Registrations
In January 2006, the Kennel Club identified a number of British native breeds registering 300 or less puppies each year; it labelled these breeds as 'Vulnerable Native Breeds'. Initially, the list included the Irish Red and White Setter and the Gordon Setter but Gordons were re-classified as viable in January 2007 after consultation with the breed clubs. English Setters were added for the first time in 2012.
To give an indication of how the UK registrations have changed, English setter registrations were 568 in 2002, Gordons were 250, Irish Red and Whites were 99 but Irish setter registrations totalled 1225. However, by 2011 the figures for English setters dropped to 234 puppy registrations; Gordons had a slight increase to 306; Irish Red and Whites had a slight drop to 83; and Irish decreased to 869 puppy registrations.
In contrast, in a comment about registration figures and popular breed rankings, the American Kennel Club stated that 2011 was the "year of the setters, with all four making big jumps over the past year". English setters had ranked at 101 in 2010 but moved up to 87 in 2011; Irish had shifted from ranking at 77 in 2010 to 70 in 2011; Irish Red and Whites went up three places having been 150 in 2010 and 147 in 2011; and Gordons improved its 2010 position of 98 to be ranked at 94.
It wasn't until January 1, 2009 that the Irish Red and White setter became eligible for American Kennel Club registration and was thereafter able to compete in the sporting group at it's shows.
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