American English Setters
How much value can we find in importing ES from
USA to other parts of the world?
It would be very easy to generalise, either way, but it is
of course a vast country with a huge variety of
breeders and dogs, also among the highest profiled
FDSB-registered dogs.
A large number of these dogs are extremes, with little
resemblance to a well functioning shooting dog. We
have absolute high class bird dogs in other parts of the
world, from "Formula One" Grande Quete dogs in Italy,
France and Spain etc. to highly effective pheasant dogs
and long-distance runners on ptarmigan (Arctic
Grouse) and clever forest dogs on black game.
Personally I am very cautious towards American blood
lines. A lot of the stock to come out of America have
lacked brains, been hard-headed and not very trainable,
have had little or no natural ranging pattern and have
not been particularly efficient bird finders. Bad looks,
bad angulation and bad pigmentation have added to this.
Amongst the more positive things have been early and
strong pointing instinct, and often a strong mental and
physical appearance, including a no-nonsense bird work.
USA to other parts of the world?
It would be very easy to generalise, either way, but it is
of course a vast country with a huge variety of
breeders and dogs, also among the highest profiled
FDSB-registered dogs.
A large number of these dogs are extremes, with little
resemblance to a well functioning shooting dog. We
have absolute high class bird dogs in other parts of the
world, from "Formula One" Grande Quete dogs in Italy,
France and Spain etc. to highly effective pheasant dogs
and long-distance runners on ptarmigan (Arctic
Grouse) and clever forest dogs on black game.
Personally I am very cautious towards American blood
lines. A lot of the stock to come out of America have
lacked brains, been hard-headed and not very trainable,
have had little or no natural ranging pattern and have
not been particularly efficient bird finders. Bad looks,
bad angulation and bad pigmentation have added to this.
Amongst the more positive things have been early and
strong pointing instinct, and often a strong mental and
physical appearance, including a no-nonsense bird work.
The "Smith setters"from Inez and Elwin G.
Smith have been in their own class.
Equimark pictured above was sold to
Norway and was the most successful
amongst many imports. He got several
good results at Norwegian trials and he
bred exceptionally well.
Equimark is found behind our UK-import
Chywoon Entrepreneur of Jonsmae
("Woody") through the Norwegian import
to Ireland Storeskar's G. Snorre.
Equimark is also found behind our
Norwegian import Lapphaugen's H Moulin.
Among many positives, Equimark's
progeny didn't get the stickiness on birds
which many other US-imports have bred.
Smith have been in their own class.
Equimark pictured above was sold to
Norway and was the most successful
amongst many imports. He got several
good results at Norwegian trials and he
bred exceptionally well.
Equimark is found behind our UK-import
Chywoon Entrepreneur of Jonsmae
("Woody") through the Norwegian import
to Ireland Storeskar's G. Snorre.
Equimark is also found behind our
Norwegian import Lapphaugen's H Moulin.
Among many positives, Equimark's
progeny didn't get the stickiness on birds
which many other US-imports have bred.
Siri (Equimark - Skillevatnets Tinka), bred
in Norway, foundation bitch in the
Swedish kennel Ohlsmyrens.
in Norway, foundation bitch in the
Swedish kennel Ohlsmyrens.
The Performer on point. His sister Bird Happy Julia
was imported to Norway and is found behind Moulin.
was imported to Norway and is found behind Moulin.
The Grouse Ridge kennel has produced
many good dogs both for trialists and
shooters. In the mid 1970s Grouse Ridge
Hawk (Grouse Ridge John - Grouse
Ridge Honey) was imported to North
Norway. Hawk only sired one litter in
Norway, but that gave a great boost
firstly to Lapphaugen and further to the
Rypskogen kennels.
many good dogs both for trialists and
shooters. In the mid 1970s Grouse Ridge
Hawk (Grouse Ridge John - Grouse
Ridge Honey) was imported to North
Norway. Hawk only sired one litter in
Norway, but that gave a great boost
firstly to Lapphaugen and further to the
Rypskogen kennels.
| Grouse Ridge Hawk in Norwegian snow |
Sam L's Tric (Sam L's Hadaway - Sam L's Dixie was
imported from the American breeder Sam Light to
Norway, by Ola Saugstad who already was a well-known
breeder with his kennel Vindens. Though Sam L's Tric's
greatest legacy came with the Swedish bitch Stenänga
J. Fennia when he sired the famous Stenänga X-litter.
Those Sam L lines were also behind Grouse Ridge
Hawk's father Grouse Ridge John.
imported from the American breeder Sam Light to
Norway, by Ola Saugstad who already was a well-known
breeder with his kennel Vindens. Though Sam L's Tric's
greatest legacy came with the Swedish bitch Stenänga
J. Fennia when he sired the famous Stenänga X-litter.
Those Sam L lines were also behind Grouse Ridge
Hawk's father Grouse Ridge John.
When Dr Leon Mortensen followed the 1977
ruffed grouse trials in the United States, it was
only one single dog who impressed him with
excellent bird finding abilities. That was
Ghost's Star (Ghost's Train - Hy Kaliber Tiny),
pictured above. Leon went on to compliment
the owner that she was a dog he would be
very happy to shoot over in New Zealand.
This was not taken as a compliment, that she
was seen as a mere shooting dog. That attitude
with American field trial dogs we of course
think is completely missing the whole point.
ruffed grouse trials in the United States, it was
only one single dog who impressed him with
excellent bird finding abilities. That was
Ghost's Star (Ghost's Train - Hy Kaliber Tiny),
pictured above. Leon went on to compliment
the owner that she was a dog he would be
very happy to shoot over in New Zealand.
This was not taken as a compliment, that she
was seen as a mere shooting dog. That attitude
with American field trial dogs we of course
think is completely missing the whole point.