Karen Greener



First of all, let me say thank you to the FCRSC for the opportunity to judge at your specialty.  I am really looking forward to it.  I have been working with dogs in some form or other for over 20 years.  I have been very active in the Hunt Test and Working Certificate game for the last 10 years.  I have three Labrador Retrievers, two retired and one that I am actively working.  I was fortunate enough last year to pass a very important goal for myself in that I received my first Master Hunter title and had the opportunity to compete in the CKC Master National with my mother.  (Although I didn't qualify as they say, it was just an honour to be nominated.)
 
I hope everyone has a great time and that we give out a whole lot of ribbons.

Susie Bell

Susie has been involved with Labrador Retrievers since 1974 and has been breeding under the Pinebank prefix since 1979.  In 1982 she earned her first WC title and since then has put 19 WC, 10 WCI, 10 WCX , 15 JH, 3 SH, 1 MH  titles on her dogs. Susie stared judging Working Certificate Tests in 2001 and Hunt Tests in 2002. Susie is also involved in Obedience, Rally, Tracking and Conformation.  She has been Hunt Test Chair with the Labrador Owners Club and Mountain Valley Retriever Training Club and Test Secretary for Mountain Valley Retriever Training Club and Horseshoe Hunting Retriever Club and Secretary for the Canadian Master National Club. Susie trains her own dogs under the guidance of Sandie Bond and Allan Haggerty Dove Tail Kennels. While Labrador Retrievers are Susie’s Breed she also has trained and trialed Irish Water Spaniels.  Susie and her husband Sandy Bell live in beautiful Puslinch, Ontario with their seven Labrador Retrievers ranging from 14 years old to 6 months.

Margot Nielson

I've owned Irish Water Spaniels since 1991 and have competed with them in all levels of the Working Certificate test and in hunt tests in both Canada and the US since 1993.   I'm currently working with my first 'master level' Irish Water Spaniel and looking forward to titling her. In addition to field work, I've handled my IWS to their CKC and AKC championships and I also enjoy training and competing in obedience with my dogs. I live in Oakville, Ontario with IWS Clare and her offspring, Libby and Just.

I'm looking forward to judging the FCRSC WC. I became hooked on field work as a spectator at the WC test at my very first Irish Water Spaniel Club of America Specialty in 1992. I was 'wowed' seeing these dogs do what they were bred to do. I hope the participants at the WC, especially the new handlers, enjoy the test and come away with a desire to continue field training with their dogs.

Gail Bourgeois

 

In 1965, Gail Bourgeois started competing in obedience and conformation.  Later she expanded her interests and started training and competing in tracking and hunt tests. All of her dogs have had numerous titles in Canada and in the US. She is an active member of HHRC and MVRTC and is a Hunt Test Master Judge. Gail trained and handled her Golden Retriever “Barkley” to the following: Ch.,MHR, GMH Trowsnest River, Cdn.& Am. CD, WCX, TD, VCX. Barkley was also a Canadian Master National Qualifier. She is presently running her Golden Retriever, “Striker” at the Senior level and “Crash” will begin his trialing this summer.

Jeff Bryson



Jeff became addicted to the retriever sporting lifestyle in 1984, with Labradors.  With the assistance of Felix Mock, he acquired his first competitive dog from Delma Hazzard. He became an advocate of the Hunt Test avenue, as well as Field Trials and Shows. In 1991, he was one of 26 dogs to pass the first AKC Master National. Shortly thereafter, he became a part time professional trainer. Since that time, between the United States and Canada, he has taken 15 entries to Master Nationals and came away with the hardware with 9 of those entries.   One of the client dogs, “Gunner of King’s Pointe”, passed 4 Nationals and is in the Hall of Fame.  In 1992, he passed the first chocolate Labrador. He is the proud “co-conspirator” with his wife’s dog,  Am/Can CH Lor-al’s Got Our Power Play CD MH, the 39th Labrador to achieve the CH/MH status. He is also the owner of HRCH UH Bear Country’s Little Guy SH, a male Flatcoat Retriever. He has judged both in the US and Canada; with his wife Kim, who is a devotee of the Hunt Tests as well as Shows and a Hunt Test judge. Together, they also have a breeding program, and in the past, Jeff had bred the dog that holds the record for the most AKC Master National passes.

John Mairs  

 

John’s first pure bred Golden Retriever, purchased in 1972 as a hunting companion, came with a bonus – the classic field training book by James Lamb Free. Continuing on from the book, John began serious field training, reaching the Open All-Age stakes with his Goldens and becoming a qualified All-Age Field Trial judge. 
 
John bred this first Golden and kept a puppy, eventually moving into competitive obedience, flyball, confirmation and agility. In the obedience ring, he has achieved 5 OTCH’s as well as numerous other competitive titles.
 
One of John’s favourite Goldens was “Gilmore”, the breed’s first GMH as well as many, many other titles, and a nationally recognized star of TV and movies. John continues to train dogs for the movie industry as well as operating Tamsu Learning Centre in Tottenham, ON where pets learn obedience through behaviour modification and competitive obedience prospects fine tune their skills.
 
Recently John returned to field training and competes in both CKC Hunt Tests and HRC events. His current dogs are NMH GMH HRCH Tamsu’s Miss Daily UH CDX and NMH GMH Goldbriar’s Leading Lady O’Tamsu UH CD.
 
With 3 Grand Master Hunters and 2 National Master Hunters, John is a leading figure in Canadian Hunt Tests as both competitor and judge and we are fortunate indeed to have him as one of our Master judges this weekend.

Lola Nichol-Jones



I have been actively showing/competing with and breeding Labrador Retrievers since 1983 when I purchased my first purebred Lab, Ruwelli's Lasting Dream Rebel CD. I was introduced to field trials and WC events by my mailman, Peter Wyckoff and my high school teacher, Peter Mottola.  It was with their help, lots of reading and picnic trials that I discovered my love for seeing dogs do what they were bred to do.  Being raised in a waterfowl hunting home and enjoying the sport myself also helped. In 1984 I purchased my foundation stud dog from Eileen & Ken Grant who became Ch. Oaklea Blackhawk At Maktawae TT.Am.CD.CDX. I joined the CKC and registered my kennel name "Maktawae" that year as well. I am also a life member of the Labrador Owners Club.
 
I was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of mine and my Dad's by competing at the Gold Whistle Trial at the Toronto Sportsman Show. What made this even more special was that Willow (Maktawae Arncha Cruzn Now CGN.CD.WCX.SH) is a dog that I bred/trained and handled myself. In 2007 we came 4th in our qualifying heat; however this year Willow and I came 1st in our heat night and finished with a CM in the finals, with only 4 dogs making it through the final series. We also have 3 Master passes and I will be absolutely thrilled when we finish this title together.
 
Now in my 24th year of being thoroughly entranced by the breed with a number of conformation Champions that are also titled in the field and trying to lessen the gap between Labs that work good and Labs that look good, I have also had the good fortune of judging a number of Specialty Sweepstakes for Labs, Goldens and Pointing breeds.  I am now working towards my end goal of becoming a conformation judge to go along with my qualifications to judge Hunt Tests and WC Tests.
 
Thank you so much for the invitation to judge at your event and best of luck to everyone competing over your Specialty weekend!