While such divisions may seem simplistic, for the sake of brevity, we will discuss a few general categories of field dogs.  In the United States, working Irish red setters are found in two working arenas: field trialing and hunting.  Field trials are competitive events in which the dog competes against other other dogs.  The objective is to find the best or highest quality bird dog for the day of the event.  The judges will place those dogs exhibiting outstanding bird handling skills as well as style and run.  Field trials can be conducted with the dog handler riding horses, or walking.  Many of the larger, nationally recognized field trials are run on horseback, although there are many prestigious walking championships as well.  Historically, the premier field trialing organization  has been the American Field (FDSB).  The American Kennel Club (A.K.C) also conducts field trials, although the majority of its breed club membership is show oriented.   Both American Field and the A.K.C.  keep a registry of dogs and track pedigrees.  FDSB's primary publication is The American Field, published weekly out of Chicago, and has been in existence since 1874.  The Field Trial Hall of Fame and the National Field Trial Championship have a close relationship with American Field.   The American Kennel Club (A.K.C.) coordinates its field trial program by working through local and regional A.K.C. chapters.    Various breed specific organizations also sponsor field trials.  State and regional A.K.C. sanctioned clubs often sponsor annual or semi-annual field trials which may include horse back trials as well as walking trials.     The National Red Setter Field Trial Club, which is FDSB sanctioned, holds its national Shooting Dog championship in the fall, and its All Age Championship and Futurity in the spring.  The location of the NRSFTC National trials may change from year to year.    Local gun and sporting clubs throughout the U.S. also sponsor field trials, which may or may not be sanctioned by FDSB, AKC, or other national organizations.

In addition to the American Field and the American Kennel Club, other agencies sponsor field trials or field events.  Most developed countries have field trial clubs or kennel clubs.  For example, Canada has several organizations paralleling those found in the United States, such as the Canada Kennel Club.  Internationally, Irish red setters have a strong field component in the homeland Ireland, as well as the Scandinavian countries, western Europe, and Australia.

Other American organizations include The National Shoot to Retrieve Association (NSTRA), The Amateur Field Trial Clubs of America (AFTCA), Pheasant Hunters Unlimited,  The National Bird Dog Challenge Association, and U.S. Complete Shooting Dog Association.  All of these organizations are deeply committed to working qualities of bird dogs, and offer various types of competition for the avid bird dog owner.

The other major use of working Irish red setters in the U.S. is for personal hunting.  Unlike field trialing, in which the dog is placed into a competitive situation and is essentially required only find game, in its use as a personal gun dog the Irish red setter must perform to the satisfaction of the hunter, namely, to point a bird, be steady to flush, wing and shot, to retrieve downed game, and to work with the handler in a cooperative fashion to obtain game.  Obviously, hunting has different meanings for different people; one handler may be happy with a dog that points, but is not steady to shot.  Another hunter may demand complete steadiness throughout the entire gamut of the hunting and shooting experience. From an Irish red setter perspective, it is important to note that Irish red setters were bred as "setters;" they are not simply pointing dogs, but were originally bred to perform multiple functions in the working setting.

In the United States there again are several organizations which assist the gun dog owner in training and testing the personal gun dog.  The American Kennel Club sponsors and coordinates Hunt Tests; three levels of testing (Junior, Senior, and Master) are available.

One of the more valuable hunting-oriented organizations in the United States is the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (N.A.V.H.D.A.).  In its own words, N.A.V.H.D.A. is "dedicated to fostering, improving, promoting, and protecting the versatile hunting dog in North America."   Versatile hunting dogs must be able not only to point and retrieve, but also be able to perform other functions important to the hunter.  N.A.V.H.D.A. tests incorporate use of nose, ability to search for game, ability to point, desire to work, and cooperation with the handler as the cornerstone of the testing program.  A dog able to pass the stringent N.A.V.H.D.A. testing is bestowed the title of Utility dog (UT).  This test includes duck searches, walking at heel, steadiness at the blind, searching for game (both land and water), and retrieving (both land and water), among others.  While dogs such as the Irish red setter are not typically thought of as versatile dogs, there are Irish red setters involved in  N.A.V.H.D.A. tests, and the breed is listed by N.A.V.H.D.A. under their "miscellaneous" category of working dogs.  For the novice hunter, this organization offers good fundamentals in training of bird dogs.