30 DAYS FREE Sign up for Pro Exhibitor or Pro Handler — explore everything, pay $0 today.
ThePetAdvisor terrier head mark ThePetAdvisorYour advisor for the AKC show weekend.

Breed profile · Golden Retriever specialty history

Golden Retriever specialty history

The full record of the Golden Retriever’s national and regional specialties, year by year — dates, venues, judges, entries, and winners, with sources. The current year is shown in full on the breed profile; this page is the archive.

← Back to the Golden Retriever breed profile

2026

National specialty

The most recent national specialty — the 86th National Specialty, September 29 to October 10, 2026 — was held at Island Grove Regional Park, 501 North 14th Avenue, Greeley, Colorado, under the theme “Peaks of Gold.” The conformation specialty ran Wednesday through Saturday, October 7–10, 2026 (AKC event 2026077414; entries opened July 22 and closed August 26, 2026). Conformation judges: Donna Ernst (Best of Breed, Best BBE, Best Puppy, Best Veteran), Collette Jaynes (regular and non-regular class dogs), and Nancy E. Talbott (regular and non-regular class bitches); Junior Showmanship was listed in the premium under Jennifer Harper, though the AKC results page lists Ms. Talbott for the junior classes — that discrepancy is unresolved. The week also held the 37th National Specialty Sweepstakes, the 15th Gun Dog Sweepstakes, the 76th Obedience Trial, the 21st Rally Trial, the 33rd Agility Trial, the 86th Field Trial, the 17th Hunting Test, the 62nd WC and 46th WCX Tests, and tracking and scent work. (Sources: DogZibit; official premium list; AKC event results.)

Entries, from the AKC event results: the Parent Specialty drew 455 entries — 221 dogs and 234 bitches; 453 competitors; 561 total entries. Junior Showmanship drew 9 entries and 8 competitors; Best Junior Handler was Trinity Lonsdale, with Reserve Best Junior Handler Alexis Coriell. The whole national drew approximately 2,400 entries, not counting parades, the Certificate of Conformation Assessment, or Top 20 entries.

The 2026 Best of Breed winner had not been confirmed from official results as of November 2026 — this page will be updated when the official results are published, rather than naming a winner from an unverified source.

Regional specialties

  • Golden Retriever Club of Illinois — Friday, January 2, and Sunday, January 4, 2026, with the Great American Dog Show. Friday: 36 dogs / 43 entries. Sunday: 39 dogs / 44 entries. Judges across the weekend included Ms. Tonda Wright, Mr. Kelton Hatton, Ms. Judy Vandersteen, Mr. Neil McDevitt, and Ms. Ann Greenbank.
  • Greater Twin Cities Golden Retriever Club — Friday, January 2, 2026, River Centre, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, Minnesota. 38 competitors / 47 entries. Judge: Mrs. H. Glendinning.
  • Inland Empire Golden Retriever Club — Thursday, May 21, 2026, two specialty shows. Show 1: 60 dogs / 75 entries, Judge: Ms. Barbara Madrigrano. Show 2: 51 dogs / 65 entries, Judge: Ms. Valerie Brown. Sweepstakes: Ms. Terri Brennan-Weiss.
  • Des Moines Golden Retriever Club — Friday–Saturday, September 4–5, 2026, Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, Iowa. 45 entries each day. Judges: Mr. D. B. Swartwood (Friday), Mrs. E. Hardin (Saturday).
  • Hudson Valley Golden Retriever Club — concurrent specialties, Saturday–Sunday, October 31–November 1, 2026, Rockland Community College. Saturday: 72 dogs / 72 entries, Judge: Ms. Pluis Davern. Sunday: 65 dogs / 65 entries, Judge: Ms. Susan Schwarz.

2025

National specialty

For comparison, the 2025 national at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri, drew 3,454 entries — the largest National Specialty to date. (Sources: AKC event results; Show Dogs Awards, GRCA profile.)

Regional specialties

No regional specialties recorded for 2025.