Welcome
The Golden Retriever Breed Council was formed in 1992 and acts as a coordinating body for Golden Retriever Clubs in the UK.
History and Purpose of the Breed Council
By 1980 there were 11 breed clubs in existence throughout the UK. To effect some co-ordination within the breed with regard to the appointment of judges, event dates and other important matters, the Golden Retriever Club invited the ten other clubs to a meeting. Most clubs sent representatives and it was agreed to hold further meetings. The organisation was known as the Golden Retriever Breed Conference and meetings continued until 1991.
In 1992 the Kennel Club informed the participating clubs that the holding of a Clubs' Conference was in contravention of their regulations and if the clubs wished to continue meeting as a group they would have to form a Breed Council.
Following this Kennel Club directive, Mr Keith Young (Pyngold) consulted all the breed clubs about the formation of a breed council and an inaugural meeting was held in November 1992, to discuss rules and working practices. The Kennel Club gave approval for the Golden Retriever Breed Council to be added to their register in 1993 with Mr Keith Young as the first Secretary, Mrs Meriel Hathaway (Melfricka) as the first Chairman and eight member clubs.
Meetings of the Council have been held twice yearly and each Club can send two Delegates. The number of participating clubs slowly increased, until 2000 when all Clubs were represented.
In 2008, as part of the Kennel Club’s health review, the Council appointed a Breed Health Coordinator: Mrs Margaret Woods (Amirene) was elected to the role and Clubs each nominated a health Representative thus forming a Health Subcommittee. An inaugural meeting was held in January 2010 to establish priorities and since then, many projects have been undertaken.
Two clubs withdrew from the Breed Council in 2014. There was a standing invitation for them to re-join the Council at any time in the future they felt it appropriate and subsequently they did, so that now in 2020, all 13 Breed Clubs again are members.
