With his early demise poor old Bold only had two bitches. The first pup had to go because Roi, took a shine to him, yes him. Jim Sheridan is totally to blame for Jump. It was Jim who advised Brien MacDiarmada to use Bold on his newly acquired Championship Winner, Int.F.T.Ch. Flo-Jo. I have always had an eye for an orange and white dog so when I was offered the pick of the litter I took Jump. He was an easy dog as a pup and showed some potential when running in the N.I.Pointer Club’s puppy stake but as a yearling he was a hooligan. Bogging off on a regular basis in Ireland, England and Scotland. Over the top of mountains sort of bogging off, long drives in cars to pick him up sort of bogging off. I don’t know if it was a while in Yorkshire that got him attuned to grouse but something happened and the dog’s whole attitude to work changed.
The dog was definitely different in 2000. Yes he would bog off occasionally but it was probably to look for birds. On a dull still day on Slieveanorra Jump won the N.I.Pointer Club’s Novice stake on a snipe and thus qualified for Open Stakes. I don’t think that Jump actually won enough trials. For a few years he was a class act in nearly every event he ran in but there just weren’t the birds to allow him to have more awards.
The day he won the Irish Pointer Club’s Breed stake was his best overall performance. He had an amazing run one day with Tom Dunne’s New Addition, both dogs were truly breathtaking and Paddy Peoples still talks of a run across the Liffey Head.
He is in semi retirement in Yorkshire. He helps Shaun with the counting, fit one day but not the next. I get regular glowing reports about his exploits and the general consensus is that his bird work is like good wine, getting even better with age.
Jump was a great grouse dog but the bottom picture is him doing what he liked best. Snipe, Black Mountain snipe, in burnt heather.
Click here to see Jump’s pedigree.
