0:00:07 > 0:00:09We may live in a digital age...
0:00:11 > 0:00:14..but a surprising amount of British trade is still done the
0:00:14 > 0:00:16old-fashioned way...
0:00:16 > 0:00:19AUCTIONEER CALLS OUT
0:00:19 > 0:00:21..at traditional auctions.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Now's your time to get a bargain.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26These sales may feel like throwbacks to a bygone age...
0:00:28 > 0:00:31but for the buyers and sellers who flock to them,
0:00:31 > 0:00:33they're still the best way to conduct business.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36At 1,500, blow your nose and bid again.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39We'll be visiting the UK's most dynamic traditional markets...
0:00:41 > 0:00:49..selling everything from pigs to cattle, sheepdogs to ponies,
0:00:49 > 0:00:51fish to veg,
0:00:51 > 0:00:56and discovering how they are the heartbeat of rural life.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58There'll be bargains to be had today.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01- 4.50.- That's part of being at an auction.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Today, we're in North Wales
0:01:05 > 0:01:07at one of the biggest sheepdog sales in the country.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10I'll take 500, sir.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13The breed on sale is the classic Border collie -
0:01:13 > 0:01:16a British dog with a global reputation.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19We'll be meeting the auctioneers...
0:01:19 > 0:01:222,400. 2,500.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25..and following the fortunes of three buyers and sellers...
0:01:25 > 0:01:26Get it! Good lad.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Let's hope that some people will come today to buy my dog.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32The look of the dog...
0:01:32 > 0:01:36- ..as they experience all the excitement...- 600.. - WHISTLE BLOWS
0:01:36 > 0:01:39No, he says, I'm afraid. He knows what he's got there.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42- ..and tension...- Hey! Hey!
0:01:42 > 0:01:47- Reputations can be made or broken in Bala.- ..as the hammer falls.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59We're in Snowdonia -
0:01:59 > 0:02:04over 800 square miles of spectacular mountains, coastline and lakes.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Right on the edge of this stunning landscape lies Bala -
0:02:12 > 0:02:14an ancient market town steeped in history.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Farming is at the heart of the Welsh economy,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21where sheep outnumber people three to one.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27And where there are sheep, there are sheepdogs.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29HE WHISTLES
0:02:29 > 0:02:32- Stand. Come by.- Stand.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Away. That'll do!
0:02:35 > 0:02:36No surprise, then, that Bala is home
0:02:36 > 0:02:39to Britain's oldest sheepdog auction,
0:02:39 > 0:02:44and this year's autumn sale is just getting under way.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47- How are we?- Did Brian send you a video of those pups?
0:02:47 > 0:02:50I'll show you what her pups are doing, yeah?
0:02:50 > 0:02:53He rides in the pick-up, but I've never had him on a bike.
0:02:53 > 0:02:54I haven't got a bike.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Running the show are veteran auctioneers
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Glyn Owens and Elfor Morris.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07They run a busy livestock auction a few miles from Bala,
0:03:07 > 0:03:12selling farm animals, especially sheep, three times a week.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16I have been an auctioneer now for 23 years.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19It was always something I wanted to do, really,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23from a young age - selling stock with my father at a young age.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25You go there and you love the buzz
0:03:25 > 0:03:29and the whole atmosphere of the auction system, really.
0:03:29 > 0:03:35All together, all together. What weight? 39.5 all together, sir.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38I like meeting people, and the enjoyment is
0:03:38 > 0:03:41satisfaction of getting a good trade for people as well,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44cos you've got to remember, people bring their product to us to sell,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47and it is their financial future.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51But twice a year, they turn their attention
0:03:51 > 0:03:53to the special sheepdog sale.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56HE SINGS TO HIMSELF
0:03:56 > 0:04:00What's your panic, Sean?
0:04:00 > 0:04:03- OK.- Nearly 80 sheepdogs will be sold today,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06with as many as 500 people turning up to watch and bid.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11We show the dogs first, which is very important.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14It is like an exhibition.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18And people can see exactly what they are buying as they run on the field,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20to be quite honest.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27So when you do do a good job for them, that is great satisfaction,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30and going home after a good sale, nothing better.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Going home after a bad sale, nothing worse.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36THUNDER RUMBLES
0:04:41 > 0:04:43But today there's a problem.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46It's not just raining,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48it's pouring.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53I can't ever remember a day like this on this hill,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56and I've been coming here well over 20 years.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05It was pretty bad two years ago, but today, without a shadow of a doubt,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07is the worst I've ever experienced here.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Unfortunately, because the forecast was so bad last night,
0:05:09 > 0:05:13people have decided to keep away, but as the day goes on, I'm sure
0:05:13 > 0:05:15we'll have a lot of people here and
0:05:15 > 0:05:18I'm convinced we'll have a good sale again today.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Despite the turnout and the rain not letting up, the show must go on.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Can I welcome you all here to the Bala Sheepdog Sale?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31We have got some very good dogs on offer for you today. The sale is in
0:05:31 > 0:05:36guineas, by the way. The sale is in guineas.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40A guinea - a British coin that's over 350 years old -
0:05:40 > 0:05:43is the equivalent of £1.05.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48It's an old-fashioned way of selling dogs and pedigree livestock, but not
0:05:48 > 0:05:53only that, obviously as a company, when we sell in guineas,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55the company gets the guinea.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00We start the sale with lot number one - Debbie Jenkins with Tips.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04Sheepdog auctions are a particularly tough type of sale.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Sellers have to perform a live demonstration with their dogs,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10rounding up a group of sheep.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13They have three minutes to impress the crowd of fellow experts as
0:06:13 > 0:06:18- bidding begins.- For the handlers, the preparation could take, well,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21anywhere from six to 12 months,
0:06:21 > 0:06:25preparing this dog for the three minutes that it's got to
0:06:25 > 0:06:29show itself off, and the guy might be depending on that for a living.
