French Championship 13/06/2009 : The disaster.....for the "french" Irish setter....

[Cecilia GUIOT]

I'm really ashamed to present you the best bitches from the french championship. The CACIB went to the bitch from the left ( 4 years) !!!!!!
No comment or .....

[Susan Stone]

I agree, the little red dog on the left can not be called an Irish Setter. It would seem that the french Red Club is trying to create a hunting breed of their own, coming up with definitions for the breed that are not in the official FCI breed standard for the Irish Red Setter. If this is what they wish to do, fine, but please not under the name 'Irish Setter'. Let those dedicated french breeders and owners with concern for the correct Irish Setter form a new breed club!

I feel I must remark on the comments concerning the demeanour of the dogs - some people saying they must be scared of their owners. I find it unfair to say the dogs are afraid of their owners just by interpreting of a photograph. Of course the dogs are not at ease, they may never have been in a show environment nor presented this way.
I know very well: you can make or ruin a dog, be it good or bad, by photography. A photograph can tell lies, without having been manipulated! I only need think of many bad photographs I have taken of my own dogs...

[Carmel Murphy]

I too agree that it is difficult to tell a dog's nature or stress levels from a photo and if these dogs are not used to a show ring of course they will not be very happy!! I have over the years seen many an unhappy show dog in the ring also!! Does not mean that it is badly treated!! But the bitch on the left looks under size and undernourished!

[Carmel Murphy]

At our Club show this year we had three working dogs in the ring and they were a credit to their owners!! They moved around the ring with great confidence and showed really well! It was a pleasure to see happy working dogs!! Often it is the opposite situation!

[Rosie Dudley]

Having observed field trial dogs being shown in classes for FT dogs in the UK particularly indoors, I know they never look happy and their owners never make the best of them. In April I commented on the forum American-English type, now on page 3 of forum, page 9 of item, if you would like to read the whole piece, this is an extract, 'I recall in the late 1980’s running my Wendover bitch at a Field Trial, there were tiny adult dogs of Moanruad breeding there that were about the size of a 5 month old puppy'. When I saw the picture of the winning bitch it immediately reminded me of those dogs from over 20 years ago. If you go to http://redclubpremium-france.com/alpille.aspx you will see the winning bitch in surroundings where she is perhaps more suited, and looking quite a different dog. Her pedigree is below the picture and as I had suspected she is almost pure Moanruad, 3 of the grandparents are on the Pedigree site for you to see the extension.

There have been many discussions re working V show type and there will never be total agreement by both devotees. The French Irish Setter Club have always been dominated by the Field/Working side, as to a very large extent is the stand of the Irish Red Setter Club (Ireland) but they do have a show scene!

The choice of judge is for me the problem here, at most shows this bitch would not have been considered for the CACIB and perhaps it is the French Kennel Club that any protests or proposals for an alternative club should be aimed. One presumes also that the French Irish Setter Club must have elections for committee members, perhaps those who want change should put themselves forward for election.

[Susan Stone]

Hi Silke, sorry, re Luxbg no I don't remember. All I am trying to say is be careful with conclusions like 'the dog is afraid of his owner so he must have got beaten' when all we can see is a bad photograph, not the live dog, nor the situation, nor can we interpret the bond it has with the owner...
I agree fully this little bitch is in no condition for a show.
Hi Rosie, I followed the link and you are right, she looks very different and happy there!

[Carmel Murphy]

This bitch features on the home page of the RedClub website and I stick by my original comment already on this blog"A beautiful animal but not a setter" I think she looks more like a red pointer(perhaps that is what they are aiming for!)

[Carmel Murphy]

She looks in better condition on the home page of the red club (I was commenting on that photo only)

[Frances McKimm]

What you must know also is that this winning bitch belongs to the vice-president of the Red Club!!

This same club that offers 'An Irish Setter Puppy' as a PRIZE for a Quiz competition!!

The Club is supposed to protect and promote the good future of the breed??? Excuse me but have doubts!

[Carmel Murphy]

Frances I only discovered that after writing my protest e-mail to both men at the RedClub that one is the owner of the bitch in question!! But I did get back a long and interesting reply that Susan kindly translated for me!! Iwill see if I can post the reply here but I dont know how to do that easily from an e-mail!!

[Dawn Riddell]

Carmel, probably the easiest way to do it would be to cut and paste.

I'd be interested in seeing the e-mail for sure.