BASENJI NA EXPOSIÇÃO CRUFTS / BASENJI AT THE CRUFTS EXHIBITION

  Mrs. Olivia Burn / A primeira Grande
Criadora de Basenji em 1894.  

Early Basenjis na Grã-Bretanha 1937 a raça foi estabelecida na Grã-Bretanha pela Sra.Olivia Burn, "dos Bleans" Basenjis. Seus Basenjis foram exibidos na Crufts no mesmo ano.

O interesse foi tanto que a polícia teve que ser contratada para manter os visitantes passando pelos bancos de Basenji.

Em 1894 apareceu finalmente o primeiro relato sobre Basenjis, ainda não introduzido como raça, na Europa. Desde cerca de 60 anos o BASENJI é reconhecido como uma raça.

A primeira grande criadora de Basenjis foi a Sra. Olivia Burn, que repetidamente adquiriu cães dos pigmeus na bacia do Congo. Depois de vários fracassos (os cães morreram de cinomose), ela estabeleceu a raça.

Em 1937 ela causou sensação no CRUFTS com a exibição de seus primeiros filhotes. Juiz e criador foram positivamente assediados pela multidão e bombardeados com perguntas.

Nos anos 50, outra criadora famosa, Veronica Tudor-Williams, adquiriu com sucesso outros Basenjis da África para renovar o estoque europeu. Ela mesma descobriu o cachorro "Fula do Congo" em uma expedição no Sudão do Sul, na fronteira com o Zaire, e mais tarde escreveu um livro sobre isso.

Em 1936, a Sra. Burns importou os primeiros Basenjis da África, que se tornaram a base real da raça. Veja as fontes de todas as ações da fundação Basenji clicando na imagem acima.

1937 A Sra. Olivia Burn exibe Basenjis em Crufts e escreve um artigo publicado no The American Kennel Gazette: The Barkless Dog of the Congo.

1937 Artigos aparecem em jornais britânicos e americanos sobre os Basenjis em Crufts e logo após a chegada dos Basenjis nos Estados Unidos A... amostragem de artigos.

1937 Bakuma, Rougie e Basashi de Blean são os primeiros Basenjis vivos a chegar nos EUA Amatangazig

As fotos e a história de Nyanabiem of Tonj de 1938 fazem parte da história de Major's Richards.

1938 Amatangazig é importado e se torna um dos principais nomes da raça. Leia sobre ela e sobre os primeiros Basenjis tricolores. Veja a foto do Zig a direita....

1938 Kandi do Congo é importado, mas não se torna estoque de fundação.

1939 Em 9 de fevereiro, o Basenji Club da Grã-Bretanha tornou-se o primeiro clube de entusiastas de Basenji formado no mundo.

1939 O primeiro padrão BCGB foi desenvolvido, mas não foi submetido ao Kennel Club durante os anos de guerra. A Segunda Guerra Mundial quase interrompeu o desenvolvimento dos Basenjis no Reino Unido. Veronica Tudor-Williams escreveu mais tarde sobre os anos da guerra: England and Basenjis in the War Years

1939 Simolo do Congo, não produziu bem o suficiente para se tornar uma influência na raça.

1939 Kowboi e Kokombo do Congo chegam ao Canadá em 28 de junho. Infelizmente, eles não vivem para produzir descendentes.

1940 Mostrar foto

1940 English show photo mostrado acima do Dog World Annual 1940.

Os primeiros basenjis "Of The Congo"

1940 Esta foto sem data tem nomes manuscritos de cinco basenjis "do Congo". Eles nasceram em 1937 e 1939. Vários desses cães estão por trás dos primeiros reprodutores. Os cães são rotulados à mão na foto como: (l-r) Kimpi, Kwango, Koodoo, Kasui e Kavirondo.

