The English Setter Club had the honour of running the first field Trial of the year on the National Park, Wicklow.  The Open Stake was held on Sunday 1st August and the Confined Stake on Monday 2nd August.  Twenty-eight dogs took part.  Judges were Billy Grace (Tipperary) and Edward Flannelly (Donegal) with Jim Sheridan as Steward of the Beat.  The number of grouse seen was disappointing.  Dogs were not fit and were not handling the grouse very well although alot of the handlers had been across the water training in England and Scotland in July.  Training is not allowed in Ireland  until the 1st August which is a big drawback.  the judges had two dogs with finds on grouse after the first round.  They brought back five brace for the second round but lost one of the dogs that had a find in the first round.  It was a disappointing start to the new season.  There was just one award and that was 1st place to Kieran Walsh’s ESD Capparoe Tintreach with an Excellent award. 

The Confined English Setter Stake on Monday took place on the National Park.  Twenty-seven dogs took place.  Judges were Patsy McCarthy (Cork) and Vincent Flannelly (Westmeath).  Neil Ryan was steward of the Beat.  We had a fine day.  Game did not show well in the first round and the judges had just one find.  That changed in the second round and a few nice packs of young grouse were seen.  Results were:

1st Exc.    Goldshield Breeze  Tom Dunne’s ESB

2nd Exc.   My Rings of Felim    Neil Ryan’s ESD

3rd V G   Capparoe Tintreach  Kieran Walsh’s ESD

4th  V G  Blackstairs Yellow Knife  Eamonn O’Grady’s ESD

The Secretary, Pat Martin thanked the judges, the Steward of the Beat and all the competitors and hoped we would have a great year of Trials.  He especially thanked Neil Ryan for all his help and for bringing him here and for looking after the trials out on the hill as he was unable to do so himmself.  Judge Patsy McCarthy said it was a good standard stake and a lot of young dogs showed great potential and the breed had a bright future.