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NORWEGIAN IRISH SETTER CLUB 90th ANNIVERSARY
In February 2007 the Irish Red & White Setter Club received an invitation to send representatives to the Norwegian Irish Setter Club’s 90th Anniversary celebrations which were held on 24th – 26th August 2007. I decided to attend on behalf of the Club and used this opportunity to meet Irish Red & White Setters owners in Norway and discuss other matters with the Norwegian Irish Setter Club who had been appointed to monitor Irish Red & White Setters by the Norwegian Kennel Club.
On arrival at Torp Airport I was met by Thor Erik Pape who although I have corresponded with him on the net I had never met before. He was instantly recognisable as he sauntered through the airport with three Irish Reds & White Setters! Thor had kindly offered to drive me up to Nøsen which was a journey of more than three hours. This gave us plenty of time to discuss matters relating to Irish Red & White Setters in Norway.
We arrived in total darkness. When I woke up the next morning I rambled out to have a look around and was greatly impressed by the magnificent scenery. Over the next three days I took a decision to attend the non-winners’ stakes in which three Irish Red & White Setters were entered. On the first day I saw a bitch which I sent to Norway Deargbán Binchy who is owned and handled by Tore Oppen. She gave a good account of herself but could have been fitter and did not have a chance on birds.
In the same trial a bitch, Shannonlee Snowgrouse owned by Nina and Narve Krhjohan. She ran extremely well and as they were running dogs down wind she was one of the few dogs that took a wide cast and went down wind to hunt into the wind back towards her handler. The other Red & White Setter I saw was Gun Carmland Craigrua Rogue. This dog ran well, had a find on a bird. From what I could see the bird started to run, the dog recast and cut down wind to repoint the bird. As the dog pointed the bird broke. I thought that this was an excellent piece of dog work but the judge stated that he would have liked the point to have been longer before the bird broke.
My overall impression of the fieldtrials in Norway is that they are run quite differently from the trials that I have seen in both Ireland and France. The fact that they run dogs with the wind behind them, I would think puts the dogs at a distinct disadvantage and leads to a lack of quartering of the ground for I noticed even when running into the wind a lot of the dogs did not quarter the ground in a fashion that I would expect as a fieldtrial judge. I suppose one has to take into account that the dogs are run in a totally different system in Norway. I saw quite a few Irish setters that were as good as any we have here in Ireland and was impressed by their game handling ability and their retrieving of the birds when shot.
There was a meeting between officials of the Norwegian Irish Setter Club, the Scandinavian Club, the Swedish Irish Setter Club and the Irish Red & White Setter Club. A decision was taken to set up a Scandinavian Irish Red & White Setter Breed Council. Its first task will be to set up a breeding and health screening programme. The Irish Red & White Setter representatives on this committee are Gun Carmland and Thor Erik Pape. It will also include a representative from the Swedish Irish Setter Club Mayvor Jonsson. Each club represented which includes the Irish Red & White Setter Club will have a vote on all matters and all decisions must be unanimous.
At the Anniversary Dinner I presented on behalf of the Club a bronze Irish Red & White Setter on point to be awarded to the best Irish Red & White Setter over the three days. This is a perpetual trophy and it was won by Gun Carmland’s Craigrua Rogue. I personally presented a bronze statue of a Irish Red Setter on point for best young Irish Red Setter.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Norwegian Irish Setter Club for its hospitality and Thor Erik Pape for his assistance throughout my visit. Finally I would like to say thank you to Margret Egirlog from Iceland for supplying the photos. No its not that I spend all my money on ‘doggy’ trips and cannot afford a digital, its just that I had trouble with my camera over there!
Terry O’Leary, Chairman IRWSC
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