Pode. CH. Kwillo do Congo1940 Importação de quatro Basenjis da Inglaterra para o Canadá. Eram dois machos Kwillo e Koodoo do Congo e duas fêmeas Kikuyu e Kiteve do Congo. Pode. CH. Kwillo do Congo (foto à esquerda) tornou-se o primeiro campeão do mundo. Veja o relatório abaixo sobre o show de Morris e Essex também.

1941 Relato de Basenjis aparecendo no Morris and Essex Kennel Club Show conforme escrito no New Yorker. O evento também foi noticiado no NY Times: "From Congo To Jersey ... Os quatro, nomeados pelo Dr. A. R. B. Richmond de Toronto, são classificados na variedade esportiva. O English Kennel Club, ao conceder o reconhecimento de Basenjis como um raça em 1937, publicou este comentário: 'Não há dúvida de que esses cães são usados para fins de caça pelos nativos da África que os criam.' "

1941 Congo, o clandestino a bordo de um navio carregado com café da África.

1941 13 de outubro A revista "LIFE" anuncia a chegada de Basenjis com um carregamento de bebês gorilas em 5 de setembro. Leia: A história: Kindu e Kasenyi. Leia uma coluna de 1958 sobre seu filho mais influente, Am. CH. Kingolo.

1942 Primeiro Padrão Britânico Basenji Aprovado

1942 Barrie é exibido em Massachusetts. Em 1942, Barrie se tornou o primeiro basenji do título de cão de companhia. Clique aqui para saber mais sobre a obediência dos basenjis e a história do rali.

Foto de imprensa com direitos autorais de 1942 Veronica Tudor-Williams escreve em "The Basenji" sobre a história publicada como uma série no The Saturday Evening Post em 1941 e no filme da Warner Brothers em 1956. Esta história de James Street apareceu em forma de livro e em coleções de histórias para muitos anos. Essa história e o filme geraram interesse nos Basenjis por muitos anos, já que a história foi republicada e o filme era frequentemente repetido na televisão tarde da noite. (Foto com direitos autorais da Warner Home Video.)
Leia a história de Adeus, minha senhora.

1942 O Basenji Club of America é formado. Saiba quem são as pessoas que atuaram como executivos e membros do conselho ao longo dos anos.

1943 Crackerjack of the Congo ganha o melhor show do Crackerjack of the Congoin em um show aberto (sem campeonato) na Inglaterra sob o juiz Leo Wilson. Foto certa...

1943 O American Kennel Club aceita Basenjis e o Basenji Club of America. Entre 1943 e 45 a meta estabelecida era o registro de cem basenjis. O primeiro padrão dos EUA está aqui.

1943 Em Spike Milligan's War Diaries "Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall" (24 de setembro de 1943), ocorre a seguinte troca:

"... estamos completamente perdidos. O tenente Budden está olhando atentamente para seu mapa, do lado errado.
"Está de cabeça para baixo, senhor."
"Eu sei disso, eu virei de cabeça para baixo por um motivo."
"Desculpe, senhor, só tentando ajudar."
"Se você quer ajudar, Milligan, aja como um basenji."

1944 A primeira coluna Basenji apareceu no AKC Gazette em janeiro. Al Phemister foi o autor.

1944 Alguns trechos de cartas sobre algumas das dificuldades sobre "Shipping Dogs in 1944" ...durante a guerra.

1945 Carta da África

1945 De um recorte: "Você sabia? Os primeiros Basenjis vencedores de pontos foram exibidos no show de Vancouver, Washington em 15/07/1945 por H. N. Francis de

Mrs. Olivia Burn / The First Great

Breeder of Basenji in 1894.

Early Basenjis in Great Britain 1937 The breed was established in Great Britain by Mrs Olivia Burn, "of the Bleans" Basenjis. Her Basenjis were shown at Crufts the same year.

The interest was such that the police had to be hired to keep visitors past the banks of Basenji.

In 1894, the first report on Basenjis, not yet introduced as a breed, in Europe finally appeared. Since about 60 years the BASENJI has been recognized as a breed.

