Ronny Blomme

As many of us the first dog I started with was not a pedigree bred. This was in 1976, the times when Irish Setters were very popular. I liked the breed: it’s style and elegance together with the deep red colour.

I soon noticed that the Irish Setter I had bought was not really a good one, I soon became member of the Belgian Irish Setter Club and bought a second male: “Cornflower Dandy” (Echo of the Hunters’ Home x Lowfield Ascot-Pride). He was a nice dog but irregular in his results on shows: one day he could win a class, the next day he was out with a “Very Good”.

Than another male joined the gang, an English import “Wynjill Topaz” by “Sh Ch Caskey’s Bo-Jo” out of a bitch on purely Cornevon lines. He was a “big boy” and seen his size the judges liked him or did not. He was very good in winning… Res. CAC/CACIB’s but with this you don’t become a champion... I mainly had males and clearly had no breeding intentions until the day I changed my mind and bought a bitch in England, she became “VDH Ch Crimbledale Hello Dolly” very closely bred on Twoacres lines. She won CAC + Best Bitch with BOB on the Luxemburg Irish Setter Breed special. I mated her to the successful “Dutch Ch. Harvey of the Hunter’s Home”, this one also going back to “Twoacres Gold Eagle” and the “Kerryfair” lines, and produced “Norcroft Palmerston” and “Norcroft Playboy”. “Playboy” went to France to a breeder were he was much used. “Palmerston’s” most historic mating was a Swedish bitch, (but this a special story on its own), but however he produced a very successful and widely used stud dog in Sweden (“Gaerlic Boogie Woogie at Dubliner”).

From another litter came “Norcroft Starling” producing “Dutch Ch Vicary’s Adventure”.

As I also liked English Setters I bought a bitch in England, she became “Dutch Ch Crimbledale Cool Capers” bred on Upperwood, Kenandra and Mindenday lines. She produced nice offspring and we kept “Dutch Ch Norcroft Rhapsody” and “Dutch Ch Norcroft Temptation”. Some others in novice hands also did well, becoming Dutch Champion such as “Dutch Ch Norcroft Rhythm” winning twice the CAC + Best Bitch, once with Best in Show and the other with Best Opposite Sex on the Dutch English Setter Breed Special. Later her sister, our “Dutch Ch Norcroft Rhapsody” did it also, winning CAC + Best Bitch and Best in Show. Some other English Setters we bred also did well and winning Res CAC.

As time and professional duties didn’t really allow, the number of litters we bred is rather limited in the 30 years of involvement with Setters, mainly Irish Setters and English Setters.

However I am still very much involved with the Irish Setter Club and I have a very wide interest in the breed: show dogs but also working dogs. Seeing a beautiful Setter is breathtaking but also seeing a Setter at work and making a point is impressing!

At the moment there are only two Irish Setters bitches at home, the veteran bitch “Xcuseme of Kyntire” (sired by our “Norcroft Palmerston”) in 2009 she became Best Veteran in Show on the Belgian and also on the Dutch Irish Setter Clubshow.

The other one is the young English import bitch “Balintyne A Kiss for Luck” who already won 1 CACIB and 1 Res CACIB but also the Res CAC on the Dutch ISC Clubshow 2009.

When I was president of the Belgian Irish Setter Club I tried to make people interested in anything which can be done with a Setter: showing, trialling but also obedience etc.

Also the other Irish Setter, the Red & White, interests me a lot and while being president of the Belgian Irish Setter Club, organized together with a friend and breeder of Red & Whites the International Irish Red & White Setter Conference. It is a very interesting breed and hope it will be able to maintain it’s authentic type.

Also do I find that it is the responsibility of the club, breeders and members, to breed good typed Setters, beautiful to see with a pleasing character, easy to train and intelligent, but with correct temperament and a good sense of humour!

I am judging since 1988 and have judged Setters in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Finland, Hungary, Switzerland, Sweden, Estonia, Poland, Australia, England, Ireland,… many of these shows were Setter Specials (Irish, English and Gordon Setter Breed Club Specials) and always on CAC, or on the all-breed-shows, on CACIB level.

I was particulary honoured to be invited to judge in England on CC level, where I judged twice Irish Red Setters and once Irish Red & Whites.

I am also judging English Pointers and Weimaraners, but now also all Spaniels and Retrievers, but the Setters will always remain my favourites !

I have already judged in your country (2001), now already some years ago and remember having very much liked the show. I am looking forward to be back and to judge on your Setter Special.

Ronny Blomme
Norcroft Irish & English Setters