beaverden founding member
UK CH Ukusa Coronation 2019

Triple invitee of the Bull Terrier Club Trophy Show 2019
International Trophy Show Leiden Winning UK Team Member 2019

…but how did we get here?

When I was a little girl my mother bred Persian cats, her fellow competitor had a huge, rambling house on the shore overlooking the Loch. Inside had been left for years, with tunnels made of stacked newspapers and sad Christmas trees, put up but long forgotten. In this Haversham world, also lived her prize Bull Terriers which I begged my mother to bring home. She thought them ugly and fierce and not safe to be around children.
When I married many years later, my husband and I went on the hunt for a dog. He wasn’t keen on the breed and once more they were beyond my grasp.
Now living in London with all its huge benefits, unfortunately the not-so-great happens from time to time and with a run of incidents that was it, I was having my Bully! I wanted to feel safe and we aren’t allowed guns…
The Bull Terriers’ temperament is so amazing. They are gloriously childlike but very protective. After much research, I found my fabulous breeders – Ukusa: Andrea Gates (visit www.archetypekennels.com) and Gary. Off we went for our interview to see if we could have one of their pups.
My heel-dragging husband, who had photos of puppies and bullies in Halloween costumes stuck under his nose for 3 months, was at last beginning to come around. During the interview, we got the chance to not only meet mother and grandmother, from which came many champions but also grandfather, a much-prized solid red called Hell Boy. He bounded up the field, sun glinting off his immaculate auburn coat and parked himself at my husband’s heels, looking up at him with a glint of the mischievous that seemed to say, “How can you resist me?”
That was it, love at first sight and my husband George understood what all the fuss was about.  I got my pup, the very beautiful, red and white Ukusa Coronation, aka Queenie.

We adored her. My three children constantly had her at their side; she was the perfect addition and her rumbling bark saw off attempts from unwanted visitors. We were delighted!

My breeders had asked us to show Queenie, as I had expressed an interest and asked for a show quality bitch. We decided to set off for our first competition, the EABTC, one dull Saturday as a bit of fun. Judge Alan Llewellyn (Bullypins) awarded Queenie her first BIS and we were over the moon! But to make the day even better, the highly respected Linda McGregor (Merlindan), who was judging Crufts that year, praised Queenie and encouraged us to keep going.
A crazy 9 months ensued. With help from all corners of this wonderful community, especially my breeders, within a short time we had our champion. She then went on to be part of the winning team at Leiden 2019 under the renowned Team Captains Mandy Young (Bullyview) and Danny McGregor (Merlindan), as well as triple invitee of the Bull Terrier Club Trophy Show 2019. The once reluctant husband even proudly showed her at Crufts 2020.

I want to say that it’s the best fun and we have made so many new friends from all over the world. I couldn’t recommend it more, especially if jam-making and knitting isn’t your thing.
Now, we are off on our next adventure, literally knee-deep in puppies!

I remain forever a keen beaver.

With love,
Flik Dennison