Mr Alfred Dahlenberg

Alfred Dahlenberg was a Councillor for almost 40 years from 1936 to 1973. He had a passion for horses, in particular the Clydesdale.

In 1934, Alfred won first prize for a two-year-old Clydesdale filly, Dalholme Coreen, at the Melbourne Centenary Royal Show.

Mr Dahlenberg became a Councillor of Melbourne Royal after a traumatic year for the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria in 1936 when the Council suffered the loss of four of its members Donald Stewart, Phil S. Tuckett, W. C. Greaves, and R. I. Argyle. Alfred Dahlenburg stepped up to Council that year as one of several replacements as the representative of Clydesdale breeders.

His main contribution to the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria was in equine events; he was also a member of the Farm Produce Committee. He became chief steward and an active member of the horse and arena committee, and was prominent on the farm produce committee. An honorary life member of the council from 1960, he attended every Royal Melbourne Show for thirty-six years.

Before joining the council, Mr Dahlenberg convinced the Nhill Agricultural and Pastoral Society to hold a foal show of 11 sections, similar to the famous foal show staged nationally in Scotland. 

Mr Dahlenberg’s love for the Clydesdale played a lead role in having a Clydesdale Statue placed in the main street of Nhill from 1930-49. After all, his father had been the first to introduce Clydesdale horses to the local area. The sculpture "Day Off, Peter", which commemorates the Clydesdale working horse was restored and unveiled on the 13th May 2008.

Alfred Dahlenberg died in October 1972.

A Clydesdale at the Show, c.1940s. Image Source: Melbourne Royal Heritage Collection, Frank Johnson Collection.