Club History

Originally there was only the Hawkes Bay Canine Obedience Club with obedience classes during the day and evening at Whitmore Park in Taradale and Latham Street Reserve in Hastings A rift developed between some members and after much bickering a meeting was held at a neutral place in Clive in the presence of an NZKC representative. It was agreed that the Hawkes Bay be split into Napier at Napier and Hawkes Bay at Hastings/Havelock North. Later Central Hawkes Bay club was established.  This was a good move at the time as it gave the area more obedience competitions for very little travel. The Havelock club has since disbanded. The Napier Club started on the 24th Feb 1958 and opened its Sandy Road club rooms in 1992 when it was officially opened by the president at the time Cliff Taylor. Club members did much of the assembly and work to set up the building. The Napier City Council planted the trees on the ground and mow the grass. Before 1992 there had been several locations for this club, Latham Street reserve prior to 1957 and Whitmore Park on Nuffield Avenue by the bowling club in 1960 and was at that time called Hawkes Bay Obedience Club. It was there that association to the NZKC was applied for and granted, and in the mid to late 70s Napier Dog Training Club built a shed to house their club rooms which is still there today as the Napier Pottery Club.  In about 1985 the Marewa Croquet Club proposed to utilise the park entering through where the classes were held, so the club passed the club rooms on to the Napier Pottery Club who were most grateful for the extra space. The Napier Club then moved to the Guide Hall at Anderson Park in Taradale holding ribbon trials and championship competitions next to the Guide Hall. In December 1987 Napier and Hastings Members made their own agility gear and in 1988 started training. Members went to the Nationals in Palmerston North in 1988. The club actively attended demonstrations at Park Island, Heart Foundation, Napier Christmas Parades, Teddy Bear Picnics, Tux Wonder Dog and Tracking. On the 1st January 1988 the first demonstration was held at the Hasting Race course which became a regular event and those grounds are now the home of the Hawkes Bay Dog Club.