SPLITTING HAIRS???

Whether you spell the word C-O-L-O-R OR C-O-L-O-U-R, most folks would understand what you are talking about.
   You may call for "lustrous golden of various shades..." OR your Breed Standard may require, "Rich, lustrous golden of various shades...."
   See the DIFFERENCE?
   Is there ANY difference?
   You do? Well that's rich.
   But what's "rich?"
   Apparently, CREAM is within the parameters of "lustrous golden." BUT it fails to pass muster if it hopes to be considered as, "RICH, lustrous golden...."
   It's a TALE of TWO STANDARDS. It's a TALE of TWO SETS Of INSTRUCTIONS TO JUDGES.
   Show your dog under the Canadian Breed Standard -- though a born-cream Golden --NO problem. After all he/she is "lustrous golden."
   BUT, exhibit your cream dog south of the 49th parallel and you will discover that your Golden is "undesirable," and must be penalized in the conformation ring.
   Let's visit the GRCA website, shall we. "Purebred Golden Retrievers do not come in pure white, even though some may be extremely light cream in color....Light-colored Goldens are just that, IT IS SIMPLY A COLOR PREFERENCE...."
   So the GRCA admits cream is a COLOR not just a SHADE of GOLD. Further, that it is merely a PREFERENCE. Unfortunately it is a personal preference which the powers- that- be in the GRCA do not share. Thus they are determined to penalize it.
   Do cream coats have temperament issues? Do cream coats have medical issues? Are cream coats not really Goldens-- NOT TRULY Golden Retrievers because they are not TRULY gold enough to please the GRCA leadership? Is that the problem? No one else on the planet shares that view.