NORTH AMERICAn HUNTING RETRIEVER ASSOCIATION

The NAHRA Office is closed July 11-18.  For any urgent matters, contact your Regional Representative or a member of NAHRA's Executive Board.

Starting in 2027

Name Change for the Invitational Field Test

NAHRA hosts an invitational event to showcase its preeminent dogs. To be invited, a dog must meet certain performance standards. The event has used different titles over the years: Alpo-NAHRA National in 1987 and 1988; Jim Dandy NAHRA Invitational in 1989 through 1990; Richard A. Wolters (RAW) NAHRA Invitational in 1997–1999; and NAHRA Invitational in 1992–1994 and 2010-2026. With the growth of the HRC Grand and the AKC Master National, the Board discussed the benefits of changing the title to include the word “National” to reflect the nationwide nature of this prestigious event. Thus, it was proposed and approved to officially use the name NAHRA National Invitational to indicate that only select, highly accomplished hunting retrievers from across the United States and Canada are invited to participate.

Master Stake Name

Starting in 2027, the NAHRA Senior stake will be named Master stake. Since NAHRA’s inception, the highest field-testing level has been “Senior.” Soon after, AKC implemented a hunt test program and, to differentiate itself, established levels of Junior, Senior, and Master, with associated titles Junior Hunter, Senior Hunter, and Master Hunter. Although NAHRA uses similar titles for the highest-level stakes, the Senior AKC shares the same name as the highest NAHRA level, causing confusion. To increase recruitment from AKC and UKC hunt-test participants, the Board discussed and approved changing its Senior stake to Master to align with its Master Hunting Retriever and Grand Master Hunting Retriever titles. The goal is to help recruit new handlers and their dogs to participate at the Intermediate and Master levels. 

Regional Field Tests

The NAHRA Board recognizes that participation in regular tests and the Regional Test is declining. To encourage greater participation, the Master (aka Senior) stake will now be formally part of every Regional Field Test. This will allow the region to recognize all qualifiers with a Red, White, and Blue ribbon and be named to the NAHRA Hunting Retriever Team for that year. 

Additionally, if a region does not host a Regional Field Test, its members may participate in another region’s event to qualify for the NAHRA Hunting Retriever Team.  The intent is not to shift the event’s focus away from the accomplishments of the Started, Hunter, and Intermediate dogs. They should receive extra merit and kudos during the event. 

Upland Orange Band

NAHRA will award an orange band alongside qualifying ribbons for dogs that pass Upland Retriever Program tests.

Responses Welcome 

To provide a comment to the NAHRA Board, email response@nahra.org.

Starting in 2027

Hunter Stake — Single Mark Requirements

Updated language sets a maximum distance of 100 yards for the land single mark and 75 yards for the water single mark (no minimum distance). Each single mark must originate from a unique point, separate from any other mark in the Hunter test or any combined test. 

In a testing situation where Started and Hunter are combined, it would be easy to simply modify a couple of Started marks to create the distance to meet the minimum requirements. However, consider the intent of the Hunter single marks: to prepare Hunter dogs for their next level by incorporating factors such as distance, changes in topography, lighting, and natural distractions into the marking scenario. This mark should be more complex than a longer Started mark. NAHRA has a long history of preparing dogs for real-world hunting situations. Let these marks be a real step toward achieving those goals.

Field Test Late Entry Option

NAHRA has reached an agreement with Hunt Test Secretary, our electronic entry platform, to accept and process entries after their test’s closing date. The Field Test Secretary will process late entries through Hunt Test Secretary for official recordkeeping and public disclosure. 

Each club and its Field Test Committee must discuss the pros and cons of accepting late entries. The benefits include bringing in new people who are unaware of the entry restrictions, increasing revenue, and helping a fellow club member who missed the deadline. However, challenges must be addressed, and, where appropriate, late-entry requirements should be set and published in the field test premium posted on the Hunt Test Secretary website. These requirements may differ club to club; some clubs may choose not to accept late entries.

