Officers
President:  Dave Kress
Secretary/Treasurer:  Frank Barton

Boardmembers

Region 1
	VP:	John Marchica		Director:	Sam Ferguson
Region 2
	VP:	John Blackbird		Director:	Ray Muth
Region 3
	VP:	Bill Teague		Director:	Gloria Mundell
Region 4
	VP:	Janet Peters		Director:	Jim Houston

Dave Kress, President

Welcome all to the Master National webpage. Being at the website probably means you and your dog partners are contemplating qualifying and participating in an upcoming Master National event. The various clubs that make up the MN, the Board of Directors and the selected judges all want your trip to the MN to be a memorable one. A final qualification would be wonderful, but, should that effort fall short, there remains the friendships and experiences that make up your journey. It is an honor to become the President of the Master National Club and I accept the responsibility with humbleness and the belief that all parties are trying to be the best team they can be. My experience with Labrador Retrievers goes back to high school days when I was a bird boy for several of the original members of the Middle Tennessee Amateur Retriever Club. Back then the events were held at Camp Boxwell. These things happened long before the Hunt Test program came into existence. Dogs and hunting along the Mississippi River and the Tennessee River bottoms were a way of life for me and then came marriage and children. The marriage is still thriving and is enriched now because of the Labs; the children are grown and moved away; they definitely do not understand our obsession, love and joy in these wonderful animals. My wife, Marty, and I are blessed with five competitive labs. Three have earned the Master title while being home-schooled in the art of the HT events. All three have qualified for the MN and while I have qualified my dog for the last two years, I have felt the bitter taste of disappointment. It is truly a long ride home as Marty polishes her 3rd plate and all I can say is "wait till next year". We live near Nashville, Tennessee and are active members of the Middle Tennessee Amateur Retriever Club (MTARC). Marty has a passion for the sport and gets to train almost every day while I have a day job that allows us to participate on a regular basis. In the summer months our crew lives, trains and competes in events in Canada, and we are charter members of the Canadian Master National Club. We have such a feeling of accomplishment and awe for what the dogs do. Marty is especially proud that High Mileage Hilltops Hustle has received three AKC MN qualifications and has also qualified two times at the Canadian Master National. I get to live vicariously via her accomplishments as I plug away with my brown girl for qualifications and dream of the wall my MN plates will hang on. I look forward to meeting many more Hunt Tests friends and learning of your successes and concerns while we all work toward making the Master National event THE place to be!

Frank Barton, Secretary/Treasurer

My wife, Lynn, and I live in Marion, AR with our children, Franklin and Rachael. I manage a John Deere farm equipment in Marion and have a few outside business interests. I really became interested in retriever training after my first Lab was stolen with about two weeks left in duck season. I was completely devastated, cleaned up my gun and boots, and never went back hunting that year. A friend, who is an avid field trialer, mentored me in choosing another puppy and later invited me to a local field trial. It was there that I first saw what these wonderful animals were capable of doing. As I started to train this new puppy, I hooked up with our local hunt test club, started running a few tests, and became completely addicted. We currently have Niki, that new puppy that now is a master hunter; and Gus, one of Niki's puppies and he also is QAA. I am a member of the Mid-South Hunting Retriever Club and I also judge. It is an honor to serve as your secretary and I look forward to meeting many of you during the hunt test season and at Master National week.

Email Frank

Region 1

John Marchica, Region 1 Vice-President

My name is John Marchica and my wife’s name is Linda. We live in a small town of Sudbury Vermont with 3 Golden retrievers, at this time. We have three children, all married and five grandchildren. I retired in 1993 from BF Goodrich Aero Space Division for fuel management systems as a Program Manager. I now devote my time to being a house husband, fishing, hunting and training my dogs for hunting and trailing. I started in this game when a friend gave me a golden retriever puppy. I stumbled along with other neophytes doing all my own training and got my first dog Am/Can CH Heidie Goose Tumbles OBHF, OD, UD, MH, WCX qualified for the first AKC Sanctioned Northeast Federation Master Hunt Test Invitational in 1988 and qualified ( this was the prelude to the first MN in 1991). Since that first golden we have had 4 more get there MH titles with two; more hopefuls coming along. I am currently a member of the Lake Champlain Retriever Club and on their board as a director. Have been judging the AKC hunt tests for many years and have had the honor of judging the MN in 2004, in Wisconsin. I also am a member and judge for the HRC program, also a member of NAHRA. The hunt test program has given my wife and I so much satisfaction and enjoyment over the years through comradeship of so many good people. It is now time to put something back to the program. I am honored to have been elected to the Master National Board as a Director of Region 1 and am looking forward to working with the other board members and representatives of the member clubs. I feel I can make a positive contribution to the program.

Email John

Sam Ferguson, Region 1 Director

Bio and pic coming soon!

Region 2

John Blackbird, Region 2 VP

Information coming soon!

Ray Muth, Region 2 Director

Information coming soon!

