Ladies and Gentlemen,

When deciding which subject to discuss at the conference the most obvious choice was the Breed Standard. The first thing that came into my mind was the well known battle-cry "Once more into the breech dear fellows"! I felt that I could understand how the soldiers felt when they heard this cry - battle scarred and weary. But, who could resist such a cry and so once more into the breech dear fellows.

It is not my intention to read through the breed standard word for word but to look at some of the more salient points of the Irish Breed Standard.

The word standard as defined in the dictionary - a level against which things may be judged; a level of excellence aimed at. This brings us to the old quandary which came first the chicken or the egg? In the case of the IRWS we can see that there are many excellent IRWS from the paintings of Lord Rossmore. And we can see from these and other paintings the type of dog they were. For example

REVIVAL

The revival of the Irish Red & White Setter really begins after the First World War primarily through efforts of the Rev. Noble Houston from Ballinahinch, Co. Down.

Rev. Noble Houston (Eldron Prefix): During the 1914-18 war, he was an army chaplain and when he returned home he found that almost all the good dogs had disappeared. Keeping the stock during the war had proved enormously difficult because of the shortage of food and the breeding of dogs for sport had virtually ceased.

It is quite obvious that the breed found itself at the lowest point in the history of its existence but I would imagine that the breeders and enthusiasts could take words of solace from that great Irish poet and play write Oscar Wilde: We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars. This was the beginning of what would eventually lead to the revival of the Irish Red & White Setter of today.

The Reverend Houston sought to get started again and in his desire was supported by a Dr. Elliot who lived in a house called Eldron, and this name was to become a prefix for many of their dogs. There was still a few dogs in Monaghan and they obtained a bitch called Gyp (later Eldron Gyp) from a gamekeeper. She was mismarked but from a Red & White dog from Co. Cavan and a red bitch. She was mated to Mr. Evatt's Johnnie and later to Glen of Rossmore. From the resulting litters, Mr. Houston's line was built up and provides the link to the Setters of today via Mrs. Cuddy’s Knockalla breeding. Some of his better known dogs, such as Unagh, Blanco, Cohan and Bobs of Derryboy are in today's pedigrees. Bobs was shown on a number of occasions and did very well.

 

In the early 1940's the Rev.Houston by this time an elderly man was writing to Mrs. Cuddy (then Mrs. Clarke) about her interest in the Irish Red & White Setter.

The Irish Red & White Setter Society: In 1944 the Irish Red & White Society was formed the objects which were:

·        To encourage the working qualities of the breed in every possible way.

·        To promote the breeding of them upon sound working principles.

·        To ensure that if they were classified at shows, they were judged from a

working standpoint.

Lord Rossmore: whose family had been associated with the breed for some 200 years, wrote to Mrs Cuddy about the new society in the following terms:

"The colour of the Red and White Irish Setter is most important. White should predominate and form the background or major colour. The red should appear only in large blotched and should be a deep colour not less than the deepest red of the Irish Setter. The boundary between the red and white should be clearly defined although the boundary line may be irregular. There should be no gradual blending of colour between the red and the white. The head should carry a red blotch but the neck should be white. The ears should all be red. There should be no red specks on the body but freckles on the nose and the feet are allowed. The tail may be all white but if marked with a red blotch is improved."

These comments from Lord Rossmore whose family have been involved with the Red & White Setters for nearly 200 years, are worthy of note in relation to colour.

                                                                                                             

When the Club finalised the Breed Standard in 1985 it included the objectives of the Irish Red & White Society and the observations of Lord Rossmore in regards to colour thereby creating the link from the past to the present day on these most important matters.

UTILIZATION;

Most acceptable companion and friend in the homes and the fields, the IRWS is bred primarily for the field. The standard as set out hereunder must be interpreted chiefly from this point of view and all judges at bench shows must judge the exhibits chiefly from the working standpoint.

