National Amateur Retriever Championship Blog


2026 National Amateur Retriever Championship Blog

Sunday, June 14, 2026

** END OF DAY **

Day 2 ended at 4:48 pm (PST)

We will resume the 3rd Series on Monday morning

Single test dog at 6:30 am
1st Running dog at 7:00 am

We will start with dog #38

Tomorrow we will complete Test 3 and then do Test 4 Blind here at the same location.

Have a great night everyone!

HANDLE. 36. WEST TEXAS RUMBLE ***, “Byrdie,” BLF, Sylvia McClure

Came to the line at 4:36 pm

F - Out to the area and directly to her bird

M - Went out through the right side of the channel - veering right as she got to the water - up and over the island - swimming over to the long gun - SMACK!

RR - Ran right - out across the field towards the bird - got to the fence and started up and back - was handled to this bird



35. FC-AFC WOOD RIVER’S PERFECT PASS, “Lonzo,” BLM, Bill Fruehling

Came to the line at 4:20 pm

F - Off the mound and through the channel - up on land and made a small circle over to his flyer

RR - Across the field to the right  - into the channel and onto the point - off the point and into the water - over the island - a small loop and he got it

M - Down the hill - angled entry into the channel - out and down the road - back in to the water and then up and out to his bird



33. FC-AFC ATLASTA PRAYER, “Faith,” BLF, Bruce Ahlers

Came to the line at 4:12 pm

F - Off the mound and through the channel - looped to the right hunting and circling back and forth until she found her bird

RR - Out right past the bridge - into the water - up and out on the point and over to the bird

M - Off the mound and straight into the channel on the road to the left - back up on the road deep past the gun station to the end of the pond and then onto the bird



RERUN 26. FC-AFC SEASIDE’S SMARTY JONES, “Smarty,” BLF, Derek Smith

Came to the line at 4:00 pm

F - Straight to it!

M - Down the channel to the right of the wood bridge into the pond - swimming straight towards the long gunners - came out right on the middle bird

RR - Ran through the field towards the retired guns - came to the fall area and couldn't commit - she did finally work it out and found it

32. FC-AFC CANDLEWOOD’S TOM TOM, “Drummer,” BLM, Bradley LaFave

Came to the line at 3:52 pm

F - Right to it!

M - He ended up right at his bird - but we could not see his path there

RR - Down and out on the left - but corrected his line and got the RR bird



RERUN 23. HOCKLEY CREEK’S SIXTY STRAIGHT, “Jenny,” BLF, Robby Bickley

Came back to the line for a rerun

F - Off the mound through the channel - up and circled to the bird

M - Out to the left on land - through the channel on the point - back into the water - right over the island -  turned left and out towards the middle gun and got the Middle bird

RR - Angled into the channel - out left of the bridge - into the pond - to the right - out onto the point and to her bird. Got it.

31. FC-AFC ARMOS COLD WATER RUNNING STRONG, “Steel,” BLM, Joe James

Came to the line at 3:28 pm

F - Off the mount - through the channel - up on land and to the bird

RR - Off the mound  - angled into water left of the bridge staying left and back into the water - moved right - out of the water and he got his right retired bird

M - Down the mound into the channel  - out to the left of the road - back to the bird and got it



Event Photos

Photos courtesy of Mark Atwater - UpClose Photography

2026 NARC Judges - Jerry Younglove, Don Fregelette and Phil Heye


Test Dog "Gauge" with Julie Cole

Test Dog "Valley" with handler Joel Bodenman














29. FC-AFC MARSHWIND’S TURBULENCE, “Evie,” BLF, Bente Kongsore

Came to the line at 3:18 pm

F - Down the mound and out in the bowl hunting - got it

RR - Through the draw on an angle into the water - turned right a little - over the island and into the next water and she was spot on to her bird

M - Down into the water going left - took the road to the corner and then back in the water - out on land again - ran deep - came in from behind the guns and got it!



RERUN 12. FC-AFC TRUMARC’S MAGNIFICENT FRANCHISE, “Rex,” BLM, Ronald Aronoff

Came back to the line for the 3rd time for a rerun at 3:06 pm

F - Had a hunt, but he got it!

RR - Down the channel on the right side - into the pond - turned right and ran straight to the bird

M - Out through the ditch - left of the wooden bridge - ran the levee from 1 end to the other and back 2 times - then back deep to the far shore and finally out to the bird and got it


HANDLE 27. FC-AFC EIDER OF MOOSE MOUNTAIN MH QA2, “Eider,” BLF, Dave McGuire

Came to the line at 2:48 pm

F - Down the hill and across the channel - across the land and to the bird

M -  Off to the right - right of the bridge and into the water - out to the left of the point - made a turn to the left across the water to the long Middle Bird and got it

RR - All the way right across the land - dog went out of sight - was back in the trees - handled to the bird

NO-BIRD 26. FC-AFC SEASIDE’S SMARTY JONES, “Smarty,” BLF, Derek Smith

Came to the line at 2:42 pm and had a No-Bird, they will be back

25. AFC SPRIGATEAL’S DUXRUS, “Dux,” BLF, Missy Bell

Came to the line at 2:28 pm

F - Quick and easy! Out to the bird quickly and got it!

RR - Down the ditch on a right angle - right of the wooden bridge - over the island - looped behind the point and came back in for her bird.

M - On the road to the left - stayed dry to the end - came in from behind the guns - back out and got her bird




NO-BIRD 23. HOCKLEY CREEK’S SIXTY STRAIGHT, “Jenny,” BLF, Robby Bickley

Came to the line at 2:25 pm and had a No-Bird, they will be back

20. FC-AFC HIGH ROAD ABE, “Abe,” BLM, Randi Johannis

Came to the line at 2:15 pm

F - Down the hill and through the channel - back up on the land and to the bird

M - Off the mound through the water - on land - back in the water - left through the water - nice line out on the land to get his bird

RR - Down the field to the channel - angled entry - in and out of the channel to the right of the bridge - back in the water to the right and then an immediate left to the point and got the bird




19. FC-AFC BLACKFOOT’S SITTIN’ ON THE DOCK OF THE BAY, “Otis,” YLM, Thierry Mahon

Came to the line at 2:06 pm

F - Across the field and into the channel - out and across the road and he got his bird

RR - Veered toward the bridge - turned right around the land to the point and got his bird

M - Off the mound and across the ditch - ran the land and got the bird

NOBIRD 12. FC-AFC TRUMARC’S MAGNIFICENT FRANCHISE, “Rex,” BLM, Ronald Aronoff

 Rex and Ronald came to the line at 2:03 pm and received a 2nd No-Bird, they will go back 6 dogs

18. FC-AFC CITORI’S AGENT SLOANE, “Jack,” BLF, Michael Moore

Came to the line at 1:54 pm

F - A few loops and she scooped it up!

RR - Down the channel on the right - out into the big pond - to the fall area and she got her bird

M - Down the left side of the channel and into the big water - turned and went over the island - went deep of the Right Retired area and set up a hunt - headed towards the bird and she got it!




17. WOOD RIVER’S BRONZE STAR CLOUD JOURNEY, “Rex,” BLM, Eric Budd

Came to the line at 1:36 pm

F - Down the hill and across the channel on to the land and the bird

RR - Across the land into the channel - under the bridge and into the water going right over the island - into the water and to the bird at the point

M - Down the land across the channel to the left of the road - back across the road and into the water at the bend - then across - out on the land and up to the bird. Very nice.




16. FC-AFC CLARENCE RUTHERFORD, “Lumpy,” BLM, Jim Horneck

Came to the line at 1:28 pm

F - Down the mound and across the water - out on to land and onto the bird

RR - Across the field and across the channel onto the land left of the bridge to the right over the island - out of the water and onto the bird - Nice bird!

M - Down through the channel - down left of the road - went deep and into the trees - went right and then back into the water to get his bird





HANDLE 15. BAYOU-STAR PANCAKE TUESDAY, “Maple,” BLF, John Caire

Came to the line at 1:08 pm

F - She made quick work of her flyer - out the the bird quickly and got it!

