Bulldog Club of Greenville

The Bulldog Club of Greenville is located in South Carolina and was founded by a small group of bulldog enthusiasts around 1970 because there were no specialty clubs in the area.

Some of the original members who helped organize the club include Frank Hopkins, Grace Hopkins, Mildred Eukena, Emma Hatfield, Mary Billingsly and Fred Billingsly.

Frank Hopkins was the initial club president and Emma Hatfield was the secretary. There were approximately 10-12 charter members of the club at the time.

Originally, the club was known as the Foothills Bulldog Club until the name was changed shortly before the club received recognition by the AKC in approximately 1989. The club was not a spin off shoot of any other club. It was a group of bulldoggers who were looking to belong to a specialty club near their homes.

The first fun match was held on the lawn of Mary and Fred Billingsley just outside of Greenville, South Carolina, a few years after the club was formed. The club held a barbeque in conjunction with the match and set up a club table to educate the public on dog shows and the bulldog breed. The entry was a good one of around 20-25 puppies.

The club has continued its educational program, and has created good will with the public through highway trash pickup and numerous booths at malls, pet centers and various other locations.

The club's membership declined to around 10-12 original members and was only about 6 to 8 when it finally received AKC recognition. The club has approximately 30 members who belong to the Greenville Bulldog Club at the present time. However, it is interested in taking on more area bulldoggers and enthusiasts.

The Bulldog Club of Greenville is a member of the Bulldog Club of America Division VII.

It hosted its first independent specialty show in 1996 at the Palmetta Expo Center. The all-breed Spartansburg Kennel Club and Greenville Kennel Club held their shows in the morning and the Bulldog Club of Greenville held its specialty show after completion of all-breeds on the same show grounds.

The club selected Elizabeth Hugo as judge for the inaugural event. All the winners came from the regular classes that night. Best of Breed, Best of Winners and Winners Bitch was Jaylou’s Fortune Cookie. Best of Opposite Sex and Winners Dog was Valor’s Noble Thunder. The total entry was 46 dogs.