Northern Golden Retriever Association

Founded 1946

For our 80th Anniversary year, Anne Crookes has put together a bit of the early history of the Association.

80th ANNIVERSARY OF THE NGRA

2026 is the 80th Anniversary of the Northern Golden Retriever Association, so a little bit about the history of the Association.

Firstly why “Association” and not Club? This goes back to 1946 when a group of Northern England based Golden Retriever enthusiasts got together The Association was a coming together of groups who represented the northern English counties of Cumberland and Westmorland, Northumberland, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Lincolnshire. The executive committee to consist as far as possible of at least 1 representative from each of the counties included within the area of the Association.

The stated aim of the Association was to encourage the breeding of Golden Retrievers of a Dual-Purpose type. i.e. suitable for work and conforming as nearly as possible to the standard already laid down. To organize field trials, to secure the services of competent judges of the breed and to encourage social intercourse between Golden Retrievers and breeders,

In 1946 The Northern Golden Retriever Association was registered by the Kennel Club

In 1947 The Association held 2 field trials and an open show

In 1948 the first Yearbook was produced

In 1952 The Association held its first Championship Show

The regional groups became

The Burns and Becks Gundog Club, ably led by Mrs Marjorie Waters, NGRA Field Trial Secretary

The Tyneside Group of the NGRA in 1976 became The Golden Retriever Club of Northumbria Ably led by Pat Pape with Jennifer Hay as Secretary. Happy 50th Anniversary to the GRCN

The Lancashire group became The Pennine Training Area ably led by Sybil Buckley

The Yorkshire and Lincolnshire group of the NGRA became the Yorkshire Golden Retriever Club in 1986 with Lyn Anderson as Chairman and Joyce Hays as secretary

And the Derbyshire and Cheshire training group became the Hope Valley Gundog Club and eventually became the North Midlands Area of the United Retriever Club led by Joe and Eileen Holme.

All these founder members of the Northern Golden Retriever Association now hold Trials, Working Tests and Shows in their own right but as a celebration of our 80th Anniversary have been invited to re unite and send a team to our Anniversary Weekend special team test together with a team representing the NGRA its self and a team from the Golden Retriever Club of Scotland who are also celebrating their 80th anniversary this year.

The Anniversary Weekend will take place at Red Hall Farm Gundog Training Centre at Betley in Cheshire on the 8th and 9th of August. We have other exciting events planned for this weekend but more of this on this page in due course. For the meanwhile please celebrate with us the history of our unique Association.