Our Visit to the Republik of Ireland (IRL), 2022

Memories of an unforgettable trip to the Emerald Isle

What a present for my birthday: A voucher for a trip to Ireland from 29.9. to 4.10.2022. By plane (Cologne - Dublin), accommodation in Navan, by rental car through Ireland incl. visit of two dog shows.

Even if the typical Irish weather (short rain showers again and again) should have frustrated me, the island impressed me: Impressive natural landscapes with green meadows, bordered with gray stone walls or high, perfectly trimmed hedges, grazing cattle in all colors, countless sheep (per inhabitant at least 1 sheep), steeply sloping cliffs (e.g. Cliffs of Moher), wild sounds of the sea, always a fresh breeze, sandy beaches or fjord-like bays (the sea is never more than 2 hours away by car), imposing castles, palaces, cathedrals, churches and interesting ruins, early monuments (e.g. Hill of Tara, burial mounds with passage tombs Brú na Bóinne) and the Mediterranean vegetation, which is hardly to be expected due to the mild Gulf Stream climate. In addition, lively cities, such as Dublin (capital, university, UNESCO City of Literature, center of Ireland's struggle for independence), Galway (European Capital of Culture 2020) and Ireland's warm inhabitants, with whom you quickly get into conversation and feel welcome. Irish whiskey and Guinness (the national drink of the Irish) in quaint pubs, street music on every corner.

In Ireland, you drive on the left (but the many traffic circles make it easy to get around). The streets are frighteningly narrow and mostly without sidewalks. Without a navigation system (or Google Maps) we would not have found our way, because distant destinations are rarely indicated on the signs. To Dublin, we went by bus (Almost all lines go to O'Connell Street. Our return trips to Navan, on the other hand, can be described as adventurous).

Ireland's currency is the Euro - no need to convert. As a precaution we had taken a 3-pin adapter plug and a 3-pin socket with us. Good thing, because without charging the smartphones and photo battery we would have been lost. Greenwich Mean Time applies, i.e. the clocks have to be set back by 1 hour.

In the B & B there was a classic, excellent Irish/English Breakfast, which left nothing to be desired and satiated us well into the day.

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What luck (for me) that on 1.10. an All Breed International Championship Show and on 2.10. an All Breed National Championship Show (Irish Kennel Club Centenary Shows) took place at the Navan Race Course. From our B & B in Navan it was only a 15 minute drive by car. Parking and catalogs cost € 5,- and € 10,-, but visitor admission was free. All breed rings were equipped with a tent for the judge and ring stewards, included a table for the smaller to medium sized breeds and were marked out with flutter tape on the asphalt floor in front of the galleries or on the small green in front of the race track. The grass rings could be considered a challenge for the exhibitors (numerous holes and bumps, it was uphill and downhill ...). Honor rings for Group and BiS judging, Junior Handling, Puppy, Junior, Champion, Veteran & Brace Stakes and a few Obedience competitions were held in larger tents on asphalt in front of the building. A handful of commercial stalls could be used for shopping.

For the most part, international all-rounders took up their work as judges. All judges were portrayed in detail with photo in the catalogs. Mr. Benny Blidh Von Schedvin, Sweden (FCI Allrounder since 2015) judged on 1.10. at the International Show not only 18 registered (16 present) Shetland Sheepdogs, but also Groenendael, Malinois, Trevueren, Bouvier Des Flandres, Briard, Border, Rough Collies, Czeslovkian Wolfhound, Komondor, Lancashire Heeler, Mudi, Pumi, Romanian Mioritic Sheepdog, Slovakian Chuvach, South Russian, Tatra Shepherd Dog, Welsh Corgi Cardigan, Pembroke & White Swiss Shepherd.

Mr. Angel Garach Domech, Spain (FCI Allrounder since July 2005) judged on 2.10. at the National Show 22 registered Shelties (19 present) and Australian Shepherds, Malinois, Bouvier Des Flandres, Briards, Catalonian Sheepdogs, Bearded, Border, Rough, Smooth Collies, Czeslovakian Wolfhounds, Komondors, Lancashire Heelers, Mudis, OES, Pumis, Slovakian Chuvch, South Russian, Tatra Shepherd Dogs, Welsh Corgis Cardigan & Pembroke and the White Swiss Shepherds.

On 1.10. we also watched the Junior Handling. Excellent junior exhibitors (1 young lady with a Sheltie) showed their skills. Mrs. Evelyn Hurley, IRL did not have it easy to pick out her winners.

To become an Irish Champion (= Irish National Champion title) a dog needs 7 Green Stars from 7 different judges at IKC Championshipshows! At least one GS must have been won after the age of 15th months. A Green Star will go to the best male and best female, with all class winners (from Puppy to Veteran) who received an Excellent 1 competing against each other. There will also be a Reserve Green Star awarded to the 2nd Best Male and 2nd Best Bitch (with Excellent). However, this is not upgraded, even if the Green Star winner is already an Irish Champion. So it can be quite frustrating to get "only" the Res. Green Star repeatedly after very successful champions. It was pointed out to me, however, that this ensured that despite numerically few competitors, a high quality of the Irish Champion title is guaranteed.

For the Irish Junior Champion 5 Excellent 1 in the Junior class on Championshipshows are needed.

There will also be an Annual Champion for each breed. This is awarded to the dog or bitch that won the most Green Stars within the year. In any case it must be more than 5 Green Stars. In case of a tie, the award goes to the dog with most BoBs.

At the All Breed National Championship Shows there is also an Adult Class for dogs from 24 to 36 months, in which 2 males and 1 bitch were entered in Navan, who had competed in the Open Class at the International Show the day before.

Usually the average number of Shelties entered in the IKC and All Ireland Shetland Sheepdog Club Championship shows is about 10 - 25 Shelties nowadays. Although the entry numbers may not seem very high, the quality of the Shelties certainly is. I was thrilled with the Shelties present on both days. The entry fees for the International All Breed Shows are a lot lower than at our shows: The 1st dog entered is €26, each additional dog is €10, so most exhibitors enter and show more than one dog. Just like in our system, a dog can only be entered in one breed specific class (no double entries as at UK shows).

Thanks to Brenda Doyle ("Sevenoak" Shelties) who patiently and thoroughly explained the Irish Show System to me.

On both days the Best of Breed went to the current Irish Top Sheltie, tri bitch Ch. Longrange Cailin Dubh, who is also Top Dog of Group I at the moment with 2x BiS (on All Breed Shows), 7 Group wins, 16 BoB, 19 GS, 5 CACIB. At the International Show she won Group I under Mrs. Jurate Kutkiene (LIT) and at the National Show she was 3rd in Group I under Mr. Angel Garach Domech.

Here are the results of both shows with photos of the Shelties: