Ireland Judges for 25th Annual All Ireland Terrier & Lurcher Champonships

[AlbertJ 569]

Judges for 25th All Ireland Terrier, Whippet and Lurcher Championships Shanes Castle Sunday 8th July Start 12.30 sharp

 

In line with our policy of publishing the judges names in advance of our events and because of huge number of people who have contacted me to see the judges before they make plans to attend I have decided to release these now rather than wait for our full launch in Irish Countrysports and Country Life magazine and general press on the 12th June. All other details including the BEST ever Irish prize structure for Terrier, Whippet and Lurcher competitions will be released then PLUS we have a few other new attractions and OF COURSE the MASTER MCGRATH final and the heats and final of the new DIRECTORS' NOVICE LURCHER CHALLENGE. taking place ion the Saturday. In short, it is our aim to make this the best Irish Terrier, whippet and lurcher weekend ever BUt of course we still have Birr to come.

 

Overall our 50th fair is shaping up very nicely with our best overall prize fund ever; we currently have more stands booked in than last year and we are receiving at least half a dozen enquiries daily so the fair will be the largest ever seen in Ireland ; we have several new attractions and a massive media and advertising campaign planned.

 

I am sympathetic to people wishing to attend over two days so if that is your intention please contact me and I will work out the best deal possible for you.

 

Our judges are all from Scotland and I hope that you will recognise that we have incurred expense to bring them across, they are all very knowledgeable dog men and they have our total confidence. I hope you will not pre-judge their judging and take their decisions in the sporting fashion that we here in Ireland used to be famous for.

 

They are : Terriers : Derek Davidson

Lurchers : Stuart Den Bell

Whippets : Leigh Marshall

[Chid 6,377]

Lurcher judge .... Is that denned of this site Albert? If so might make a trip down and see him

[AlbertJ 569]

The very one and only denned!

[Chid 6,377]

The very one and only denned!

Very nice fella is denned met him before good choice of judge me thinks :wink:

[AlbertJ 569]

Chid,

 

I think they will all do a good job. Both Den and Derek have visited Ireland before. Den to run his lurcher in the Master McGrath at Shanes last year - he is so enthusiastic that he came in late Friday night and went back Saturday night to run his own show on the Sunday! Derek came across to show his terrier in the Five Nations Terrier Championships at Birr two years ago. They are all looking forward to judging at this historical event - the 25th All Ireland Championships at our 50th Irish Game Fair.

 

Albertj

[sammcc 229]

Albert you don't know me so I hope you don't find me cheeky in what I am asking,I know that through your excellent game fairs much needed money is raised for very needy charities and for that I take my hat of to you and your dedicated team.

Also through your excellent magazine country life is brought into many homes,there is at the moment a very real threat to that country life which we have all enjoyed legally for many years as there is a bill being proposed to ban the use of dogs for hunting in both north and south of Ireland.

I would ask of you that through your magazine you appeal to all country sports people be it fishermen, clay shooters ,sporting shooters,pest controllers every one who spends time in the field to contact there MLA s local councillors and let them know how we feel about this proposed bill let them know we will not except there proposals .

I would also ask if you through your game fairs could help raise much needed funding for the IWTF which a young man of here has through his own funding got up and running,the purpose of this federation is to give the terrier men and women of Ireland a voice to oppose this up and coming bill.

I know the working terrier is close to your heart and feel you have done a lot to promote it in recent years,maybe add 50pence to all entrance fees for dog showing,clay shooting, gun dog trails, or just passing a bucket around of course explaining were/the cause it's going to.

I hope you don't feel I have over stepped the mark in my request but I feel strongly about my dogs,also I feel the IWTF needs help from everyone in fighting this bill .

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Yours in sport Sam McCullough.(ps if you have already been approached for help ignore my request)

[AlbertJ 569]

Sam

 

We are always willing to help organisations and clubs if they seek our help and we are very active ourselves in lobbying MLAs, MPs and Ministers. As far as I am aware I do not think there are actually bills to ban hunting with dogs either North or South but personally I feel they may be coming.

 

I know that a young guy was trying to set up a working terrier federation but I did not know it was actually set up.

 

Basically we put our money/sponsorship where we think it does most good and throw quite a lot of weight behind those people who we think can deliver. But with money in short supply we have to be convinced that the organisations that we support are representative, focused, viable and capable of delivering on their objectives. A good example of an organisation which we support every year is FISSTA, and this year we have given support to a fantastic group of lads in the No to Salmon Netting campaign. These guys are well organised, focused , passionate about their sport and have made governments change direction.

 

Before I would commit to helping with a widespread appeal for this federation, I would need to know a little bit more about the federation and its funding, membership, objectives and the details of the Bills that the Federation claims are coming.

 

Albertj

[sammcc 229]

Thank you for your prompt reply Albert,the lad behind the federation is called Mark and he is doing a lot of good work behind the scenes at his on expense .i will ask him to contact you and bring you up to speed with there agenda and proposals,in relation to the bill I mentioned there is one coming up for review in the south within the coming weeks and there is a rally organised by RISE in Cork this Thursday at 1900 details in the terrier section of hunting life.

