TITLES: Field Titles for Golden Retrievers

Titles Awarded For Field Trial Performance

By Jim Pickering

jim pickeringAll Golden Retrievers that have placed or received a JAM in an AKC Licensed Field Trial are included in this section. Both the AKC and the GRCA award titles or designations for field trial performance. The following is a brief description of each of those titles or designation and the requirements for obtaining each.

GRCA Designations:

** The two stars following a dog’s name is a designation given by the GRCA to identify a Golden Retriever that has been awarded a 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th place or a JAM in a Derby stake or that has been awarded a 3rd or 4th place or a JAM in a Qualifying stake at an AKC licensed field trial. Only one such place or JAM is required.

*** The three stars following a dog’s name is a designation given by the GRCA to identify a Golden Retriever that has earned Qualified All Age (QAA) status in accordance with the AKC rules for Retriever Field Trials. A dog earns QAA status by being awarded a 1st or 2nd place in a Qualifying stake, or by being awarded a place or JAM in either an Amateur or Open stake. Only one such place or JAM is required. While QAA status is applicable with respect to a dog’s qualification to enter certain stakes, the AKC does not award a title for achieving the status.

FDHF Field Dog Hall of Fame – The FDHF title is awarded to the Golden Retriever that has accumulated a total of twenty-five (25) All Age Points earned in Amateur and/or Open stakes at AKC licensed field trials.

AKC Titles:

QA2 Qualified All-Age 2

The AKC created a new suffix title called Qualified All-Age 2 (QA2) that can be earned in Retriever Field Trials. The title is earned when a dog on two occasions has met the qualification to enter the Limited All-Age stake. The QA2 title is meant to acknowledge an intermediate level of achievement in order to encourage participants to remain active in the sport and their club.

FC Field Champion

To acquire a Field Championship a Retriever must win: 1) A National Championship Stake or 2) a total of ten points (including one win) which may be acquired in an Open All Age, a Limited All-age, a Special All-Age or a Restricted All-Age Stake. Not more than 5 points of the required 10 shall be acquired in trials not open to all breeds of retrievers nor would a win from a trial not open to all breeds of Retrievers count as the Open win. Points are awarded as follows:

  • 1st Place = five points
  • 2nd Place = three points
  • 3rd Place = one points
  • 4thPlace = ½ point

Note: Unlike some other AKC championship titles, the number of dogs defeated has no bearing on the points awarded. For championship points to be awarded twelve dogs that are QAA must start the stake, but the points awarded for a placement are the same whether eleven or 111 dogs are defeated.

AFC Amateur Field Champion

To acquire an Amateur Field Championship a Retriever must win: 1) A National Championship Stake handled by an Amateur or a National Amateur Championship Stake. 2) a total of 10 points including an Open win in All-Age, Limited All-Age, Special All-Age, or Restricted All-Age stakes while handled by an amateur or 3) a total of 15 points in Open All-Age, Limited All-Age, a Restricted All-Age, Amateur All-Age, or Owner-Handler All Age including a first place win from any of the above stakes. However, no more than five points of the fifteen required may be earned in trials not open to all breeds of Retrievers nor would a win from such a trial be counted as the Amateur win. Points for the AFC title are awarded on the same basis as indicated above.

National Qualifiers

Given that to qualify for a National Championship, Open or Amateur, is a significant accomplishment, National Qualifiers are so noted. The National Open Championship trial, “The National”, is held each year in November. To qualify to be entered in The National a dog must have a 1st and a total of seven points earned in Open, Limited, Special or Restricted stakes during the twelve-month period beginning at the completion of one National and the close of entries for the next. Any points including a 1st earned in the Open at the GRCA Specialty trial are counted toward qualification.

The National Amateur Championship trial is held each year in June. To qualify to be entered in the National Amateur a dog must have a 1st place and a total of seven points earned during the twelve-month period beginning at the completion of one National Amateur and the close of entries for the next. The win and points toward qualification for the National Amateur may be earned in Amateur or Owner/Handler Amateur stakes or, if handled by an amateur handler, Open, Limited, Special and Restricted stakes. Points including a win earned in the Amateur stake, or Open stake if amateur handled, at the Golden Specialty are counted toward the qualification.


For additional and more detailed information regarding Field Trial rules and standards, please refer to the handbook on the AKC website: “Field Trial Rules and Standards”.

GRCA