Setternose as landscape guide
Following a setter nose means discovering world's best landscapes . Enjoying now for half a century red setters, it was and is red setters paving pathways to new discoveries in mother nature. Why destroying such a heritage of centuries for a selfish chase of narrow heads, long ears and a lot of coat?
As a boy you could enjoy swimming a river with your Irish setter who if needed saving you , a bit of fishing, hunting, but especially those long walks providing salt of the earth timeless moments. In a nutshell this meant doors wide open for world's best landscapes later. Plus regenerating youth experiences. Sniffing scents in Poland for example in the end of the nineties meant recovering by smell what was lost in our surroundings.
Having a setter as guide was and is priceless. That is why when an Arab of bird dogs becomes a victim of vanity only will not only hit - and lead to the disappearance of the original Irish setter in the end, but also rob future generations from likewise experiences. This is not dealing with field trials, hunting, or falconry only but daily experiences as well as seen by Echlin in the picture "retrieving" my daughters from the ocean (picture).
A poor shadow
Much of the modern Irish setter in Europe is shaped by British show breeders. When they lost dogs like Brackenfield Hartsbourne Bronze and Wendover Beggar in the sixties, scoring in both fields and shows, over the generations many reds became a poor shadow of former glory. As a result of the Show Champion title other than Champion with no test of mental and physical strength.
The late William J. Rasbridge, expert of families who shaped the original Irish setter, already knew that. Take for example his Profile in Our Dogs, December 13th 1984 when he talks about his dog Borrowdale Basilio.
"I was a great walker in those days. A 30-mile walk meant nothing to me. I used to walk for three days on end. If I could find a pub to stop in, I did. If not, I slept under a haystack. And I took this dog all with me all over the countryside. He was easily the most intelligent dog I ever had. I could do anything with him and I attributed it to one line in his pedigree, coming down from a very early field trial line."
A ruined breed
Results of that are best described by what is to be read in Dog World, February 13 1976 heading "A ruined breed" above experiences of mrs Florence Nagle (Sulhamstead). When she talks about exaggerations of show bred Irish setters she states: "They could never stand up a day's work".
Heading "The true Irish setter", mrs Nagle states in the book Mission Accomplished: "Gone are the days when setters like Int Ch Oonagh of Boyne, Ch Delaware Kate and Ch Pat O'Moy were not only capable of winning challenge certificates but of winning prizes and certificates of merit in field trials. They were Setters of brain, substance and stamina. "
Mind those last words: brain, substance and stamina. And Florence Nagle warns: "The Irish setter is one of the best gundogs in the world. He has courage, stamina and brains and, above all, is level headed. He is also very beautiful and it is up to us breeders to hand him down to our descendants intact and not to have spoilt his sporting qualities."
Back to roots
Since around ten years ago, travels to many parts of the world chasing islands of working Irish setters luckily documented the original Irish setter survives. And with a bit of cooperation between those islands, red setters can win a lot like future. Especially by bringing back their image back to its roots.
So it is not a target for the "fun of the few" in densely populated areas like the Netherlands to regenerate a red athlete of former days. It will pay off as well in daily long walks with a setter. If you see for example an explosion of joy so typical for Irish setters on the beach, just try to walk a coastline from sunrise to sunset.
It provides you timeless moments of joy.
Henk ten Klooster, May 19th 2007.