0:06:29 > 0:06:321,500 away. 1,500 away. quickly.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Buyers are looking for how the dog responds to commands.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39A calm, steady dog is what everybody is looking for.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Nobody wants a dog that's kind of wild and, you know,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46a bit too strong, sort of thing, even though you need it sometimes,
0:06:46 > 0:06:48if you're moving big flocks of sheep.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51That handler will be showing all the skills that that dog has got in
0:06:51 > 0:06:56three minutes, and the buyers then will be bidding accordingly,
0:06:56 > 0:07:01and hopefully everything goes well and the dog will have a premium
0:07:01 > 0:07:03and sell well for the handler. Well, there we are.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05He's very disappointed but, believe it or not,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07the dog is on the market today.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09- At 600. Now is your time to get a bargain. - WHISTLE BLOWS
0:07:09 > 0:07:12When the whistle's blown, their three minutes are up
0:07:12 > 0:07:14but the bidding carries on.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16600. He's worth every penny.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20However, with no sign of the rain stopping any time soon,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23it could well be a tough auction for everybody.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27All finished, all done, at 600 it is.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29It does have an effect on everything.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31The handler, you know, is there
0:07:31 > 0:07:34in his coat and his, you know, cap, with a whistle,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37getting wet and all this kind of thing.
0:07:37 > 0:07:38It can affect the sheep as well.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Bad weather can also affect the sheep.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45It can have an effect on how the dogs work as well, to be honest with you.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48If the dogs can't hear the handlers whistling or shouting the commands,
0:07:48 > 0:07:52you know, it can have a bit of an effect.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Despite the torrential downpour,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Glyn and Elfor are determined to keep selling,
0:07:58 > 0:08:02making sure everyone goes home with more than just wet feet.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04See you in a bit, boys.
0:08:04 > 0:08:09Seller Emrys Jones is well aware how the rain might affect sales.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14There's not many people here, unfortunately, due to the weather.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Normally, there's about four, five,
0:08:17 > 0:08:22six rows of cars filling the car park and, no, they're not here.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25I'm hoping....there'll be bargains to be had today.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33Emrys lives 30 miles south-west of Bala in Talybont.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37He lives and works on a smallholding passed down in his family
0:08:37 > 0:08:39for three generations.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Smallhold farming is a precarious way of making a living,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48and Emrys works several jobs on his 25-acre farm.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Alongside his sheep,
0:08:52 > 0:08:56he rents out caravans, sells firewood
0:08:56 > 0:08:58and clears hedgerows.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05But Emrys's passion is training and selling sheepdogs,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08and in the autumn months, when his caravan business is quiet,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11they're an important source of income.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Stand. Stand.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Stand... Stand, stand.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20Get up. Steady. Good lad.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24He's been training sheepdogs since he was 13 years old.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26The thing I like most about sheepdogs,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29I would say they are the Sherlock Holmes of dogs.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33I love putting the work in, and then you get so much back out.
0:09:35 > 0:09:41I love going up the mountains with a dog that you've either bred or
0:09:41 > 0:09:44trained and you see it working.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46It puts a lump in your throat.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50It's great. But then, on the other side, you know, when you take a dog
0:09:50 > 0:09:53up there that you've trained and it all goes horribly wrong,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56it fills you with doom.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Stand. Stand there.
0:09:59 > 0:10:04- Stand there.- Emrys has been working for months to get two of his dogs,
0:10:04 > 0:10:09Jim and Ross, ready for the Bala auction. HE WHISTLES
0:10:09 > 0:10:12That'll do. Well, this is Jim.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14He's a little bit frantic.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16He can do a good job when he settles down.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18He's only young, 16 months.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Jim. Jim.
