NAHRA Invitational
The North American Hunting Retriever Association (NAHRA) was founded in 1983. NAHRA pioneered testing dogs against a hunting retriever standard and opened up a new
level of training and performance for hunters' retrievers. There are now affiliated clubs across the U.S. and Canada. NAHRA offers the ability for everyone interested in taking their retriever to the next level the support from local clubs to enter NAHRA events offering levels from Starter to Master for everyone to participate.
In 1987 NAHRA pioneered another new idea - a "national" for hunting retrievers. NAHRA invited the top 30 point-earning NAHRA Senior dogs to a special field test in Virginia. The first Invitational was an extravaganza. The legendary Gene Hill was gun captain. There was an opening party at Richard and Olive Wolters' cabin.
The Invitational was later expanded and held annually from 1987 through 2001 in New York, several locations in Virginia, California, Oregon, Alberta, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota (1994). In 2006, the Invitational was held at Scenic Mesa Ranch in western Colorado, and in 2007 it was held near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The event draws NAHRA's "Master Hunting Retrievers" from all over North America. (Quebec handlers are announced in French!)
The NAHRA Invitational is in honor of Richard Wolters who was a NAHRA founder. Richard was a writer for sporting magazines and author of a number of popular training books. No doubt his "stirring the pot" in the sporting press helped get NAHRA started. Richard judged the 1991 Invitational in Wisconsin. When he died in an ultralight crash in 1994, NAHRA honored his contribution by naming its most prestigious event for him.
The Invitational Field Test has benefits to both individual members and to the organization. The most obvious member benefit is to run a first rate event with the top NAHRA dogs from the whole continent and meet their owners.
- NAHRA is the originator of hunting retriever games run against a "standard"
- The NAHRA Invitational showcases this standard
- The NAHRA Invitational attracts the top NAHRA dogs from across the U.S. and Canada
2012 NAHRA Invitational
MAY 29th – JUNE 1st
