Golden Retriever Club of America National Specialty 2026

The Golden Retriever Club of America hosts its 86th National Specialty October 7–10, 2026, at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley, Colorado. The conformation national anchors a twelve-day stretch of Golden events — field trial, hunting test, tracking, working certificates, agility, sweepstakes, obedience, rally, scent work, Junior Showmanship, and the Top 20 Invitational — with most of it on the lawn and in the buildings at Island Grove.

National specialty events run September 29–October 10; conformation October 7–10.

Enter the national

Event secretary

Dogzibit — entries online at dogzibit.com or mailed to PO Box 1176, Duvall, WA 98019

Closing

Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 12:00 noon Pacific (or when limits reached)

Conformation first entry

$45.00

Conformation additional entry

$35.00

Sweepstakes

$35.00

Junior Showmanship

$25.00

Obedience

$45.00 first class / $35.00 additional · Team $15.00 per dog · Brace $20.00 per dog

Rally

$45.00 first class / $35.00 additional · Rally Pairs $20.00

Agility

$45.00 / $30.00 / $30.00 / $25.00 / $25.00 / $20.00 (1st–6th entry)

Scent work

Detective $60.00 · all other classes $45.00 first / $30.00 second / $20.00 each additional

Tracking

$80.00 TDU · $150.00 VST

WC / WCX

$85.00 / $90.00

Field trial

Open & Amateur stakes $120.00 · Qualifying & Derby $110.00

Hunting test

Master $105.00 · Senior $95.00 · Junior $90.00

CCA

$100.00

Four days built around the national: the conformation specialty on the lawn, obedience and rally in the livestock barn, and the Best of Breed finale on Saturday.

The week’s lead-up events run September 29–October 6: field trial (Sep 29–Oct 1), hunting test (Oct 2–3), tracking and working certificate tests (Oct 4), agility and the Certificate of Conformation Assessment (Oct 5), and puppy/veteran/gundog sweepstakes with scent work and the welcome dinner (Oct 6). Verified 2026

Your show-day schedule, saved by date.

The verified judging slate for the 2026 national specialty. Verified 2026

Best of Breed, Best BBE, Best Puppy, Best Veteran

Donna Ernst

Regular & Non-Regular Class Dogs

Collette Jaynes

Regular & Non-Regular Class Bitches

Nancy E Talbott

Junior Showmanship (Thursday)

Jennifer Harper

Sweepstakes — Puppy & Veteran Dogs, Best Puppy

Christian Rutten

Sweepstakes — Puppy & Veteran Bitches, Best Veteran

Kelly Shuffelbottom

Gundog Sweepstakes

Cindy Price

Obedience & Rally

James Comunale · Rick Garvin · Carole Lynn Evans (obedience only) · Julie Yamane (rally only)

Agility

Laura Gillice · David Nauer

Field trial

Kathy Fregelette (Open) · Derek Smith (Open) · Susan Caire (Qual) · Paula Elmes (Qual) · Corrie Elmes (Amateur) · Ed Neilson (Amateur) · Don Fregelette (Derby) · Joey Smith (Derby)

Hunting test

Doug McGuire (Master) · Lee Whittaker (Master) · Janice Masica (Junior A / Senior) · Steve Herron (Junior A) · Linda Alexander (Junior B / Senior) · Diana Martin-Gruenler (Junior B)

Scent work

Deanna Bunn · Sally Dunphy · Ronald V. Horn · Jessica Taylor · Andrea Wojciechowski

Tracking

Jane Jonas · Pia Paulsen

WC / WCX

Janice Masica · Danette Weich · Laura Weinmann · Keith Winch · David Marsteller · Doug McGuire · Diana Martin-Gruenler · Warren Frizell · Karen DeCordova · Steve Herron

Certificate of Conformation Assessment

Debbie Claussen · Helen Dorrance · Patricia Flanagan · Ellen Hardin · Gloria Kerr · Bruce McLean · Denise Reel · Susan Schwarz · Lei Taft

Judges announced by the Golden Retriever Club of America for the 2026 national specialty week.

Junior Showmanship is part of the national specialty week, with a dedicated competition day. Verified 2026

Thursday, October 8

Junior Showmanship Competition — Jennifer Harper · entry $25.00

Novice, Open, and Master classes offered (Novice and Open divided by age). No Pee Wee is listed in the 2026 premium.

The specialty spotlight for this event.

Event

Golden Retriever Club of America National Specialty 2026

Breed

Golden Retriever (Sporting Group)

Type

National specialty — 86th national specialty show, 37th sweepstakes, 15th gundog sweepstakes

Host club

Golden Retriever Club of America

Dates

October 7–10, 2026 — Greeley, Colorado (full specialty events September 29–October 10)

Top 20 Invitational

Thursday, October 8, 6:30 PM — Exhibition Building

Parade of Titleholders

Tuesday, October 6, after the welcome dinner — Exhibition Building

The venue

Island Grove Regional Park, 501 North 14th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80631. The specialty show runs on Area D on the lawn; obedience in the livestock barn; grooming, vendors, health clinics, and meetings in the Events Center. Show hours 7:00 AM–11:00 PM, indoors and outdoors.

Hotels near Island Grove

DoubleTree by Hilton Greeley at Lincoln Park

919 7th St, Greeley, CO 80631 — 970-304-0000 (1.2 miles from Island Grove)

Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Greeley

2401 W 29th St, Greeley, CO 80631 — 970-339-5030 (4.3 miles to the venue)

Embassy Suites by Hilton Loveland

4705 Clydesdale Pkwy, Loveland, CO 80538 — 970-593-6200 (19.4 miles from Island Grove)

Rooms through the club’s housing link: connectionshousing.app/26GRCA. Check with each hotel for pet requirements and fees. Field trial participants also list the LaQuinta Inn by Wyndham Fort Collins (3709 East Mulberry Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524 — 970-493-7800) and the Cobblestone Hotel in Gering, Nebraska for the hunting test and WC/WCX.

Official documents for the national specialty week. Verified 2026

• 2026 premium list (PDF) Verified 2026

Entries closed Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at 12:00 noon Pacific. Separate premium lists cover the agility trial, field trial, hunting test, and CCA.

• Official2026 premium list (PDF) — dates, venue, judges, fees
• OfficialDogZibit show inventory — club, dates, city/state
• OfficialAKC National Specialties inventory (apps.akc.org) — dates and city cross-check