AKC Field Titles Available to Golden Retrievers
The following list is intended to help owners of Golden Retrievers understand the field titles that are available from the AKC. This is a complete list of AKC Retriever field titles only, and does not include titles from the GRCA, NAHRA (North American Hunting Retriever Club), UKC (United Kennel Club) or other clubs. The list is split between suffix titles (Hunt Tests) and prefix titles (Field Trials). Information on the rules, entry requirements, types of stakes, etc. is available from the American Kennel Club, via their website at: http://akc.org/
For more detailed information regarding Field Trial rules and standards please refer to the handbook on the AKC website: “Field Trial Rules and Standards”
The following list contains the field titles available to AKC recognized retriever breeds, including the Golden Retriever.
Suffix titles are available through competition in AKC Hunt Tests. AKC Hunt Tests are non-competitive and are judged per a standard.
| Title | Description | Major title/stake requirements |
|---|---|---|
| JH | Junior Hunter: For inexperienced dogs Hundreds of Goldens earn JH's each year A junior hunter is a dog you are happy to hunt with. | Dogs must be able to retrieve 4 single marks on land and water. Dogs need not be steady, but MUST deliver to hand. Designed to test natural abilities of inexperienced dogs, with basic, but limited training. |
| SH | Senior Hunter: For not-so-seasoned, yet capable dogs Typically less th an 200 Goldens earn SH's each year A Senior Hunter is a dog that you and your hunting partners are happy to hunt with. | For a title, a dog must receive qualifying scores at 5 licensed or member tests. If the dog has already received a JH, the dog need only qualify 4 times. Dogs must be able to retrieve a land double, water double, land and water blinds. Dogs must be steady and deliver to hand. Designed to test more advanced natural abilities and trained abilities than JH. Intended for "not so seasoned", yet increasingly capable retrievers. |
| MH | Master Hunter: For truly finished, accomplished dogs. About 50 Goldens earn a MH each year. A Master Hunter is a dog that you, your hunting partners and others ask to hunt with, and brag about! | For a title, a dog must receive qualifying scores at 6 licensed or member tests. If the dog has already received a SH, the dog need only qualify 5 times. Dogs must be able to retrieve multiple marks on land, water and a land/water combo. Dogs must be able to make a minimum of three blind retrieves on land and water. Dogs must be steady, and deliver to hand. Designed for the truly finished, accomplished retriever. |
Prefix titles available through competition in AKC Field Trials. Field trials are competitive and are judged dog against dog.
| Title | Description | Major title/stake requirements |
|---|---|---|
| AFC | Amateur Field Trial Champion: A highly competitive title. Open to Amateur handlers (non-professional) only. Typically only 2-3 Golden Retrievers will earn this title in a given year. | Win a National Championship Stake, Handled by an Amateur or: Win 15 points with at least one win of 5 points or better in: Open All-Age Limited All-Age Special All-Age Amateur All-Age, Owner handler All-Age or Restricted All-Age Stakes No more than 5 points may be obtained in trials not open to all breeds of retrievers. However, you can earn an AFC title on your dog without ever entering an Amateur if you (as an amateur) win an Open (Limited, Special, Restricted) and five other points from Open. Ten Open points, including the Open win, earned by an amateur will give the dog an AFC title in addition to the FC title. (e.g. National Specialty Field Trials) Please refer to the handbook on the AKC website: "Field Trial Rules and Standards" for additional information. |
| FC | Field Champion: A highly competitive title. Open to all handlers - professional and amateur alike. Typically, only 1 or 2 Golden Retrievers will earn this title in a given year. | Win a National Championship stake Win 10 points, with at least 5 points and 1 first place in: Open All-Age Limited All-Age Special All-Age Restricted All-Age No more than 5 points may be obtained in trials not open to all breeds of retrievers. (e.g. National Specialty Field Trials) |
| DC | Dual Champion: Only two Golden Retrievers have earned this most prestigious of titles since the late 1960's. | Any dog that has been awarded the title of Champion of Record (Ch.) may be designated as a "Dual Champion," after it has also been awarded the title of Field Champion (FC). |
| NAFC | National Amateur Field Champion: Only one Golden has ever won this title, back in 1985. | Win 1st place in a stake that has been designated as the National Amateur Championship stake. |
| NFC | National Field Champion: While Golden Retrievers have won the NFC, it has not happened since the 1950's. | Win 1st place in a stake that has been designated as the National Open Championship stake. |