About the Club

IN THE BEGINNING….

It started on the veranda of Timmy Ralfes cottage in Honeydew, early in 1981.  Mylda Arsenis’ bitch Molly (Rotherin Machree of Mpani) had produced a litter of thirteen pups from Timmy’s dog Charlie (Ch. Liscune Cormack).  Most of the puppy buyers had gathered at Timmy’s place for puppy training.

THEN

One thing led to another and we decided to take the whole Irish Wolfhound  ‘thing’ further and form a club.  Ideas were thrown about and over the following weeks as many people with Irish Wolfhounds that could be found were contacted and a letter was sent out to announce the inaugural meeting of the soon to be formed Irish Wolfhound Clan. 

The first meeting was held at the Sleepy Hollow Motel in Rivonia on 25^th March 1981 and was attended by 24 Irish Wolfhound enthusiasts.  The first committee voted in was Timmy Ralfe, Trevor Hiscock, Liz (Doherty) Hiscock, Mike Maunder, Peggy Maunder, Jenny Bramley, Jimmy Bramley, Julia Lawson, Laura Wegener and Jim Ramsay. The patron elected was Samuel Ewing III (USA) and the Patroness, Miss Elizabeth Murphy (Ireland). Mrs. Mary Keenan from Zimbabwe was unanimously voted in as President. Vice-presidents were Mr. Wayne Wakfer and Mrs. June Pretorius. 

Of the twenty-four founding members, four are still members of the club – Timmy Ralfe, Jane Spowart, Laura Wegener and Julia Lawson.  Not bad after over 30  years!

KUSA denied the name ‘Irish Wolfhound Clan’. ‘The Irish Wolfhound Club of the Western Transvaal’ was adopted and changed to the current name in 2006.

NOW

Notwithstanding the ‘Gauteng’ element in the club name, the club has members from all areas of South (and Southern) Africa and supports and promotes the breed countrywide.

If you want to be part of a like-minded community and benefit from an enormous depth of knowledge of the breed please join us. You will find a Membership Form under the About menu or send us a message from Contact.