Vancouver Island Retriever Club

Our AGM is coming up on January 8, so that means memberships for the coming year are due for renewal. Go to Memberships. You can fill out the form online and pay the $25 by e-transfer to viretrieverclub@gmail.com. We won’t be able to get your cheque because of the mail strike, but be sure to fill out the online form if you want to pay later. 

You can also submit items for the AGM to Lorne Parker at lorneparker1@hotmail.com 

Right now, we’re looking for more nominations for President, Vice President, and picnic chair. We have members willing to stand for VP and picnic chair, but we still need a president. Please contact members of the nominating committee, Linda Page at pip65@shaw.ca or Bill Pearson at bill@homein.ca, if you’re willing to stand or want to nominate someone. Nominations will also be taken from the floor at the AGM. 

Watch for more info about the Zoom meeting on January 6th, and don’t forget to pay your membership! 

Linda Page

VIRC Secretary

Attached are the running orders for the VIRC stakes Aug 31-Sep 2.

We will have lunch available on the grounds each day for $10: Saturdays -salmon BBQ, Sunday-hamburgers, and Monday-hot dogs.

We also have a great gift basket up for grabs! The starting dog for the Amateur will be determined by the TSX closing number on Thursday, August 29, 2024. A system of rotation may be used for all stakes.
Headquarters/trial grounds: Swamp Dog Farm 7531 Albert Road, Black Creek.

The VIRC held it’s annual members meeting on January 7, 2024 via Zoom. 17 members attended and celebrated the accomplishments of the club over the past year. A heartfelt thank you was said to Debby Montgomery as retiring Vice President, and to Ian Montgomery as retiring Equipment Manager.

The members welcomed new executive members Kevin Ashfield as Vice President and Amanda Wannop as Treasurer, and thank Linda Page for her continued work as Secretary, Daniel Shnitka as Picnic Trial Chair, and Lorne Parker as President. A welcome to Gary Harrison as incoming Equipment Manager.

The VIRC members chose a hybrid model of training days and picnic trials for 2024. Events will be held at Swallowfield and the Comox Valley. View the calendar of events to find out when the monthly events are happening.

Last Saturday the club hosted the annual Winter Olympics. 20 members and 27 dogs braved the less then ideal weather and had a blast! Dogs and handlers competed in fastest(and slowest) as well as a relay and prizes were awarded for a host of fun things! A big thank you to the organizers, Angela Andersen, Debra Pile, Daniel Shnitka and Linda Page as well as everyone who helped out and/or brought something for the pot luck lunch. And especially thank you to Louise for getting Rick to bring the tent and portable fire pit! A great way to close out an amazing 2023 for the club.

Congratulations to the 2023 Canadian National Retriever Championship winner and top placing Amateur handler to earn titles of NFTCH and NAFTCH.

Click here to see all the finalists and daily reports from the event.

NFTCH “Floyd” & Amie Henninger

And NAFTCH “River” & Kevin Ashfield

The Vancouver Island Retriever Club was proud to be the host club to the 2023 National Championship in the Comox Valley. Many thanks to the enormous team whose members worked tirelessly, not just over the two weeks of the event but over the last 18 months to bring this event into fruition. A huge feat and huge accomplishment!

In addition, thank you to landowners and sponsors, for who without them events would not take place. Click here to view the official catalogue with the many local and national sponsors who contributed.

What a weekend!

Late last year our club made a decision to do a “mini” national in preparation for our event this fall. We reached out to the national judges, booked their flights and set the wheels in motion.

Our club pulled off a 4 day trial with 5 stakes and 20 tests. We had a workers and judges dinner for 25, and full lunches on the grounds every day.

We also gave out 4 new trophies 3 of which are dedicated to long standing members of our club and huge contributors to the Field Trial game as whole:

Bob Harmen- Top Placing Amateur for the weekend: co-winners Rod Spence & Linda Page, John Caldwell – Junior winner: Heads Up Golden Warrior Prince (Loach), handled by Colin McNicol and owned by Melanie Towell, Graham Tyler – Open winner: Rod Spence & Patch of Skatch (Jazper). Qualifying winner: Anne Everett & Heads Up Sparkle N’ Splash (Zest).

A huge thank you to all our workers, judges, volunteers and landowners. It takes a village! Special thanks to our chairs Kevin Ashfield and Deb Mongomery as well as our trial secretary Linda Page. Also our National judges Darlene Broomhead, Dave Thompson and Colette Prefontaine for taking 5 days out of their lives to come out when they already have 12 days with us later this fall. This is a huge commitment and it shows just how committed to a great National these judges are. We are incredibly lucky to have such great grounds and great people to make it all happen. The Vancouver Island Retriever game continues to grow and thrive and it only happens when all clubs and all dog people regardless of discipline work together.

Bring on Sept and the 2023 National Retriever Championship!

Bob Harman was a mainstay with the Vancouver Island Retriever Club since it’s incorporation in 1964. Bob and wife Sara were charter members of the club and contributed endlessly to the retriever sport until retiring in 2016. Bob wore many hats on the VIRC and BCARTC executive and contributed extensively to the CKC Field Trial Rules & Regulations. Bob & Sara were familiar faces at trials with their Golden Retrievers and always welcoming and mentoring newcomers in the sport.
VIRC has dedicated a memorial trophy to remember Bob and his contributions to the sport and the club, fittingly the bowl for trophy was contributed by Sara. This trophy will be awarded annually to the top Amateur Handler at the VIRC May trial (on the island).

https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/timescolonist/name/john-caldwell-obituary?id=51648234