0:10:21 > 0:10:27And I'm hoping to get around 2,500, maybe 2,700 if I'm lucky.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28Next up is Ross.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33Well, this is my second dog, Ross.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36He's an absolute dream to handle.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38He's easy. Your grandma could handle this one.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42I'm hoping to maybe get £3,000 for him.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47At the auction, Emrys will have to showcase
0:10:47 > 0:10:51his dogs' sheep-herding skills to a crowd of fellow professionals.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53With three minutes to make an impression,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56it can be a nerve-racking experience.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02The sale Saturday will be, like, to me,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05full of excitement, trepidation, woe,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08hoping that your dog's going to do well.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12How Emrys's dogs perform on the day will make a big difference to how
0:11:12 > 0:11:14much profit he can make.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Ross, I think he's a cracking little dog.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19He will take it in his stride.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22I think, if anything, he will love it.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25The one that I'm worried about the most, I would say, is Jim,
0:11:25 > 0:11:27because he is eager and he could
0:11:27 > 0:11:31apply too much pressure to those little ewe lambs and scatter them,
0:11:31 > 0:11:38and then your £3,000 or £2,500 dog may be only 1,400 or 1,500.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41HE WHISTLES
0:11:41 > 0:11:42Come by.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Back at the auction, the rain is relentless.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57If I can get between 600 and 1,000, knowing what he's like,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- I'd be happy.- 2,800.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05He's very disappointed with it.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Emrys is next up with Jim. But with the bad weather,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11some sellers have been having trouble getting good prices.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13HE GROANS
0:12:13 > 0:12:16As a seller today, I'm disappointed, but we can't do anything here.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18We're in the laps of the gods.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20We can't do anything about the weather.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25Let's hope that some people will come today to buy my dog.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Number 24.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31And this is Mr Emrys Jones.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33But seasoned pro Emrys isn't deterred.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35He'll be showing off Jim's skills,
0:12:35 > 0:12:40and he's hoping the bidding will hit around 2,500 guineas.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44- Jim.- A good-looking, pricked-eared dog.- And the dog.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49Emrys Jones is a bit of a character, and he always shows with confidence,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52he's a very confident guy.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56Great character, and a bit of a laugh with Emrys all the time.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- Oh, he's not bad either. - Hearing Emrys speak Welsh,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01a buyer asks if Jim knows English commands.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05HE SPEAKS IN WELSH
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Yes, yes. Irish, Scottish.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Emrys assures him he does.
0:13:11 > 0:13:17Despite Emrys's calm exterior, Jim has been a handful at times.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21One false move, and Emrys stands to lose out on hundreds of pounds.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23And with weather this bad, anything could happen.
0:13:25 > 0:13:31Because it's a bit scary Mary with all the rain and the wind,
0:13:31 > 0:13:32Jim will take advantage of that,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35because that's the kind of dog he is.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40A bit of a handful, but let's keep our fingers and legs and arms and
0:13:40 > 0:13:43everything crossed for this afternoon.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47Number 24 in your catalogue. This is Jim.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Stand! Get up!
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Stand! Come by.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Stand! Stand there. Come by.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Stand! Stand.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59Emrys is working Jim hard, but bidding is sluggish.
0:13:59 > 0:14:023,000. 2,000, start me quickly, no less.
0:14:02 > 0:14:07Should all be in there. 2,000 off. 2,000 away. 2,000.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10- Come by. Stand. - HE WHISTLES
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Get up.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Stand. That'll do. Good boy.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18- Good boy.- Who's got 1,500 away, quickly?
0:14:18 > 0:14:21No less. Once I count him in, should all be in there for quality
0:14:21 > 0:14:24like this. 1,500 away. 15 with me.
0:14:24 > 0:14:2916. 18. 2,000. 2,100.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Jim is proving quick to respond to all of Emrys's commands.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37The bids begin to flood in as all the elements start to come together.
0:14:37 > 0:14:44- Stay there.- 16. 18. 2,000. 2,100. 2,200.- Get up. Good lad.- 2,300 for what a good dog he is.
0:14:44 > 0:14:492,400. 2,500. 2,600. 2,700. 2,700. 2,800.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Don't lose him. 2,800 bid. 2,800.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55- Just look at this one now. - WHISTLE BLOWS
0:14:55 > 0:14:58The three minutes are up, but the bidding continues.
0:14:58 > 0:14:592,800.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Have you all done? And selling away, all finished,
0:15:02 > 0:15:06all done for 2,800 guineas.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09The gentleman here, lucky man, 2,800 guineas.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Jim has wowed the crowd.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14With a price of nearly 3,000,
0:15:14 > 0:15:18he's brought in over £400 more than Emrys hoped for.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22I'm really pleased with Jim. The smile tells it all.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24He worked very well.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27In the conditions, he kept off the sheep,
0:15:27 > 0:15:32he worked them round and, to be honest, today,
0:15:32 > 0:15:38I would have let him go for £1,700, but he made 2,800, so...
0:15:38 > 0:15:41..kerching! We're really happy.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49- This gentleman...- Oh, this one. Oh, yes. OK. Thank you very much.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51Come over here. We'll talk over here.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56What's pleased me the most, he's going to a lovely place.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59- Where's he going?- Newton Stewart. - Newton Stewart, top of Scotland?
0:15:59 > 0:16:02- No, bottom of Scotland. - Oh, bottom of Scotland.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Oh, sorry. Beg my pardon.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07- How many sheep have you got? - Oh, 700, 800.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Oh, right. Oh, you'll be all right.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12He's a lovely dog round the yard.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14He's no bother. Good boy, Jim.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20He's on "away", "come by", "stand", and "that'll do".
