Sh Ch Gardenway Dramatist

2nd January 1995 to 5th March 2010

On the 5th March we had to make the very painful decision to have Grebe put to sleep, he was fifteen years old.Grebe was always an absolute gentleman and a great ambassador for the breed. Having had a really successful show career he proved himself to be a prolific sire being behind many top winning dogs both here and overseas. He had been worked and shot over and his most favourite thing in the world was to swim !! Most of all he was our beautiful boy and we really miss him.
 
Grebe's breeder, Jackie Perkins wrote this fitting testimony,
 
" It is with immense sadness that I write of the death of Sh Ch Gardenway Dramatist just two months after his 15th birthday. Known as Grebe because of resemblance to his grandsire Ch Russetmantle Grebe of Gardenway, he was a dog who got under your skin with his gentle and sensitive nature. Many people with whom he came into contact, throughout his life, would have happily taken him home and said he was influential in their choice of breed. He was by the Hungarian Import, Sh Ch and Int Ch. Kilato-Teri Furge Mokany of Helmlake ex  Ch. Gardenway Dawn Run.

He took the Res CC from puppy at the HVC breed show in 1995 under Peter Harper (Pitswarren) and followed that with 5 CCs - 4 with BOB and 1 with BIS - plus a further Res CC, in the days when there was stiff competition from many good dogs. He sired 25 litters in all and 6 of his progeny went on to get their show titles, four in the UK (Sh Ch's, Gardenway Crackling Rosie at Kizvarda, Pitswarren Avan, Galfrid Quest and Bayhide’s All Gold at Tokaji) and two overseas. One of these was Canadian and American Ch Gardenway Celtic Breeze owned by Eileen Wilks of the Ferngold affix. The second one was Australian Grand Ch Hanafor Ponting The Way, born here under Faye Harris’s affix and exported to Australia in 2001 where he amassed 12 BIS awards plus 23 group wins. 'Punter' was ‘OzDog’ Top Show dog - No.1 Vizsla in Australia for three years in succession and winner of the Rozsda Catherina Memorial Trophy from 2002/3 - 2006/7.

In 2001, a few months after the death of my husband, Grebe went to live with Jim and Sharon Bergin (Roughshoot) where he lived his life in comfort - for which I will always be grateful - and enjoyed the company of their other Vizslas. Sharon remembers how he would stop on the walk when they reached a fork in the track and look back as if to say ‘which way now ?’, although lately he had become a little forgetful - not to say deaf - and she had to keep an eye on him in case he wandered off. He loved water and, just before his 14th birthday he went swimming in the sea off the Lincolnshire coast with the rest of the Gardenway and Roughshoot Vizslas. His constant companion in his years with Jim and Sharon was their Spinone ‘Noodle‘, who passed away just before Christmas. I think Grebe really missed her since he went down quite quickly after she had gone and I like to think that she was waiting for him at the Rainbow Bridge and they are together again. Vale Grebe."
Jackie Perkins

 

 

Grebe has been an influential sire, passing on not only his good looks but his impeccable temperament. Pictured here are four Gardenway Vizslas owned by Jackie Perkins, all descendants of Grebe they are, sitting on the the tree trunk granddaughter Willow, son Felix and in front great granddaughter Poppy and daughter Lola.