The country of New Zealand can probably boast of the most field trial champion curly-coated retrievers than any other. The requirements for obtaining the title of Field Trial Champion (FTCH.) or Grand Field Trial Champion (GFTCH.) are explained here. They might not be quite what the average U.S. field retriever enthusiast would expect.

In my decades of curly coated retriever research, I have found several stories about curlies connected to sailing boats, steamships, exploring vessels and seagoing folks. Here is a charming tale from a 1930 Australian newspaper about one of these curlies. Walter was a curly coated retriever who worked on a ship on the Pig & Whistle route. Pig & Whistle ships carried pigs and human passengers from port to port and the ships' whistles blew as they steamed in to dock.

This is an article written by Gill Wise of Toakaha Kennels about the New Zealand FT. CH. and Show Champion Pukemere Mura Kuri. (New Zealand field trials are more like U.S. hunting tests than U.S. field trials. One major difference is New Zealand trials are competitive but U.S. hunt tests are not. I plan an article on what New Zealand trials are like soon.)

Published January 23, 2020

There appears to be a breeder (or maybe more than one) confused about curly coated retriever imports. Before some of the statements...

Curly and wavy coated retrievers were recognized breeds long before golden and Labrador retrievers.