0:16:20 > 0:16:24- If he goes a little bit tight, just... - HE SPEAKS WELSH
0:16:24 > 0:16:27..which means "to me", and he'll come off the sheep a little bit and
0:16:27 > 0:16:29then he'll give them a bit more room.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34With Jim taking the weather in his stride,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36Emrys has just one dog, Ross,
0:16:36 > 0:16:40to sell at the auction later this afternoon, and he has high hopes.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50The town of Bala may be small and remote,
0:16:50 > 0:16:52but it has an impressive claim to fame.
0:16:52 > 0:16:57The world's first sheepdog trials were held here nearly 150 years ago.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03Trialling really took off after that all over the country.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06And at its heart was a new breed of dog, the Border collie.
0:17:07 > 0:17:13Old Hemp here, born in 1893, is the father of the breed and, incredibly,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16all pure Border collies in the world today
0:17:16 > 0:17:18are said to be descended from him.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Among the cleverest of all the canines,
0:17:24 > 0:17:25collies can be trained
0:17:25 > 0:17:28to obey a range of up to 20 verbal commands and whistles
0:17:28 > 0:17:31that allow them to control large herds of sheep.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35I think the collie has a tremendous brain.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38They listen well, they react to commands
0:17:38 > 0:17:40better than a lot of other dogs.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47For farmers with large flocks on remote hillsides,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49a skilled sheepdog is invaluable.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53That's why many are prepared to pay thousands for a really good one.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56The dogs are getting better every year, you know.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00And there was a time, I remember, going back years now,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02when the dogs were not quite as good,
0:18:02 > 0:18:04when the dogs would just run
0:18:04 > 0:18:07to all kinds of different directions and everything.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Stand! Stand!
0:18:10 > 0:18:13But it's not just the dogs that have improved.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15The handlers now put in months of preparation
0:18:15 > 0:18:18to make sure their dog is best in show.
0:18:19 > 0:18:20Stand!
0:18:21 > 0:18:24The top handlers are absolutely superb dog-handlers.
0:18:24 > 0:18:29It's not enough to like an animal that you want to show or train as a
0:18:29 > 0:18:31sheepdog. You've got to love it.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35You've got to have a handler who is quiet in the way he treats his
0:18:35 > 0:18:38animals. It's not worth having someone who shouts.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Another thing is not overworking the sheepdog at one time.
0:18:42 > 0:18:435,800.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47And if a handler starts to get a name for themselves,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50the sheepdog auction can become a family business, too.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53There's a lot of connections, you know.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57People will try and follow a certain bloodline of dog.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00If they might have started with you or started with your grandfather,
0:19:00 > 0:19:04perhaps, then they tend to follow them just to see how they're turning
0:19:04 > 0:19:09out, type of thing, so, yes, it's a big event in the diary, I would say.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17At 5,800 guineas...
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Don't get wet, yeah. OK, thanks very much.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22- Nice to have met you both. - Back at the auction,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24the rain has been pouring down all day
0:19:24 > 0:19:28and it's more than auctioneer Glyn had bargained for.
0:19:29 > 0:19:35Glyn Owens, in Bala, wet, miserable, nagging wife, don't want to go home.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40Whilst the rain has given the sellers a bit of a battering
0:19:40 > 0:19:42and driven some of the crowds away...
0:19:44 > 0:19:49..buyer Osian Jones is determined to get what he wants.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Having stood in the rain all day,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56getting this wet, it'd be a bit of a disappointment
0:19:56 > 0:19:58leaving without a dog that I can train.
0:20:01 > 0:20:0326-year-old Osian is none other
0:20:03 > 0:20:07than seller Emrys's son. Since returning from travelling,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11he's been busy working on his dad's farm and he's been managing the
0:20:11 > 0:20:13sheepdog puppies for Emrys.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16You hold on to her, then, and I'll hold on to him.
0:20:18 > 0:20:19He's a good boy.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Oh, yes.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28- What's his name?- Tim.
0:20:28 > 0:20:29Tim?
0:20:30 > 0:20:31Only temporarily.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33How many dogs have we got right now, here?
0:20:33 > 0:20:35So, I think we're on six.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- Including these two? - Including these two.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41I think I'll keep on to him, you know, Osh, I quite like him.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44- Yeah.- I'll hold him for a little bit longer, yeah?
0:20:44 > 0:20:48Yeah. Yeah. Shall we put it to the vote?
0:20:48 > 0:20:49Yes!
0:20:50 > 0:20:54- Where is she going now? To... - Ireland.- To Ireland, yes.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56I'll keep him, I think, but I'll change his name.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58I don't like Tim. Tom.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01- Yeah, Tom's nice.- Tom.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03I'll keep him. I'll try him.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Yeah? Stay with me.
0:21:05 > 0:21:06- Oh, yes.- Stand.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Steady.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11Stand. Stand.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Osian trained as an engineer, but after coming home,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20remembered his love of working with sheepdogs.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24This year, I had the opportunity to kind of travel for eight months
0:21:24 > 0:21:29and, as part of that opportunity, one of the places was Australia.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31I went over there to pursue some work
0:21:31 > 0:21:35but ended up part time on a huge sheep farm.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I thought, "If I can do this,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40"maybe it's something that I should focus on more when I get home."
