Navigating the Breton Peloton: Understanding the Organizations Behind the Epagneul Breton

Every July, the world’s attention turns to France as the Tour de France winds through mountain passes, vineyards, and historic villages. It’s the most attended annual sporting event on the planet, yet for many casual fans, it can also be one of the most confusing.

Who’s racing for the yellow jersey? Why is one rider sacrificing his own chances to help a teammate? What’s the difference between the race organizers, team directors, sponsors, and governing bodies?

Once you understand everyone’s role, the race suddenly makes perfect sense.

The Epagneul Breton world can feel much the same.

If you’re new to the breed — or even if you’ve owned Bretons for years — you’ve probably heard names like CEB-US, CEB, AICEB, FCI, UKC, AKC, and NAVHDA. They all play important roles, but they aren’t the same organization, and each serves a different purpose.

Consider this your Tour de France guide to the organizations behind France’s greatest bird dog.

Club de l’Epagneul Breton (CEB)

Every great race has a home, and every breed has a country of origin.

The Club de l’Epagneul Breton (CEB) is the official breed club in France and the steward of the Epagneul Breton. Since the breed’s earliest days (officially recognized in 1907), the CEB has worked to preserve the breed standard, promote responsible breeding, oversee French field trials and evaluations, and protect the qualities that have made the Epagneul Breton one of the world’s premier bird dogs for more than a century.

When people speak of preserving the authentic Epagneul Breton, they are talking about protecting the vision established and maintained by the CEB.

Club de l’Epagneul Breton of the United States (CEB-US)

If the CEB is the breed’s home club, CEB-US is its home here in America.

The Club de l’Epagneul Breton of the United States is the parent breed club for the Epagneul Breton in the United States. Our mission is to preserve, protect, and promote the authentic French Epagneul Breton while supporting the owners, breeders, hunters, and enthusiasts who make up our growing community.

That mission comes to life in many ways. CEB-US organizes the National Conclave, supports regional clubs and events across the country, hosts field trials, publishes educational articles and newsletters, provides breeder resources, recognizes outstanding breeders and dogs through achievement programs, develops judges and volunteers, and serves as a central resource for anyone interested in learning more about the breed.

The club also represents the United States within the international Epagneul Breton community, helping ensure American breeders and owners have a voice in preserving the breed’s future while remaining connected to its French roots.

Whether you’re looking for your first puppy, training your first bird dog, competing in the field, or simply enjoying another upland season behind your Breton, CEB-US exists to support both the breed and the people who love it.

Amicale Internationale des Clubs de l’Epagneul Breton (AICEB)

Think of AICEB as the international meeting place for the Epagneul Breton world.

The Amicale Internationale des Clubs de l’Epagneul Breton brings together the official national Epagneul Breton clubs from around the globe. Rather than serving individual owners directly, AICEB provides a forum where member countries work together to preserve the breed, encourage consistency in breeding and evaluation standards, share knowledge, and strengthen relationships among national clubs.

Its role helps ensure that whether a Breton is bred in France, Italy, Canada, the United States, or elsewhere, the breed continues to reflect the same characteristics and purpose that have defined it for generations.

Sr. Jose Luis Recondo (right) with Hon. Butch Nelson (left) judging OPEN Braces at the 2025 National Conclave.

Did you know the president of the AICEB, Sr. Jose Luis Recondo, was the honorary judge at the CEB-US 2025 National Conclave? Click here to read our recap of how CEB-US remains authentic to the international breed tradition.

Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI)

The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) is the international federation of kennel clubs recognized throughout much of the world. It recognizes the Epagneul Breton as its own breed and maintains the international breed standard used by its member countries.

While many American owners may never interact directly with the FCI, its work provides consistency in breed recognition and breed standards across much of the world. Although the FCI serves as the international governing body for its member countries, it does not maintain individual pedigree records. Instead, pedigrees are managed by each country’s designated national registry. For many Epagneul Breton owners, the most familiar registries are the Société Centrale Canine (SCC) in France and the Real Sociedad Canina de España (RSCE) in Spain. The FCI recognizes one official registry per member country and establishes a common framework for breed standards, field testing, and evaluations, allowing dogs, judges, and competitors to participate under consistent rules in international events.

United Kennel Club (UKC)

In the United States, the United Kennel Club (UKC) holds a unique place in the Epagneul Breton community.

UKC is currently the only breed registry in the United States that recognizes the Epagneul Breton as its own distinct breed. That recognition allows owners to register and compete under the authentic breed name established in France while helping preserve the breed’s unique identity. The UKC's testing and evaluation systems are designed to follow the European traditions which also help uphold the original standards and intentions of the breed.

For many owners, UKC registration represents another important step in maintaining the distinction between the Epagneul Breton and other closely related breeds.

American Kennel Club (AKC)

The American Kennel Club (AKC) is one of the largest dog registries and event organizations in the United States. Many Epagneul Breton owners participate in AKC hunt tests, field trials, agility, obedience, and other performance sports.

However, the AKC does not recognize the Epagneul Breton as a separate breed. Instead, these dogs are registered and compete under the Brittany breed designation.

As a result, many owners enjoy participating in AKC events while also supporting CEB-US and UKC in preserving the Epagneul Breton as the distinct French breed recognized throughout much of the world.

North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA)

The North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) is not a breed club or registry. Instead, it is dedicated to developing, evaluating, and promoting versatile hunting dogs through a respected testing system that measures natural ability, training, cooperation, and hunting performance. While NAVHDA tracks pedigrees like a registry, it does not establish or maintain breed standards like UKC or AKC. For example, an Epagneul Breton owner must show their UKC pedigree to be recognized as an EB within the NAVHDA system.

Many Epagneul Breton owners participate in NAVHDA to evaluate their dogs while continuing to develop the qualities that make the breed such an exceptional hunting companion.

A significant milestone came recently when NAVHDA added the Epagneul Breton to its list of recognized breeds under its correct breed designation. This allows owners to register and test their dogs with NAVHDA as Epagneul Bretons rather than under another breed designation.

Different Roles. Shared Purpose.

Like the Tour de France, success doesn’t happen because everyone has the same job — it happens because everyone has a role to play.

The CEB safeguards the breed in its homeland. CEB-US serves as the parent breed club in the United States, supporting owners, breeders, education, and competition while representing the breed nationally and internationally. AICEB connects official breed clubs around the world. FCI provides international breed recognition and standards. UKC recognizes the Epagneul Breton as its own breed in the United States. AKC offers another venue where many Breton owners enjoy competing, while NAVHDA provides a respected system for evaluating versatile hunting dogs.

Each organization serves a different purpose. Some focus on preserving the breed, others on registration, others on international cooperation, and others on hunting tests and competition. Understanding those different roles helps owners choose the organizations and events that best fit their goals while supporting the long-term future of the authentic Epagneul Breton.

Once you understand the roles, navigating the Breton world becomes much like following the Tour de France. What first seemed complicated reveals itself to be a team effort, with many people working toward the same finish line.

And that’s good news for the future of one of France’s greatest exports — the Epagneul Breton