A THREE-YEAR-OLD border collie bitch named Tock clocked up the day’s top price of 4,000 guineas at Skipton Auction Mart’s summer sale of working sheep dogs last Friday.

The May, 2011-born black-andwhite bitch put in a fantastic performance on the trials field in the hands of Shaun Richards of Pen-y-Borough Sheep Dogs, Eldroth, near Settle.

Tock is by Wenndale Roy from Ricky Hutchinson, Littledale, out of Nell, from Frank Cleary, Darwen.

She was bought by Niel Manning, of Earlshaugh, near Morpeth.

Mr Richards also sold 20-month-old Dan for 2,300gns (£2,415) to John Robinson, of Foulridge.

David Wood from the Derbyshire’s Hope Valley, achieved the day’s second highest price of 3,500gns with his October, 2011-born black-andwhite dog, Alec.

A dual nursery trial winner Alec is by Rick, of Kirkby Stephen’s Alec Baines, and out of Penllwyn Fly, bred by Chloe Cropper, one of the famous Lancashire-based trialling family. He sold to triallist Alastair Lyttle, of County Donegal.

John Bell, of Howden, Selby, headed the broken young dog prices for the third consecutive Skipton sale at 3,000gns with his ten-month-old black-and-white bitch Bet, bred by Jackie Cook, of Egton, Whitby. She was bought for an unnamed triallist.

Mr Bell paid the day’s top unbroken price of 1,100gns for Floss, a blackand- white bitch from local breeder Beverley Fort, of Steeton.

Floss is by Matt Watson’s 2010 English National champion Milo, out of a bitch called Poppy, whose grandfather, Joe, was International Supreme Champion.

Beverley Fort also did well with a September 2009-born tri-coloured bitch, Jan, which she bought as an eight week-old. She sold for 2,400gns to Barry Liddle, of West End, Pateley Bridge, and will work on his hill flock of 100 Dalesbred ewes.

Mr Liddle is a successful working sheep dog breeder and multiple nursery trial winner. His father, Alan, was English National champion.

Achieving 2,400gns was Sweep, a January 2012-born black-and-white dog, from Northumbrian vendor Colin Balmbro, Wooler, which sold to Welsh buyer CD Meek.

Rainbow Fred, a tri-coloured three year-old from Karen Bouch, Penrith, sold for 2,050gns (£2,152) to Bingley’s Keith Downs.

Seventy-three dogs were sold. Broken registered dogs sold to 4,000gns, averaging £2,048; part-broken to 1,050gns, averaging £689; unbroken hit 1,100gns and averaged £390.

Skipton’s next sale is October 24.

Entries close on October 10.