M - Down and over the left end of the island - straight down the pond and to her bird

RR - Ran across the field to the right - curved around towards the far end - a whistle and she was quickly handled to her bird







14. FC-AFC BAYOU TECHE EXPRESS, “Ryan,” BLF, Lauren Hays

Came to the line at 12:55 pm

F - Very short flyer - She had several tight turns and then she had it

RR - Went deep right behind the gunners - worked back down and then out to the bird

M - Went wide left but came back to the big water and swam straight to the bird




13. FC-AFC BEYTCO’S BIG HORN LEAN PISTOL, “Pete,” BLM, Brent Beatty

 Came to the line at ?

F - Down the hill, through the water, on the bird.

RR - Across the land into the water, on the land past bridge, into the water, out and onto the bird.

M - Down the hill through channel, out and ran the road to the bird.




NO BIRD - 12. FC-AFC TRUMARC’S MAGNIFICENT FRANCHISE, “Rex,” BLM, Ronald Aronoff

 NO BIRD

ANNOUNCEMENT: TEST WILL SHUTDOWN TODAY AFTER DOG # 36.


TEST DOG tomorrow at 6:30 am, first running dog at 7 am

Here for Land Blind

11. FC-AFC STR8 2 THE BIRD, “Blue,” BLM, Rich Pingatore

 Came to the line at 12:32 pm

F - Very nice

RR - Down thee channel on left but correcting right - into water right - got a little deep but adjusted. 

M - Out to middle bird.  very nice job,




10. NDC FC DRAKES BAY’S OTIS, “Otis,” BLM, Rick Wilke

Came to the line at 12:xx pm

F - Very nice mark.

RR - Stayed low in channel heading straight for the bird.  Worked around island out to his bird.

M - Splash into first water, behind guns - out off bank just past point - straight to his bird.



RERUN 2. AFC MARDI GRAS LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL MH QA2, “Roux,” BLF, Carol Lowe

Came to the line for a rerun ...

F - Goes out and right to her bird.

RR - Into the water, takes both channels.  Then into the far pond, swims past the island and to the peninsula.  Out & finds the bird.

M - Heads out, left of road.  Swings right behind guns to grab it.




9. KEENO’S MOJO QA2, “Mojo,” BLM, Donald Jenkins

 Came to the line at ?

F - Small hunt, gets it.

M - Down the road, straight out to get that long bird.

RR - Thru the channels, then into the far pond.  Swims right of the island, down to the peninsula, gets the bird. 




8. AFC MEADOW WOODS JUST A LIL SWEETER, “Lily,” BLF, Stan Wagner

 Came to line at ?

F - Down the hill to the flyer.

RR - Down hill through the channel, lost sight, out of the water onto the bird.

M - Down the hill into the water, out, down the road, into the water on the bend, out under the arch to the bird.

NO-BIRD 7. CNAFC-CAFC RAZORS’S RED RIVER ROCKET, “Rocket,” BLM, Peter Dozois

F - Off the knoll through the water, onto the land, hunting hunting, still hunting. Handle ...

A RERUN will be given because their flyer should have been a No-Bird.  They will be back...

Conditions Update at the 3rd Series

 

Conditions Update from Mark Atwater - our Official Photographer

PICK-UP 6. RIVER BEND ZEKE II QA2, “Zeke,” BLM, Thomas Kooiman

Came to the line at 11:35 am

F - Put on a hunt in front of & deep of the gunners - continued hunt deep - worked it out.

M - Went for Mid but got very wide & deep Left - had to just pick up.




5. AFC CEDAR RIDGE CHARLIE BE ZEST, “Charlie,” BLM, Mark Belford

Came to the line at 11:22 am

F - Down into bowl & quickly back with his bird.

RR - Ran right side of channel into pond.  Turn Right. Out of sight - next saw running down levy behind bird - stopped - turned around and came back for bird.

M - Ran left bank going out onto point - turned right, went by right retired  Splashed awhile then moved to the bird