0:21:40 > 0:21:44This is now a big part of my life, training sheepdogs.
0:21:44 > 0:21:45And at the Bala auction,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48he's on the lookout to buy a dog of his own
0:21:48 > 0:21:50that he can train up for competitions.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I bought a dog and she wasn't quite good enough,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56so that kind of makes me readjust for Bala,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58and now Bala is more about looking
0:21:58 > 0:22:01for young dogs with potential to train,
0:22:01 > 0:22:06rather than buying in an experienced dog and polishing it ready to trial.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08Stand.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Stand.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15- Come by.- I'm very proud of Osian for taking the reins, so to speak.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Not many young lads are getting into it now.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21- Stand.- Yes, really proud.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27He's studying the auction catalogue closely.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30I will look between £600 and £1,000,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33something that has a nice nature and is ready to then move on,
0:22:33 > 0:22:36something that I'll be able to come home,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39teach and then train and move on.
0:22:39 > 0:22:45As a relative newcomer, the auction can be a bit intimidating.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Bidding at the auction is quite a tense process.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50It comes naturally to some people
0:22:50 > 0:22:53but it makes me feel a little bit on edge. There's a lot happening,
0:22:53 > 0:22:57so it's not as if you're bidding on an item and it's sitting.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00This dog is still working in front of you.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04What type of sheep are they on Saturday?
0:23:06 > 0:23:10With his modest budget, the sale could be a challenge for Osian.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14I've got a feeling they're going to be expensive, you know.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Well, that's good for you. Not so much for me.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Yeah. Yeah.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Do you think we'll get top price?
0:23:22 > 0:23:28- Yeah. One and two! - Yeah, God loves an optimist.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Our relationship is pretty good.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35The advice I've given Osian is, hold my hand, don't go far,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37because there's some sharks out there.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Dad's played a huge part in me being a buyer in the auction,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45mainly from teaching me how to sell a dog.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48But he's very calm and he's very subtle in a sale,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50so I think little things like that
0:23:50 > 0:23:54will hopefully put me in good stead for Saturday.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56If everything goes to plan,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Osian will get a dog at under £1,000
0:23:58 > 0:24:02and begin his new career in competitive sheepdog trialling.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07When you walk to the field and Glyn asks you how much you want for Jim...
0:24:07 > 0:24:10- Don't say anything.- Nothing? You're not going to say nothing?
0:24:10 > 0:24:12No, because there's too many sharks there, listening.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14They'll hear what you've got to say.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Oh, yeah.
0:24:20 > 0:24:26At 1,200. 1,200. 1,300. 1,300.
0:24:26 > 0:24:291,300. 1,300.
0:24:29 > 0:24:36On the fence, I'll take it at 1,300. 14, 1,400.
0:24:36 > 0:24:37Go on.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42There you go. I'll leave that lead on him, then you've got him ready.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Still in the rain, the auction soldiers on
0:24:45 > 0:24:50- and Osian has a game plan. - There are two dogs in particular,
0:24:50 > 0:24:52one that I've been to see prior to the sale.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55She's got a little bit of style,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58so it'll be interesting to see how she deals with this environment.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00That's very important, really.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03And the other one, we're just going to see how she gets on.
0:25:03 > 0:25:04I've seen a video of her
0:25:04 > 0:25:07but I'd like to see her first hand and how she behaves.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10I'm only selling her because I've got too many the same age.
0:25:10 > 0:25:11Too many the same age.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Having less money to spend, Osian will be bidding on the younger dogs.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20These are shown off in a much smaller pen.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25The sheep are kept behind the fence
0:25:25 > 0:25:29and buyers get a feel for how the pup behaves around them.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Come by. Come by.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Buying a young sheepdog is a risk, though.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39It could turn out to be a champion or a dud.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43- Lay down.- Seven months old.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45This is Meg.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49Meg is one of the dogs that Osian has his eye on,
0:25:49 > 0:25:53but auctioneer Glyn tries to start the bidding high at 1,000 guineas,
0:25:53 > 0:25:55and that's Osian's upper limit.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Who's got 1,000? 800, start me. 800 away.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00But thanks to the rain,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04it's a buyer's market today as there are fewer people here to bid.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07500. Three, with me.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11And Glyn has to drop down and start the bidding at 300 guineas,
0:26:11 > 0:26:13so Osian grabs his chance.
0:26:13 > 0:26:14Who's got 300?
0:26:14 > 0:26:16300 I'm bid.
0:26:16 > 0:26:21400. 400 I'm bid.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25450 me. 500. 500, bid.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28And it looks like his careful research is paying off.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33If anyone else has spotted the potential of Meg,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35they're not bidding.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39I'm going to sell at 600 guineas. Thank you.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40Osian bags a bargain.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44His maximum budget was £1,000,
0:26:44 > 0:26:48but he got the dog he wanted for just over 600.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52- Thank you very much, Alan. - Thank you very much.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58It looks like the weather has done Osian a huge favour.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04I think what happened here today is a bit of a rarity,
0:27:04 > 0:27:06the fact that I had her in mind.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10I've come away with a very good price, so I'm happy, very happy,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12but, like I said, it doesn't usually happen like that.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Normally, you just come, hope for the best and see what happens,
0:27:15 > 0:27:16see what pops up.
