behaviourist and gundog trainer based near Preston.

The unbroken puppy was sold in Skipton, North Yorkshire for £7,600, which smashed the previous record of £6,100 for an 11-week-old black and white sheepdog, Bet, from well-known Powys breeder David Evans.

Full-time sheep and cattle farmer and sheep dog enthusiast, Mr Jones farms 100 acres between the Snowdonia mountain ranges and the North Wales coast. Lassie was his first offering at Skipton.

He said: “My aim is to breed top quality working sheepdog pups from the best DNA tested bloodlines in the UK. I’m obviously over the moon. Lassie is a dog with everything in my opinion.”

Glynne Jones, who bred nine-week-old Pentir Lassie, which set a new world record price of £7,600 for an unbroken pup at Skipton’s latest working sheep dog sale. Picture by Dave Swinburn Photography

Top Powys father and son breeders and trialists David and Kevin Evans, who between then sold six fully trained and untrained dogs for more than £50,000 combined.

David Evans, of Penclyn Farm, Brecon, topped the May sale at £13,800 with a three-year-old black and white dog, Pen-y-Borough Spud, by son Kevin’s Kemi Ross, a member of both the 2015 and 2016 Welsh National teams, also a 2016 European Nursery finalist, as well as running in the same year’s International.

Spud, better known at home as Buddy, is described as another impeccably bred dog from the Evans fold, being a grandson of dual European Nursery and Royal Welsh Champion, Tanhill Glen.

Buddy was sold to American buyers Kellie Herrington and her husband, Terry Dear, who are located in Ponder, Texas. Kellie is a small animal vet who enjoys trialing and Buddy was purchased purposely for her husband to both trial and use at home, where he is currently is raising a small set of Fullblood American Dorper sheep.

David Evans’ Peny-y-Borough Spud (Buddy), the £13,800 top price dog at Skipton’s latest working sheep dog sale. Picture by SMH Photography

Kevin Evans, of Llwynfedwen Farm, near Brecon, then achieved second best price of £12,800 with his 16-month-old black and white dog, Wyverne Brodie, sold to a buyer from Norway, Jon Arnesand, of Lier in Viken County.

A Derwen Doug daughter also made £9,900 for Kevin. His almost two-year-old black and white sheepdog, Pat, a daughter of Netherlands-based former World Sheep Dog Trials champion Serge van der Sweep’s Gary, was sold to a buyer from the West Midlands, Oldbury’s Laura Field.

A slightly younger black and white sheepdog from the same home sold with a £6,200 price tag. Foxridge Layka is a daughter of Kevin’s Supreme Champion, Hybeck Blake, found a new home north of the border with William Tod (note correct spelling), of Langholm in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland.

Back bounced dad David with a brace of well-sold unbroken pups both by son Kevin’s own red dog, Spot, acquired from Germany and breeding well. The youngest of the duo, Conn, a red and white ten-week-old dog, sold for £5,100 to a French buyer, with a five-month-old black, white and mottled sheepdog, Jess, making £4,050 and also heading to Scotland with Argyle’s Mark Reid.

Kevin Evans’ Wyverne Brodie, second top price £12,800 dog at Skipton’s latest working sheep dog sale. Picture by SMH Photography

Another renowned Welsh handler and top trialist Dewi Jenkins, of Tal-y-bont, near Aberystwyth claimed £10,700 with his sole entry, a highly promising home-bred ten-month-old red and white sheepdog, Tynygraig Lil Red, by fellow Welshman Ross Games’ chocolate and white dog, Caefelin Clem (Taff), out of Mr Jenkins’ own Mia.

The prolific Clem also sired Kim, a 12-month-old dog that earlier this year set a new world record price of more than £27,000 for the Ceredigion handler at a Welsh sale, bettering the previous world record price of £20,000 established at Skipton last autumn by none other than Kevin Evans. Red sold to an undisclosed buyer.

Wales was also responsible for the next best price of £10,000 for a two-year-old black and white sheepdog, Lexi, from Lyn Howells, who farms near Port Talbot in West Glamorgan and is by his own red and white dog, Boss, and a granddaughter of Welsh team member David Howell’s Nip, a World Sheep Dog Trials finalist. With litter brothers all sold at online sales for £10,300, £6,000 and £5,000, Lexi remains in Wales with Phil and Amy Jones, of Raglan in Monmouthshire. The couple breed North Country Cheviots.

Welsh-bred dogs were prominent throughout. Also from Ceredigion, Reece Griffiths, of Ty Coreswyntoedd, made £8,000 with his March, 2019, fully broken black and white dog, Bryniau Celt, sold locally to Silsden’s Martin Throup.

Next best at £6,900 was very first lot to be offered at the online sale, a fully home-bred black, white and mottled bitch January, 2019, bitch, Belle, from North Wales handler, Dylan Edwards, of Maes Hendre in Gwynedd. By own trials-winning Ben, Belle joined past Skipton buyer Frank Hickson, of Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders.