And the NFTCH title goes to dog #33 NFTCH “Billy”, owned by Sue and Garry Taylor, handled by Dan Danforth

33 FC-FTCH-AFTCH Taylorlab’s Whodat Billy Boy QFTR
YLM, FDHC4019712, 2020-02-06 “Billy” SIRE: FC-AFC B. Bumble DAM: FC-AFC Good Luck Charlie III QA2 BREEDER: Charlotte Kaiser Dick Kaiser OWNER: Garry Taylor, Susan Taylor ADDRESS: Saskatoon, SK,

HANDLER: Dan Danforth, Pro

And the NAFTCH title goes to dog #55 NFTCH, 2XNAFTCH “Cooper” owned and handled by Bernard Landry

55 FC-AFC-NFTCH-NAFTCH Baypoint Thanksgiving Dream QFTR-JFTR
BLM, FS775289, 2018-09-18 “Cooper”, SIRE: FTCH-AFTCH Baypoint’s Park Avenue QFTR, DAM: Baypoint’s Search Engine, BREEDER: Dan Devos Gloria Devos, OWNER: Bernard Landry, ADDRESS: St-Fabien, QC,
HANDLER: Bernard Landry, Am

Congratulations to the Finalists

1 FTCH Bowrivers Where Blacktop Ends QFTR
BLM, EN716643, 2017-07-29 “Bronco”, handled by Dan Danforth

18 FTCH-AFTCH Razors Model D QFTR
BLF, EG697913, 2017-04-21 “Darcy”, owned by Brian and Tracey Mccann, handled by Howard Simson

30 FTCH Baypoint’s Sea Warrior QFTR-JFTR
LM, JJ4119037, 2021-05-18 “Murphy”, owned and handled by Lorne Langevin

32 FTCH-AFTCH L & M’s One Tough Cookie
BLF, HE4428288, 2020-03-30 “Tuff”, owned by Dave Smith, Pamela Baier-Smith, handled by Connie Dresser

37 FTCH-AFTCH Marshgrass Amarillo Going Mobile QFTR-JFTR
YLM, JY4141526, 2021-12-18 “Chase”, owned and handled by David Wardle

54 AFTCH Canine Field’s Wonder Boy Thunder Storm QFTR
LM, HY4101559, 2020-12-03 “Thunder”, handled by Mitch Bertrand

57 Bulrush’s Kwick Pick QFTR
GM, KE4168318, 2022-03-13 “Kwick”, owned by Lisa Barnard, handled by Dan Danforth

64 FTCH-AFTCH Docheno’s Got Me All Fired Up QFTR
BLF, FDHE4112857, 2020-03-15 “Ember”, owned and handled by Matt Mutcheson

65 FTCH-AFTCH Dakota Creek’s Ace In The Hole QFTR-JFTR
BLM, FE752508, 2018-03-22 “Piper”, owned and handled Grant Koenig

Last dog, 3::30 pm Dog #32, Tuff & Connie Dresser, completed without a handle! .

Now back to the Sullivans to see who will be the 2026 Canadian National Champion.  We will livestream the presentation on the NRCC facebook page.

2:50 pm Dog #30, Murphy & Lorne Langevin, 3 retrieves, handled on long-retired.

2:20 pm update, Dog #57 re-rerun, Kwik & Dan Danforth, handle left-retired, and a handle on the long-retired.

1:52 pm Dog #18, Darcy & Howard Simson, handle left-retired, picked up the other 3 birds.

1:20 pm #1 Bronco & Dan Danforth, 3 retrieves, handle on the long-retired.

12:30 pm #65 Piper & Grant Koenig, handle on the left-retired, retrieved the other 3 birds.

#64 Ember & Matt Mutcheson, no handles.

11:45 am # 57 Kwick & Dan Danforth – no bird.  Will go back 3 dogs.

11:25 am #55 Cooper & Bernard Landry, completed test 10 without a handle.

10:45 am #54, Thunder & Mitch Bertrand, 3 birds clean, handle on long-retired.

10:30 am #39, Plume & Don Gauthier, handle on left-retired, pickup.

10:15 am #37, Chase & Dave Wardle, 3 birds clean, handle on long-retired.

