I was recently invited to be one of the judges for the Labrador Retriever Club of Canada’s National and Regional Specialty – Working Certificate, held in my hometown of Victoria, BC. It was a pleasure to judge the Working Certificate (WC) and provide guidance to some first-time participants. Since the WC coincided with the Labrador National Specialty, there were several conformation dogs as well as other breeds like Tollers and Goldens. Although the Labradors were not what I typically see at a field event, they still displayed tremendous instinct and enthusiasm for retrieving despite their big blocky build (though some of their deliveries could use improvement!). Nonetheless, these big lugs performed with gusto, and it was so fun to watch!
I encourage all field trial and hunt test judges to share their expertise if they are ever asked to judge any of the Working Certificate events (WC, WCI, WCX). I believe this program is essential as it can inspire first-timers to continue in the sport. For me, it was my gateway into the world of retriever sports! I attended my first WC, earned a title, and that sparked my interest in getting a Junior Hunter title (JH)… Twenty years later, I’ve become fully invested in the retriever sport, and I wouldn’t change a thing!
So please, be a mentor, judge events, and share your enthusiasm to help encourage at least one person to get involved in the sport.
Hope Roberts
Victoria, BC
