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IRISH RED & WHITE SETTER OUTCROSS PROGRAMME 2011
The IRWSC had its Twenty-fifth Anniversary in 2006. A topic of concern among the FCI delegates was the lack of genetic diversity and a need for new blood lines if the breed was not to suffer from the problems associated with inbreeding. There was a consensus which was held by IRWS breeders and Dermot Mooney of the Winnowing Kennels who is the oldest breeder of Irish Red & White Setters that the only recourse would be to outcross to Irish Red Setters as had been the practice in the past. This practice is neither new nor radical but has been used by breeders of Irish Red &White Setters and Irish Red Setters for as long as we know of the written history of the Irish Setter.
In late 2006 the Irish Red & White Setter Club received a letter from the Norwegian Red Setter Club with a proposal to run a health programme part of which contained a proposal to run an outcross programme with Reds and Red & Whites, in which they sought the formal co-operation of the Irish Red & White Setter Club. After consideration by the Irish Red & White Setter Club we put forward a proposal which included rules and regulations in regards to any such outcross programme but there were some minor disagreements in regards to these rules and regulations which I felt necessitated a face to face meeting. I travelled to the Norwegian Irish Setter Club 90th Anniversary Celebration, at my own expense might I add, we had a meeting which included two members of the Norwegian Club, the Chairperson of the Swedish Irish Setter Club / a member of the Scandinavian IRWS Group SIROVS and me. Matters were discussed but I felt that this programme would not go ahead due to the diversity of opinions present.
At all times the IKC was kept informed of all correspondence and discussions in regards to this matter. As a matter of courtesy the Irish Red & White Setter Club had also sent copies of all correspondence to the Irish Red Setter Club. I am sorry to say that after all the work put in by both sides the programme did not go ahead. It was agreed by the IRWSC committee that in future we would wait till the IRWSC had a finalised agreement with an other body before presenting it to the Irish Kennel Club for their ratification. Members of the IRWSC committee had judged Red Setters at field trials in France and were impressed not only by hunting ability but also by their confirmation.
The Irish Red & White Setter Club had built up a relationship with the French Irish Red Setter Club with the help of people such as Jean-Yves Prigent, Ludovic Iuchs both officers of the club and owners of Red/& Irish Red &White Setters. In a meeting chaired by the Club President Jean-Pierre Gotti the Red Club agreed to participate in an International outcross programme for Irish Red & White Setters. With this agreement plus the agreement of the French Kennel Club to assist in the running of an outcross programme we presented the document to the Irish Kennel Club for its ratification of the proposed outcross programme.
The Irish Red & White Setter discussed the programme at the AGM of the IRWSC and the Irish Kennel Club wrote a letter to all registered owners of IRWS inviting them to a public meeting to discuss the proposed outcross programme. It was a very well attended meeting and the vast majority of people who attended it were in favour of the outcross programme. It then went back to the Irish Kennel Club committee dealing with this matter. The committee which consisted of a Chairperson Susan Kealy who is also the Chairperson of the General Purpose Committee of the IKC, the Secretary Mr Tony O’Neill who is Secretary of the Irish Kennel Club. The committee members are Tom Creamer past President of the IKC Terry O Leary President of the Irish Red & White Setter Club Mark Ruymbeke Hon Treasurer of the Irish Red & White Setter Club Jim Sheridan and Edward Flannelly both IRWS breeders. The committee passed the outcross programme with some additions. The Irish Red & White Setters Club had proposed that the programme should be first run only between France and Ireland as pilot programme but the majority of the people who attended the public meeting held by the Irish Kennel felt that it should be open to all FCI Countries if it was to be of benefit to the breed.
You can read the final agreed document if press on the link on the home page which will bring you to the Irish Kennel Club website. This document has been passed by the Irish Kennel Club for use as an outcross programme in any FCI Country/Kennel Club.
Finally I wish to thank all of the people who took an interest and helped the Club and the breed in this matter this includes the President of the French Red Setter Club Jean-Pierre Gotti, Jean-Yves Prigent, Ludovic Iuchs, the Officers of the Irish Red & White Setter Club who worked so hard over the last five years to find a solution to our inbreeding problem, Dermot Mooney for his help and continued support in this matter over the years, the owners of Irish Red & White Setters here in Ireland who listened to the proposal put forward by the Irish Red & White Setter Club who considered it in a rational manner and totally supported the plan, The Irish Kennel Club for all its support its Secretary Tony O Neill for his assistance Susan Kealy for her time and her patience, and last but not least the President of the Irish Kennel Club Sean Delmar who is well known for his love of Irish Breeds for giving us a fair wind and setting us on our course.