The first great breeder of Basenjis was Mrs. Olivia Burn, who repeatedly acquired dogs from the Pygmies in the Congo Basin. After several failures (the dogs died of distemper), she established the breed.

In 1937 she caused a sensation at CRUFTS with the showing of her first puppies. Judge and breeder were positively mobbed by the crowd and bombarded with questions.

In the 1950s, another famous breeder, Veronica Tudor-Williams, successfully acquired other Basenjis from Africa to renew European stock. She herself discovered the "Congo Fula" dog on an expedition in South Sudan, on the border with Zaire, and later wrote a book about it.

1936 Mrs. Burns imported the first Basenjis from Africa who became actual foundation stock for the breed. View the sources of all Basenji foundation stock by clicking the image above.

1937 Mrs Olivia Burn exhibits Basenjis at Crufts and writes an article appearing in The American Kennel Gazette: The Barkless Dog of the Congo.

1937 Articles appear in British and American newspapers about the Basenjis at Crufts and shortly after the arrival of Basenjis in the U.S. A...sampling of articles.

1937 Bakuma, Rougie and Basashi of Blean are the first live Basenjis to arrive in the U.S.A.

1938 Nyanabiem of Tonj photos and story are part of Major's Richards story.

1938 Amatangazig is imported and becomes a major player in the breed. Read about her and about early tri-color Basenjis. See Zig's photo right....

1938 Kandi of the Congo is imported but doesn't become foundation stock.

1939 On the 9th of Feburary The Basenji Club of Great Britain became the first club of Basenji enthusiasts formed in the world.

1939 The first BCGB standard was developed but was not actually submitted to the Kennel Club during the war years.  World War II nearly stopped the development of Basenjis in the U.K. Veronica Tudor-Williams later writes of the war years: England and Basenjis in the War Years

1939 Simolo of the Congo, did not produce well enough to become an influence in the breed.

1939 Kowboi and Kokombo of the Congo arrive in Canada on 28 June. Unfortunately they do not live to produce offspring.

1940 English show photo shown above from Dog World Annual 1940.

1940 This undated photo has handwritten names of five "of the Congo" basenjis. They were born in 1937 and 1939. Several of these dogs are behind the earliest breeding stock. The dogs are labeled by hand in the photo as: (l-r) Kimpi, Kwango, Koodoo, Kasui and Kavirondo.

1940 Importation of four Basenjis into Canada from England. They were two males Kwillo and Koodoo of the Congo and two females Kikuyu and Kiteve of the Congo. Can. Ch. Kwillo of the Congo (photo left) became the first champion in the world. See the report below on the Morris and Essex show as well.

1941 Report of Basenjis appearing at Morris and Essex Kennel Club Show as written up in the New Yorker. The event was also reported in the NY Times: "From Congo To Jersey ...The four, nominated by Dr. A. R. B. Richmond of Toronto, are classified in the sporting variety. The English Kennel Club, in granting the Basenjis recognition as an established breed in 1937, published this comment: 'There is no doubt that these dogs are used for hunting purposes by the natives of Africa who breed them.' "

1941 Congo, the stowaway onboard a ship loaded with coffee from Africa.

1941 13 October's "LIFE" magazine announces the arrival of Basenjis with a shipment of baby gorillas on 5 September.  Read: The Story: Kindu and Kasenyi.  Read a 1958 column about their most influential son Am. Ch. Kingolo.

1942 First British Basenji Standard Approved

1942 Barrie Exhibited in Massachusetts. In 1942 Barrie became the first Companion Dog title basenji. Click here for more basenjis obedience and rally history.

1942 Veronica Tudor-Williams writes in "The Basenji" about the story published as a serial in The Saturday Evening Post in 1941 and the Warner Brothers movie in 1956. This James Street story has appeared in book form and in story collections for many years. This story and the movie generated interest in the Basenjis for many years as the story was republished and the movie was often rerun on late night television. (Photo copyright Warner Home Video.)
Read the Goodbye, My Lady Story.

