The Second European Champions for Irish Red Setters on Snipe
International Irish Setter Club
The Irish Red Setter Club ran the second edition of the European Championship for Irish Red Setters in conjunction with the International Irish Red Setter Club. The trials were run on snipe on the heather bogs in East Galway, hosted by the Mountbellew & Moylough Gun Club on the 14th to 17th of October 2019. Blessed by good weather and a bountiful supply of snipe the Championship was another great success. Just under 50 Irish setters from France, the UK and Ireland competed as well as people from Switzerland and Greece.
The event was sponsored again by Connolly’s Red Mills and Devonish Nutrition permitting the invitation of an international and national panel of judges, social events and bespoke prizes for all the winners. One of the owners of Red Mills, Bill Connolly also competed successfully with his team of Irish setters as evidenced in the list of winners below. The breed’s prowess as a snipe dog was very evident as can be seen by the number of dogs in the awards and the high number of excellent classifications awarded by the judges.
The Judging panel was drawn from senior national and international sources. The Irish judges included Jim Sheridan, the Chairman of the IKC Field Trials Committee, Patrick McCarthy, Michael Heuston, Aidan Dunne, all A Panel Judge together with Jean Pierre Gott , President of Honour of the French Irish Setter Club and Rene Bloch an international field trial judge from Switzerland. The Solo trials were judged by IRSC Club stalwarts Kristin Jameson and John Mullins.
There was a very positive atmosphere at the event and in a very sporting manner. The European Champion on Snipe 2019 is Phillipe Guittard’s IRSB Jessie de l’Anse de Ty Roux handled by J F Meret and the Vice Champion id Pat Reape’s IRSD Ballinahemmy Mike.