World record sheep dog price shattered at Skipton
The world record price paid for a working sheep dog at an official sale was shattered at Skipton Auction Mart in North Yorkshire today. (Fri, Oct 26)
The price of 8,000 guineas (£8,400) was paid for a Marchup Midge, an 18-month-old black and white bitch from Shaun Richards, of Watson Laithe, Hapton, Burnley, by Suffolk shepherd Eddie Thornalley, of Worlington.
It smashed the previous world record price of 6,000 guineas (£6,300), also achieved at Skipton in February last year by a 13-month-old tri-coloured bitch from John Bell, of Parks Farm Howden, Selby.
Midge was bred by a world champion. She is by Roy, the 2008 World Sheep Dog Trials champion in the hands of owner, Welshman Aled Owen, of Penyfed, Tŷ-Nant, Corwen, Denbighshire. Her dam is Calderdale Sue, owned locally by Andrew Throup, of Silsden.
Midge is a full sister to Marchup Sam, sold by Mr Richards at Skipton’s summer working dogs sale in July this year for 5,000 guineas (£5,250), at the time the second highest price in the world ever paid at an official sale.
Mr Thornalley, shepherd for Andrew Foulds at Elveden, has now bought three dogs from Mr Richards at Skipton, and his latest acquisition will be used primarily as a work dog, as well as being used in local nursery trials by Mr Thornalley, who is a member of the East Anglian Sheep Dog Society.
“They are all fantastic dogs,” he said, adding after paying a new world record price: “I have not had a drink in two-and-a-half years – I feel like having one now!”
Previous record holder John Bell, who was also present at the sale, was among the first to congratulate Mr Richards on his success. “Records are there to be broken,” he said.
The sale continues.
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