Sheepdog smashes world price record

Retired farmer John Bell, 77, saw his border collie Dewi Fan sell for 6,000 guineas (£6,300) at auction in Skipton after she impressed potential buyers with an outstanding display in earlier trials.

He bought her just five months ago from a breeder in Wales.

Mr Bell said: “I was surprised she got quite as high as that, but there are not many better in the country. She is a star, she has balance, style, raw talent.

“You do take a gamble when you buy pups because you can never tell how they are going to turn out. Some just want to chase sticks all day.

“But she is excellently well bred – two of her family have been international champions.

“When I saw her from the first time she was already showing some of the style I was looking for. She looks the sheep in the eye and can tell which way they are going to go before they move, which is outstanding.

“I also have my own way of training which seems to be working quite well. She gave a top-class display on the day and I’m delighted.”

He added: “Normally I don’t get attached to an individual dog because I treat them all equally, but she is definitely special and it’s lovely to break the record again.”

Last July, Mr Bell’s tri-coloured border collie Ron sold for £5,000 at the same auction house – setting the record which was broken by Dewi Fan.

He started training sheepdogs as a teenager and would sell them on to local farmers for between £15 and £20.

Mr Bell, from Howden, East Yorkshire, added: “I realised I had a bit of knack for it, but gave up when I started farming on my own in Lancashire.

“When I retired 12 years ago I started training sheepdogs again as a hobby, and it has turned into a passion.”

The dog, described in the sale as “smooth-coated and prick-eared”, is from excellent stock – her mother is the renowned Dewi Tweed who won the International Trials in 2009.