There is a couple of new Master National Proposals. Plus some attached correspondence from clubs from other regions. Plus the wording that came from the Region 4 VP Annette Pacheco. Attachments are on the bottom of note
Here is the note that was sent to all Marin Retriever Club members requesting a vote.
Please respond by September 30, with your vote for Proposal #1 Yes, or No. Also respond with your vote for Proposal #2 Yes, or No
Thank you in Advance for participating in this voting!
To :Region 4 Delegates and Clubs in good standing with the Master National Retriever Club.
Summary: Two proposed By-Law changes that would critically impact Region 4. One is to continue to hold the event and not limit it to the Region. It states it should not be in a region if the region can’t host 1,000 + entries. It should move to a region that can accept Unlimited entries – no matter what! The second proposal is to eliminate Region 4 entirely and combine it with Region 3.
PLEASE VOTE NO ON BOTH OF THESE PROPOSALS!
Background: Over the last 20+ years the Master National Retriever Club has enjoyed enormous success. To state that it is a victim of its own success is an understatement. In 2006 when Marin Retriever Club hosted the event in Morgan Hill, the event had about 250 entries. By 2014 when Marin hosted again, 824 dogs qualified and 600 entered. In 2018, 1264 dogs qualified and 1020 entered. The numbers are on track to keep increasing, with over 1100 dogs entered for 2025!
Obviously, the ability to “host” an event this large and the work that goes into putting an event together of this magnitude has also increased tenfold. Just finding a location that can host 1100 + dogs, and house the participants has become a feat in itself. Hotels; training properties; banquet halls; caterers; workers, and the list goes on and on. Additionally, the people needed to run eight or more stakes is another source of stress to the limited manpower. It is also difficult to find quality judges…not just ones who meet the set criteria, but who truly understand how to judge a National caliber event.
The problem of too many entries for a quality event that was envisioned has been a recurring issue for over twenty years. There never has been a solution and once again we find ourselves facing the beast. This time we, as Region 4 clubs (West) face the reality that we may no longer have a home, let alone a part in the Master National Retriever Club.
In 2026 the event is scheduled to rotate to the west with the Umpqua Retriever Club hosting the event. The problem is that the grounds are not sufficient for an entry exceeding 840 dogs. What are the solutions?
Current Situation : AKC allows Clubs to limit the number of entries (Ch 1 Section 3, page 4 2021 rule book). Furthermore, Chapter Six in the rules and regulations gives the MNRC the authority to do this. The Clubs in Roseburg have chosen to use this rule for the 2026 event, as they feel that 840 dogs is the absolute maximum their properties can hold and accommodate reasonably.
This decision has caused enormous grief and handwringing for many of the handlers, primarily the pros that run 20+ dogs. The math has been done – if the entries had been limited in 2022 to 840 dogs, it would have affected those persons running more than 13 dogs. So, it basically would impact some of the larger pros that charge an enormous handling fee to their clients and will lose out on what has become for them their annual big payday.
Proposal # 1: Directs the MNRC to locate suitable grounds, and if none can be found on the west coast then they have the authority to locate grounds in other regions that can accommodate the ever-increasing numbers of entries. And NO LIMITS on the number of entries, ever. Just keep doing it whatever it takes.
This proposal is unnecessary and already exists in the By-Laws – Section 2B “Notwithstanding the above, in the event the Board of Directors, after reasonable effort is unable to obtain a site in the prescribed region which it considers suitable for the Master National Hunting Retriever Test, the Board may select a site in another Region. In selecting such a site, care should be exercised that: (1) no site will be used in two consecutive years; and (2) returned to the prescribed system of rotation can be promptly and easily accomplished.”
This proposal has been put forth by the North Alabama Retriever Club, and supported by several other clubs and delegates with no regard for the folks who have to find the properties and put on an event of this enormity. If you don’t have the grounds in the west, we’ll stay in the east. When does it end? 2,000 dogs? 3,000? At what point do you say enough is enough? At what number does it become “less special” when thousands of dogs enter. I would challenge ANY of the supporters of this proposal to step up and chair an event before they try and pass this amendment. (I can attest to the enormity of this having Chaired myself TWICE). This is NOT sustainable!
Proposal # 2 : Missouri Valley Hunt Club has taken this a step further and proposed that the organization dissolve Region 4 completely and combine Regions 3 & 4! By buying into this logic, Region 4 will be gone! Furthermore, Region 3 and 4 will lose any chance of EVER having a say in the future of the organization! ANYTHING that comes up controversially will weigh on the Region 1 (East Coast), who carries TWO votes, Region 2 (Central), who carries TWO votes to Combined Regions 3 & 4’s TWO votes. If this passes, the west coast will never see another event in either area. Period. The delegates from the East/Central will dominate every proposal (4 to2) and the west will lose out.
Recommendation: We are strongly urging Region 4 Club members VOTE NO, through your club delegates, on both of these proposals. This voice needs to be heard from EVERYONE, or we will lose. Those persons supporting proposals 1 & 2 are very vocal. If we residents in Region 4 are not just as vocal in our opposition to these proposals, we will never see the Master National in the west, if it even survives the current turmoil.
Footnote - You might not have ever run this event, but we still need your support! You might have an up and coming young dog, and the ability to qualify and run the event “in your back yard” when it rolls around to our Region should not be taken away from us. When my first dog qualified in 2002, I was thrilled that it would be in Eastern Oregon that year, and we were able to go because it was close and fairly affordable, not a 3-5 day drive to get there. We should all have that opportunity. Let’s not let the east coast take away our opportunity.
Please feel free to call or write me a note if you have any questions, or would like to further discuss.
Sincerely,
Laura Judd Marin Retriever Club Vice President Cell 707-326-1771 Tinstarlabs@comcast.net
Julie Cairns Redwood Empire Retriever Club President, Marin Retriever Club Member
Past President MNRC
Special Note: Since Ed Ryska, Marin Retriever Club President is also our Master National Retriever Club Region 4 director. This note comes from the Vice President so that he remains neutral.
2025PROPOSED BYLAWS AMENDMENT.pdf
2025MVHC Supporting Clubs.pdf
2025MNRCProposalNoteMRCmembers.docx
