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The 2026 European Retriever Championship will take place in the center of Denmark, on the island Fyn.
The estate Egebjerggaard has kindly aggreed to be the host of this great event. And the Danish Retriever Club is looking forward to welcoming the top retrievers of Europe and their handlers.
Every country is entitled to send two participants plus reserve. The dogs are chosen according to FCI rules.
Last years winner is automatically invited to compete.
The Danish Retriever Club is the only FCI recognized retriever club in Denmark. The club comprises Labrador, Golden, Flatcoated, Curly Coated and Chesapeake Bay retrievers, and counts currently approx. 4500 members.
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PROGRAM
Wednesday October 14, at 5 PM
Registration and welcoming reception at Scandic Hotel, Odense
Thursday October 15
Day 1 of ERC 2026 at Egebjerggaard Estate
Evening: Dinner at Scandic Hotel, Odense
Friday October 17
Day 2 of ERC 2026 at Egebjerggaard Estate
Afternoon: Prize-giving ceremony.
I have been involved in gundogs for about 17 years.
I am a A Panel Retriever Judge with the UK Kennel Club.
I made up my Labrador bitch Highwalk Kerry to a Field Trial Champion.
I have won 2 x 2 Day Open Stakes and also had awards in others.
I have been part of the Scottish Gundog Team competing at The Game Fair, England and was a member of the winning Scottish Interclub Team in 2021.
I am the Gundog Director at Scone Game Fair, Perth, Scotland where we hold a number of competitions including the prestigious “4 Nations Competition”
My husband is Declan Boyle and we have 2 children Molly and Lewis.
I am an A panel judge in the Irish Kennel Club and UK Kennel Club.
I have been trialling labradors since 2002 and I have made up 5 Field Trial Champions (FTCH Glenloch Ruff, FTCH Leadburn Jamie , GB FTCH & Irish FTCH Miller McDuff & GB FTCH & Irish FTCH Jake of Blackburn and GB FTCH & IRISH FTCH KNOCKYCLOVAUN RALPH.
I have qualified about 23 times for the Irish Retriever Championship and 11times for the IGL.
I won the Irish retriever championship in 2017 & 2019 and also won the IGL 2019.
I am the Captain of the Irish international Gundog Team which competes at the Game Fair in england every year. We have won overall team for the past 3 years. I enjoy a lot of Snipe and Woodcock shooting. During the shooting season I pick-up a few times a week with all my dogs unless I am trialling.
I have judged field trials and working tests in France, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Germany and the USA . I have judged the German Cup two times
I have Judged the Italian retriever championship 2018, the Swedish championship 2017 & 2018 and the Danish Retriever Championship 2022.
I am delighted to be asked again to judge this prestigious event.
This will be my 3rd time judging the European championships.
The first time was 2012.
The second time was 2024
May the best dog win 🏆
My interest in retriever sport began over 25 years ago.
After seeing working Labradors at field trials, it was a straight path into the world of working retrievers and, eventually, field trialing.
I actively contribute to our sport; my goal has always been to promote better understanding and deeper knowledge of working retrievers, and to share our passion with fellow enthusiasts.
I run a retriever sports club, the Working Retriever Club of Hungary, which has been organizing tests and trials for almost 20 years. Thanks to fantastic teamwork, our club organized the IWT in 2011 and 2021, as well as the Field Trial European Championship for Retrievers in 2021, all held in Hungary.
I am the founder of the Brookbank kennel. To date, five dogs have achieved the title of International Field Trial Champion:
● Int. FTCH Eddie of Dukefield
● Int. FTCH Starcreek Ginger
● Int. FTCH Fly of Dukefield
● Int. FTCH Ardmuir Earl
● Int. FTCH Brookbank Dragonfly
I won the Austrian-Hungarian FT Championship in 2011 with Starcreek Gin, and in 2025 I finished second with my current Open dog, Brookbank Hummingbird.
At the moment, I share my home with three Labradors at “Brookbank” in a small village near Budapest. I train and breed my dogs for shooting days and field trials, and I also thoroughly enjoy running them in working tests and dummy trials.
Over the past 15 years, I have had the privilege of judging Working Tests and Field Trials in 20 countries across Europe. It has also been an honor to judge the IWT twice, in 2017 and 2022.
Thank you very much for the invitation. I’m truly honored. I wish all the competitors the best of luck, and I wish the organizers a successful event!
Thank you very much for the invitation to judge the European Retriever Championship. I am very much looking forward to meeting all the skilled handlers from Denmark and abroad, and to seeing some really good dog work.
I started competing in Field Trials myself in 1996. We got our first Labrador in 1992. Since then, I have handled six Labradors to Field Trial Champion titles, won the Danish Championship and also been Runner-up.
I very much enjoy training my own dogs, especially when they are between one and three years old. It is fantastic to see their development and to take part in both Working Tests and Field Trials, both at home and abroad. It is always exciting to travel to different events, and you meet so many wonderful people along the way.
I started judging in 2006 and am a Panel A judge.
In addition, I have bred puppies for many years under the prefix Thirsgaards. We are not currently breeding, but we have three male Labradors: DKFTCH Tamrose Macgill, a young dog, Brown Hunt’s Teal, and a puppy, Yellowstone Gundogs Olli.
WINNER with EXCELLENT, CACIT, CACT. Qualification for the Irish Championship and the Danish Championship 2026:
Int FTCH Duyesdale October
Labrador Retriever dog - d.o.b. 05.06.18
Breeder, owner and handler: Bruno Julien, France
(Batmoors’ Black Isle Chandler - Liverycroft Apache Gold)
2nd with EXCELLENT and qualification for the Danish Championship 2026
Gunnerspeg Galvanised
Labrador Retriever dog - d.o.b. 13.04.23 -
Breeder: Simon Capstick - Pieter Vivijs, Owner and handler Pieter Vivijs.
(FTCh Brocklebank Bourbon of Ravencote - GB FTCh Drakeshead Casey)
3rd with EXCELLENT and qualification for the Danish Championship 2026:
Int. FTCh Blackthorn Excalibur
Labrador Retriever dog - d.o.b. 31.03.18
Breeder: Rita Kokeny
Owner and handler: Grzegorz Duda
(Int. FTCh Garagill Pike - Blackthorn Quail)
4th with EXCELLENT and qualification for the Danish Championship 2026:
Hiertagård’s Aramis
Labrador Retriever dog - d.o.b. 28.01.21
Breeder: Harry Schach. Owner and handler: Esa Valkonen
(GB FTCh Highwalk Galway - Balleyvalley Vida)
Also EXCELLENT to.
Batmoors Anfield Harvey Elliot
Labrador Retriever dog, d.o.b. 01.10.21
Breeder: Iben Pytlick - Owner and handler: Tomi Sarkkinen
(Leacaz Titus - Astraglen Wye)
Holten’s Aurum
Labrador Retriever bitch - d.o.b. 09.04.17 - Breeder: Lars-Carl Holten - Owner and handler: Lena Högfeldt
(FTCh Longcopse Bertie - Holten’s Lea)
Very Good to:
Int. FTCh von der Mohnenfluh Boryanaowner and handler: Ivonne Brunold
FTCh Go Back Skyhawk
Owner and handler: Wendie DekkerInt.
FTCh Beautiful Hunter Reeve
Owner and handler: Rinus Heijmans
Good to
Int. FTCh Florence Pondcastle vom Fichtenhorst
Owner and handler: Julia MlinarInt
FTCH Master Of Water Ready To Win
Owner and handler: Emmanuel Cormier
