KUSA History

Posted in About KUSA

A SHORT HISTORY SINCE 1989

Prior to 1891 two dog clubs existed in Southern Africa - the South African Kennel Club of Port Elizabeth and the South African Kennel Club of Cape Town. The former was established and held its first show in 1883; Cape Town following suit in December 1889. These clubs subsequently changed their names to the Port Elizabeth Kennel Club and the Cape Town Kennel Club respectively. These clubs were the foundation clubs of the South African Kennel Club (S.A.K.C.) which changed its name in 1919, after the Kimberley Conference, to the South African Kennel Union (S.A.K.U.) and on 1 June 1964 to the Kennel Union of Southern Africa (K.U.S.A.).

These two clubs were joined in 1894 by the first club in the Transvaal, The Transvaal Kennel Club and by the Craddock, East London, Grahamstown and Queenstown Kennel Clubs in 1895, but the last three were never really permanent, fizzling out after holding one show. These were followed in 1899 by the S.A. Collie and Sheepdog Club, the Durban Kennel Club and the King Wlliam’s Town Kennel Club. Of all these clubs the only one which has been affiliated continuously, since its first affiliation, is the Port Elizabeth Kennel Club. The others having either vanished for ever or had a patchwork history.

The office of the controlling body was established in Cape Town. The Committee consisted of delegates from the affiliated clubs, the first Hon. Secretary being Mr. R.G. Dexter. A system of registration was initiated, with a fee of 2/6d (25c) for each dog and a register was opened. The first registration effected was “Plume”, a Wire-haired Fox Terrier bitch by “Barton Broom” ex “Perfection”, on the 23rd June 1891, the owner being Mr. A. Bell.

Great credit is due to the energy and resources of Mr. R.G. Dexter in the building up of the South African Kennel Club. He continued in office until 1899, when the office was removed to Johannesburg, as no fancier could be found to take over his duties, of which he was anxious to be relieved.

A meeting of delegates was held in Johannesburg on the 4th May 1899, the following clubs being represented : Transvaal Kennel Club,S.A. Collie and Sheepdog Club, Queenstown Kennel Club, Grahamstown Kennel Club, Durban Kennel Club, Port Elizabeth Kennel Club, Cape Town Kennel Club and King William’s Town Kennel Club. Mr. J.H. Butterworth occupied the chair and the meeting, after recording its appreciation of the valuable services rendered to the club by Mr. R.G. Dexter, appointed Mr. Frank Elkington as Secretary.

At this meeting it was resolved that the number of points for wins in open competition to entitle a dog to obtain the prefix of Champion should be twelve, to be awarded as follows : Transvaal, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town shows, three points : Grahamstown, Queenstown, King William’s Town shows, two points; East London and S.A. Collie and Sheepdog Club shows, one point.

It was also resolved at the same meeting that the cropping of dogs’ ears cease on and after the 1st June, 1899, and that any dog cropped after that date be disqualified.

After this the Anglo-Boer War intervened and the next meeting of the South African Kennel Club was held in Cape Town on the 11th November 1902. Delegates were present from Cape Town Kennel Club, Transvaal Kennel Club, Natal Kennel Club (replacing the Durban Kennel Club), S.A. Collie and

Sheepdog Club, Queenstown Kennel Club, King William’s Town Kennel Club and the Western Province Canine Association. Mr. J. Harpur of the Cape Town Kennel Club was in the chair. In June of the same year the first dog show in Natal was held by the Natal Kennel Club.

On the 20th June 1903, at a meeting of delegates of clubs, it was decided to return the office to Cape Town and to vest the governing power in a committee of seven, to be elected annually by affiliated clubs. The first Committee was elected at a meeting held in Cape Town on the 18th July 1903, the members being : Mr. Advocate B. Upington, M.L.A., Lt.-Col. T.E. Lawton, D.S.O., Dr. E.P. Landsberg and Messrs. G.G. van Zyl (subsequently the Governor General of the Union of South Africa), E.K. Green, J. Harpur and A.S. Fowler. Mr. Upington was elected Chairman, with Mr. Fowler as Secretary.

The aftermath of the war showed progress in dogdom all over South Africa. The most notable event in 1903 was the formation of the Kimberley Kennel Club and the holding of its first show with an entry of 270 dogs, although it did not become affiliated until two years later. The Transvaal Kennel Club held its last show in Plunket’s Pavilion on the 19th and 20th June with an entry of 365 dogs and soon after became defunct. It was not until 1905 that the Witwatersrand Kennel Club arose out of the ashes of the old club.

The first record of the Pietermaritzburg Kennel Club appears in October 1903 and several specialist clubs also came into being during that year.

