SEPTEMBER 17, 2023

The Daily Report is brought to you by Purina PRO PLAN, official dog food sponsor, official dog food supplier, and sponsor of judges’ travel to the National Retriever Club of Canada.

A glorious west coast fall morning greeted judges, handlers and workers for the first day of the 2023 National Retriever Championship. Light mist slowly lifted as the rising sun turned it and the surrounding mountains to gold. The appearance of an accompanying rainbow completed a perfect picture.

The handlers caravan led by long time club member Al Lanigan entered Swamp Dog Farm, the test site for Day 1, shortly after 7 am. Handlers were directed to their parking spots by Gary Randall. There were no scratches for the CNRC, 45 dogs will start and dog #43 will run in the starting position.

Everyone was invited to the line where for the “Passing of the Paddle”, an NRCC tradition. Hope Roberts, 2022 National Retriever Championship Judge and VIRC host club member, passed “the paddle” to the 2023 Judges, Colette Prefontaine, Darlene Broomhead, and David Thompson to start the 2023 National Retriever Championship.

The opening ceremonies also included running of the Honorary Test Dog – FTCH AFTCH Prairiestorm Coastal Connexion NMH GMH “Dart”, 12.5 years old, owned & handled by Linda Page. Dart was obviously thrilled at coming to line again and retrieved a beautiful mallard drake thrown by our Chair Lorne Parker. Clubmead’s Dolce Vita “DeeDee”, owned and handled by Debby Montgomery was female test dog and male test dog was FTCH AFTCH Razor’s Catch Me If You Can QFTR JFTR “Sparky”, owned and handled by Nolan Nelkenbrecher

Today also included official photos of dogs & handlers by Chantal Jacques assisted by Kathy Miner.

FIRST SERIES  The first land series of the National Retriever Championship is a double. Winds are light, 7 KM/hr to the SE, with slightly overcast skies. Both marks are hand thrown left to right. The long right retired bird at 330 yds was a mallard drake thrown across a gap in front of a group of small firs. The go bird on the left (a hen pheasant) was thrown into an open field with moderate cover. Both test dogs retrieved the go bird with little trouble, the long retired presented some challenges. The female test dog ended up going right and disappeared from view  in the line of poplar trees to the right of the fall, she ended up hunting the tree line behind the fall then worked her way to the bird. The male test dog did fade a little to the right but recovered and found the bird in a timely fashion.

The first running Dog – dog #43 came to line at 8:25 am. A number of the early running dogs either had similar jobs to the female test dog, or faded down the hill slope with the wind and ended up hunting the tree line for some time, often out of sight. As the series progressed there have been some very good jobs with dogs driving into the gap and not deviating into cover on either side.

UPDATE 12:25PM – Last dog has run the 1st series.  A lunch break and awaiting callbacks.   Series #2 will be run this afternoon at the same location.

We respectfully acknowledge the unceded traditional territory
of the K’ómoks First Nation, Ligwiłda’xw people; the We Wai Kai,
Wei Wai Kum, Kwiakah First Nations, and the traditional
keepers of their land. We want to say thank you for allowing
us to live, work, and play on your lands.

Thank you to the Official Sponsors of the National Retriever Championship:  PRO PLAN, Banded – Avery Sporting Dogs (ASD), and Garmin.

Official Sponsors

Host Club