š Partner Spotlight: Big Cottonwood Retrievers
Weāre proud to be partnered with Big Cottonwood Retrievers, owned and operated by Grant and Sheri Hatch. If you're looking for high-quality Labrador puppies from proven hunting lines, Big Cottonwood Retrievers is the place to go. They use several Flatlander Kennels stud dogs in their program, and we train a lot of their pupsāso we can vouch for the drive, intelligence, and talent of these dogs.
š Located in Nebraska
š Phone: (308) 289-6851
š website: https://www.bigcottonwoodretrievers.net
š Facebook: Big https://www.bigcottonwoodretrievers.net/Cottonwood Retrievers
Big changes are coming to the Master Nationalāand not everyone is happy about it.
In this episode of The Flatlander Kennels Podcast, Elliott Snider and pro trainer Chris Jobman dive deep into the recent announcement limiting total entries at the 2026 Master National to around 840 dogs. Chris doesn't hold back as he shares how this decision is impacting pros, clients, and the future of the sport.
They cover:
Why the decision feels like a slap in the face to professional trainers
How it cuts income and opportunity for working dog handlers
The growing divide between amateurs and pros in retriever events
Why this may signal the declineāor even the endāof the Master National as we know it
A hint at a new game on the horizon that could change everything
If you care about the future of retriever hunt tests, this is a must-listen.
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