Presentation to the Irish Red and White Setter Club by Jean Yves Prigent

It is a great privilege for me to represent the Red Setter Club of France at the 25^th anniversary of the Irish Red and White Setter Club.

I wish to thank the Irish Red and White Setter Club for their kind invitation to the conference.  The profile of the breed has been greatly helped by the fact that Davy Byrne and Terry O’Leary who are both excellent ambassadors for the breed, have travelled to Brittany to judge our field trials in November which were held in Crozon and Scaer.

In France, with support of the Red Setter Club, we have obtained the opening of a separate registration book for the Irish Red and White Setter.  It is proposed that all future registrations will clearly state “Irish Red and White Setter” as well as a “colour code”.  The club has requested that I compile a list of Irish Red and White Setters in France and bring together this information to update the “Central Canine Society”.

With this database we will be able to track the pedigrees of our dogs as well as their descendants.  There should be no more confusion between the Red and Irish Red and White Setters at this level of the “Central Canine Society”.

Presently, we have approximately seventy Irish Red and white Setters in France.  The breed is progressing slowly.  It has yet to establish its reputation as a hunting dog amongst the shooting community of France.

In the interests of promoting a healthy breed, we have requested all owners of Irish Red and White Setters to have their dogs hips x-rayed and a blood test done for CLAD.

Our club commends Ireland on its production of a “working standard” for Irish Red and White Setters.  This permits judges at field trials throughout Europe to assess the hunting style of the Irish Red and White Setter.

In conclusion, I feel the best interests of the breed would be served by further co-operation between breeders from various countries.  This would include the exchange of dogs from different bloodlines.  This process has already started with dogs being exchanged between Irish breeders and breeders in France.  It is hoped that such co-operation will benefit the future of the breed.

I hope that you all enjoy the conference, show and field trials and have a most enjoyable stay in Ireland.

Jean Yves Prigent