The Ulster Gundog League held an Open Stake for Any Variety Setter & Pointers at The Glenwherry Hill Farm, under Kennel Club Rules and Regulations on Saturday 23rd August 2008. This ground, although owned by the Department of Agriculture falls within the sphere of influence of The Irish Grouse Conservation Trust. We are indebted to both bodies for permission to hold this event and to their Keeper, Lee McMenamin for his direction over the day. Since the purpose of the event was to further research into just what progress has been made in the improvement in the grouse stock, Lee acted as Steward of the Beat. The wind direction wasn’t kind as a lot of down wind walking had to take place before dogs could be loosed.
The weather flattered to decieve. We started of in near perfect conditions with high cloud cover and a steady breeze and a hint of warmth in the air with the thermometer showing 11c. The tenth brace concluded near the cars and as we were walking in to take our lunch normal service was resumed and it started to rain. The rain was both heavy and persistent and the first break in it was at about six o’clock by which time the trial had ended.
The judges were Patricia Wood M.R.C.V.S.,from Scotland, who really needs no in introduction and another stalwart, Paddy Peoples from Co. Monaghan.
We were under way at ten o’clock and we were into grouse immediately. Carol Calvert’s Setter Int.F.T.Ch. Glynlark Mary Kate became a bit wild and while on a riot flushed a covey of about seven fully grown birds. The next brace which included my own bitch Roxy ran both hard and wide and eventually Roxy pointed, at distance, on the right. The bird, which proved to be an old cock, ran about one hundred and fifty metres across the wind. Roxy followed, relocating several times and eventually produced the bird. However her last relocation was after I had been asked to pick up and although I was given a workout to the flushing point I got no shot. Patricia told me afterwards that althought she was never in doubt that Roxy was working a bird there is only so much time that you can allocate to each brace, which was fair enough. Roxy was still in the event and I was as pleased as could be over her work and even more pleased that for the first time in about fifteen runs this season she had a bird. Ross ran Chris against Michael Houston’s pointer Ikerrin The Master. Chris handled as well as could have been expected in the patch of broken ground he drew, covering a nice wide even beat. I don’t think that Ross was exactly pleased that he was excluded for a bird that neither of the judges saw flush but was brought to their attention by a third party. Whether the dogs got close enough to scent the bird is a moot point but it certainly was on their beat. Ross had Chris down before he was level with it .
Just before lunch we had a very interesting bit of work. For a start off an old four or five strand electric fence ran up the centre of the beat. Perhaps the judges didn’t realise that the wire was still in situ. This meant the competitors were on the right hand side of the wire working out to the right. Eventually Carol Calvert’s English Setter, perhaps ten yards down wind of Alan Neill’s Pointer, pointed near the wire. From where I was I couldn’t see exactly what happened next but I then saw the pointer draw forward perhaps another twenty yards and point. The pointer was perhaps ten yards to the left of the line that the setter followed to produce a covey of seven fully grown birds. It was a matter of debate amongst the spectators exactly how the pointer got to where it did but the judges were obviously in no doubt as they let it work out to the flush.
After lunch James Coyle had what looked like a classic clean find on another covey of well grown birds. Sometimes good clean work goes fully unappreciated by judges simply because the dog does it so well that it seems common place. That doesn’t seem to have happened on this occasion. There was however what could be described as a bit of trialling farce just before that. Hugh Brady’s setter was quartering it’s ground nicely and a single bird flushed just a few feet in front of it and settled back into the heather thereby eliminating Hugh. When James Coyle’s dog then pointed in the next brace everybody was expecting a bird but not another six along with it.
After lunch three brace were taken on a a bit of a three day camel ride and other spectators and competitors asked to wait at the gate while the walking group took advantage of the wind and new ground. I was told by Lee that these three brace had opportunities on pairs and singles, probably from covies flushed earlier in the day.
By the time the the first round was finished at about five o’clock the rain was well set in and it was decided to retire to the cars to see if any improvement was imminent but from the cars we could see where the weather was comming from and there seemed no likelyhood of any respite. On this basis the trial was concluded.
Results :-
1st Gortinreagh Aztec of Glynlark Carol Calvert’s English Setter dog.
2nd Koram Kadara James Coyle’s Pointer dog.
3rd Rushfield Sheelin Carol Calvert’s Irish Red Setter bitch.
4th Lefanta Tinka Gerald Devine’s English Setter bitch.
C.O.M. Gerensary Digger Alan Neill’s Pointer dog.
Once again this was a good trial robbed only of greatness yet again by the weather. Everything was in place for a great day, grouse, ground, competitors and judges but we didn’t get a break from the weather gods. It also prooved that when there are only a few birds about nearly anybody can judge a trial for there will be little to need sorting out. We had lots to be sorted out today and at the risk of being accused of patronisation the judges did a great job. Secretary’s don’t get much publicity and I wish to redress this as Lawrence McAllister has made a success of a job that nobody seemed to want and in the process saved the Pointer & Setter Section of one of the major dog clubs in Ireland.
Patricia said that not withstanding the weather she enjoyed her day and Carol Calvert was overjoyed to win especially as this was her first win with an English Setter.
