Mother learns young Bram trialling

[Henk ten Klooster]

Relatively young, female and very enthusiastic but not much sparetime as mothers of kids and often also active in study and/or work. That accounts for a majority of participants of the first training course fieldwork for newcomers of the Irish Setter Club of the Netherlands in this millennium.

This scheme ended last Sunday, November 25 on grounds near the river the Waal, providing all a great sight of landscapes typical for Dutch river surroundings. Its the natural habitat for wild pheasants and the first entry Gweehin O’Conloch (called Finn) owned by Wijnanda had a good find of two cocks.

This one and a half year old Irish setter had done practical hunting right before in a group of hunters south of Orleans (France). Finn outworked many an older continental working breed in all round job, so before and after the shot providing his owner a garage full of partridge and pheasants to consume around coming celebration days.

Where others could not find, he did. And contrary to a common belief of others that red setters are not the best of retrievers in water if needed, he showed they can. At least he… Plus performing on the specialist job.

Trialling in schoolclass

As most participators are mothers of young kids having to combine this with work and/or study, it takes a lot of enthusiasm and managing skills to continue this time-consuming hobby.

One kid, eight years old Bram helped his mother Willeke to get both sisters Fay and Faerie Tail O’Conloch working. He combined this with telling his schoolclass his experiences, winning a good note for that.

The scene ended in a houseroom of one the participators, Bert and Brigitte , owners of Guinness, where all of the group were “whined and dined” with some of old Dutch food for a cold season warming up insides.

According to the instructor Gerard Mirck most youngsters participating are ok for the next stage that is preparing for youngsters trials. Probably they will continue their education on fields in southern Germany or France in January of February where there is enough wild grey partridge, the only feathers to score on in Spring trials.

So maybe young Bram might have something adventurous to tell his schoolclass. For now he has, as both sisters Fay and Faerie Tail were running fields like swallows on four legs.

Henk ten Klooster.

(picture: Finn retrieving in France)