Powderhorn is the name of Clara Hurley's ranch at Arroyo Grande on the Central Coast of California. Her kennel carries the name as does her publishing company, powderhorn press , which translates and publishes literature about the Rottweiler from all over the world.

Clara Hurley acquired her first Rottweiler in 1966. Unfortunately, he and the next two Rottweilers she acquired, all had hip dysplasia. That sad factor has been a major influence in the determined breeding practices of Powderhorn Rottweilers.

As a delegate to the organizational meeting of the International Federation of Rottweiler Friends (IFR) in 1969 in Essen, Germany, Clara Hurley met and worked with the leading Rottweiler breeders of the world. The advantages of adopting a serious program - similar to that in place in Germany - for the Rottweilers of America was clearly of merit. She determined, with the invaluable aid of Herr Friedrich Berger, Chief Breed Warden of the German Rottweiler Club, to learn as much as she could and to utilize that learning to enhance the breed in America.

Mrs. Hurley learned to speak, write and translate German. For 14 years, she and Herr Berger carefully went over his data and shared experiences about Rottweiler genetics and breeding. She contacted the authors and publishers of most of the world's literature about Rottweilers, and created powderhorn press to bring this material - in English - to American readers.

As a result of her experience with hip dysplastic (HD) Rottweilers and armed with her confidence in the German Standard for the breed (FCI Standard), Mrs. Hurley campaigned with the Rottweiler Clubs in America to adopt a policy to curb HD. The only candle in the darkness of this disease was the discovery that a genetic, hereditary factor may be the cause of it.

This new policy, in short ... if on x-ray the animal is not free of hip dysplasia as certified by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, Inc. (OFA). don't breed it. "The battle was bitter", to quote Mrs. Hurley, but in August 1968, the Golden State Rottweiler Club in California courageously began the experiment that all breeding animals, regardless of age, had to be OFA certified prior to breeding. Soon the Colonial Rottweiler Club and the Medallion Rottweiler Club joined the ranks and stand firmly committed to that policy to this day.

Powderhorn Rottweilers acquired Ch. Trollegen's Aparri, CD (Best of Opposite Sex at Golden State Rottweiler Club Specialty, 1975 and l977) as a 4-month puppy in 1973. Bred to Ch. Falco vh Brabantpark, "Darri" produced Ch. Powderhorn's Abel, CD,Powderhorn's Astra, CD and Powderhorn's Ajax. From her next mating with Ch. Dux v Hungerbuhl, SchHI, came Powderhorn's Brodar, Black Maria & Banja. "Darri" was a Top Ten Bitch for 1976.

Mrs. Hurley feels strongly (as do the majority who know and love the breed) that a Rottweiler does best when regularly socialized from his earliest days in a home setting. Left in a multi-kennel situation, uneven temperament can destroy an otherwise fine prospect. To have sufficient animals to form a broad enough base to support a quality breeding program, more than one household is required. Thus, a partnership was founded - Powderhorn/Wencrest - with Michael S. Grossman, Wencrest Rottweilers , who owned Ch. Gatstuberget's Eskil Jarl, CD, a son of Ch, Dux v Hungerbuhl, SchHI. Eskil was a successful show dog, the sire of four champions and eight obedience titled Rottweilers, and in the Top Ten for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978.

To P&W from Holland, came the Dutch, Belgian and Luxembourg Ch. Oscar vh Brabantpark at five years of age. This dog's outstanding characteristics brought his American championship and during the one year in which he was shown he was declared Best in Show, received first in four Working Groups, 12 other Group placements and 54 Bests of Breed, adding up to his becoming the No.1 Rottweiler in the United States for the year l979. As a Top Producer with ten champions and eight obedience titled offspring, he was a major influence in the Rottweilers of the American West.

An Oscar son, Powderhorn's Fetz of Wencrest, was exported to Australia, arriving there at just under three years of age. Fetz's progeny consistently placed in the ribbons and earned his Australian owners, Pat and George Hall, the coveted Breeders of the Day Award in 1984 at the Rottweiler Championship Show, judged by Germany's then Chief Breed Warden, Herr Wilhelm Faussner.

