Some of the EAKC Show committee with Judge Niksa Lemo Oct 2015
The E.A. Kennel Club registers and keeps records for pedigree dogs bred in East Africa. There are Kennel Clubs in Mauritius, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. All pedigree dogs have recorded parents and grandparents and if they are imported into the country they come with records from the country of origin.
Contrary to popular beliefs the Kennel Club does not keep or breed dogs, rather, it keeps the birth and breeding records of purebred dogs such as German Shepherds, Labradors, Rottweilers, Caucasian Shepherds, Shih Tzu and many, many more, but our services go so much further.
The EAKC has all the answers to your questions about the puppy you are about to acquire. At its offices at the Kennel Club showground the Club provides the facilities for maintenance of pedigree records through registration, transfer and all attendant documentation without which internationally recognized breeding and exhibition could not exist.
How the E.A.K.C Was Born
Image courtesy of Heliview imaging
The East Africa Kennel Club was born on 18th October, 1919 at a Dog Show held at the old Nairobi Racecourse. Dogs had been exhibited somewhat informally in Kenya at least since the foundation of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society in 1902 – without a Club or Rules to govern the proceedings.
After the Show 13 enthusiasts decided to form an East Africa Kennel Club ‘For the purpose of Breeding and Exhibition of Thoroughbred Dogs’. It was agreed to adopt the English Kennel Club Rules and Regulations and to apply for Affiliation. 13 people were present at this meeting.
The first Committee Meeting was held three days later at the Norfolk Hotel, where East Africa Kennel Club Annual General Meetings were traditionally held for the next 55 years. On 3rd December, 1919, Local Rules were adopted and Officers elected. Mr. Greswold Williams was the first Chairman.
Early Shows were held at the grounds of the Norfolk Hotel, the old Nairobi Racecourse – of which only the name ‘Racecourse Road’ remains today – as well as Jeevanjee Gardens and the Polo Ground at Nakuru.
Many Shows were held in conjunction with the Agricultural Society Shows, a custom which continued into the 1930s.
Affiliation with The Kennel Club, London was established in 1921, Outbreaks of distemper curtailed activity between 1921 and 1923 with Shows resuming in 1924. It was not until 17th October, 1925 that the first Championship Show was held in Nairobi. The Committee decided upon a charge of Shs. 6/- per entry. Some 75 dogs were benched, they included 12 Cocker Spaniels, 10 Smooth Fox Terriers, 9 Alsatians, 8 Airedales, 8 Sealyhams, 7 Bull Terriers, 7 Pointers, 6 Greyhounds, 1 Wire Fox Terrier, 1 Springer Spaniel, 1 Great Dane and 1 Scottish Terrier.
East Africa Kennel Club Membership in 1925 had risen to 50. Best in Show and Best Import was Capt. Taylor’s Alsatian ‘Baldo von Mannhof’. Best Bitch and Best Countrybred was Cat. H.E. Waller’s Pointer ‘Farmington Fairy’.
The EAKC Office and Showground location
In discussion of the Show at the following Annual General Meeting it was suggested that the Club should endeavor to get an all-round judge out from some other country for future Championship Shows since the difficulty in appointing local judges for such a small canine community was extreme. The Chairman pointed out, however, that it would cost about 300 pounds to the Club which had a credit balance of Shs. 20/- in the bank. It was not in fact until 1950 that the Club welcomed its first judge from overseas for a Championship Show, Mr. Alex Dalzell from Ireland.
Formalizing its long-standing association with the Agricultural Society, the Club in 1952 obtained its own permanent Showground on the Society’s land in the area called Jamhuri Park, a few miles from Nairobi City Center. Development, completed in 1954, includes a Gate-House, Veterinary Inspection Buildings, Restaurant and Bar,Official’s Pavilion, EAKC Office, Staff Quarters and Stores, together with rows of covered benching, it has changed little over time.
The EAKC Committee 2019
all communications to the EAKC and its committee must be addressed to the Executive Secretary and emailed to [email protected], or posted to P. O. Box 24792 – 00502 Nairobi.
| EAKC Chairlady | Mrs. G. W. Wahome | Mrs. B. E. Davis (Immediate Past) |
| EAKC Vice Chairladies | Mrs. A. McFerran | Dr. M. M. Kahangara |
| Treasurer | Ms. L. van Dalen | |
| Executive Officer | Ms. N. Rosenstok | |
| Chairman of the Showground | Mr. Y. Hussein | Mrs. A. McFerran (WD) |
| Chairman of the Show | Mrs. B. E. Davis | |
| Committee Members | Mr. A. J. Davies | Mrs. P. Galley |
| Ms. A. Rapp | Mr. M. N. Butt | |
| Mrs. J. Seton | Mr. R. Wayumba | |
| Ms. D. Galot | Dr. Luvai | |
| Mrs. N. James (eo) | Mr. R. F. Maranga |
Looking for a Dog?
If you are looking to buy a dog the EAKC is there to help you get what you want. One can call the office to find out if the type of dog you are interested in is suitable and available.
The EAKC is the official canine governing body and registry for Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Pedigree dogs have recorded family trees and documents to record changes of ownership much like those of a car. These records help to avoid inbreeding and maintaining the quality of the different breeds. A dog without papers is not a pedigree, whether it looks one or not.
Records are carefully maintained all over the world and when these dogs move country their records follow and are then submitted to the National Kennel Club upon arrival.
Dogs do not have to be shown to maintain their pedigree. However to maintain high quality blood lines a dog with a champion title is more desirable for breeding as it has proven its quality.
The EAKC also maintains a Microchip Database for all pets (cats too) in the region. A Microchip contains a unique PIN number which is useful in identifying a pet case of loss or theft.
Shows
Twice a year International judges are invited to come and judge at our Championship Dog Shows. Casual visitors to the Showground may not realise that dog shows are the ‘shop window’ so to speak of the East Africa Kennel Club where you can interact with breeders and learn to recognise quality breeding.
During shows dogs are checked on conformation (build) temperament (character) and health. The Judge looks at the dogs in a line up, in motion and then up close for an individual inspection.
Recently the EAKC held their 164th Championship Dog Show which saw more than 240 entries ranging from the tiny Yorkshire Terrier to the enormous Great Dane.
When a pedigree dog is imported into the East Africa it must come with its EXPORT PEDIGREE from the National Kennel Club in the Country of Origin, so that it can be registered with the EAKC which means that its progeny continues to qualify for registration.
The EAKC is affiliated with The Kennel Club (UK) and adheres to its strict breed guidelines. The EAKC constitution can be downloaded by clicking here.
www.eastafricakennelclub.com – [email protected] – Tel +254 (0) 734 650213 / +254 (0) 708 110325 – Facebook Page:East Africa Kennel Club – Twitter: @EAKennelClub