As a person interested in retriever and sporting dog history, I've often wondered about the Lab split.
I know a little bit about Lab history (Dave Elliot, the Whygin retrievers which were some of the foundation for Shamrock Acres, Dual Ch. Shed of Arden, etc.)
But why, when, how did the split between field and conformation occur?
Was the difference in British and American Field trials a factor?
Dog breeds are constantly evolving but when, how and why do you think Labs split?
I have no dog in the fight never having owned a lab but did hunt with two different sons of a NAFC and have "babysitted" a couple of lab pups and two adults.