1942 The Basenji Club of America is formed. Learn who the people are who have served as officers and board members over the years.

1943 Crackerjack of the Congo wins best in show at an open (non-championship) show in England under judge Leo Wilson. Photo right...

1943 American Kennel Club accepts Basenjis and the Basenji Club of America.  Between 1943 and '45 the set goal was for the registration of one hundred basenjis. The first U.S. Standard is here.

1943 In Spike Milligan's War Diaries "Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall" (Sept 24, 1943) the following exchange takes place:

"...we are bloody lost. Lt. Budden is looking studiously at his map, the wrong way up.
"It's upside down, Sir."
"I know that, I turned it upside down for a reason."
"Sorry, Sir, only trying to help."
"If you want to help, Milligan, act like a basenji."

1944 The first Basenji column appeared in the AKC Gazette in January. Al Phemister was the author.

1944 A few excerpts from letters regarding some of the difficulties about "Shipping Dogs in 1944" ...during the war.

1945 Letter from Africa

1945 From a clipping: "Did you Know? The first point winning Basenjis were shown at the Vancouver, Wash. show on 7/15/1945 by H. N. Francis of How Gert Kennel, Portland, Ore. He had six bitches and six dogs entered. BOB went to Andy of Glen Ho who he had acquired from Homar A. Garland of Spokane. BOS went to Rwanda, who he had acquired through Eloise Gerry. There was a sister of this bitch named Zingili also shown. So the charter member of the B.C.O.A. Eloise Gerry goes the honor of breeding the first Basenji to acquire a 5-pt. major." (From a note by George Gilkey)

1945 Read a little bit about pioneer in the breed Dr. Eloise Gerry.

1945 Andy of Glen Ho becomes the first Basenji to win a Hound Group First at an AKC championship show. Andy's win was at the Vancouver Show in Washington State.

1945 Another first on 10 October when Ch. Phemister's Melengo (Phemister's Bois x Zinnia of the Congo) becomes the first champion in the USA! See photo above...
Dam Zinnia later becomes an American champion and companion dog (CD) as well.

1945 Mrs. Alexander Phemister writes a column in the "AKC's Purebred Dogs". Here is the December 1945 column.

1946 "Basenjis, The Barkless Dog" (the red cover edition) by Veronica Tudor-Williams was first published. Additional publications dates are 1954 and 1966 (the blue cover editions). The 1954/66 editions have new photos that were not in the 1946 edition. The final updated edition of this title came out in 1976 (Photo with dust jacket right actually has a brown cover) and VTW was unhappy with the publisher. Here is a list of her corrections to the 1976 edition. These books form the major basis of the information available on the early history of Basenjis outside of Africa.

1947 First English champion title completed in February: Ch. Brown Trout of the Congo. Photo right....

1947 April the first two tri color puppies born outside Africa in a litter of three males. Read about them in the Amatangazig Story...

1947 Bark or Woof makes news...

1950 In the late 1940s very interesting research began at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine.  It led to the classic 1965 book "Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog".  J. P Scott and J. L. Fuller used five breeds in their 13-year research.  Basenjis were one of the breeds. While giving insights into the genetics of Basenji behavior useful for fanciers, it is also still frequently seen in bibliographies of research papers because of the important basic research done. An article appeared in 1954 based on research in this group see: King, John, 1954, "Closed Social Groups Among Domestic Dogs", Proceedings, American Philosophical Society (vol. 98, no. 5).  Based on research at the Bar Harbor Facility using Basenjis and Cocker Spaniels.

1950 Basenji Club of America holds its first Specialty on  Sunday, June 11 at Batavia, New York. In an entry of 23 judged by Alva Rosenberg the winners were: Winners Dog: Black Ace of the Congo, Winners Bitch: Black Mist of the Congo, Best of Breed and Group 4th: Ch. Rhosenji's Beau (photo right) and Best Opposite Sex: Ch. Rhosenji's Ginger.