For tests with entry deadlines after the Hunt Test Secretary deadline (to print/ship the catalog), NAHRA requires the following

• Test Premium must list the club’s entry deadline and all restrictions/requirements
  
• Test Premium must state that the dog’s data MUST be in the Hunt Test Secretary database to be considered for late entry, including the member’s NAHRA member number
  
• A minimum $10 late fee (to discourage laziness); can charge more
  
• Details on how to submit the late entry (phone, email, hard copy onsite)
  
• What entry details are required, and how to pay the fees.

Clubs need to specify all additional restrictions on the Field Test Premium. Below are some examples to consider:

• Require pre-approval from the Field Test Secretary to verify that the dog’s information is in Hunt Test Secretary
• How late entries will be placed into the official running order
  
• How payment (entry & late fee) is to be paid
  
• Specify the limits to the total number of late entries allowed (birds, workers)
  
• Only allow late entry in the lower stakes
  
• Prohibit day-of-entries
  

Requirements for the Field Test Secretary to interface with Hunt Test Secretary

• Search the database for late entry dogs and add each to the stake and date
  
• Obtain an updated Official Entry Excel Spreadsheet (includes member status)
  
• Pay for added entries either by check or by having the amount deducted from the proceeds of the next club event.
  
• Post pass/fail results for all competing dogs, including late-entry dogs. The Hunt Test Secretary database must be fully populated.
  

Amend the white, Official NAHRA Field Test Catalog (NAHRA copy and Club copy)

• Add each late entry dog call name, handler name, and running order number to the running order page in the catalog
  
• Have judges initial the late entry for each dog that passes in addition to signing the stake signature line.  Include late entry dog numbers in the list of qualified dogs.
  

Finalize and submit the NAHRA Field Test Report along with:

• updated Official Entry Hunt Test Secretary Excel Spreadsheet, 
  
• amended and signed the Official NAHRA Field Test Catalog, and 
  
• payment to NAHRA.
  

Basic Late Entry Form (draft)

• Dog’s AKC/UKC Registered Name_______________________________________
  
• Dog’s Call Name_________________________________
  
• Owner or Handler Name__________________________
  
• Stake and Date__________________________________
  
• NAHRA Member #/Not a member_____________________
  
• Fees paid (stake fee + $10 late fee + non member fee)
  

Responses Welcome 

To provide a comment to the NAHRA Board, email response@nahra.org.

The 2026 NAHRA Invitational is in the books.  You can view the catalog to read about the events and the dogs that ran in Gettysburg, PA. Go to the top menu - About - History - Invitational Catalogs.

Congratulations to the Northern Piedmont Retriever Club who hosted the event on June 17-21.  Kudos to all the handlers and a special congratulations to the dogs that qualified!

Hope to see you in Parnell, Iowa next year June 16-19.  Host Club: Hoosier Creek Conservation and Retriever Association.

The Spokane Bird Dog Association hosted the 2026 NAHRA West Regional Field Test in conjunction with regular field tests.  View the catalog for the event.  For the three-day weekend, there were 57 dogs and 44 qualifications, including a new GMHR, three MHRs, and one SR.  Ray Esboldt and Terry Strege, Four Points Retriever Club., were the invited outside judges.. The club hosted a sit down outdoor banquet on the test grounds. Dogs that qualified to run the regional received a photo plaque and a NAHRA/SBDA traffic lead.

The updated judge's list was posted.  It is current through April 30, 2026

The 2026 NHARA Invitational entry deadline is extended to May 8th. 

For dogs not yet qualified - enter now.  If your dog does not become qualified by May 31, your entry fee will be refunded.

NAHRA's main office will be closed April 10-20.  Contact a Board member if you have questions during that time.

The NAHRA Judge's Exam and Application were revised and posted under the Judge's Corner in the Member section of the website.

View the NAHRA Invitational Video produced in 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2x-qGiZu74