0:27:16 > 0:27:2047, 47, 48, 48.
0:27:20 > 0:27:2448. Is it going to get there, sir?
0:27:24 > 0:27:2748, worth every penny and more.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31One for me, Keith, please.
0:27:31 > 0:27:32- Sugar in a coffee?- Yes.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37After a surprising success with his first dog, Jim,
0:27:37 > 0:27:41Emrys is hoping for an even bigger pay-out on his second dog, Ross.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46I'm hoping that Ross will take it all in his stride,
0:27:46 > 0:27:47come hell or high water.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49For the last three months,
0:27:49 > 0:27:53they've been training hard, and Emrys has his sights on £3,000.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Oh, he's here.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02And this is Mr Emrys Jones and the dog is here.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Very friendly dog, as well.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07There we are, he thinks the world of him.
0:28:07 > 0:28:13So, this is lot number 48, which is Emrys Jones with Ross.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18Who's going off quickly, 3,000?
0:28:18 > 0:28:202,000?
0:28:20 > 0:28:231,000 guineas, low start.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27A low start means it's a long way to go to hit Emrys's target.
0:28:27 > 0:28:321,000 bid, 1,000, 1,100, 12, 13.
0:28:32 > 0:28:3514. 1,400 bid.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38Bids are slowly going up,
0:28:38 > 0:28:42but Ross is off his game and fails to respond to Emrys's instructions.
0:28:42 > 0:28:441,800 bid. Have you all done?
0:28:44 > 0:28:47No mistake at 1,800 guineas.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Emrys won't accept 1,800.
0:28:52 > 0:28:53No, I don't blame him either.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00The weather's worsening and with the demo over, the bidding has stalled.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Auctioneer Glyn tries to drag the price back up.
0:29:05 > 0:29:0823, 24, 2,450.
0:29:08 > 0:29:1325. 2,500
0:29:13 > 0:29:16to go over the net. 2,005. All done.
0:29:16 > 0:29:202,500 guineas, Emrys.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23Emrys signals that he still wants more.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Suddenly, there's a last-minute surge of interest.
0:29:26 > 0:29:2927. 2,700 guineas. I'm selling.
0:29:29 > 0:29:312,700.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Goes to Scotland.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Thank you. 2,700. Thank you, sir. There we are.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39On we go to the next.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43So, Ross sells for over £2,800,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46only slightly less than Emrys was hoping for.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50I think he could have done a little bit better.
0:29:50 > 0:29:55He decided to not listen, so all in all, not bad,
0:29:55 > 0:29:59considering the weather's so, so bad, I'm really pleased.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08There are a staggering 33 million sheep in Britain.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12Our little island is one of Europe's biggest sheep producers and
0:30:12 > 0:30:16sheep are worth over 1 billion to our economy every year,
0:30:16 > 0:30:20so it's no surprise that sheepdogs are in seriously high demand.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24For auctioneer Glyn, Welsh sheepdogs are at the top of the tree.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29Wales have always been ahead of the game
0:30:29 > 0:30:31as far as sheepdogs are concerned
0:30:31 > 0:30:34and this is why so many people from all over the world
0:30:34 > 0:30:36are looking for a Welsh sheepdog.
0:30:36 > 0:30:41And I'm selling away, all finished, all done at 4,800.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Today, the Bala Sheepdog Auction
0:30:44 > 0:30:46attracts buyers from all over the world.
0:30:46 > 0:30:51She sold well...to Belgium, so that's a bonus as well.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53My dog is going abroad.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55We have got somebody from Iceland,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58we've got somebody from Belgium and we've got somebody from America
0:30:58 > 0:31:00showing interest in some of the dogs.
0:31:00 > 0:31:0224 bid.
0:31:03 > 0:31:042,400 bid.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10A bit of phone bidding isn't unheard of at Bala
0:31:10 > 0:31:13and like all the bidding here, it's pretty subtle.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19Veteran seller Doug Lambie has some helpful insight into how it's done.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22And he's been asked by his friend to bid on his behalf.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26I got a phone call this morning from a friend of mine who the weather had
0:31:26 > 0:31:28put off. He's up in Aberdeenshire.
0:31:29 > 0:31:34So it's over to Doug to see if he can secure a female sheepdog, Jan.
0:31:34 > 0:31:39As she needs a bit of training, bidding starts at 1,300 guineas.
0:31:39 > 0:31:4313, 1,300. 1,400 bid.
0:31:43 > 0:31:481,500. 1,600 bid. 1,700 on the phone.
0:31:48 > 0:31:49At 1,700 bid...