In my position as Chairman of the IRWSC and a Gundog Group Judge I have been asked by fellow judges and enthusiasts how does one judge the exhibits chiefly from a working standpoint. The answer that I would normally give is that the Irish Red & White Setter is a working gundog. It states in the general appearance of the Irish Breed Standard that the dog should be strong, well balanced and proportioned without lumber - athletic rather than racy. Lumber as defined in the dictionary ' to move about clumsily, heavily'. This is an important statement and should be kept in mind by all judges. If one looks at the terrain that the IRWS was bred to hunt on the mountains containing vast areas of heathered moor and the bogs of Ireland examples of which can still be seen in the west of Ireland consist of areas of wet undulating ground. A dog that moves about clumsily and heavily would be of no use to a hunter in such conditions and this is what influenced the physique of the IRWS as a hunting dog.

 

I have been often asked is it not near impossible to breed a dog that conforms to the breed standard and is also an excellent working dog. The answer I normally give to this question is that it is hard but not impossible. It is our duty as custodians of the breed to ensure the continued future of the IRWS as a working dog that conforms to the breed standard.

Our next illustration is of the top winning dog and bitch at shows in Ireland. Show Champion Dalriach Auchindoun and International Show Champion Princess Sophie at Moonlone.

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If one looks at the pedigree of International Show Champion Princess Sophie you will see that she is a litter sister to Field Trial Champion Silent Seeker of Shannonvalley. The IRWS would be one of the few breeds where you would see a international show champion and a field trial champion immerging from the one litter. This did not happen by accident but indicates the thought and dedication that Irish breeders invested in the breed.

 

If one moves on to Show Champion Dalriach Auchindoun his pedigree makes interesting reading. He is a son of Kestral of Cherryfield and Ardbraccan Firecrest; A grandson of Field Champion Bawnrhu Smart Fella and Show Champion Ardbraccan Dunboyne. I think this dog illustrates the benefits of combining both field trial and what could be described as show lines. However if one looks at the Ardbraccan lines you will see that Trudy Walsh also realised these benefits and included both Canon Doherty's dogs from shooting lines and the well known Field Trial dog Mona's Choice. Indeed her breeding can be seen in Dessie Litton's field trial dogs. Margaret Sierakowski's use of Kestral of Cherryfield, a dog who died prematurely just one point short for his title of Field Trial Champion was a brave decision and the ripple effects of this decision can be seen in the kennels of Deborah McNay of the Machias Kennels in America, who has bred a son of Dalriach Auchindoun to a Vander's bitch, a kennel who I think it is safe to say is not known for its involvement with working

                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

                                                        

 

 

There have been others who have gone down this road such as Canon Doherty when he made a decision to mate Field Trial Champion Craigrua Aran to his bitch Ruemadra Kitu. Some of the dogs from this resulting litter have been used by the influential kennel of Edward Flannelly in producing field trial champions. This decision would have been a continuation of the Canon's commitment to breed IRWS that can work and conform to the Irish Breed Standard.  Another example of this policy can be seen in the presentation of Fiorella Mathis on the IRWS in Italy. I know also from my trips to Sweden and France that this is a policy being pursued in both countries. I hope to hear of other examples from the delegates here today.

So Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my opinion that if thought is given to the breeding of IRWS that it can still produce dogs that meet the standard set down in the Utilization section of the breed standard.

HEIGHT STANDARD:

As it was felt that the lack of a height standard in the Irish Red Setter Standard has led to a divergence of type between show and working setters, the IRWS breed club of the country of origin included a height standard in the finalization of the breed standard. It is the sincere wish of this club that all other breed clubs would give serious thought and consideration to this matter.

EYE SHAPE:

As there had been no mention of eye shape in the 1944 Points of the IRWS drawn up by the Irish Red & White Setter Society, this was first introduced in the Interim Breed Standard 1979, a document drawn up by the Irish Red Setter Club. If you look at IRWS Eye shape there two distinctive ends to the eye and at either end of the eye they join. This shape cannot be described as round or circular. There has been much discussion between members regarding the shape of the eye. It was the opinion of all the members of the breed club that no-one had ever seen an IRWS with a round eye. This did not reflect the eye shape of the IRWS. The FCI requested the Club to use precise language and terminology as the standard will be translated into other languages. It was therefore decided to change the eye shape to oval which would better describe the shape of the IRWS's eye.

