Maine Retriever Trial Club - MRTC

02/04/2026

BREAKING: Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and called for six more weeks of winter. He is now fleeing the scene on foot. 🐾🤦‍♀️❄️🥶😰😭

02/04/2026

Quick look at the
"Color: The color of the Chesapeake Bay Retriever must be as nearly that of its working
surroundings as possible. Any color of brown, sedge or deadgrass is acceptable, self-colored
Chesapeakes being preferred. One color is not to be preferred over another." AKC Breed standard

01/22/2026

Chris Palmer and his dog Zoey went to camp in the Smoky Mountains on December 8th, 2025, which was not unusual, as he often camps, but what is unusual is that he stopped messaging his family after January 9th, 2026 when he said he was headed to the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, and on January 10th, 2026, his truck was found abandoned near Buxton, NC, on the Hatteras National Seashore.

His parents are concerned as he always kept in touch during his camping adventures. His red Ford F250, found far from where he was headed, only deepens their concern.

I am including the original post from his parents below to provide a more detailed timeline and to include the areas he has traveled since December 8th, 2025.

"I don't post alot on here but id like to ask for help.Our son Chris Palmer and his dog Zoey went to the smoky mountains to camp on Dec 8th. He does alot of camping in the national forests. He let's us know when and where he is going and when he is expected to return. He was at the Boone Fork area from Dec 10th till the 27th. He called on the 25th to say he was going to head to the George Washinton National Forest in Virginia Dec 28th said he was going to stay till Jan 7th. Jan 4th he texted said was in George Washington national forest. No specific area but was going to stay another week. Jan 9th he text said he was headed to Monongahala National Forest in West Virginia. He did sent video of the terrain when asked but, said signal was to spotty to talk. However the following Sunday the 18th. We received a phone call from greene county sheriff's department that his truck had been found on the 10th of jan the day after he said he was going to monogahala forest they found his truck a red Ford F250 abandoned on a beach near Buxton north carolina Carolina on Hatteras National seashore hours away in the opposite direction he was headed. No sign of him or his dog Zoey. The national park service are currently searching for him with teams and infrared drones near buxton. Im asking for prayers that he is found safe and send this to friends you might know in the mention areas. Thank you very much."

He is reported as missing, so please report any information you have or possible sightings to Law Enforcement.

12/15/2025

12/14/2025

Last week we received the call that we all knew would come soon. Mark Mosher had lost his battle with cancer in a Mississippi hospital, near the remarkable grounds where he had trained for virtually every winter of the last decade.
Mark's work for this club was tireless, literally. Prior to every field trial (and many hunt tests, as well), he was always up before the sun and out talking to judges, putting up directional signs, towing the club trailer wherever it needed to be, making sure that each stake had the right number of live flyers, live ammo, blanks, bird boys . . . the list goes on.
And if a volunteer gunner failed to show up, Mark would uncase his shotgun—or borrow one—and step in. I not only trained and trialed with him but hunted woodcock coverts with Mark, as well. I can tell you categorically that Mark was a superb wingshot. Moreover, he could throw a live flyer a mile, then instantly shoulder the gun and drop the bird in just the right spot.
Sunset was never the end of a trial day for Mark. Despite having handled multiple dogs for his clients in various stakes, he would head off into the darkness in his truck to pick up the pieces left behind by others: bird boys who needed a ride home, flyer crates that had to be moved, wingers that needed to be broken down, perhaps repaired, and packed away. Mark did all these thankless tasks and more. Only then—and when the dogs on his truck were aired and fed—would he show up at the tailgate party to socialize.
That said, we would truly love to hear some of your memories of Mark, so please add a comment here on the club's page, or contact either one of us by phone, text, or email.

All the best,
Chris Cornell and the Members of MRTC

07/25/2025

Maine Retriever Trial Club Annual Meeting on August 3rd has been cancelled due to a conflict in dates....the meeting will be scheduled at a later date

Send a message to learn more

07/14/2025

Our number One Bird Boy, Nick, at the Maine Retriever Trial Club Hunt Test this weekend..Just putting on a little "Kilroy was Here" !!!

07/14/2025

Maine Retriever Trial Club had some great dogs run at this weekends test..We also had some cool dogs run. But none were cooler than this one, Salem, got her handler, Sarah, to take every whistle and receive a Qualifying score.

07/04/2025

Maine Retriever Trial Club will be holding a training day on July 27th at the Knowles Property in Clinton, Maine
address is 1177/1238 Hinckley Road , Clinton (signs will be posted)
start time will be 8:30 Am for setup
Mallard ducks (previously frozen) will be used for marks.
Training fee: $15.00 per dog

Please respond by July 24th to the following email address if you will be attending so we may have the appropriate number of ducks for use.

Peggy Knowles
[email protected]

Send a message to learn more

04/05/2025

04/05/2025

AKC HT Judges Seminar opportunity