The Birth of a Kennel Club

In 1957 a small group of dog enthusiasts got together to form a local all-breed kennel club in the area of Passaic County, NJ. On February 25, 1957 Mrs. Elise Farrar, Acting Secretary sent a letter to the American Kennel Club requesting information for organizing an all breed kennel club for membership to the AKC. The last line of this letter states “If at all possible, we would greatly appreciate a reply by this Friday, March 1, 1957 in time for our first organizational meeting.”

In March of 1957 Mrs. Farrar once again wrote the AKC, enclosing our first membership list consisting of 15 people. This letter advises the AKC that temporary officers were elected, activities were being discussed, a Rules and By Laws Committee was established. Their next meeting would be held on April 3, 1957. Officers and Governors were voted on at this time. The first president elected was William Farrar of Pompton Plains. Several kennel club names were submitted for consideration:

Passaic Kennel Club
Passaic County Kennel Club
Lakeland Kennel Club
Pompton Valley Kennel Club
Pompton – Ramapo Kennel Club

Lakeland Kennel Club received the largest amount of votes. There is a $1.00 initiation fee for membership. This initiation fee is still collected today in the amount of $2.00.

Dog Show Handling Classes were started in May, 1957. The amount charged was 25 cents for dogs and 25 cents per person. A true bargain.

On November 18, 1957 a motion was made by W. Farrar and C. Johnson to incorporate the club as soon as possible. A recommendation to revise the Constitution and By Laws is made. On April 16, 1958 the State of NJ issued the Certificate of Incorporation to the Lakeland All Breed Kennel Club.

So it began, with these determined dog show enthusiasts. From February 1957 to May 1958 they endured continuous rejection by the AKC to form a kennel club. However during this time they held ten regular board meetings and four special meetings. They approved applications for memberships which was now 32, revised the Constitution and By Laws, and worked on incorporating. The First Annual Dinner Dance was held on June 28, 1957 at the Sun Dance Lodge in Caldwell. An Annual Report for 1957-1958 was submitted by Elise Farrar and by William Farrar. In President Farrar’s report it shows the frustration in setting up a new kennel club combined with their determination to forge ahead.

On May 7, 1958 the first official copy of the Constitution and By Laws was distributed. They were well on their way to applying for recognition. The next part would be gaining recognition and obtaining the current name of Ramapo Kennel Club.

From 1958 to 1959 was a building year for the members of the Lakeland kennel Club. They worked extremely hard holding both Show Handling an Obedience Classes. They also had their own column “Waggin’ Tails” in the North Jersey Trends.

On May 6, 1959 an annual election was held and Lee Berman was elected President.

On June 12, 1959 the Lakeland All Breed Kennel Club once again wrote to the AKC advising them that their membership had increased to 21 members. This was an extensive letter notifying the AKC of all club activities including handling classes, obedience classes, publicity in various newspapers and Dog World, public demonstrations of obedience and show handling, announcing our Annual Awards for Achievements, and a list of programs at their meetings. At this time they also requested permission to hold their first Sanctioned Match Show.

The AKC in the process of approving a new kennel club insisted on a name change. The next name that they submitted in 1960 was Passaic Valley Kennel Club which was also not acceptable by the AKC. This followed by the name Ramapo Valley Kennel Club. Finally in June 1960 the name agreed upon was Ramapo Kennel Club. This name change was submitted for a corporate name change to the State of NJ and completed on June 30th, 1960.

Their first major project was to organize a Sanctioned Match Show. Starting in April, plans were underway. The place was agreed upon and the date. It was decided to hold it on Saturday, October 15, 1960 at the Riverdale Armory, Newark Pompton Turnpike, Riverdale, NJ. A Premium List was printed in advance for this Match Show. The entry fees for Breed and Obedience was $1.00! Admission fee for adults was 75 cents and children 50 cents! The refreshments were handled by the Riverdale Chapter of Chilton Memorial Hospital Woman’s Auxiliary, with all proceeds being donated to Chilton Memorial Hospital. A catalogue was printed for the Match Show.

The first match show turned out to be a success. They had 136 dogs in Breed ans 21 dogs in obedience. A total of 35 breeds were represented.

Their December 1960 Christmas Party was held at the Blue Swan Inn. At this time the first Achievement Awards were given out. A brief meeting was held before the Christmas Party mentioning that they were considering to arrange to have a point show tie-in with Twin Brooks Show in April. No other mention is made of this in any of the old business.

In the meantime, the club worked on their Second Annual Match Show to be held on Saturday October 14, 1961 at the Riverdale Armory. Once again a Premium List and Catalogue were printed.

During the next several years plans were made to hold their First Annual Point Show. Approval was finally given by the AKC in December 1962 and arrangements were made to hold this show at the Paterson Armory, Market Street, Paterson, NJ on March 23, 1963. Foley Dog Shows was our first licensed Superintendents, today we know them as MBF. The Entry Fee was $6, a real bargain.

Our first Best in Show went to CH Carmichael’s Fanfare, a Scottish Terrier owned by Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Stalter of Woodcliff Lake, NJ. This dog also went on to win Best in Show at Ramapo Kennel Club’s Second Point Show in 1964.

The first issue of the Growl was our May/June 1969 issue.

So this is how it all began, “The Birth of a Kennel Club,” Ramapo Kennel Club. We owe a lot to these founders who never gave up and plowed forward and to all our hard working and dedicated members who followed in their foot steps to make Ramapo Kennel Club the great club it is today.

Joanne Silver-1998

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