COLOUR:

It was brought to the attention of the club that the section of the Breed Standard which made roaning and flecking an eliminating fault caused particular problems to people from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In these countries dogs that are eliminated may be removed from the breeding register. The Club gave an undertaking to hold a meeting with members from FCI countries to see if we could find a satisfactory solution to this problem. A meeting was held in the offices of the Irish Kennel Club on 18th September 2004. The meeting was chaired by the President of the Irish Kennel Club Mr. Sean Delmar. It was attended by members of the Irish Red & White Setter Club, Mr. Terry O'Leary Chairman IRWSC, Mr. Dave Byrne FT Sec, and Mr. Edward Flannely Vice-Chairman' Mr. Dirk Vervane (Belgium), Mrs. Fiorella Mathis (Italy), Mr. & Mrs. Zumsande (Germany), Mr. & Mrs. Peltonen (Finland). A submission was written by Pia Hjertquist (Sweden).

 

After a very full discussion in which all present took part, a proposal from the breed club to amend the standard was considered. It was felt by all that this proposal would remove the problems as identified and after some minor adjustments the breed club delegation agreed to take it back to an EGM of the Club for ratification.

PROPOSAL: Colour.

Base colour white with solid red patches (clear islands of red colour), both colours should show the maximum of life and bloom, flecking but not roaning permitted around the face and feet and up to the foreleg as far as the elbow and up the hindleg as far as the hock. Visible and excessive roaning, flecking and mottling on any other part of the body is most objectionable and prohibits the dog from being graded higher than Very Good.

 

This proposal was presented and accepted at the EGM of the IRWSC. It was also presented to the General Purpose Committee of the IKC. It was then presented to An Ard Comhairle, the ruling body of the IKC and accepted by both.


The document was then presented to the FCI. The General Committee of the FCI understood the problem we had with the interpretation of the IRWS standard on colour. They suggested that the following wording would best suit our requirements by explaining that this type of mismarking is objectionable and that where it is very obvious and pronounced is a disqualifying fault. They felt that using the term 'Dogs
who are......... should be disqualified' could result in some judges over reacting.

After much discussion we came up with a proposal that was acceptable to the FCI, the IKC and the IRWSC.

Colour.

Base colour white with solid red patches (clear islands of red colour), both colours should show maximum of life and bloom; flecking but not roaning permitted around the face and feet and up to the forelegs as far as the elbow and up the hind legs as far as the hock; roaning, flecking and mottling on any other part of the body is objectionable.

Eliminating Faults:

Although flecking but not roaning is permitted around the feet and up to the forelegs as far as the elbow and up the hind legs as far as the hock, Visible and Excessive roaning, flecking or mottling on any other part of the body is an eliminating fault.

This is a major concession by the breed club for allowing the removal of the words 'most objectionable and is to be heavily penalised'. We feel that this will allow judges discriminate between what is objectionable and what is an eliminating fault.

The IKC and the native breed club does not envisage any further changes to the colour section of the Breed Standard.

 

SHOWING AND THE STANDARD

Concerns have been raised in the Club on the matter of presentation of the dogs at Shows. Some of them are being shaved and stripped like show Irish Setters. It is envisaged that there will be a section in the Breed Standard dealing with the presentation of dogs at Shows.

Proposed addition to the Breed Standard for 2006.

1)         Coat/Hair

Addition to the rule will be:

'Feet may be trimmed and stray hairs neatened, but neither the natural

appearance of the coat nor the outline of the dog should be altered by

trimming'.

2)         Faults
Addition to faults:

Trimming that detracts from the natural appearance of the dog is to be penalised.

The next illustration will show you why we feel that this proposal is necessary.

                                                                                              

This Ladies and Gentlemen brings an end to the presentation on the Breed Standard. I hope that this has given you a greater understanding of the development of the Breed Standard over the years.