A THREE-year-old Border Collie bitch ticked all the right boxes to clock up the day’s top price of 4,000 guineas (£4,200) at Skipton Auction Mart’s annual summer sale of working sheep dogs on Friday.

Tock, a May, 2011-born black and white bitch,put in a near flawless performance on the trials field in the hands of Shaun Richards, who runs Pen-y-Borough Sheep Dogs in Eldroth.

Creating keen interest at the ringside, she eventually found a new home in the Scottish Borders with Neil Manning, of High Hill Farm, Earlshaugh, near Morpeth. Tock will be put to work on a flock of Scottish Blackface sheep on Mr Manning’s hill farm, which soars to 2,000ft above sea level.

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

Selling for the first time at Skipton, David Wood, of Crookhill Farm, Derwent, was thrilled when his October, 2011-born black and white dog, Alec, achieved the day’s second highest price of 3,500gns (£3,675).

Already a dual nursery trial winner, Alec returned home with Alastair Lyttle, of Pettigo, a well-known triallist.

Next best at 3,250gns (£3,412) was Nell, an 18-month-old black and white bitch from Huw Francis, of Llanfyllin, Welshpool. She fell to a Scottish buyer, Mary Lewis, of Thornhill, near Dumfries.

Mr Francis also did well with a younger dog, his 11-month-old tri-coloured bitch Dash, which achieved 2,015gns (£2,115).

Also performing with credit at 3,200gns (£3,360) was a 13-month-old black and white fully home-bred dog, Ben, from Willie Torrens, of Killen, Castlederg, in Co Tyrone. Ben joined a regular buyer from South Wales.

John Bell, of Parks Farm, Howden, headed the broken young dog prices for the third consecutive Skipton sale at 3,000gns (£3,150) with his ten-month-old black and white bitch Bet. She was purchased by Kevin Leatherland, of East Haddon, on behalf of a renowned English triallist.

Mr Bell also sold an 18-month-old tri-coloured bitch, Jan, for 2,000gns (£2,100), and then turned his attention to the unbroken dogs pen to pay 1,100gns (£1,155), top pen price of the day by far, for a well-bred black and white bitch, Floss, which turned one-year-old on sale day, from local breeder and handler Beverley Fort, of Brighton House Farm, Steeton.

Beverley, now operating under her own Beverton prefix, also did well with an older well-bred dog, her September, 2009-born tri-coloured bitch Jan, which she bought as an eight-week-old pup. She fell for 2,400gns (£2,520) to Barry Liddle, of Baudshaw Farm, West End, Pateley Bridge.

John Palmer, of Higher Higson Farm, Twiston, Clitheroe, co-ordinator of the 2011 World Sheep Dog Trials in Cumbria, achieved 2,500gns (£2,625) with his January, 2012-born black and white dog Storm. He was bought by a local hill farmer.

Two further dogs sold for 2,400gns. First up was Aidan Ward, of Omagh, with his March, 2011-born tri-coloured bitch, Lyn, and he was followed by Northumbrian vendor Colin Balmbro, of Wooler, with his a January, 2012-born black and white dog, Sweep.

One of the last broken dogs to take to the field, the tri-coloured three-year-old Rainow Fred, from Karen Bouch, of Copperthorns, Penrith, sold for 2,050gns (£2,152) to Bingley’s Keith Downs.

The sale again produced a strong all-round performance, with well over 100 dogs forward, 73 of which found new homes

Broken registered dogs sold to 4,000gns, averaging £2,048 overall, with part-broken registered dogs selling to 1,050gns at an average of £689. Registered unbroken dogs peaked at 1,100gns and averaged £390.

Skipton's next seasonal working dogs sale is on Friday, October 24. Catalogue entries close on October 10.