SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

Update 7:00 pm – Dogs called back to the series 8 – 25 dogs back – 1,8,12,15,18,20,21,25,28,29, 30,32,33,37,38,39,49,53,54,55, 56,57, 61,64,65.

Today’s Daily Report brought to you by Garmin, official electronic training collar supplier to the National Retriever Club of Canada.

Day 5 Splashes into Series 7 at the 2026 Canadian National Retriever Championship

A natural pond, grassy islets, lily pads, and a long retired gun set the stage for a demanding water triple near Westport.

Morning at the Chadwick Property

Day 5 brings us to Series 7, a water triple at the Chadwick property near Westport, where 32 dogs are set to come to the line on a natural pond framed by small grassy islets and lily pads. The setting has all the ingredients for a true National test: open water, lily pads, and tempting cover.

The morning opened under high overcast skies, with the temperature sitting at 15°C at 8:00 a.m. and still holding there at 10:30 a.m. The forecast calls for continued cloud and a high of 25°C, with light wind expected throughout the day at 8–12 km/h. On the grounds, the mat is oriented north-northeast, with a light north-northwest wind adding one more subtle factor for dogs and handlers to consider.

Series 7 Test Setup

Series 7 is shot middle, right, then left, giving the dogs three distinct fall areas on the pond. Gun #1 is the long retired bird: a drake mallard thrown angle back, right to left, with the gunners retiring into a brushed-in blind after the throw. This station sits across the pond on the upward slope of a point of land at 143 yards to the gunners, making it a memorable picture but one that can easily fade once the gunners disappear.

Gun #2, on the right, is a 65-yard hen mallard thrown right to left on more of a square throw. The gunners are seated on pallets on an islet and sit down after throwing. Tall cattails obscure them, but the station is not considered retired. The bird is thrown across a gap from one islet to a fall in front of another, giving the dogs a tight, technical piece of water and cover to sort through.

Gun #3 is the go-bird, a standout gun at the base of a small point. This 45-yard hen mallard is thrown left to right, angled back into the test and lands in the lily pads, with the gunners sitting after the throw. It may be the shortest bird on paper, but with lily pads and shoreline influence in play, it still asks for focus right out of the gate.

Test Dogs Come To Line

A planned delayed start gave the crew time for final clearing and setup before the first test dog came to the line. Tex, handled by Dennis, stepped up at 8:39 a.m. and gave the gallery an immediate look at how the test might play. He made quick work of the go-bird, then carried a rightward line to Gun #2 that took him almost over the gun station on the islet. He pushed through, re-entered the water, came out right of the bird, and quickly made the retrieve.

The long retired brought the first real drama of the morning. Tex left on a good line, but the heavy clump of grass left of the line pulled his attention toward the left-hand land mass. Three whistles brought him back onto the right line, and from there he carried up to the bird on land.

Tule, handled by Mark, followed at 8:52 a.m. She started well toward the go-bird, made a hard left toward the gunners, then corrected quickly and pulled the bird from the lily pads. On Gun #2, she was excellent, taking a straight line directly to the bird. Mark took his time helping her lock onto the long-retired station, and once she committed, she drove to the land mass, had a quick hunt on the shoreline, then climbed the hill, looped, and found the bird.

The Competitive Field Begins

Dog-to-dog timing for Series 7 is expected to run just under 12 minutes, setting up a steady and suspenseful day on the water. Dog #54, Thunder, handled by Mitch Bertrand, came to the line at 9:15 a.m., officially launching the competitive field into this demanding Day 5 test.

Sponsors and Support

The 7th Series sponsor is Autumn Skies Outfitters, and today’s delicious breakfast is sponsored by the Northern Ontario Retriever Association and the Nickel Belt Retriever Club. Thank you to these sponsors, and to the workers and volunteers who keep the Championship moving smoothly from setup through the final bird.

Official Sponsors