Working Information
Announcements
Working Test Schedule for 18th May 2024 available here and in Schedules, please see updated schedule
Working Test Schedule 2024 V4.0
The first of this years Working Tests will be held on 18th May at Kindrumpark Farm, Logiealmond Estate Perthshire, please find below link to updated Test Schedule and Entry Form
Field Trials 2024
Novice AV – 22nd October 2024 – Logiealmond Estate by kind permission of Philip Blount.
Open Breed Stake – 23rd October 2024 – Drummond Estate by kind permission of Gary Ford.
Entries to the Field Trial Secretary – Mrs Sarah Winter, 3 Deerpark Cottages, Evanton, Dingwall IV16 9XH
Field Trials and Working Tests
The Club has an active Working Field Trial section to ensure the working ability of the Golden Retriever is highlighted and promoted irrelevant of coat colour.
The Club runs a working test and Field Trials annually, one of which is restricted to Golden Retrievers only – known as a Breed Stake. This is an Open stake and goes towards the qualification for the IGL Championships.
A Team 4 handlers and their Golden’s also travel annually to various parts of the countryside to represent Scotland in the Inter Club Working Test. The Club is also active is offering training classes for those who prefer to show their dogs can gain knowledge and experience of training and ‘working’ their dogs. The Inter Club team has been represented over the last few years with the lightest of gold dogs through to the dark mahogany gold, more commonly associated with the working bred Golden – proof (as if it was needed) than no matter what colour your Golden is, he/she can be trained to an exceptional standard.
No matter the colour of our Golden Retriever nowadays, what is still key within the breed, is that soundness and being capable to do a days ‘work’ in the field is essential, the expression is fit for purpose – which in effect means that all Goldens irrelevant of colour, build and coat style can do the job Lord Tweedmouth intended they do – do a days work in the sporting field, find live game and/or retrieve game to hand that has been shot or wounded.
Sadly the Golden Retriever tends to be a rarity in the shooting field, especially if you compare it to the ubiquitous Labrador, Fashion may have had a hand in this, because a well trained Golden is every bit a match for even the best of Labradors. Within the Club, we strive to encourage all Golden Retriever owners to become interested in the working aspect of the breed – you don’t need to want to compete, working your dog can be a great way to develop an even stronger bond with your dog.
By encouraging the working aspect of the Breed, the Club also offers a platform for Golden Retrievers to compete, and to achieve Field Trial Winning/Championship status and hold their place within the Working world with style.
