Bulldog Club of Tidewater

The Bulldog Club of Tidewater is believed to have been founded in 1972 by some Virginia Beach bulldog owners with a little help from other Bulldog Club of America member clubs, including the Piedmont and Capital clubs located in BCA Division VII.

The distance from Virginia Beach made it difficult for members to travel to either of the existing clubs in the region to attend club meetings.

Some of the original members and founders of the club were Frankie Brinkly, Neil Ragan, Carol Ragan, Robert Hall, and Mary French-Hall.

The first fun match or AKC-sanctioned "B" puppy match is thought to have been in 1974 and was held in a park at Virginia Beach with Pat Hartle as the judge. The entry that day was 10-15 puppies. Subsequent match shows were held at the Iron Workers Union Hall in Virginia. Beach with entries reaching about 25 pups during the 1970s and early 1980s.

A fun match was even held at the home of Mary French-Hall and Robert Hall, where there was an entry of 40-50 puppies with Tex Nolan as the judge. The last match recalled was possibly in the mid-1990's.

Although the club did some of the initial work to become licensed by the AKC, it has never hosted a specialty show because it has not fulfilled AKC requirements. Even a club logo was designed by Kitty Pitman.  

The club was finally recognized by the BCA in the early 1980s with the help of Neil Ragan. The initial membership was 10-12 people and rose quickly to approximately 30 in the early to mid-1970s.

Club membership is minimal due to a lack of stable leadership. A major problem is the demographics of Virginia Beach, which is largely military and also a popular tourism area. Military transfers and seasonal movement of residents make it very difficult for the membership of this club to become stabilized.

Numerous members have taken the reigns only to move out of the region in a short time.

Bulldog fanciers in the area are invited to assume leadership roles in the club and move toward a core membership.

Persons interested in becoming members and officers can contact the secretary of BCA Division VII.

Obtained by telephone from Mary French-Hall and Robert Hall and transcribed by Paul Thornburg.