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of my life and besides working with them for a
number of years, I also competed at club level
in Hunter trials, one day events, Show Jumping
and showing classes, so I guess the showing
bug has always been there and it was a natural
progression to start showing and wanting to
produce the best Bulldog I could.

When learning the ropes of handling, I found
myself watching one person in particular in
the breed. They were and still are a master
at handling any Bulldog. I would watch them
closely at ringside, and take home all the points
I picked up and put them into practice. Most of
my handling skill and ring procedure is learnt by
this one person who I hold in the highest regard
of Bulldog handling.

The success in the ring really started for us on
a professional level in 2011. Martha produced
a litter of nine puppies and I kept a very special
bitch who we called Ricatori Florence Baby
JW. I remember our very first show (just a small
canine society) in a sports hall. Florence had
a major problem with the sports hall floor and came away with a CC or RCC. We always say
would try and jump the lines printed out for the she was our first Champion and often wonder
various sports activities. She was a handful, if she would have gained her title if we were an
quirky six month old with an attitude but huge established kennel back then. We decided to
ring presence. have a litter from her after the age of two, and I
chose a dog I had recently seen at a show in the
One of the most memorable days I will never Junior class. I was obsessed with him and later
forget was Florence’s first Championship learnt he was from Spain being campaigned for
show – The Manchester General at Stafford a short time in the UK Ch Meljane King William
County Showground. Her litter sister was was the dog and we later became very close
also competing in the same class that day. friends with his owners. It was sheer luck (or
I remember moving Florence for the judge perhaps destiny) that William had just arrived
and hearing lots of whispers ringside and as I back into the UK on the day Florence needed to
returned to the line up, looking up and lots of go and meet her future husband! Luck was on
eyes looking directly at Flo – she moved like our side and she produced two UK Champion
a dream for me that day! I won a huge Minor males and two successful females (both gaining
Puppy class (with her sister taking 2nd) and the their studbook numbers). This, for us is where
applause was electric! Holding back a tear in the our dreams started to become a reality.
ring while standing having our critique taken, it
was the first real big breakthrough for us. We We knew there was two special boys in the litter
went on to win Best Puppy and her little pink from Florence and deciding between the two
rosette is still here with us and cherished. was a very difficult task. We let one boy go to
live with our good friends in Spain who owned
Florence went on to gain her Junior Warrant title William – this was Ch Ricatori King Of Meljane
and was always in the final line up, but never and we kept Ch Ricatori Roman King and two

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