There is also a further bill being tabled in our on parament some time in September ,but mark can give you more details when you meet.

Once again I thank you for your time and any help that may be coming.

Regards Sam McCullough

[AlbertJ 569]

Thanks Sam. I met Mark at Ballywalter - he has quite a few good ideas.I did say I would help him if I could. Regarding RISE we have a report from Des Crofton in our latest magazine on the current focus of RISE. But while I think there may be a bill proposed at Stormont regarding hunting with dogs I have not heard anything about this - where did this information come from in order that we can get our magazine editor on to it? We have to be careful to make sure such information is accurate.

 

Albert

[AlbertJ 569]

Thanks Sam. I met Mark at Ballywalter - he has quite a few good ideas.I did say I would help him if I could. Regarding RISE we have a report from Des Crofton in our latest magazine on the current focus of RISE. But while I think there may be a bill proposed at Stormont regarding hunting with dogs I have not heard anything about this - where did this information come from in order that we can get our magazine editor on to it? We have to be careful to make sure such information is accurate.

 

Albert

 

Samm,

 

You said 'there is a bill being proposed to ban the use of dogs for hunting in both north and south of Ireland'. I fear this MAY happen but I have checked with various sources including CAI and it would appear there is nothing currently planned for the North and nothing really that specific in the South. HOWEVER that is not to say it won't come and the time to mobilise is before it happens not when it happens. BUT I feel that the organisation needs to be set up to include lurchers & whippets and it needs to be the right organisation.

The magazine and fairs stand by to support the right organisation when it emerges.

 

Albert

[AlbertJ 569]

Sam,

 

I appreciate you wrote to me out of geunuine concern for terrier work but I was concerned that the information you passed on about bills to ban it going through the Dail and Stormont was inaccurate. We have checked widely through government sources and CAI in NI and NARGC in the south. There are no bills coming forward at present.

 

Des Crofton said

" There is no such legislation proposed to my knowledge either North or South. He is probably referring to the Animal Health & Welfare Bill in the South which is currently going through the Senate and will then move on to the Dail. I led a delegation of hunting associations to a meeting with the senior civil servants dealing with this legislation only last Thursday and a number of key amendments are now agreed. Firstly, the Bill had already contained a provision to the effect that nothing in the Bill would interfere with the continuation of normal hunting practices as they are currently. In addition, we achieved an exemption for tail-docking and dew-claw removal for working dogs. Why would the authorities agree this if they intended to ban hunting with dogs? Among many other matters on which were satisfied, it is expressly agreed that nothing in the Bill will interfere with terrier work and existing pest control methods. "

Lyall Plant from CAI said "I spoke with Kate Davy in DARD and she informs there is no legislation in the pipeline. This could be why the USPCA are leaving pawni."

Our editor , as an ex government press officer, has made enquiries and has heard nothing.

Having said all of that I personally feel that ultimately terrier work and lurcher work will come under threat and it would be good strategy to set up a representative group but it must be a representative group representing all of the strands of that work. I had suggested a starting point to Mark of getting all the show organisers together to set up a group which could then recruit at shows and after one year hold fresh elections. Obviously such a group would not initially have lobbying expertise so a link with one of the main organisations would be necessary - in my opinion either CAI ( only all Ireland organisation) and possibly also NARGC in the south who are Ireland's largest and a very strong organisation in terms of lobbying and holding government to account. There are other organisations such as BASC ( big in Uk smallish in NI and mainly shooting orientated plus pricey membership) ; SACS have good insurance but the name rather says it all - smallish in the UK and in NI , again rather similar focus to BASC and no real staffing in Ireland. Think they operate mainly if not exclusively in NI.

Albertj

[dennned 172]

albert , at least he has a passion about his dogs and the work they do, we in scotland are under this ridiculous ban , just hope it does'nt get through over there --den

[sammcc 229]

Albert many thanks for this information sorry I didn't reply sooner but I was in Fermanagh for a few days and no Internet connection,look forward to your magazine and any information it may carry.

Thank you again,Sam

[AlbertJ 569]

albert , at least he has a passion about his dogs and the work they do, we in scotland are under this ridiculous ban , just hope it does'nt get through over there --den

 

Den,

 

I applaud Mark's enthusiasm and his desire to do something positive BUT any organisation that is set up must have wdespread support and a clear focus. We help many clubs and organisations but try to select those which are most likely to make the best use of our funding.

 

Albert

[dennned 172]

albert , at least he has a passion about his dogs and the work they do, we in scotland are under this ridiculous ban , just hope it does'nt get through over there --den

 

Den,

 

I applaud Mark's enthusiasm and his desire to do something positive BUT any organisation that is set up must have wdespread support and a clear focus. We help many clubs and organisations but try to select those which are most likely to make the best use of our funding.

 

Albert

i agree albert , just a pity more people over here didnt fight , but as goverment pushed it through because of the huge donation the labour party recieved , ( from nameless donators from animal rights groups)they were using scotland again as testing grounds for this ridiculous bill --- ok rant over