In the year 1905 differences of opinions in the fancy led to the formation of the Kennel Association in Cape Town and the Witwatersrand Kennel Club in Johannesburg, neither club seeking affiliation with the South African Kennel Club. Both clubs held their first shows under their own rules; with a record entry of 692 dogs put up by the Witwatersrand Kennel Club. There were 14 shows held in 1905 by the following clubs : Natal Kennel Club, Transvaal Terrier Club, Bloemfontein Kennel Club, Western Province Kennel Club, East London Kennel Club, Kimberley Kennel Club, Witwatersrand Kennel Club, the Kennel Association, Cape Town Collie Club,Transvaal Terrier Club, Turffontein & Suburban Fanciers Association, East London Kennel Club, Western Province Bulldog Club, Natal Terrier Club, S.A. Fox Terrier Club & The Suburban Kennel Club.

Differences between the clubs were adjusted with little delay at a conference of all clubs held in Queenstown during 1905. At the instigation of the club at that centre, new rules were drafted and from the year 1906 clubs accepted the control of the governing body. The clubs affiliated at the time were : Witwatersrand Kennel Club, Pretoria Kennel Club, Queenstown Kennel Club, Kimberley Kennel Club, Natal Kennel Club, Port Elizabeth Kennel Club, Bloemfontein Kennel Club, Western Province Kennel Club, Woodstock Kennel Club, Kennel Association, Cape Town Collie Kennel Club, Transvaal Terrier Club, Turffontein and Suburban Fanciers’ Association, East London Kennel Club, Western Province Bulldog Club, Natal Terrier Club, S.A. Fox Terrier Club and the Suburban Kennel Club.

In 1908 three new clubs were affiliated : The East Rand Kennel Association, The South African Great Dane Club and the Oranje River Colony Kennel Club, the last superceding the defunct Bloemfontein Kennel Club.

The following year six clubs were affiliated of which in 1998 five still exist, namely, Pietermaritzburg Kennel Club, S.A. Bulldog Club, East London Kennel Club, Bulawayo Kennel Club and Goldfields Kennel Club. According to the S.A.K.C. Gazette, only one club became affiliated in 1910 - The Kimberley Kennel Club. Unfortunately, over the years the Gazettes for 1911 were lost and not even the State Library has any copies. None of the clubs affiliated in 1912 still exist. The Annual Report does, however, mention there is mutual protection for Affixes between the S.A.K.C. and The Kennel Club.

Nothing of significance occurred in 1913 but 1914 saw the affiliation of the S.A. Toy Dog Club and the South African Ladies Kennel Association. In that year 1219 dogs were registered and there were 29 affiliated clubs.

The affairs of the South African Kennel Club progressed satisfactorily until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. The conference in that year at Port Elizabeth re-elected the Committee consisting of Messrs. G. Brand van Zyl, H.P. Solomon and Advocates B. Upington, K.C. and C. Gutsche. A conference was to be held in Durban in July 1915 but was postponed to 1919 when the delegates met in Kimberley on the 7th October 1919, under the Chairmanship of Mr. G. Brand van Zyl, M.L.A. In his opening remarks the Chairman said he wanted to make a fresh start and get all the clubs in the

country affiliated; at present only five clubs were affiliated. At this conference the Prime Minister, General the Rt. Hon. J.C. Smuts, was elected President in the place of the Rt. Hon. W.P. Schreiner.

The most significant occurrence in the next decade was the recognition of the Rhodesian Ridgeback in 1924 as Southern Africa’s first, and so far, internationally accepted breed of pure bred dogs. The 1920's also saw the affiliation of the first specialist club for German Shepherd dogs together with the first club founded in Namibia.

The Union progressed uneventfully until 1932 when the affairs of the Kennel Union in that year underwent a change. A new constitution was drafted by Advocate J. Tilson Barry, K.C., Dr. Archibald Gow and Mr. W.H.G. Furnivall, and was adopted by the most representative conference yet held when the representatives of 25 clubs met in the City Hall, Kimberley, on the 29th and 30th September 1932, under the Chairmanship of Mr. A.W. Macey. From that year the old governing Committee, elected by Conference, disappeared and was replaced by a Federal Council. The adoption of the Constitution was unanimous.

From 1933 to 1988 the sole responsibility for government of the Kennel Union was vested in the Federal Council. The centres containing the affiliated clubs each having the right to elect a member of the Council (in later years two for the Transvaal), and the annual conference became an advisory body. A noteworthy change at the same time was the introduction of awards of Challenge Certificates in place of points as qualifications towards championship status.

