European Spring Championship 2026

The 40th edition of the Spring European Championship  on Partridge took place for the second year in Sainte Maure, in the Aube region. Participants in this wonderful event came from ten different nations and all expressed their joy at being together in a friendly and convivial atmosphere. The warm welcome from the Aube Hunters' Federation and the Sainte Maure hunting Association, the quality of the hunting grounds, and the number of birds encountered also contributed to the success of these three excellent days.

Friday march 21

The day was dedicated to the European Derby, where fourteen young dogs under 24 months old were examined by a jury composed of Ray O’Dwyer, Jean Pierre Gotti, and Yohann Bouder. A first round of a few minutes allowed for an initial selection based on the passion shown in the search, the speed of the gait, the gallop, the head carriage, and the stillness of the tail. At the end of this first round, five of these young dogs were selected:

·        ABYLA d’Hurtevent à Etienne Paque

·        AGAMEMNON du Val de Loue à Patricia Lathouwers

·        King Red Biemmez-gt TOSCA à Gianni Bonatto

·        King Red Biemmez-gt TITANO à Gianni Bonatto

·        AIKO de Pont Calleck à Lionel Gay, handler E.Paque

During this second run, TITANO displayed fine gaits, gave an excellent performance, and got two points on partridges. His brilliant sister TOSCA, who had the best head carriage in the battery, was unable to negotiate a pair of well-positioned birds.

King Red Biemmez-gt TITANO was declared the winner of the 2026 Spring Derby.

On Saturday afternoon, four dogs were selected (one per group) to participate in the final round judged by Pascal Bouée, Ray O’Dwyer, Guido Orsan, and Jérôme Delmas, with the task of awarding the 2026 Irish Style Prize.

• ABYLA d’Hurtevent (FR) - Owner & Handler: Etienne Paque

• Gimak PETRA (IT) - Owner: C. Valvo - Handler: E. Marchetti

• UHMANA des Vanilla Sativa (FR) - Owner: C. Rivière - Handler: JP. Le Cheviller

• OLBIA de Causses et d’Aubrac - Owner & Handler: JP. Gotti

2026 Irish Style Prize

Gimak PETRA (IT) - Owner: C. Valvo - Handler: E.Marchetti

Solo  stakes 2026

Sixteen young Irish Setters were entered in the solo competition and divided into two groups.

Saturday, March 21st

Solo 1: Judge Pascal Bouée

• 1st Excellent - CACT - UHMANA des Vanilla Sativa (FR) - Owner: C. Rivière - Handler: JP. Le Cheviller

Solo 2: Judge Martine Gotti

·        1EXC – URUGUAY des Vanilla Sativa (FR) – Owner & handler. M. Hulin

Sunday 22 mars

Solo 1 : Judge Martine Gotti

·        1EXC - USUKI du Val de Loue (FR)  -  owner C. Beucherie- handler W. Pasenau

·        2EXC - UHMANA des Vanilla Sativa (FR) -  owner   C. Rivière - handler. JP. Le cheviller

Solo 2: Judge Pascal Bouée

·        1EXC - UNGARO des Petits Bouts d’Air (FR) Owner & handler. Y. Bouder

European Championship 2026 Competition in couple

Thirty-six Irish setters, divided into two groups, competed in pairs for the title of 2026 European Champion.

Saturday, March 21

Couple 1: Judges Guido Orsan / Mario Pansera

·       No result

Couple 2: Judges Jérôme Delmas / Ray O’Dwyer

·        1EXC - CACT- CACIT-  King Red Biemmez-gt (IT) RICO owner & handler Gianni Bonatto

Sunday march 22nd

Couple 1: Judges Ray O’Dwyer / Jérôme Delmas 

·        1EXC - PHURTIS des Petits Bouts d’Air (FR) - owner. P. Bureler - handler W. Pasenau

Couple 2: Judges Mario Pansera / Guido Orsan

 .    1EXC - CACT- CACIT- Norrsetter bk INDDIGO (TCH.) - Prop. & Cond. J. Polakova

·     2EXC - RCACT- RCACIT - PRISKA du Domaine de Criska (FR) - Prop. D. Devaux - Cond.A. Merle des Isles

·     3EXC - ROCKIN RORY des Monts Brumeux (FR) owner & handler. B. Fasoli

At the end of these competitions, a jury composed of Ray O’Dwyer, Mario Pansera, and Guido Orsan judged a tiebreak between the CACIT winners of the two days, which resulted in RICO being awarded the thirtieth European Champion title in 2026, and INDDIGO being named Vice-Champion of Europe. PRISKA, with her RCACIT, was awarded the prize for best female.

Congratulations to the owners and handlers of these three outstanding representatives of our breed in the field.

 Jean Pierre Gotti

2026 European Champion:

King Red Biemmez  RICO (IT) - owner & handler G. Bonatto

Vice- European champion 2026 :

Norrsetter bk INDDIGO (TCH.) - owner & handler J. Polakova

Best Femelle 2026 

 PRISKA du Domaine de Criska (FR) - owner D. Devaux - handler A. Merle des Isles