9:45 am #33 Billy & Dan completed test 10 without a handle.

Thank you, Jeremy Bartlett, for the use of your battery pack and mini-Starlink.  We couldn’t have done this without you!!!!!  That, in addition to gunning every day and helping with setup.

We thank all sponsors and supporters who have made this a tremendous event.  Thank you to the judges for giving their time, the workers for carrying out the many tasks.  Day 7 reporting is sponsored by our Gold level sponsors Purina Pro Plan and Garmin.

Day 7 Arrives with the Final Series at the 2026 Canadian National Retriever Championship

A frosty start, bright sun, a natural pond at the Chadwick property, and one last water quad set the stage for the Championship finish.

Final Morning at Grady Road

Day 7 brings the Championship to its final day and final series. The morning opened brisk and beautiful, with sunny skies, a frost alert at 6:00 a.m., and the temperature sitting at just 4°C by 7:30 a.m. The forecast calls for a high of 16°C, but when the first dog came to the line at approximately 9:15 a.m., it was still only 9°C.

The setting is another beautiful natural pond , a fitting stage for Series 10. With the mat oriented north and an east-northeast wind quartering into the test, the final dogs face one final piece of water, memory, shoreline influence, and decision-making before the 2026 Canadian National Retriever Championship is decided.

Sponsors and Support

Today’s 10th series sponsor is Bow River Retrievers. Breakfast is sponsored by the North Bay & District Retriever Training Club and The Lodge, also in North Bay, Ontario. Thank you to these sponsors for helping fuel the final morning of the National.

Series 10 Final Test Setup

The final test is a water quad, and it asks for everything this Championship has been building toward: memory, courage, water commitment, shoreline discipline, and trust between handler and dog. The guns are shot long retired, right retired, left retired, and then the left-side go-bird.

• Gun #1 — Long retired: A hen mallard thrown right to left, landing in open water at 223 yards to the gunners. The gunners retire.
• Gun #2 — Right retired: A hen mallard thrown left to right along the shore at 185 yards. The gunners retire.
• Gun #3 — Left retired: A hen mallard thrown left to right, splashing near the end of a point in the marsh grass at 170 yards.
• Gun #4 — Go-bird: A left-side bird at 76 yards, thrown on an angle back and landing in the water.

Test Dogs Give the Final Preview

Test dog Tex, handled by Dennis Harwood, came to the line at 8:15 a.m. and went straight to the go-bird. Sent next for the left retired, he landed short and left of the gun, then worked down the shoreline to the right and found the bird on the point. On the right retired, Tex again landed short and left, came ashore, caught scent, and worked his way right to the bird.

The long retired proved to be exactly the kind of final-series challenge spectators expected. It was a long 225-yard swim, and Tex left the mat on a good line before veering right toward land. He came up short and right of the gunners, hunted the hillside, then quickly made his way down to the gunners at the shore’s edge before heading back out into open water to collect the bird. He picked up the final bird at the 25-minute mark, with several more minutes still needed for the swim back.

Test dog Tule, handled by Mark Jemison, came to the line at 8:42 a.m. She left on a good line to the go-bird, then took a path left and worked her way out to the bird. On the left retired, she took a line that would carry her down the shore left of the bird, then hunted the shoreline and made her way to the point. On the right retired, Tule was well left of the true line, splitting the difference between the long and right guns before landing left of the gun, starting a hunt, catching scent, and working over to the bird.

The long retired gave Tule her biggest question. She appeared unsure and initially headed left, back toward the left-retired area. Mark handled her to the long-retired bird, giving everyone one more look at how demanding this final water quad can be when distance, open water, and retired guns all come together.

The Final Field Begins

Dog #33, Billy, handled by Dan Danforth, came to the line at approximately 9:15 a.m. to open the final series. Dog-to-dog timing is expected to be nearly 30 minutes.

We will do our best to keep everyone updated on each dog’s progress as the finalists take on the last test of the Championship. After six demanding days, nine previous series, changing properties, shifting weather, and every kind of technical question, the 2026 Canadian National Retriever Championship has reached its defining moment. The final series is underway, and the excitement is unmistakable.