At the Safari Club International Convention in Nashville, we sit down with Mark Newton, Managing Director of John Rigby & Co., for a powerful conversation about heritage, leadership, and the future of the British gun trade. Mark traces his roots back to stalking roe deer with his father in the English countryside, where hunting shaped his character and forged lifelong family bonds. Today, he pours that same intentionality into raising his own daughters, teaching them gratitude, responsibility, and respect for wild game.

Mark shares the remarkable story of Rigby’s revival—how mentorship under Paul Roberts, bold backing from the Blaser Group, and relentless commitment to authenticity brought the 250-year-old brand back to life in London. He explains why he refuses to reinvent Rigby and instead builds on its legacy of craftsmanship, adventure, and conservation.

We also explore his big-picture vision: a new headquarters, expanded training academies for young gunmakers, and a long-term plan to unite historic British gun brands under shared ownership. Mark leads with humility, passion, and deep gratitude—and his vision reaches far beyond rifles to the preservation of culture, craft, and ethical hunting itself.

#BringingBacktheWild #Rigby #JohnRigbyAndCo #SafariClubInternational #SCIConvention #BritishGunmakers #Gunmaking #FineRifles #HuntingHeritage #Conservation

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, host Mike Arnold sits down with Daniela Fanzoj of the historic Johann Fanzoj in Ferlach, Austria. Daniela shares how she grew up surrounded by mountains, hunters, and a 300-year family legacy rooted in a 500-year gunmaking tradition. She recounts taking over leadership after her father fell ill and describes how she and her brother transformed the company into an elite, niche manufacturer that produces only 20 to 24 handcrafted firearms each year.

Daniela explains how Ferlach’s gunmaking heritage earned recognition from UNESCO for preserving generational craftsmanship. She details the firm’s commitment to in-house production, rare Circassian walnut, and master engraving that can require hundreds of hours per project. Through their “Majesty of Nature” line, she channels art into conservation messaging, emphasizing that hunting sustains wildlife. Daniela outlines a bold vision: elevate meaning over decoration, mentor the next generation, and use functional art to champion conservation worldwide.

https://fanzoj.com/

In this episode of Bringing Back the Wild, Mike Arnold sits down with his longtime friend Joe Croot, a professional gamekeeper, outfitter, and founder of Royal Outfitters UK. Joe shares how his grandfather introduced him to hunting, land stewardship, and harvesting food from the wild, setting him on a lifelong path outdoors.

Joe explains how strict firearms laws in England shaped his early hunting career and pushed him toward rifle clubs, predator control, and eventually professional gamekeeping. He describes cutting his teeth on fox control, earning land access through trust, and building a reputation as a skilled and reliable hunter. That experience led him into large-scale estate management, where he worked on intensive conservation and game recovery projects in Scotland, including deer management and upland grouse restoration.

The conversation highlights Joe’s mentorship under an innovative gamekeeper who shaped modern driven shooting practices in the UK. Joe also walks listeners through the leap from employee to entrepreneur, detailing how he built a successful outfitting business and rural sporting goods store to serve hunters and shooters in remote areas.

Throughout the episode, Joe emphasizes responsibility, land management, and conservation as the foundation of ethical hunting. His story reflects a life built on hard-earned skill, mentorship, and a deep respect for wildlife and wild places.

Sponsors of Bringing Back the Wild include: Dallas Safari Club, Royal Outfitters UK, Life-Form Taxidermy, Zambeze Delta Safaris, Travel Express, Dorchester Shooting Preserve, and AfricaSky Boutique Hotel.