Hall of Fame Inductee


RUFFALO, CARL

Year Inducted : 2008

In his own words:

Now in my 46th year of this sport of retrievers, to be elected to the Retriever Hall of Fame is truly an honor. My wife, Muriel, of 53 years and my five children have been a big part of this.

Initially the training was primarily as a result of the love of the outdoors and hunting, which my trial dogs and I continue to enjoy. I have had the good fortune to qualify thirteen dogs for the National Open Championship and National Amateur Championship, and have trained and handled four FC AFCs and 2 AFCs. FC E-Lynn's Super Strike Lucky has been my crowning achievement. Lucky was a three-time National finalist, a two-time National Amateur finalist, a double-header winner, and is in the Retriever Hall of Fame with 234 all-age points.

I have the good fortune to be a charter member of the Watopa Retriever Club, the Snowbird Retriever Club, and the Southwest Georgia Retriever Club. I have been an active member in three additional clubs. Nationally, I was the Field Trial chairman for the National Amateur Retriever Championship in 1981 and am a past president of the National Amateur Retriever Club and the National Open Retriever Club.

Judging has been a very important part of my retriever experience. I have judged over 110 all-age stakes. I judged at the 1978 National Amateur and was voted judge of the year by the Professional Retriever Trainer Association in 1975.

Since retirement as a pharmacist and drug store owner, I am making what might be my most important contribution to this sport. I continue to train two dogs and have become a mentor to new retriever trainers and handlers in my training group. I have enjoyed their individual progress and success and know that new people are the lifeblood of our sport. Muriel and I live in Rochester, Minnesota where we enjoy our children and seven grandchildren. I train three days a week and winter train in Georgia.

Thank you for this induction into the Retriever Hall of Fame.