FCI-Standard N° 330 / 15.
06. 2005 / GB
IRISH RED & WHITE SETTER
ORIGIN : Ireland.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF
THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 19.04.2005.
UTILIZATION : Most
acceptable companion and friend in the homes and the fields. The Irish
Red & White Setter is bred primarily for the field. The standard as set
out hereunder must be interpreted chiefly from this point of view and
all Judges at bench shows must judge the exhibits chiefly from the
working standpoint.
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. :
Group 7 Pointing Dogs Section 2 British and Irish Pointers and Setters.
With Working Trial.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY
: The Irish Setter probably
came to its own at the end of the 17th century. It is not well known
outside of Ireland that there are two breeds of Irish Setters, but is
fairly certain, that the Red and White Setter is the older of the two,
and that judicious selective breeding evolved the solid red colour. When
Irish Setters came to the show benches, just past the middle of the 19th
century, there was a good deal of confusion about their proper colour.
By the end of the 19th century, the Red Setter had virtually eclipsed
the Red and White, which became so rare, that they were thought to be
extinct. During the 1920s, efforts were made to revive the breed. By
1944, the breed had re-established itself well enough to have a club of
its own, and today it can be seen in healthy numbers at Irish shows and
Field Trials. The present Club the Irish Red & White Setter Field & Show
Society was formed in 1981 and through its endeavours and direction the
breed is now well established nationally and internationally. The Irish
Red & White Setter competes successfully in Field Trials against the
other pointing breeds and there are now quite a number of Field Trial
Champions and Show Champions.
GENERAL APPEARANCE :
Strong well balanced and proportioned without lumber; athletic rather
than racy. The Irish Red & White Setter is bred primarily for the field
and must be judged chiefly from the working standpoint.
BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT :
Aristocratic, keen and intelligent. Displays a kindly, friendly
attitude, behind which should be discernible determination, courage and
high spirit. The Red and White Setter is very friendly, dependable and
easily trained gundog.
HEAD : Broad in
proportion to the body.
CRANIAL REGION :
Skull : Domed without
showing occipital protuberance, as in the Irish Red Setter.
Stop : Good Stop.
FACIAL REGION :
Muzzle : Clean and
square.
Jaws : Jaws of equal or
nearly equal length.
Teeth : Regular teeth;
scissor bite ideal; edge to edge bite acceptable.
Eyes : Dark hazel or dark
brown; oval, with slight prominence and without haw.
Ears : Set level with the
eyes, and well back, lying close to the head.
NECK : Moderately long,
very muscular, but not too thick, slightly arched, free from all
tendency to throatiness.
BODY : Strong and
muscular.
Back : To be strong and
well muscled.
Chest : Deep, with well
sprung ribs.
TAIL : Moderate length,
not reaching below hock, strong at root. Tapering to fine point; no
appearance of ropiness and carried level with or below the back.
LIMBS : Well muscled and
sinewy; strong bone.
FOREQUARTERS :
Shoulders : Well laid
back.
Elbows : Free, turning
neither in nor out.
Forelegs : Straight and
sinewy, well boned.
Pastern : Strong.
HINDQUARTERS : Wide and
strong; hind legs from hip to hock long and muscular.
Stifle : Well bent.
Hock : Well let down,
turning neither in nor out. From hock to foot of moderate length and
strong.
FEET : Close-knit with
plenty of feathering between toes.
GAIT : When moving at the
trot long striding, very lively, graceful and efficient. Head held high,
hindquarters drive smoothly and with great power. Forelegs reach well
ahead and remain low. Seen from or rear forelegs and hindlegs below the
hock joint moving perpendicularly to the ground, no crossing or weaving
of legs, front or back.
COAT
HAIR : Long silky fine
hair called "Feathering" on the back of the fore and hind legs and on
the outer ear flap, also a reasonable amount on the flank extending on
to the chest and throat forming a fringe. All feathering straight, flat
and free from curl but slight wave is permissible.
The tail should be well feathered.
On all other parts of the body the hair should be short, flat and
free from curl.
COLOUR : Base colour
white with solid red patches (clear islands of red colour), both colours
should show the maximum of life and bloom; flecking but not roaning
permitted around the face and feet and up the foreleg as far as the
elbow and up the hindleg as far as the hock. Roaning, flecking and
mottling on any other part of the body is objectionable.
SIZE AND WEIGHT :
Desirable Height at the
withers : Dogs : 24.5 - 26 ins. (62 – 66 cm). Bitches : 22,5 - 24 ins.
(57 - 61 cm).
FAULTS : Any departure
from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the
seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact
proportion to its degree.
SEVERE FAULT :
Any dog or bitch not
conforming to the height standard.
ELIMINATING FAULTS :
Aggressive or overly shy.
Males not having two
apparently normal testicles.
Although flecking but not
roaning is permitted around the face and feet and up the forelegs as far
as the elbow and up the hindleg as far as the hock, visible and
excessive roaning, flecking and mottling on any other part of the body
is an eliminating fault.
Any dog clearly showing
physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
N.B. : Male animals
should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the
scrotum.