1950 In 1965 Mrs. Alexander wrote a series of columns looking back to the events, people and dogs between 1943 and 1950. Here are the three columns which have now been illustrated with cuttings from old scrapbooks from the 1940s.

1951 27 December issue of "Jet" on page 14... "Dog of the Week. The basenji, a small African dog, never will win any canine beauty contests. It has a tail like a pig and a face like a bloodhound. Yet some American breeders are importing the African dogs and are confident they may one day become a highly-popular U.S. breed. Reason: basenji dogs never bark and a barkless dog is figured as ideal for the small apartment.

1951 A Basenji appears very briefly in the opening scenes of "The African Queen," a movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. The Kungdu village and the church in the opening scenes were built on the shore of Lake Albert at Port Butiaba, Uganda. This filming location is near the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo. This screenshot from the movie was captured by M.C. Horng

1952 Sheila Anderson writes "Memories" in 1988 in The Basenji about the 1952 book, “A Many-Splendored Thing," and the movie, "Love is a Many Splendored Thing"

1952 Wau of the Congo arrives in England from Africa.

1954 In June there is a revised AKC Approved Basenji Standard. The 1954 AKC Standard is here.

1956 Sheila Smith, Tennji Basenjis is approached at Westminster by Stuart Cloete, author of "The African Giant". He and his wife, Rhena, lived in Africa, and he did a lot of hunting with Basenjis. "Tremendous dogs, far superior to their cousins, the Ridgebacks."

Rehna Cloete donated this photo of a dog owned by the Asongo Meno Tribe in the Belgian Congo. Look closely to see that the dog is wearing a native wooden bell around its waist. (Photo appeared in "The Basenji" in 1967 and in their book in 1955)

1956 Advertisement for Purina in the "Dog World" magazine is shown above.

1956 "Good-Bye, My Lady" becomes a movie. Extract from a 2004 biography of Sidney Poiter. (Also see 1942 Goodbye, My Lady Story). Another fun article appeared in "The Basenji" in 1991. This one has memories of the filming by Hazel Hall who was a writer on location for the filming.

1956 26 August Veronica Tudor-Williams judges in Great Barrington, Massachusetts: Photo right of her with Damara Bolte showing Riviana Jollity of the Congo (later a champion.)

1956 October sees the first championship level AKC Best in Show Basenji — Philo's Blaze of Koko Crater.  See details of all the basenjis who have won an AKC All-Breed Bests in Show.

1957 saw the beginning of the amazing career of Can.
and Am. Ch. Dainty Dancer of Glenairley. "Dainty" remained the top winner of Bests in Show for many years. Read Sheila Anderson's Dainty Dancer's Story here.

1958 From the New York Times
"Dog That Can't Bark Yodels In"
January 25, 1958, Saturday Page 13, 401 words
      A Basenji dog that snarls, growls and yodels -- but never barks -- has arrived from the Belgian Congo as part of a plan that fanciers hope will put new blood into his degenerating American cousins..." "...Dr. James P. Chapin of the American Museum of Natural History found him in a forest camp of the Mambuti Pygmies, near Hoyo in the eastern margin of the upper Congo. He named the little hound Tiki-Tiki, which means Pygmy in the dialect of the Uelle District of northeast Congo..."

Read more about Tiki-Tiki (photo right) who does not become part of the Basenji foundation stock as the AKC stud book was closed to foundation stock at that time.

1958 While construction began on the National Cathedral in Washington, DC in 1907, it wasn't until 1958 that the Cathedral ran a competition for amateur sculptors for designs for the gargoyles. Read the story from Basenji fan Elizabeth Kimball about how she successfully proceeded. See photo of the Basenji gargoyle to the right...

1959  Fula and Tiger Story (Fula and Tiger photos taken in Africa) are brought to the UK from Africa.

1959-1961 Dr. Leon C. Standifer is in Liberia and involved in the "Basenji Project" there. Read articles about his observations.