0:31:49 > 0:31:50Like many bidders,
0:31:50 > 0:31:53Doug prefers to keep his bidding as low key as possible.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Bidding's very easy. You have to sort of make eye contact before
0:31:58 > 0:32:00you start and then they won't miss you after that,
0:32:00 > 0:32:05- you don't have to worry about that. - 2,000, 2,000, 2,000 only.
0:32:05 > 0:32:082,000 bid, she's stylish.
0:32:08 > 0:32:092,100 on the nail.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12At 21 bid.
0:32:12 > 0:32:182,200. 2,200. At 2,200 guineas.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22At 2,200. All yours, sir.
0:32:22 > 0:32:23Yes, we got her, Walt.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Everyone tries to keep it quite discreet, what they're doing.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30Don't want to share their business with everybody else.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32You don't want to be showing off,
0:32:32 > 0:32:34to be looking like you want to spend a lot of money.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Just try to keep it as quiet, as calm as you can,
0:32:36 > 0:32:38but the auctioneers are that sharp that you don't have to do much,
0:32:38 > 0:32:41and they're on it. So a lot of people wink or just twitch,
0:32:41 > 0:32:42whichever's easiest.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45Bid spotting is certainly a skill.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51Your furthest buyer might be something like
0:32:51 > 0:32:54maybe half a mile away and they'll sit in Land Rovers
0:32:54 > 0:32:58and they'll hoot as a bid or they'll wave a catalogue,
0:32:58 > 0:33:00so when the weather is...
0:33:00 > 0:33:03..the rain and wind's blowing into your eyes, sort of thing,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05it's quite difficult to keep concentrating
0:33:05 > 0:33:07with finding the bids, really.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27Seller Dewi Williams is hoping the bids will come flooding in.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31As long as the rain doesn't get in the way.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34Very nervous. The biggest thing I'm worried about
0:33:34 > 0:33:36is that she doesn't perform.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40You know, that would be the worst scenario.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43So, yes, been very nervous all night, really.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Farmer Dewi was originally a stonemason
0:33:54 > 0:33:58but bought his smallholding ten years ago in Gwynedd, Snowdonia.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03There was always a dream to get to farming.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09Met the wife and she had the same dream as mine, to be able to farm,
0:34:09 > 0:34:14so we both worked pretty hard to save up to buy some land
0:34:14 > 0:34:20and so now, getting to my half a century,
0:34:20 > 0:34:24I'm starting to settle down into the farming life now.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31It doesn't fit very well, though, but there you go.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33But it's a hard life.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35Farmers like Dewi rely on selling their livestock,
0:34:35 > 0:34:39and in tough economic times, it's much harder to make a decent living.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45With the sheep, the prices of lamb has gone down so terribly now,
0:34:45 > 0:34:49it's not enough to put the food on the table for the children,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52so you've got to go out and do a bit of work
0:34:52 > 0:34:54and the wife works as well, of course.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Good girl. Come on. So the sheepdogs,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01when you sell a couple of sheepdogs every year,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04it just subsidises everything else, really,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07to help us with getting on with things.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Lie down.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11But to make a good sale at Bala,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14training and preparation is everything.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Dewi has been working hard for the past eight months
0:35:17 > 0:35:22and he has high hopes for selling his two-year-old sheepdog, Jess.
0:35:22 > 0:35:28It's been pretty... In theory at least, she's been easy to deal with.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30She puts a bit of pressure on the sheep,
0:35:30 > 0:35:31so it's best just to stop her.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Lie down, lie down.
0:35:33 > 0:35:34Just to stop her. Lie down.
0:35:35 > 0:35:36Lie down.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41She takes the command pretty well.
0:35:43 > 0:35:44Stand. Lie down. Lie down.
0:35:47 > 0:35:52She's come along really nicely but she's just a bit timid and a bit shy
0:35:52 > 0:35:54with other people around.
0:35:54 > 0:35:55But hopefully, you know,
0:35:55 > 0:35:59she's performed quite well recently in the company of people,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02so I'm hoping she'll do all right.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08The price that I wish to get would be over £1,000,
0:36:08 > 0:36:13but it's a bit of a pie in the sky, really, with a sheepdog auction.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15You never know.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18If you've got two interested in her, then the price will go up.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20Lie down, lie down.
0:36:20 > 0:36:21Lie down.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24But it's only his third year of sheepdog auctions and it's as
0:36:24 > 0:36:28much about Dewi being on trial as it is Jess.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30One mistake could cost them big time.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33You need the temperament
0:36:33 > 0:36:36and there's a lot of people around that's got a lot better temperament
0:36:36 > 0:36:38than I have... Come by.
