FIRST of all, many apologies for the long silence. I think it would be fair to say that we are ‘re-launching’ Sue’s News after a gap of nearly a year!
The principal reason for my silence has been the matter of moving house, which caused untold disruption, not to mention unforeseen hassles of the legal kind! I’m afraid that selling, then buying and finally moving took over a large chunk of my life last year, which was one of the reasons I wasn’t in evidence at many shows! However, here I am, now happily moved (though in the throes of all kinds of work that needs to be done at my new abode).

My new address is: Coppersheen, 7 Woodstock Road, Burton, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 7HY. My phone number is 01202 477014. Mobile: 07702 118108.

I did go to Crufts, and it was lovely to catch up with so many friends. Once my bitch had been shown we went off to look at a number of different gundog breeds so I did not see much of the Irish judging. We also visited Discover Dogs and I must say that the Irish Setter stand, manned by Neil and Nita Partridge, looked very impressive. So well done to everyone who devotes so much of their time to this very worthwhile endeavour which is obviously a wonderful showcase and excellent PR exercise for the breed.

Also, apologies to the many people who have been in touch, especially with supportive comments regarding my last column where I referred to the breed standard. On this subject I received an interesting letter from Sybil Lennox, which she is happy for me to quote: “In the 1960s in the USA there was a lot of agitation to re-write the standard of the Irish Setter, which ended in little change. “A well-known breeder and exhibitor at that time in the States was Lee Schoen, who visited the UK at least once a year and was invited to join the committee set up to consider a new standard in the States. “Lee had been a colonel in the US Army, stationed at Bentley Priory, within sight of the Hartsbourne Kennels, to which he was a frequent visitor. “In 1965 he judged the Irish at Birmingham National, where he gave the dog CC and BOB to Betty Worth’s Heathcliffe Jason and the bitch CC to my own Sh Ch Brackenfield May, both sired by the American import Sh Ch Erinhaven Dennis Muldoon. “Both winners were shown on TV on the evening of the show. Lee mentioned that, in his opinion, a standard for breeds was only a rough guide and it was left to the individual as to how they interpreted it. “He told me that at one of the meetings he read out a standard, saying level topline, good length of neck, strong hindquarters etc, then asked the committee to say what breed it applied to. “There were many guesses of various breeds – then he told them it was the standard for Aberdeen Angus cattle! “They were greatly surprised but it proved his point.”

Although the breed standard is there for all to read and study, its interpretation is, to some extent, subjective. What one person may consider to be correct angulation might not be seen that way by others. Anyone who has studied the diagrams printed in the notes for the KC hands-on assessment, or viewed the KC video on conformation and movement, will be in no doubt as to what the correct angles should be, both front and rear.  Insufficient angulation, or excessive angulation both reflect in movement. Yet how many times have we seen faulty movement completely overlooked, even at championship show level? True, there are other important factors that have to be taken into account, but surely movement is of great importance. How many times do we see judges moving dogs again and then completely ignoring what they have just witnessed? One asks oneself, what is the point of moving them again?

Referring to my remarks in this column last year, I note that one of the breed correspondents in the national dog press took the matter up and commented on what I had written. I had referred to confusion about point of shoulder, with many people thinking that this is at the withers. The writer commented that few people would these days make that mistake as there are so many breed seminars, training days and lectures where they can further their knowledge. Given the fact that the take-up for these seminars is not always good, and they are not a requirement for C list judges, misunderstandings of this kind have the potential to continue. The writer also refers to my use of the word ‘glamour’ in the context of my remarks about coat, and I am not suggesting that the word should be used in the breed standard. It was merely to illustrate a point.

However, the Kennel Club’s own illustrated book of breed standards, in its preamble to the Irish Setter breed standard, begins with the following words: “The Irish Setter must rank amongst the most glamorous of all the breeds of dog.” Further down in the same preamble is the sentence: “Given the chance he will demonstrate that underneath the glamour there is a worker willing to give of his best.” I still stand by my comments that parts of the breed standard are a little ambiguous. Our language is ever-changing, and more so these days – so that the Oxford dictionary is forever having to incorporate new words and new meanings for old words. What might seem obvious to someone aged 70 can mean something completely different to a person in their 20s, who might have as much difficulty understanding some words as many people now do when reading a Shakespeare play. Language is evolving at high speed these days, which is why I believe it is important that words are not open to misinterpretation.

I welcome comments – and indeed that is what this column is all about. Let me know what you think, and let’s have an open forum on any issue you care to raise.