Curly Comms
Crufts 2026
Tarzan has won Best Of Breed at Crufts!
Sh Ch Brightmeadow Never Say Die JW ShCM
Tarzan decided to come out of retirement at nine & a half years old and have a day out at Crufts. Not only did he win Veteran Dog and the Dog CC, he then went on to take Best of Breed, under Judge Miss Becky Johnson, increasing his Breed Record to 52 CCs, 47 with BOB! The lad’s still got it…
Huge Congratulations to Jerry & Maggie Stephens!
Curlies on the TV
Curlies featured really well on the TV coverage at Crufts this year…..
On Friday evening Maggie Stephens and Fable, Sh Ch Ravenho Up Town Girl For Brightmeadow JW, could be seen in the Main Arena in coverage of the Vulnerable Native Breeds Final.
There was filming at the ringside of Ring 21, on Gundog Day. Nina & Bern were filmed winning the Open Dog Class, and Jeannette Findlow was interviewed with Calli, by esteemed judge and commentator Frank Kane.
Elsewhere, of course Tarzan was in the coverage of the Gundog Group judging on Sunday evening. Also in the main arena, Tom Clack & Spice featured in the Best Gamekeeper Final.
Ian and Nikki Dick’s photo of their gang featured in the ‘Who’s Your Best In Show’ segment with Claire Balding mentioning the Curly Coated Retriever in the top corner…!
Crufts 2026 – Discover Dogs
What a busy few days we’ve had at the Discover Dogs Stand! We’ve met some lovely people, including some that return every year just to see the Curlies.
Our fabulous stand was created by Jo Clayton
The Discover Dogs Team this year was:
Jo & Brett Clayton with Hebe, Clover & Sorrel, Wendy & Richard Tarelli with Deco & Nox, Nigel & Sandra Spraggins with Cerys, Nornie, Merry & Hoolit, Nikki Dick with Mavis & Arthur, Vicki Hayes with Anise, Heather Driscoll & Iris, Rachel Arnold & James Dobson with Kopis, Jo Mckenzie with Tresco, Elaine Woodford with Forrest, and Louise Viner with Hugo.
A big thank you to everyone who helped over the four days!
Thanks to everyone who visited the stand, and also those club members that took the time to visit on Gundog Day, it was great to see you all, it was also great to see so many of our international friends there too.
Gundog Day at Crufts, 08 March 2026
There were 98 Entries, 83 Dogs for Judge, Becky Johnson (Downstream), and what a fabulous day! Great to see everyone, and a lovely atmosphere around the ring.
Becky Johnson’s main winners were:
Best of Breed: Sh Ch Brightmeadow Never Say Die JW ShCM ( Mr J & Mrs MB Stephens)
Dog CC: Sh Ch Brightmeadow Never Say Die JW ShCM (Mr J & Mrs MB Stephens)
Reserve Dog CC: Sh Ch Tengore Mr Moonlight ( Mrs S Parker-Miles)
Bitch CC: Nor/dk/se Sh Ch Skaringen’s First Impression (Mr JS Thygesen)
Reserve Bitch CC: Sh Ch Ravenho Up Town Girl For Brightmeadow JW (Mr J & Mrs MB Stephens)
Best Puppy: Tusepo Miss Scarlett (Mr N & Mrs SD Spraggins)
Best Veteran: Sh Ch Brightmeadow Never Say Die JW ShCM (Mr J & Mrs MB Stephens)
Class results and photos of the winners are available here on the Show Results Page.
Also to Note at Crufts:
Any Variety Gundog (BASC John Anderton Rose Bowl) Class Restricted to Retired Gamekeepers
Judge: Mr R Holt
1 Tom Clack & Bazzy Inti Anka At Molokin (Imp Cze) winning the BASC John Anderton Rose Bowl and qualifying for the Best Gamekeeper Final in the Main Arena (photo above) – Tom said ‘it was daunting but quite a new experience’.
Any Other Variety Retriever – For Working Gundogs
Best Dog (27 entries)
Judge: Mr J Organ
3 Harriette Barber & Sh Ch Foxriever Picture Perfect For Blanshard, made the shortlisted 9, and went on to be awarded 3rd place – Haz said she ‘was really chuffed with their placing’.
BASC Regional Working Gundog Team Competition
Judged jointly by Mr J Organ, Ms M Fox & Mr R Holt
Jeannette Chapman had her Roughyeds Working Gundog Team entered in this class, she said ‘I’ve wanted to do this for a while and finally got round to it this year. We only went and got shortlisted’.
Vulnerable Native Breeds, 6 March 2026
Maggie Stephens and Fable, Sh Ch Ravenho Up Town Girl For Brightmeadow JW, represented the Curly Coated Retriever in the Vulnerable Native Breeds Final on Friday evening in the Main Arena.
We had a scaled down version of our Club Shop ringside, and Yearbooks were available for collection from the Discover Dogs stand.
South West Hub – Training Day, 14 March 2026
Don’t forget it’s our first CCRC training day of 2026 on Saturday 14 March 2026, led by Jill Gardner at her amazing ground in Malmesbury.
Cost is £25 and will take place between 9:30 until 11:30
All level of skills are welcome from tuning up after the shooting season to taking part in your first session.
For more information and to book your spot please email Nina
Northern England Flatcoated Retriever Association Spring Working Test – 29th March 2026
NEFRA’s Spring Working Test is now quickly approaching, any members wanting to enter this event which is being held at Red Hall Farm, Crewe, please can you send your entries in either online or by post. More information available here.
Curly World Seminar, 24 – 28 August 2026
There’s a new update for the CWS’26 in Denmark…
We’re happy to share that the Seminar Book page is now published on our website.
Here you can find the essential information you need — including details about purchasing advertising space for those who wish to support the event or promote their kennel, business, or project.
At the same time, the website is undergoing a major update, and new content will be added continuously.
There will be further updates announced on Facebook, you can also visit the CWS website.
Working Test in Belgium
Patrick Meykens wished lots of success and fun at Crufts to all his Foxriever Family. His Curly, Mozes is having his first Working Test at the Gouden Jachthoorn club match. Patrick said, ‘he’s having fun. Loves to work but is making mistakes due to his young age’.
Good Luck Mozes!
United Retriever Club, 11 February 2026
Judge: Leslie Bain (Wenichones)
Critique error correction – details in Curly Comms w/e 01 March 2026.
Note from Breed Judge Leslie Bain – ‘I must correct a typing error in my Critique my second placed dog in Open was in fact 3 years old and not as stated. I apologise for any upset this error may have caused‘.