0:36:38 > 0:36:39..to train the dogs,
0:36:39 > 0:36:43and the knowledge of how a dog is thinking, so it's a learning curve,
0:36:43 > 0:36:45a big learning curve for me as well.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47Come by. Come by.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Dewi may be inexperienced, but he's got great pedigree.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55His grandfather, John Jones,
0:36:55 > 0:36:58was one of the most-respected sheepdog breeders in the UK.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02He was pretty well known throughout the country
0:37:02 > 0:37:05during the '40s and '50s and '60s, really.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09I actually talk with people now and they remember him on the field,
0:37:09 > 0:37:10you know, competing on the field.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14And the apple doesn't fall far from the tree,
0:37:14 > 0:37:18as Dewi wants to reignite this honoured family tradition,
0:37:18 > 0:37:22a passion that his son Goronwy also shares.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25I've been interested in sheepdogs since about three years
0:37:25 > 0:37:27because my dad bought me a dog called Jay
0:37:27 > 0:37:30and then I just increased it on until now
0:37:30 > 0:37:33and I'm trying to do a little bit of trials now.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35My grandfather won his first sheepdog trials
0:37:35 > 0:37:39when he was 12 years old and hopefully Goronwy, my son,
0:37:39 > 0:37:40can carry on with that.
0:37:40 > 0:37:46So, just like Emrys and Osian, it's a father-and-son affair.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48What do you think we'll get for Jess, do you think?
0:37:48 > 0:37:51Well, I'd like 1,500 or 2,000,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54and I'll be very disappointed if she goes for less than that.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56I'd be very happy if we can get that.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59If we can get 2,000, we'll be very happy.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03Goronwy may be being overly optimistic with that price,
0:38:03 > 0:38:05but there's so much more than money at stake.
0:38:05 > 0:38:10This is about Dewi's dreams and only the auction can reveal if sheepdog
0:38:10 > 0:38:12training really is in their blood.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29The auction is about five hours in
0:38:29 > 0:38:33but no-one's letting the rain spoil anything.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36Last shout, then, at 5,800, 5,800.
0:38:36 > 0:38:41The top price of the day so far is £5,800, a healthy sum.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45All yours, then, at 5,800, lucky man, thank you very much.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Big prices aren't comforting newcomer Dewi, though,
0:38:58 > 0:39:00and as their big moment approaches,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03trainer and dog are feeling the pressure.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07I just hope that she'll do well on the field.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10She's not used to a lot of people at home.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12It's only me and the dog and the children.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15Now, being in a lot of people, it's new for her, you know.
0:39:18 > 0:39:23I'll try not to do anything different to the usual on the field,
0:39:23 > 0:39:29but, you know, the excitement of it all gets to you, to me,
0:39:29 > 0:39:30and probably to the dog as well.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35And on we go, please, to Lot 59.
0:39:40 > 0:39:45Dewi needs Jess to sell for at least £1,000, and in a place where his
0:39:45 > 0:39:49grandfather's name is known, his reputation is on the line, too.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56It's time for Dewi to show everyone what he's made of.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03Away quickly. 500, get me started, sir.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05500. 200.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07250.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11Bidding starts low, though, at 250 guineas.
0:40:11 > 0:40:16She'll do well in the right hands, sir. 400 it will be.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19And it's taking a while to get going.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23450. 500, with a hat.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26600. 600.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Dewi is offered 600 guineas.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30What do we do, sir?
0:40:30 > 0:40:31600.
0:40:32 > 0:40:37No, he says, I'm afraid, at 600. He knows what he's got, sir.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42- Lie down. Come by. - At 600 and I'm bid.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46He holds his nerve and the prices start to rise.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51850, 900. 950.
0:40:51 > 0:40:571,000. 1,050. 1,100. 1,150. 1,200
0:40:57 > 0:41:00I'm bid. Yes, sir.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02At 1,250. 1,300.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05On the market. The hammer's up then, are we all done then?
0:41:05 > 0:41:07I'm selling at 1,300 guineas.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10At 1,300, sir.
0:41:10 > 0:41:14Jess is sold for over £1,300,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17proving Dewi's got what it takes to raise a great sheepdog.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31My grandfather would have been... He would have enjoyed being here,
0:41:31 > 0:41:34I'm sure. It's been quite stressful for me, I think.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36But, saying that, it was a good price.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38I'm happy with that.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41It's a learning curve. We've been in this for about two years,
0:41:41 > 0:41:45so it's very, you know, early days for me.
0:41:45 > 0:41:50You need to get your reputation up by selling a dog.
0:41:50 > 0:41:5655 dogs, £100,000 and an awful lot of rain later,
0:41:56 > 0:41:59this year's autumn Bala sheepdog sale is over.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01We are wet and...
0:42:01 > 0:42:03- Cold.- We are cold.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06But I'll tell you one thing, we've enjoyed it, haven't we, El?
0:42:06 > 0:42:09- Yeah, we have, yeah.- Yes, it's been good, and Bala is a lovely place to
0:42:09 > 0:42:11come to, even when it's wet like this.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13Really nice. Tonight, I'm going for a pint. Doing a concert.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15I don't know what you're doing, El.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18- Yeah, I'll be having a pint, but no concert.- No concert, there we are.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23Osian's delighted with Meg,
0:42:23 > 0:42:27who is already showing great potential as a working farm dog.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34Emrys is busy training his next two champions...
0:42:34 > 0:42:37..a younger dog, Nell,
0:42:37 > 0:42:39and the impressively athletic Mist.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45And Dewi is already lining up his next hope
0:42:45 > 0:42:47for the Bala spring sale in six months' time.