Annual Meeting - 10AM
Sunday, January 5th, 2025

CMRC Clubhouse - 2232 Golden Spike Road, Sauk Rapids, MN

GMHTA Mission Statement

To work together in a co-operative manner on issues affecting any and all member clubs.

Humble Beginnings

What began as a casual meeting of 13 area retriever clubs in 2005 to discuss and work on issues we all face, led to the formalization of our name in 2006, The Greater Minnesota Hunt Test Association (GMHTA), culminating in our incorporation as a non-profit in 2007. The GMHTA has become an organization of nearly twenty retriever clubs from Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and Iowa dedicated to the growth and improvement of our sport. We have clubs affiliated with the American Kennel Club, the Hunting Retriever Club, the United Kennel Club, and the North American Hunting Retriever Association.

We currently publish and mail a hunt test schedule each spring and hold our annual GMHTA Retriever Championship in September, with the proceeds going to sponsor youth handlers from within our organization.

What is a Hunt Test?

In the 1980s hunters with good retrievers, but without the resources, or time, to be able to be competitive in field trials were anxious to have an avenue to test their dogs for hunting abilities. Hunt tests were developed to provide retriever enthusiasts what they desired.

A hunt test is an event where the natural and trained abilities of gun dogs are evaluated against a written standard. Each dog that meets this standard earns a pass. With each pass dogs earn points toward titles. These passes and titles are tangible evidence that your dog has both the natural and trained skills as a working retriever. Hunt tests are organized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), the North American Hunting Retriever Association (NAHRA), and the United Kennel Club (UKC) under the auspices of the Hunting Retriever Club (HRC).

The tests are closely related to hunting with the retriever in the field for waterfowl and upland game. The tests are designed to represent a day in the field hunting with your canine companion.

Although each organization has slightly different test requirements, they are similar in that each offers multiple levels to participate in, depending on the level training you have reached. There are levels for the novice (junior or started), intermediate (hunting, senior, seasoned or working) and finished (master) dog. For complete descriptions visit AKC.org, NAHRA.org or huntingretrieverclub.org.

Beyond the opportunity to compete with your dog and demonstrate your skills as a handler/trainer and the natural and trained abilities of your dog, hunt tests are a great way to keep your dog in shape. The skills and teamwork that develop between dog and handler make for a much more rewarding, enjoyable and successful hunting season. One of the best conservation tools we have is a trained retriever! Plus it’s a lot of fun to spend time with other people who enjoy dogs.