1960 Elspet Ford spends 15 years in Africa between 1950 and 1965. She obtained her first Basenji, Zambi there.  On her return to England she brought back 3 Basenjis. Read about Elspet Ford's Basenjis from Africa.

1961 Kiki of Cryon moved to the USA with Dr. Standifer when he returned. She became the basis for one line of black and whites in the USA and around the world. Read about Kiki and her descendants.

1962 Ch. Lepper's Nik Nak becomes the next Best in Show Basenji on 30 June at Monroe, Michigan under Judge Fred Hunt. She won a second Best under Judge Derek Rayne later in the year. She was owned and bred by Joe and Ralph Lepper. See photo right...

1964 The Chicago Sun-Times writer Jack R. Griffin upsets Chicago basenji fanciers. Quoting: The Sun-Times has aroused the passions of a special interest group. We have offended, for mercy’s sake, the devoted breeders and lovers of a type of dog known as– hold it now–the “basenji.”  Read story researched and prepared by Linda Siekert that appeared in the BCOA Bulletin in the October-November-December 2011 issue "Chicago Sun-Times BCOA Picket History Detective."

1964 The Basenji: Read Minnie Hill's story about how "The Basenji" got started.

1964 Read about the early John Fulton Short lithographs of basenjis. Photo right...

1964 The New York Times story of Mrs. Jayne Wilson Stringer's (Horsley Basenjis) visit to the USA:
"The Barkless Dog's Praises Are Sung; English Model Says Basenji Is Quiet in Work Rooms Congo Breed Called Clean and Easy to Have Around
By JOHN RENDEL
October 29, 1964, Thursday Section: FOOD-FASHIONS-FAMILY-FURNISHINGS, Page 45, 556 words
      A HIGH-FASHION model from Kingswood, Surrey, England — Mrs. Jayne Wilson Stringer — was led into becoming a leading adherent of the basenji breed through her job. She left for home last week after devoting a month to studying the barkless dog of the Congo in this country. ..." The photo includes a Basenji but is too poor a quality to reproduce here.

1965 At this early date people often wrote notes on cards and this advertisement from "The Basenji" is for an early Basenji items everyone wanted to have. Ch. Togotanya's Ujiji posed for this drawing which was around in 1962. The tri-color note card edition was of Am. Ch. Kwilu of Cock's-Crow. The artist was Earl Sherwan for both. See photos above...

1965 Gwen Stanich is involved with two breedings in Africa and then brings black and white Basenjis back to the USA. The Story of the Coptokin Black and Whites

1966 Sam McKee began collecting information on Top Producing Basenjis based on data published in the AKC Gazette.  The first Stud Dog Honor Roll and Brood Bitch Honor Roll appeared in "The Basenji." The number given are AKC champion children produced by the Basenjis listed. The system did not change and was published annually in "The Basenji" for over 40 years. It is now maintained as a part of the Basenji Club of America. To read the story of the Honor Rolls...click here.

Top Five on First Brood Bitch Roll: 
14 Ch. Glenairley Black Munia
13 Ch. My Love of the Congo
13 Ch. Riviana Jollity of the Congo
11 Ch. Bettina’s Bronze Wing
10 Ka and Ba Meryt-Ra, CD
     Read the entire list Click Here

Top Five on First Stud Dog Roll:              
26 Ch. Cambria’s Ti-Mungai
24 Ch. Flageolet of the Congo
19 Ch. Brahme of Syngefield
14 Ch. Lepper’s Mr. Spats
13 Ch. Reveille Recruit
     Read the entire list Click Here

1967 From the New York Times
"BASENJI PUPPY GAINS TOP AWARD;
Ch. Reveille Re-Up Chosen at Maryland Show
November 12, 1967, Sunday Section: Sports, Page 233, 613 words SALISBURY, Md., Nov. 11
     A puppy of an unusual breed, a Basenji, was chosen best in show over 917 other entries today at the 14th annual show of the Salisbury Kennel Club. The dog was Ch. Reveille Re-Up, who will not be a year old for nine more days. He won the top honor in his ninth outing, as a show dog and his first since winning his championship last month..." .
      Uppity's career included a total of 14 all-breed best in show wins and he became the top best in show winner with a record to last many years. See Uppity's photo here.

