Fall 2025 Newsletter
The Fall 2025 Newsletter has been published. Please read it to see the winners' stories from the 2025 National Retriever Championship and see what the NRCC Board of Directors has been working on. Click here to read.
There is a correction in the newsletter regarding the top amateur dog for 2025...this year there was a tie between Tsolumside Shine the Light "Flicker", handled by Linda Page, and Yorton's Super Trooper "Trooper", handled by Walt Vessey. My apologies for the oversight. Congratulations to all!
"Trooper" BLM, 6.3 years, 0 wins, 9 points
Remembering FTCH AFTCH Renegades Highlight Reel
FTCH AFTCH Renegades Highlight Reel, 2 X Nat'l Finalist
23 Nov 2012 - 29th Oct 2025 ....... she was a pretty good dog🖤
Bill Kennedy
Save The Date – Annual Members’ Meeting
The NRCC Board would like to invite all member clubs to save the date for the Annual Members Meeting (AMM) to be held on Sunday, January 25, 2026 12:00 ET via Zoom.
Member clubs are asked to submit any agenda items or bylaw change proposals by October 28, 2025.
A Zoom link will be sent out to club secretaries in December with the completed agenda package.
Other important items to be completed are:
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Appoint a Voting Delegate for 2026 AMM - Appointment of a Delegate – National Retriever Club of Canada
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National Judge nominations 2026 Eastern Ontario - National Judge Selection – National Retriever Club of Canada
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Director Nominations for BC, PEI - Director Nomination Form – National Retriever Club of Canada
2025 National Retriever Championship Running Order
It's showtime! The running order for the 2025 National Retriever Championship has been posted. Be sure to check the Daily Reports frequently throughout the event to see photos, descriptions of the tests, and callbacks.
Please remember that the event is taking place in Manitoba, which is in the Central Time Zone. This means that results may appear delayed based on your own time zone. We aim to have the first daily report uploaded by 10:00 AM CT; however, this may depend on the availability of cell service and Wi-Fi in rural Balmoral.
New NRCC Sponsor
The NRCC is excited to welcome a new sponsor - Gun Dog Outfitters, home of guns, geese & gear!
Discover the unparalleled waterfowl hunting experiences that Nova Scotia has to offer. We provide expertly guided waterfowl and upland hunts amidst the stunning landscapes of the Atlantic Flyway. Visit GunDogOutfitters.com
New FTCH “Fancy”
New FTCH Baypoint's Gonna Be a Lady Someday QFTR won the trial at the Moncton Retriever Club's first event for her title!
Congratulations, Evelyn & Alec Hoyt, and handler Dan DeVos.
Update from the NRCC re: National Championship
The NRCC is thrilled to announce that it’s GAME-ON! Thanks to the incredible efforts of the Manitoba Gun Dog Association (MGDA) to prevent water loss from their ponds, we are happy to confirm that the event will proceed as planned from September 14-20 in Balmoral, MB, without any disruptions.
With a month to go, the excitement is building! We encourage you to submit your entries and consider supporting the event through sponsorship—whether by advertising in the catalog, sponsoring a breakfast, or supporting a series. The MGDA has shown resilience and determination in overcoming a major challenge, and your support means the world.
Let's come together to make the 2025 National Retriever Championship a memorable success. Your participation and support are vital—see you there!
Doug Shepherd
NRCC President
New AFTCH “Ryder”
New AFTCH! After completion of our summer trip north, Springwaters Shotgun Ryder “Ryder”, went 4/5, including an Open win to give him his amateur title.
John & Savannah Wood
Labrador Retriever Club of Canada National and Regional Specialty-Working Certificate
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
The 2025 National Premium List & Online Entry Form
The 2025 National premium and online entry form are now available. Check out the 2025 National Home Page to see all the information you need to plan your trip and enter the National in Balmoral, MB.
Qualification letters will begin to be sent out by email on July 11. Keep an eye out for yours and enter soon!