During the Second World War (1939-1945) there was, at most, a total lack of imported dogs to widen the genetic pool of locally bred dogs. However, almost as soon as the War ended not only was there a relative flood of imports for existing breeds but a considerable number of new breeds not only were registered but found their place in the show ring. In 1945 there were 90 breeds recognised by the S.A.K.C. In 1998 this had doubled to 183.

On the 1st June 1964, the name of the South African Kennel Union changed to the Kennel Union of Southern Africa. The reason for this was because during a large part of its history there were affiliated clubs in Namibia (formerly South West Africa), Zimbabwe (formerly Southern Rhodesia) and Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia), especially when the latter territory formed part of the Federation of the Rhodesias and Nyasaland. Thus the change in the title followed both dictates of history and logic.

Historical change within Southern Africa resulted in the formation of The Kennel Association of Zambia on 1st October 1974. Eleven years later the Zimbabwe Kennel Club was formed on 1st September 1986, with considerable help from KUSA, which resulted in the number of affiliated clubs dropping from just under 200 to 165, and the combination of the Offices of Chairman of the Federal Council and President of KUSA.

When the Federal Council was created in 1932 communication was largely either by letter or by train and it made sense for the twenty odd affiliated clubs, scattered throughout the country, to elect people who lived in Cape Town, the headquarters of the Union, to represent them. During the next fifty years the situation changed rapidly and by 1987 communication by telephone, telefax and air were commonplace. It was then that the sitting Federal Council issued a Statement of Intent to restructure the governing body of the Union so that the affiliated clubs would have more direct representation.

A new structure was formulated in which the Federal Council had two elements, the Chairman of the various Provincial Councils and an Executive Committee appointed by the President, whose members were accepted by the Provincial Council Chairman. In order that there should be a balance of power, it was resolved that the Executive Committee, including the President, could not exceed the total number of Provincial Council Chairmen. Furthermore, whereas the whole Federal Council would be responsible for policy matters, the Executive Committee would, as was the case with the previous Constitution, act in day-to-day administrative matters. This new structure of the Federal Council came into effect on 1st January 1989.

The present success of the Kennel Union, over the years, is due to the fact that it rests on foundations laid by the Late Thomas McQueen, who was Secretary from August 1930 until his untimely death in December 1959. He lived for the world of dogdom. The status and the reputation of the organisation he built is essentially a monument to himself. Mr. McQueen was always self-effacing and his modesty such that he neither knew nor appreciated that he was adding lustre to a name which will endure as long as dogdom lives on in the Republic. His widow, Mrs. E.M. McQueen, carried on after he died and for the six months after her husband’s death was Acting Secretary. In July 1960 Mrs. McQueen was confirmed as Secretary, a position in which she did sterling work until her retirement in September 1971 (she died in July 1985). However, the name of the McQueen family will not be lost to the Kennel Union as it is enshrined in the McQueen Memorial Reference Library and the Thomas McQueen Trophy which is awarded to the dog achieving the title “KUSA National Dog” at the KUSA National Awards. These were instituted in 1989 so that in addition to the best breed (conformation) dog there would be national awards for the best dog in each of the various working disciplines. This competition was first held in 1989 in Kimberley. It was also in that year that the competition of Children’s and Junior Handler of the Year was instituted; an event created to encourage young people into dog sport and improve the standard of handling.

Mrs. McQueen’s successor as Secretary was Mr. R.M. Murchie who, having been Acting Secretary for some months, took up the post in December 1971. Mr. Murchie, who died in October 1996, had retired in October 1989 after eighteen years service with the Union. During his term of office he saw, among other things, two complete revisions of the Kennel Union Constitution, the computerisation of the office (1984) and the introduction of staff Medical Aid and Pension schemes. He was succeeded by Mr. P.C. Collins who died suddenly in office in March 1993. Short though his term was, Mr. Collins saw several major events during his secretaryship - the Centenary of the Union (1991) and the Centenary All Breeds Championship Show, the introduction of the second generation main frame computer and the moves which culminated in the Union becoming a full member of the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) in 1993, having been an associate member since 1961.

Having acted as Deputy Secretary for some months following the death of Mr. Collins, Miss S.A. Thornberry was appointed Secretary in November 1993. Although this was the second time a lady had been appointed to the post, it was the first time anyone from within the existing staff had been appointed to the position.

The introduction of Universal Suffrage to South Africa in April 1994 opened the door for the Union to become a full member of the South African National Sports Council. In 1994 an agreement was reached with the South African Boxer Association (S.A.B.A.) and in 1997, after many years of negotiation, a similar arrangement was concluded with the South African German Shepherd Dog Federation.

Between 1994 and 1998 intensive work brought to fruition the introduction of the Canine Good Citizen Tests, Flyball and Agility.