P&W imported Ch. Taba vd Keizerslanden from Holland and Ilona v Haus Schottroy from Germany - also in 1978. Taba is the dam of three champions, six obedience titled offspring and was a Top Ten Bitch for 1978. Ilona is the dam of four champions and four obedience titled offspring and of the previously mentioned Fetz.

In l980, Dutch & Luxembourg Ch. Quanto vh Brabantpark - a full brother to Oscar from a repeat breeding - came to P&W in his fifth year. Shown for only 6 months, retired due to injury, he earned his American championship, was first in 5 Working Groups, 5 additional Group placements and had 26 Bests of Breed. At the end of the year, he was still the No. 3 Rottweiler and sired six champions and obedience titled offspring.

P&W next imported the young Ch. Donar vd Hoeve Cor Unum, CD from Holland. Along with Oscar and Quanto, he became P&W's third Specialty Winner and is an MRC Award of Merit Rottweiler and a multi-Group placer. In 1983 from Germany came the 5 year old Ch. Falko v Waldblick, SchHI and to round out the stud force were Powderhorn's Fido of Wencrest, Ch. Powderhorn's Kapt of Wencrest, CD, TT, Ch Powderhorn's Xmas of Wencrest, CD , Powderhorn's Hans of Wencrest, and Powderhorn's Sumo of Wencrest.

During this same period on the distaff side, P&W imported Ch. Hexe vd Hoeve Cor Unum, CD from Holland and from Germany, Janka v Duracher Tobel, Ch. Berit v Allemannenhof, SchHI, FH, Ch. Cora v Hartumer Busch and Vesta v Rodehof. Added to these brood bitches were our Powderhorn's Fimi of Wencrest, Ch. Powderhorn's Gwen of Wencrest, Powderhorn's Loki of Wencrest and Powderhorn's Oreo of Wencrest.

In 1985, from Australia, came the bitch Stromhall Nayah - a granddaughter of Fetz - enabling us to not only continue our linebreeding, but also to incorporate a very strong Australian line into our program. This same year brought Mirko v Sofienbusch to us from Germany, who we lost much too soon.

Another outstanding Brabantpark male, Hans vh Brabantpark, came to us in 1986 - finished his championship quickly and was a Top Ten Rottweiler in 1987 and a Multi-Group placer in addition to helping us maintain the bloodlines which work well for us. This same year, 1986, a Dutch bitch came to us, Iada vh Land v Sittard, in co-ownership with Anita Owen. She became a champion and CD quickly and as a Quanto granddaughter, again enabled us to continue our linebreeding program without becoming too tight.

December 1987 brought Ch. Nelson vh Brabantpark to P&W , imported from Holland and closely related to our sires of the past - Oscar, Quanto, Donar and Hans. He finished his championship with alacrity, was a Top Ten Rottweiler in 1988 and was our second Best in Show Rottweiler. Nelson's outstanding record includes 5 Bests in Show, 3 Bests in Rottweiler Specialty wins, 48 Working Group Firsts, 45 Group Seconds, 36 Group Thirds, 30 Group Fourths, 222 Bests of Breed. Nelson was the No. 1 Rottweiler in the United States for 1989 and 1990. The show career of Nelson was outstanding by any measure. He defeated more Rottweilers than any other Rottweiler in the history of the breed in any country and that record still stands today. Five of his sons have been awarded Bests in Show - some more than once. One of his sons recently was entered automatically into MRC's Hall of Fame as the first Rottweiler to achieve the American Kennel Club's Herding Dog degree.

Shortly after Nelson arrived, came Ch. Babsy v Reinaartshof from Holland and these two produced some outstanding progeny - including Best in Show, Best in Specialty Show Ch Powderhorn's Mile of Wencrest, Ch. Powderhorn's Kora of Wencrest, Ch. Powderhorn's Mona of Wencrest. Another of our special Nelson sons was Ch. Powderhorn's Axel of Wencrest out of Stromhall Nayah..

Many of these dogs and bitches can be viewed at the Powderhorn/Wencrest website and we invite you to join us there and if you have any questions, we would be most happy to try to answer them for you.

Please see Our Dogs.