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INFORMATION IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE AIRK NATIONAL SIEGER SHOW & ZTP, HOSTED BY NERF

NERF HISTORY: AS I REMEMBER THE HISTORY OF THE NEW ENGLAND ROTTWEILER FANCIERS, est. 1980 - By: Karen Billings

In 1975 the Rottweiler was becoming a very popular new and interesting breed in Massachusetts. Dog fanciers in the East Coast started to recognize this wonderful, intelligent, loyal, handsome dog. It took a handful of people to start to realize that we needed to learn more about this breed. There were no local Rottweiler Clubs in the Massachusetts. So, a group of fanciers organized the first meeting. Bruce Billings Sr. typed an invitation to announce that a new club was forming for those who were interested in the Breed. The meeting was schedule to meet at the Billings home.

The first meeting was held in their garage on January 26, 1980. and was well attended by participants from MA, RI, NH & VT. It was that night that we voted that the club would be named the NEW ENGLAND ROTTWEILER FANCIERS. Karen Billings and Rose Hogan hosted the club meeting providing refreshments & hospitality. Our Guest speaker was, the late Gene Duchaine, a professional handler and Obedience Instructor. Gene gave a brief seminar on handling in the breed ring, and ring procedures. As a new club we needed money to get started, thus opening the club to Charter Membership. The first charter members were:

Joe & Rita Benson,
Bruce & Karen Billings,
Bill & Laura Camac,
Lynda Conte,
Elizabeth B. Costa,
William & Dorothy Cavalucci,
Bertha Crawford,
Robert & Rose Hogan,
Peter & Patricia Kochanowski,
Rebecca Leif,
Joyce Metz,
Paul O'toole and
Peter & Marilyn Piusz.

We organized and elected officers by March 24, 1980 and drew up the constitution and by-laws. The first newsletter was published by Editor, Bruce Billings Bob Hogan agreed to lead a committee to work on the club logo. The first officers of the club were:

President: Bruce Billings,Sr.
Vice President: Bob Hogan
Secretary: Rose Marie Hogan
Treasurer: Lynda Conte-Sidman
Board of Directors: Laura Camac, Rita Benson, Bill Coavalucci

Our First Fun Match was held on August 10, 1980 on the beautiful grounds at Joe & Rita Benson home. We had Breed & obedience Competition, our entry fees were $ 2.00 per dog and $1.00 ea for an additional entry. We offered prizes and ribbons. Our judges were Jan Marshall of Donnaj Rottweilers, & Robert Altman, Obedience Trainer of the Charles River Dog Training Club.

The Highlights of the Show were a Schutzhund Demonstration, and a Trackings demonstration, performed by officer Walter Morse and his dog Butch, who was the United States Police K-9 Champion. Officer Frank Moore of the MA State Police Canine Corp gave a talk & presented his dog, the only Rottweiler of the 27 dogs in the MA Police Dept, at that time.

NERF offered a tattoo clinic that day also.
Our special winners that day in obedience were:
1st place in Novice B: Vonbruka Brutus owned by Peter & Patti Kockanowski
1st place in Open: Mondbergs Bulger V Beir CD owned by Peter & Marilyn Piusz

More to come as I write about what we have accomplished in the last 29 years