In September 1996 Mr. H.S. Pretorius passed away. Probably one of the best known personalities in dogdom for nearly thirty years, he was known as the “Dogfather”. Mr. Pretorius was, for many, many years, both Chairman of the Transvaal Provincial Council of KUSA and Chairman of Goldfields Kennel Club.

The number of clubs affiliated to the Kennel Union in July 1998 (when this history was updated) stood at 189. A continuous record of registration of dogs has been kept since the first entry in 1891. Initially these were handwritten into special ledgers. In 1944 the ledgers were superceded by bound books of typed copies of Registration Certificates. The advent of computerisation saw a change to the records, these now being kept in the computer data bank.

Presently the Kennel Union is the internationally recognised representative of pure bred dogdom in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. Reciprocal agreements are in force between the Union and many other similar bodies throughout the world.

PATRON

W.E.A. McBride, Esq. ....................................................................... 1971-1984

Vacant 1984-

PRESIDENTS

Lt.-Col. T.E. Lawton, D.S.O. ............................................................. 1903-1909

Rt. Hon. W.P. Schreiner, K.C. .......................................................... 1909-1919

General, The Rt. Hon. J.C. Smuts ................................................... 1919-1920

Paul Selby, Esq. ................... ...........................................……....... 1920-1929

R. Phillipson-Stow, Esq. ................................................................... 1929-1932

Advocate J. Tilson Barry, K.C. ......................................................... 1933-1941

The Hon. H.G. Lawrence, K.C., M.P. ............................................... 1941-1947

A.J. MacCallum, Esq. ....................................................................... 1947-1949

R.C. Wade, Esq. ............................................................................ . 1950 -1951

A.F. Williams, Esq. ........................................................................... 1951-1952

Senator the Hon. R.D. Pilkington Jordan ......................................... 1953-1970

K.E. Godbold, Esq. ........................................................................... 1970-1976

H.M. Bennett, Esq. .......................................................................... 1977-1979

R.G. Kerswell, Esq. .......................................................................... 1980-1985

Vacant .............................................................................................. 1986

G.R.P. Eva, Esq. .............................................................................. 1987-1988

 

PRESIDENT & CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERAL COUNCIL

G.R.P. Eva, Esq. ................................................................................. 1989 -

LIFE MEMBERS

Messrs. G.R.P. Eva, C. Huyzer, K.R. Hogg, W.V. Wakfer, R.G. Kerswell, E.F. Stevens, Miss J. Liddicoat, Mrs. P. Crighton, S. Palmer

LIFE VICE-PRESIDENTS

Messrs. N.S. Kay, Dr. H.R.A. van der Merwe, Mrs. S. Palmer

VICE-PRESIDENTS

Messrs. P. Green, J.A.S. Harding, E.H. Hosgood, S. Rowe, Mesdames S. Bloomfield, M.D. Powell,

E.M. Scott, M. van Zyl

CHAIRMEN

Advocate B. Upington, K.C., M.L.A.................................................. 1903-1904

Lt.-Col. T.E. Lawton, D.S.O. .......................................................     1904-1908

G. Brand van Zyl, Esq. ................................................................... 1908-1928

Major J.N. Robson .......................................................................... 1928-1929

H.P. Solomon, Esq. ......................................................................... 1929-1930

A.W. Macey, Esq. ...................................................................          1930-1932

A.J. MacCallum, Esq. ...................................................................... 1932-1934

S. Griffiths, Esq. ............................................................................... 1934-1935

A.J. MacCallum, Esq. ...................................................................... 1935-1947

Senator the Hon. R.D. Pilkington Jordan ........................................ 1947-1952

A.W. Macey, Esq. ............................................................................ 1953-1957

W.E.A. McBride, Esq. ...................................................................... 1957-1968

C.H. Hart, Esq. ................................................................................ 1968-1971

H.M. Bennett, Esq. .......................................................................... 1971-1977

G.R.P. Eva, Esq. ............................................................................. 1978-1988

SECRETARIES

R.G. Dexter .................................................................................... 1891-1899

F. Elkington .................................................................................... 1899-1903

A.S. Fowler .................................................................................... 1903-1908

E. Lumsden Crawford .................................................................... 1908-1927

H.W. Abbott ................................................................................... 1927-1930

T. McQueen .(died in office)........................................................... 1930-1959

Mrs. E.M. McQueen ...................................................................... 1960-1971

R.M. Murchie, ............................................................................... 1971-1989

P. Collins .(died in office)................................................... .......…. 1989-1993

Miss S.A. Thornberry .................................................................... 1993-

© The Kennel Union of Southern Africa.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without permission in writing from the publisher.

Updated 5.12.2002 ISBN 0-9584208-1-5