2018 English Setter Success

English Setters from Ireland have continued their winning ways in 2018.  As well as the handlers from Ireland, Doug Collins (Scotland) has been campaigning 2 very able ESBs Gortinreagh Imp and Gortinreagh Jemma over the last few seasons.

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Winner and Runner-up in the Pointer Club of Scotland’s 2018 Summer Open Stake are 2 year old litter mates Gortinreagh Jemma and Gortinreagh Jack Duggan – bred by Gerald Devine. Jemma is trained and handled by Doug Collins and Gerald owns and handles Jack Duggan.

Doug secured his first Open Stake win with Jemma at the Pointer Club of Scotland Open Stake at Dorback estate.  This was a very special stake held in memory of Lady Jean Fforde of Isle of Arran pointer fame.  Dorback had a great supply of game and at the end of the day, many of the competitors found conditions very, very tricky.  2 dogs stood out for the judges (Mr Billy Darragh – Erinvale Irish Setters and Ms Nicky Harris – Clitters Gordon Setters) and they were Doug’s ESB Gortinreagh Jemma and Gerald Devine’s litter brother ESD Gortinreagh Jack Duggan (both bred by Gerald).  They took 1st and 2nd respectively with great running and ground treatment and fantastic game sense.  All the more impressive, as they were only 2 years and 3 months at the time.  It was notable too that Jemma had qualified for Open Stakes by winning the Puppy Stake at the same event 12 months earlier, and despite very few opportunities to trial between events, came out and proved her qualification had been well deserved.

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Doug receiving the winner’s trophies from Lady Jean Fforde’s son.

Gerald’s “J” Litter are bred from Tullycroman Isla – an ESB bred by Monaghan’s P J Peoples from largely imported bloodlines and Gerald’s Gortinreagh Dave.  Gerald dominated the 2015 Spring Novice circuit with Isla – winning 3 out of the 5 Novices held in Scotland.  Her offspring have clearly inherited her excellent game sense.  Gerald also won the 2018 Novice Stake run by the North of Scotland Gundog Association at Glengairn, Aberdeenshire with another brother Gortinreagh Joker.