Working titles

According to the rules of the FCI, Field Trial is the only type of competition for retrievers in Europe where an international title (CACIT) can be awarded.

Let’s see what the titles mean:

C.A.C.I.T.: Certificat d'Aptitude au Championnat International de Travail

It is a title which might be awarded on an international field trial according to the FCI rules (please see at rules). There is a need of confirmation by the FCI.

C.A.C.T.: Certificat d'Aptitude au Championnat National de Travail

It is a national title which might be awarded on an national or on an international field trial according to the national kennel club rules (in many cases the same as the international FCI rules.) There is a need of confirmation by the National Kennel Club.

Ch.IT & Int. FTCH = International Field Trial Champion

The Int. FTCH or Ch.IT. title has to be confirmed by the FCI. The referring rules of FCI below say:

 (for further details please see on the website of the FCI the document„FCI REGULATIONS FOR THE  INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP”)

"To obtain the title International Working Champion “field trial”, ChIT(ft) a dog shall:

a. at the minimum age of 15 months, have obtained two CACIT or one CACIT and two RCACIT in field trials, organized under responsibility of two different governing national canine organizations and under different judges;

c.   at the minimum age of 15 months, have obtained at least the qualification “Very Good” or, in countries where this qualification is unknown, have obtained at least a second prize in the open class, intermediate or working-dog class at an international show under F.C.I. patronage, independent of the number of dogs shown.

(National) FTCH: Field Trial Champion

The field trial champion title is a national title – thee might be different regulations country by country.

This title can be confirmed by the national kennel club.

In the majority of the european countries a dog should have a 2 CACT titles, or 1 CACT and 2 Res. CACT titles, and a very good on a show to be entitled to get the FTCH title.

Before the title of FCTH they normally indicate the country code, such as BFTCH = Belgian Field Trial Champion.

In those countries where there are several well trained dogs, the national field trials are at least the same level as an international trial, in some other countries it is - sadly - not the case at all.

I would like to point it out because in some countries – Belgium is perhaps the best example – a national FTCH has exactly the same value as a Int. FTCH title, as the standard of their trials are very high, due to the fortunate situation that there are many good dog running on trials.

FTW= Field Trial Winner

This is an abbreviation which has originally been used in the UK to indicate that a dog has already won an open field trial.

It has rather an informative value – an easy way to indicate that a dog already won a trial (or some cases having won even 2 or more trials, but not having the very good from the show yet to get the confirmation from the kennel club or the FCI for the champion title. )

Pedigrees and titles

Generally we can say that the more FTCH dogs in a puppy’s pedigree, the better genetic background the puppy might have behind, as it clearly means his anchestors have proved to be among the best retrievers on the shooting field.

Running a dog successfully on field trials could be the goal of most retriever handlers who do shooting and picking up with their dogs and like to compete.

Field Trials are the highest level competitions for retrievers. There are several dogs in the UK, but only less dogs on the continent which are up to the standard of international open field trials. (Unfortunately it is also because not all retriever handlers have the chance to go picking up with their dogs, in some countries there are very few possibilities for this.)

Doing this sport ourselves, we do appreciate the handler’job and the quality of the dog which both must be behind a success on field trials. Therefore, we decided to introduce our club member’s field trial champion dogs, in the WR Online under Field Trial Champions.

We hope all handlers of our club’s field trial champion dogs will take the chance and introduce their dogs on the WALL OF HONOUR which is dedicated to our club’s FIELD TRIAL CHAMPIONS.