Region 3

Bill Teague, Region 3 VP

Hunting and fishing have been a large part of my life ever since I can remember. Growing up in west Texas outside Abilene, my Dad and I hunted over good pointing dogs for years, but it wasn't until about 14 years ago that I got my first Labrador retriever. In the 'old' days, we'd throw mud clods out to 'wash' the ducks we'd killed over the stock tanks (ponds to many of you) to the shore so we could pick them up. When we got our first lab, Katie, we immediately joined the newly formed AKC "Brazosport Retriever Club, Inc." and missed being charter members by only a week or so. We love the retriever sport, enjoy training dogs, judging retriever hunting tests and meeting some of the nicest folks in the world in the process. We now have four dogs, Katie, a master hunter, age 13; Trey, a junior hunter, age 8; Hope, needs one pass for her MH, age 6; and Cozby, an 8 mo/old who's in gun dog school.....all yellow females. My wife, Lynn, and I enjoy hunting, training and judging together. We enjoy hunting ducks, geese, crane, dove, pheasant, & quail with the dogs. In my professional life, I'm a life long blood banker having been in the transfusion medicine profession for over 45 years, about thirty of them as CEO of The Blood Center in Houston. I'm honored to have been elected to the board of the MNRC this year and looking forward to working with the other board members and representatives of the member clubs.

Email Bill

Gloria Mundell, Region 3 Director

All of my life I have had dogs, but it was only in the very late 70's that I was first introduced to Retrievers. My first exposure was with Flat-Coated Retrievers. At first, it was Conformation, then Obedience, and then, finally, some dabbling in field events like Working Certificates. It was then that I realized what fun the dogs had at this game , and, just as surprisingly, how much enjoyment I was having, too. And, at this very early stage, I was "hooked"! Even though I was training or attempting training, it was much later before I had a dog capable of running all levels of the AKC Hunt Tests, Junior, Senior, and Master, and even to go on to run the Master National and be in the Master National Hall of Fame.. This success came after acquiring my first Labrador. That dog was, and still is, my devoted companion, Calypso KC Masterpiece CDX, RA, MX, AXJ, MH, MNHOF. He has brought me along each and every step of the way with his talent, his forgiveness, and his love to do anything and everything and to do it well. KC and I share our home with my husband, Ken, and three other Labrador Retrievers in Lakewood, Colorado. One of these young labs is KC's grandson and he is my newest training partner. One is my husband's show Champion, and one is a very talented field dog with seizures so since I will not chance putting her in the water, she is a Flyball Master. I judge AKC hunt tests at all levels and absolutely thrill at watching good dog work in the field. Although, I still dabble a little in other venues such as Flyball, Rally, and Obedience, the field is my true love. I continually strive to learn different and better training methods in order to do complete justice to these magnificent retrievers that are so much a part of my life. My interests continue to be for the betterment of the hunt test program at the local level as well as for the continuing quality and success of the Master National. It is, indeed, an honor to be your Master National Region 3 Director.

Email Gloria

Region 4

Janet Peters, Region 4 VP

I currently live in Novato, California (30 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge) with my husband Ron Sauls, two busy teenage daughters - Natalie and Mallory, a handful of Labrador Retrievers and one German Shorthair Pointer. I grew up in Illinois and we always had at least a couple of Labradors around the house. I did not start hunting or running hunt tests until I moved to California, when a group of great people convinced me to join the Marin Retriever Club and compete with one of my Labradors. Well that was 1987 and I have been running hunt tests since then. I have had the privileged to work with many fine professional trainers over the past 18 or so years and to have the support of a wonderful training group. The dogs really got me into hunting and also introduced me to my husband. Ron and I spend as much time as we can either in a duck blind or walking behind our dogs in the field looking for pheasants, quail or some other upland flyers! Watching these dogs do what they are bred to do and love so completely is truly the best part about hunting over a retriever. In addition to hunt tests and hunting, I also have shown a few dogs in the show ring and have finished a Champion or two! I have the pleasure of having both field dogs and bench dogs in my kennel, and enjoy the virtues of both and the challenges of running a "dual-purpose" breeding program. As for the Hunt Test Program, the Master National is the ultimate showcase for Master dogs in the nation and has provided competitors a mechanism to stay involved in the Master program. The Master program provides a venue for serious enthusiasts to continue to train and compete with their dog(s) in an atmosphere that is supportive, challenging, satisfying, and let's not forget a huge component, FUN! I had the honor and privilege to judge the 2005 Master National with three of the best gentlemen in the dog game. I am also honored for the opportunity to serve on the MN Board and will work hard to preserve the Master National as a quality event!

Email Janet

Jim Houston, Region 4 Director

I am married with three daughters and two grandchildren. My wife Debbie will retire in June after 30 years as a elementary school teacher. My college efforts resulted in a BS, MBA and a JD. I have been the owner of Western Industrial Ceramics since it began in 1971. The company makes high temperature insulation kits for industrial ovens and home appliances as well as artificial logs for gas fireplaces. My dog hobby began with a series of Springer Spaniels for hunting. I wanted to extend the season by competing and decide that retriever hunt tests offered the opportunity that I wanted. I began with my first Golden Retriever in 1994. I was fortunate to have started with a special Golden as she qualified for the Master National Hunt Test six times and passed it once. I was saddened by her passing as well as her daughters at younger ages than they should have. I currently have four goldens. One is now retired and three are in training. I am currently competing at the Master level as well as Senior and Junior. I have hopes one day of qualifying all three for the Master National. I have been involved with the Oregon Hunting Retriever Club in Portland, OR for a number of years. I was the President for four years and their delegate to the Master National during that time. I am currently a director on the board. OHRC holds a double header over Memorial Weekend and has for a number of years had 2-3 of the Master National Judges travel to Portland to judge the trials. This has resulted in some very large entries often over 600 for the 4 day weekend. I enjoy judging and do so as my schedule allows. I have attended 6 AKC judging seminars and have recently passed the written question exam. I feel that it is important that experienced handlers work at becoming experienced judges and contribute to quality hunt tests. I am looking forward to working on the MNRC Board and want to contribute to its continued success.