1967 Reader Joanne Drerup writes: I recently ran across an old "Maryknoll" magazine and was glancing through it. To my surprise in an article on the poor, underdeveloped peoples of various nations, I ran into this photo (right). Of course, I immediately recognized "our' Breed.

1968 on 13 October Ch. Baronfield's Cyclone, UD becomes first Utility Dog titled Basenji.

1968 From the New York Times
"African Safari Preserves a Breed;
Rise of Basenji Laid to '59 Expedition to the Congo
By WALTER R. FLETCHER July 4, 1968, Thursday Page 25, 584 words
      THE Basenji Club of America is celebrating its 25th anniversary. In that quarter-century, the barkless breed from Africa has made Steady progress. Of the 115 breeds registered by the American Kennel Club, the Basenji, with 2,461 listed, is ranked 39th..." "... - George Richards, who was killed in World War II, had told me he had seen Basenjis where the Sudan adjoins the Belgian Congo," she said. "We decided to go into the bush country to try to learn something about the breed's history and to bring out some dogs. "We sailed to Port Sudan and ..."

1969 The Evergreen Basenji Club held the first local club Basenji Specialty. The August event had an entry of 69 Basenjis.

1970 The famous Basenji with Frog limited edition bronze is offered by sculptor Damara Bolte.

1971 The first Basenji to come to Germany directly from Africa arrived: Liberias Poldi. This dog was a important foundation for the German Basenji breeders.

1971 Ch. Reveille Re-Up wins the first Newtown E. Wessman Memorial Award presented by the Basenji Club of Northern California for defeating the most Basenjis in AKC shows the previous calendar year. A list of the winners from 1971 to 1997 can be seen HERE. See photo right of Uppity and trophy to the right...

1972 The Heart of Minnesota Basenji Club holds Basenji field trial (set up like bird dog field trials) in association with their Specialty.

1972 The breeds first Tracking title is won by Rex Tanaka's Ch. Il-Se-Ott Golden Majorette, CDX TD. Tammy also became also became a UD in 1974 and this was as many titles as a Basenji could win at this time.  Read about Tammy and Rex.

1972 Ch. Reveille Ruffles of Rose-Bay hits the top of the Brood Bitch Honor Roll.

1972 A banner year for Basenji health. A test is found to identify carriers of Hemolytic Anemia, a health problem that had been in the breed for a very long time. Hemolytic Anemia is all but gone from breed today.

1972 "Just a quick note to send you the enclosed xerox copy of a folder that comes with a new medicine. The breed has made the medical scene." Bruce and Lucille Fifer write in 'The Basenji' Mailbox: "We live in Pima County, named after the Pima Indians, and we had a Basenji named Pima. And how would an outfit in Saint Louis, Missouri come up with a name like that!"

1975 Ch. Khajah’s Gay Flambeau of Ed-Jo becomes Number One on the Stud Dog Honor Roll with 51 champion offspring. Shirley Chambers has taken over the impressive file of index cards and starts keeping the records in 1974.

1978 Ch. Reveille Re-Up tops the Stud Dog Honor Roll with 68 champion offspring.

1978 Esenjo is born on 19 June 1978 in Zaire. Margaret Sommer spoke about Esenjo in 2007.  Esenjo was registered as Foundation Stock in 1990 and her progeny by Rameses Tut-Ankhamen became a part of the breed's heritage.

1979 BCOA decides to move from BCOA regional supported specialities to a single annual National Speciality that will rotate around the country. The first National event is held in Texas. To see the results from 1979 to the present click: National Specialty Results.

1979 ASFA accepts Basenjis for lure coursing. On September 3, on the first weekend after Basenjis are recognized to run, Bubalak's Divine Bette takes a Best in Field...see photo right... She also becomes the first ASFA Field Champion.