Terry O Leary President Irish Red & White Setter Club
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The objective of the outcross programme, which began in the late eighties, was to widen the genetic base of the Irish Red and White Setters, using carefully selected matings with red Irish Setters , with a focus on working ability and type, and has had fair amount of success.
It should be noted that this was a carefully planned programme
with a defined purpose, approved and sanctioned by the Irish Kennel Club before
any matings were carried out, and supervised and monitored at every stage. It
was NOT an private initiative by individual breeders, or intended to
create a precedent for further unsanctioned outcrossing . The first four
generations of breeding were to be placed on a special register and could not be
exported.
Part of the problem with this scheme was that it was somewhat unwieldy, long in that
it required 4 generations of breeding before the off spring were put on the
normal register, and as a result very expensive. As a result few breeders have
really pursued the programme.
However some excellent stock has been produced, Mochonog War a first generation
bitch winning the Derby, and Jim Sheridan's Craigrua Flame and Craigrue Firefly
- 3rd generation outcross - both becoming Field Trial Champions, with a crop of
young dogs coming on from these lines showing the potential that will make
future Field Trial Champions and provide a solid base for further progress
THE THREE YEAR BREEDING PROGRAMME PROPOSED BY
THE IRISH RED & WHITE SETTER CLUB
1. Special register to be set up for the progeny of Irish Red Setters and Irish Red & White Setters
2. Nine selected matings to be allowed over the period up to 31st December 1989 and such matings would have to have the prior approval of the Breeding Committee.
The first and foremost consideration of the Breeding Committee when recommending any mating would be the working capabilities of the proposed parents. The matings would be subject to the following:
a) Puppies deemed unacceptable by the monitoring Committee must not be bred from.
b) There must be notification in advance of what dogs are intended to be used in the matings.
c) The Irish Kennel Club Ltd must get photocopies of all correspondence relating to the matings
d) The required notice of the matings must be at least two months in advance.
e) There will have to be confirmation that the mating took place on given dates.
f) There must be immediate notification of the number and sexes approved for breeding after each inspection.
g) The Irish Kennel Club ltd will keep a special file for all correspondence relating to each mating and will be cross referenced
h) The Irish Kennel Club Ltd will keep a record card drafted and approved by the general Purposes Committee and by the Irish Red & White Setter Club.
3 Owners of dog and bitch must present to the Breeding Committee five generation pedigrees of proposed parents one month in advance.
4 All pups would have to be examined at up to seven days, twelve weeks and six months by two representatives of the Monitoring Committee, one nominated by each club. If the breeder feels that he or she is unfairly treated, the breeder can then apply for a third person to examine the litter. Such a person must be acceptable to the breeder. The person making the appeal must state the objections or the reasons and the inspectors must likewise be notified.
5 Litters or part of litters which are deemed *unacceptable by either member of the inspecting team must not be bred from.
* By unacceptable is meant pups which are malformed not acceptable to type and which have not got an acceptable portion of white in their coat or in any other way are deemed unacceptable.
6 The monitoring Committee will nominate members to inspect litters.
7 Approved pups after six months of age will be entered on this special register which will be kept by the Monitoring Committee and copies sent to the Irish Kennel Club Ltd. Copies here are meant to be photocopies.
8 Applications for registration must be made on the special application form which will be issued by the Irish Kennel Club Ltd.
9 The I.K.C. Ltd will issue special registration numbers which must be tattooed on each dog. A special tattoo number will be issued but the registration number will come under the same sequence as that of other dogs but the registration certificate will record the tattoo number.
10 Progeny of such matings will not be entitled to export pedigrees until they have established three generations of pure breeding after which they may be included in the Irish Red & White Register.
11 Dogs/bitches on this special register may compete under the Rules and Regulations of the Irish kennel Club Ltd. as working dogs in the field in the first generation and could not be shown. They could however be shown in the second generation.
12 In addition to those pups, in the first year of its operation, three Irish Red & White Setters from parents of Irish Red Setters and Irish Red & White Setters may be included in this register under the same conditions, regardless of when they are born the identity of these dogs has already been stipulated and approved by the General Purposes Committee.
13 It is recommended that any person who infringes those rules would not be allowed to partake of any activity organised under the rules of the Irish Kennel Club Ltd. Any person who infringes these rules will not be allowed to become a member or continue in membership of the Irish Red Setter Club or the Irish Red & White Setter Club.
14 The three year programme will extend from 1st March 1987 to 31st December 1990