L-R: Gordon Mayne, Ley James, Cr Amy Eden, Ian Allen
At the Cairns City Kennel Club Inc’s Annual General Meeting on Saturday, 30 January 2021, Ley James hung up the President’s dog lead after 35 years as in role. The club members and invited guests celebrated Ley’s incredible contribution to the club and the canine community at a special ceremony after the meeting.
The club moved to its current location in the Cairns Show Grounds over 40 years ago. Ley was instrumental in leading the construction and development of the club’s facilities including the club house, grounds and shade shelters. Ley was known for utilising his community connections to get the job done with the minimal of fuss and was always ready to roll up his sleeves when the going got tough.
In a letter from Ulla Greenwood, President of Dogs Queensland said “Ley’s contribution to the “Dog World” in Far North Queensland and Queensland as a whole has been nothing short of extraordinary.”
Ley’s community involvement doesn’t stop at the Cairns City Kennel Club. He is an all-breeds dog show judge and has judged at dog shows across Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Taiwan. Ley has held positions on the Dog Queensland and the Conformation Judges Sub-Committee leading the training development of new dog show judges.
Incoming President, Gordon Mayne, is looking forward to working with club members; “Ley has laid some incredible foundations for the club’s future. It’s a great club with an amazing team of dedicated members. We can only go from strength to strength.”
You will also see Ley at the Cairns Show Association where he has the role of Vice-President and Chair of the Livestock Committee. He has been a member of the association since 1980.
Ley is a Life Membership of the Cairns City Kennel Club, and Mareeba and District Kennel Club, Canine Control Council of Queensland (Dogs Queensland), Cairns Show Association and the Norwich Terrier Club of the United Kingdom.
In recognition of Ley’s outstanding contribution, Councillor Amy Eden formally named the club grounds the Ley James Canine Arena in the presence of over 60 members.
Ian Allen, President of the Cairns Show Association, acknowledged Ley’s long time dedication and support to the Cairns community and said “it was only fitting that the grounds he established be named in his honour.”