1979 Top Brood Bitch becomes Ch. Makila Motane Moke with 22 champion offspring. Now Reva Lawson is keeping the records.

1980 before the marvels of the internet came along it was difficult to find pedigrees and photos of dogs. Melody Russell and Susan Coe began compiling photos and pedigrees and in 1980 put out the first of the yearly editions of "The Years of the American Basenji" with 535 dogs included.  Each year the volumes grew until there were thousands of Basenjis included and eventually the internet came along.  However, this is still the only source for photos of some dogs from years past.

1980 is the first year the Ch. Reveille Re-Up Award was presented. This handsome trophy sculpted by Damara Bolte goes to the sire who had the largest number of childrenfinish their AKC championship during the previous year. The Re-Up son, Ch. Shadowbye's Mitty won the award the first five years. See a list of all the winners by clicking HERE.

1981 Ch. Arabrac's Mountain Mamba began his show career. He topped the history books to become the first AKC tri-color best in show Basenji winner.  He went on to claim a total of 3 all-breed bests in show all breeder-owner handled.  Photo right...

1983 saw the inaugural Diane C. Coleman Memorial Hound Group Award go to Ch. Aleika-Absinthe Rajah's JR. This award goes to the dog defeating the greastest number of dogs in AKC group and best in show competition during the preceding calendar year. Read more about it and see the past recipients.

1983 Springs CC of Takuvik, TDX, FCh became the breeds first ever Tracking Dog Excellent. Photo Left...

1984 is the beginning of the show career for the next top best in show Basenji.  Ch. Music City Serengeti Jazzman's career included 20 bests in show.

1984 Ch. Shadowbye's Mitty, the son of previous Number One on the Stud Dog Honor Roll Uppity, overtakes dad to become Number One with 88 champion offspring. Shirley Chambers is keeping the tallies again.

1985 Specialty Essay Contest Winners

1987 Imports in 1987 who became registered foundation stock: Avongara Bazingbi, Avongara Gangura, Avongara Goldi and Avongara Zamee.

1987 Jon Curby writes Notes from Africa about the 1987 trip in "The Basenji" and Jon Curby Answers Your Questions in the BCOA Bulletin. See also a Photo Essay of photos by Michael Work and Damara Bolte. Jon Curby's video presentation is available from Jon.

1988 Imports who became registered foundation stock: Avongara Diagba, Avongara Elly, Avongara K'Posi, Avongara M'Bliki, Avongara Nabodio, Avongara N'Gola, Avongara N'Gondi, Avongara Renzi and Avongara Wele.

1988 Damara Bolte writes of her experience on the 1988 trip to Africa: A Basenji Safari

1990 "Good-bye, My Lady" Video Release

1990 A revised AKC Basenji Standard is approved and becomes effective.

1990 Registration of Foundation Stock: The dogs imported in 1987 and 1988 plus Esenjo are registered with the American Kennel Club. Learn more about these dogs who became Foundation Stock and their offspring and all other Basenji foundation by visiting the Basenji Club of America's website section for the African Stock Project. This collage shows all the Foundation Stock registered in 1990.

1991 From the 29 December "Chicago Sun-Times" book review:
From A to Z in Sophisticated Ways
Author: Deborah Abbott
     "...The author narrates the probable history of 26 patchwork patterns, one for each letter of the alphabet. ... Arnold's choices include B for Basenji (the barkless dog), F for Fern, K for Kiwi, L for Ladybug (of which there are 4000 varieties), M for Mammal-like Reptiles of prehistory, ..."

1991 The popular “Cut Buttons” were first presented to basenjis that made the cut but did not place in the large classes at the BCOA National Specialty in North Carolina. Click to see photos of all the cut button designs.

1992 Avongara Renzi is the sire of the first champion Avongara first-generation descendant when Ch. Akuaba On The Wild Side completes the requirements for her title on May 8.