By Hugh Brady
Review of Pointer and Setter Trials in Ireland
I
n summary, 2019 will be remembered as a good year for pointer and setter field trials in Ireland. Chief among the successes is that the Irish red setter and Irish red & white setter received National Heritage status which will protect these breeds as working gundogs. On the circuit, it was a busy year with approximately thirty field trials under Irish Kennel club rules and a further eleven under GB Kennel Club rules. There were full results in both Irish championship stakes and the Irish Derby. In addition, a number of new faces made their mark and there was a good spread of different winners. The Gordon setter club of Ireland was formed and completed a novice stake on 14th December. The game situation was generally good with just two of the stakes encountering no game and therefore having no results.
Championship Stakes The Irish Championships and Derby stakes are generally the highlights of the calendar year for pointer and setter competitors.
excelled. There was ultimate success for the popular Alan Bartley who was a first-time winner of this most prestigious stake. His dog Lisduvoge Tyson also achieved his FTCh title with this win. Second place was Paraig Kiely with Ballinahemmy Rose and this result also made Rose a FTCh. These are the first FTChs for both Alan and Paraig. Third and fourth places were also to Irish red setters namely Bill Connolly’s Sheantullagh Jessie and Ken Watterson’s Erinvale Nippy Glow. There were COMs for Mandy Brennan’s English setter Chieftain, Jim Crotty’s English pointer Brackbawn Thunder, Ray Monroe’s Irish red & white setter FTCh Rosie Jim and Bill Connolly’s Irish setter Sheantullagh Cormac. The Irish championship on snipe on 16th and 17th November in the Midlands was a hugely supported event run in challenging conditions on day one. Again there was success for the Irish red setters being placed first, second and third. Hugh Brady’s FTCh Malstabodarna Embla of Ballydavid was the winner with Aidan Dunne’s Maodhog Feochadan in second and Pat Reape’s FTCh Ballinahemmy Mike in third. There were COMS for Irish red & white setters namely Larry Quinn’s Lisduvoge Patch and Vincent Flannelly’s Benwhisken Stinger. The Irish Derby stake was an event of very high quality. It was run in the
Connemara which is one of the most beautiful locations with moorland and tarns touching the wild Atlantic sea with the Aran islands covered in mist. This historical stake was memorable for Ken Watterson from the Isle of Man winning with Cronk Mooar Ola while also being placed third with Cronk Mooar Ness. Hugh Brady’s Irish setter Ballydavid The Morrigan completed the all Irish red setters line up in second place. The European Red Setter club held its Red Setter Championship on snipe in Galway on 16th and 17th October and the winner was French entrant J.F. Meret’s Jessie de l’Anse De Ty Roux with Reserve Champion to Pat Reape’s FTCh Ballinahemmy Mike.
New Field Trial Champions There were a number of new field trial champions in 2019. Billy Grace piloted Capparoe Aife to her FTCh status in the English setter trials on 10th August. The aforementioned Alan Bartley with Lisduvoge Tyson, Paraig Kiely with Ballinahemmy Rose and Hugh Brady with Malstabodarna Embla of Ballydavid also achieved their titles. Pat Dooley with his English pointer Wildfield Fire Dancer achieved his title at the Irish pointer club trials of the 8th September.
Trial of the Year The championship and derby stakes
Alan Bartley’s FTCh Lisduvoge Tyson Irish Championship Winner on Grouse in 2019. (photo Heike Sporleder)
The Irish Championship on grouse took place on 24th and 25th August and was a stake of quality where dogs particularly in the second round
FTCh Malstabodarna Embla of Ballydavid winner of Irish Snipe Championship in 2019. (photo Heike Sporleder) Irish Country Sports and Country Life Autumn 2020
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