Chair Person - Shannon McKay
Shannon has been involved in Danes since 1997, first exhibiting and then four years later breeding the first Saxony litter. She has since bred multiple breed Champions and has enjoyed various other activities with her Danes including agility, obedience, trick training, aptitude testing, canine good citizen and functional movement training.
She is an accredited canine behaviourist, internationally certified trainer and has also received her MSc in Zoology, specialising in animal training.
Shannon lives on a smallholding and currently owns 9 dogs, six of which are Danes. She is passionate about Dane health – both in body and in mind.
Vice Chair - Wendy Smuts
I first became involved with Great Danes in 2009. I attended a SAGDA championship breed show at Goldfields Kennel Club to meet the breed – I absolutely fell in love with their elegance and playfulness. It was also a great way to meet ethical breeders and learn more about the breed as a first-time owner.
Enter Gamekeeper Blue Blaze (Bonnie), a “mad” blue Great Dane. Bonnie cemented my love for the breed. I am currently the proud owner of 3 KUSA registered Fawn Great Danes namely Ch VomDanois Miss MoneyPenny ,Ch VomDanois Top Gun & VomDanois Vanquish.
First and foremost, the health and happiness of my dogs is my priority, they own and take over the beds, couches, house and car - I wouldn’t have it any other way! I love that dog shows are a great way to spend time with like-minded friends and my dogs.
I have served on the SAGDA committee, in various roles, since 2014.
Treasurer - Lynne Koff
My love for Great Danes started in 2000 when my husband bought home a black male puppy that was bred in terrible conditions. Initially, I was very dubious about the breed, not knowing their make up and natures at all, however, as he grew and matured, his beautiful soft gentle nature grew on me, and I soon realised the true meaning of the saying “a gentle giant”.
From then on, we made a conscious decision, that if we were ever parents to more Great Danes, they would only come from reputable breeders, and that decision has been the best one taken. We have, over the past 24 years, had a “house full” of Danes, ranging from Black, Blue, and Harlequin – all KUSA registered. Currently we 2 Danes - Carlu Jucal (Jinzu) and Carlu Mushi (Elyx) – both of which I now take into the showring.
Once a Great Dane owner, always a Great Dane owner.
Secretary - Marinda Havenga
I fell in love with Great Danes as a child after watching the movie "Ugly Dachshund". I always wanted one and knew exactly where in the small towns I lived in the Danes were, and would alter my bicycle route to school accordingly. My first "almost Dane" was a black Dane x Bull Mastiff x Dane. He looked a lot like a Dane.
I finally got my first registered Dane, a mantle merle girl from Anna van Heerden, when my son was a baby and I was hooked for life. Shortly after that my blues from Hazel Allsop and Gillian Webb followed, with the dream of breeding blues. I had a kennel registered and all was set, the blues just had to mature and be screened. But then life happened, circumstances changed and I no longer had the means to breed properly. So I settled for keeping Danes and learning about them.
Over the more than 20 years that passed since my first mantle merle girl, I studied Danes, their colour genetics and breeding practices; a breeder at heart, but not in practice. I kept in close contact with my mentor, Shannon McKay, and kept the love of the Dane alive. I have shared my life with 9 pure-bred and one cross Dane. Most of them were Saxony Danes. Colours included harlequin, mantle merle, merle, mantle, blue, black and now fawn.
Currently I live in Centurion with my husband, daughter, 5 dogs and 6 cats. Three of the dogs are Danes, a harlequin veteran Saxony girl, a young fawn Saxony boy and a merle Von Haewijon old man.
Alta Wait
My love for the breed started in 2003 when I adopted 2 black Great Dane’s from rescue.
In 2007 my journey with pure bred Great Danes started when I bought my first Show dog, a brindle Great Dane called Tai-Pan. Our Affix Gaitewai was registered with KUSA.
Over the years we have bred many Champions who have reach the top honours in breed shows, setting new records for the breed, as well as excel at working trials. We are the only kennel whose home bred studs have been used internationally via frozen semen.
We are taking pride in the fact that we have also opened doors and created opportunities for other breeders here in South Africa, simply for the overall betterment of the breed. Our aim is to continually improve and built a rich and solid legacy for the next generation.
We are looking forward to the future with lots of exciting plans for our breed for the future.
Belinda Davidson
I live in Rondebosch, Cape Town. I rescued my first Dane about 18 years ago and fell in love with the breed.
I currently have 5 Danes and 3 in competition. Two are show champions. I enjoy training and working my dogs and they are such a smart breed. They love to learn and track and do a task.
Along with Alta I am a huge believer that we need to be health testing and trying to bring in new blood. Good solid dogs with health and longevity behind them. I lost my first Dane at 12 years of age. I have co bred with Alta and will repeat this in the future.
I love the breed and would like to have them around for generations to come.
