KCP Visiting Judges

Diane Stewart Ritchie, Ireland FCI Judge

I was born and bred in Northern Ireland and come from a family steeped in a love for one of our country’s native breeds – The Irish Setter. Born into a family who showed Irish Setters, this breed has been my childhood love and my passion. I have taken what was then a small kennel of very moderate success to many new achievements, including Top Dog UK, Top Bitch UK, Top Brood Bitch, Top Puppy and of course any breeders dream, Top Breeder UK. This particular achievement is one I am particularly proud of. We have been the Top Irish Setter Breeders in UK for 12 years since 2005. One of our recent highlights was being selected as one of the final three nominees for the Pawscars Top Breeder Awards in 2016. To have been chosen for this nomination by one’s peers throughout the dog showing world of many great breeders makes us extremely proud. We have grown our success to allow us to enjoy the pleasures of being in the Top 10 breeders of All Breeds in the UK on a number of occasions of late, finishing 2017 once again in fourth place. I have won Best of Breed and CC’s at Crufts and many Group wins and places also over the years. Our Irish Setters alone have amassed well over 180 CC’s to date.