The Irish Red & White Setter Club held a summer grouse trial at Glencree on Sunday 27th July 2008. The Judges were Michael Houston and Carol Calvert. In the morning the wind direction was constant but in the afternoon as the wind dropped the direction, as usual, became variable. It was bright and sunny for the whole day and the temperature showed at 20c but seemed much higher when undertaking activity. This was equally so for both the humans and canines. The supply of grouse was patchy but this was in no small way due to the way the ground was used. I understand that it is easier to criticise than to organise but there were many wondering why the whole event was not held on the hill top in the relatively short heather where what grouse that were found, were found. There appeared to be ample ground to run the whole event and what did happen for the first few brace meant that those dogs and handlers were severely penalised by their place in the draw.
To coin the famous Motson line, “A game of two halves, Des.” The first five brace in particular ran in waist high heather with a cheek wind and on the most tussocky and uneven ground, not to mention the slope. Few dogs shone in these conditions. The next few brace had slightly better white ground with the same cheek wind but no grouse, until the last brace. In the afternoon we went further up the hill onto the good ground and the whole complexion of the event changed. Dogs were able to run, although as usual some were running all over the place and to little effect.
Result:-
16 Bellona 0f Rome. Ned Butler’s Red Setter Bitch. (Graded excellent)
Erin set about her work with some gusto. After about five nice flat casts she went away out on the right slightly down hill and at the start of the return she pointed. When asked to she worked forward to produce a single young bird and dropped to the subsequent shot. She was then asked to clear her ground and was then picked up on the judge’s instructions. Since she hadn’t much running time under her belt the same brace were put under starter’s orders again. Erin went directly out to the right again and pointed in a position maybe thirty yards further forward than where she had her first bird. She then proceeded to produce a second grouse. This was great work. In the first instance if she hadn’t been flat she wouldn’t have had an opportunity at the first bird and probably would have left it behind. She then showed outstanding bird sense to return to the area and pin the second bird.
Chris.
I was really worried that Chris would bugger off and leave Ross. In the event the waist high heather (Ross is six foot three) and the awful ground meant the big dog never really got going and perhaps ended up showing the negative effects of his counting sortie on Saturday.
Roxy.
She ran hard enough but wouldn’t handle again probably because she was tired from the previous day’s exertions.
Judy.
Auld Bitch did me proud. It is amazing what you can do with a dog when you have control. Judy burnt up the mountain at blistering pace, flat as you could want and as wide as you would want as well. I can’t remember her failing to turn immediately except for the first time of asking in her first run. She put in two top drawer runs and in addition she took a horrendous fall but just as you could expect from Judy she picked herself up, shook herself just like when coming out of water, and set off even harder than before. Really delighted with her return to form. A small dog with a HUGE engine.
In the main this was a well organised and run event with the exception of the way the ground was used. When dogs got an opportunity to perform on the hill top most availed and there was some good, if unrewarded work.
I will give the last word to Michael Houston. “When a moor is full of grouse any dog can find one and point but when birds are scarce it takes a special dog to come through.”
