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The Master National Retriever Club is at the Tri-County Fish and Wildlife Area in Syracuse until Sept. 24.
Opening day was Sunday. The event will begin at 7:30 a.m. every morning and run until 5 or 6 p.m., according to Ray Weaver, co-chairman of the Backwater Retriever Club Inc. Backwater Retriever Club is the local host club for the Master National this year. Weaver is also the founder and a board member of Backwater Retriever Club and he is a professional dog trainer.
Weaver said it is very prestigious to be the host club, which helps provide all the logistics to organize the Master National.
"It's like the World Series for retrievers," Weaver said.
This year the goal for the Master National is to raise $5 million.
The Master National Retriever Club is sponsored by the American Kennel Club but it is not a typical dog show.
This is a very serious dog show and a dog has to qualify to be eligible. This year, 245 retrievers have been entered, according to Weaver. Among the dog breeds that enter this event are Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, flat-coated retrievers, Chesapeake Bay retrievers, Irish water spaniels and poodles. The dogs compete against the standard and not against each other.
Weaver gave an example of one competitive event called the Hunt Test. Weaver said this closely resembles actual hunting.
This is the first year Indiana has had the Master National. The show changes time zones every year so Weaver said Indiana won't have the show again for at least four years. The show was in South Carolina last year and next year will be in Oklahoma.
The show is open to the public and Weaver encourages people who have a serious interest in the event to come watch. The dogs will be working and they should not be distracted.
Weaver also suggested people that are interested in getting involved in this event should contact him at Bittersweet Kennels, 848-5210. They also can contact the president of Backwater Retriever Club, Chris Cornelius, at 594-2896.
