The Champions Champion
By John WightmanI’d taken sheep to Dubbo to sell on a Monday ten days before
Greg passed away and took the opportunity to visit Greg in
hospital. he nurse at the nurse’s oice asked that I keep my
visit short as Greg had just had a shower and was struggling.
Greg was sitting on a lounge chair in his room looking frail
and tired from the shower. We exchanged pleasantries I sat
opposite him and we talked for a couple of minutes. Greg was
struggling, I said I would go and let him rest, but before I went
I asked if he would answer a question for me. Greg said he
would do his best. I asked him of all the trials that you have
won, what was the most memorable win?
he man that was sitting back in the chair dark eyed and
struggling, all of a sudden sat up in his chair, eyes wide open
with a smile on his face. I was given forty minutes of unguard-
ed honest conversation with a very humble man; there was no
subject of limits. We talked about a number of aspects of dog
trialling and his life. But it’s the question that I asked Greg that
reduced him to tears that I would like to share.
I asked Greg if he was proud of what he had achieved with his
dog trialling, he quickly answered yes, and we talked about it
for a bit. I then asked him if he knew how fortunate he was
to have had the opportunity to achieve what he did and how
lucky he was to have had the support that he had. Greg’s de-
meanour changed, his face went blank and he sat back in his
chair and started to cry, I apologized for upsetting him as that
was not my intention. Greg replied with “ NO, NO, NO please
don’t apologise, thank you for recognizing Jan’s part in it all”.
“Everybody sees the dogs and me but Jan is never recognised
for her part in what I have achieved. It would never have hap-
pened if it wasn’t for Jan, you have no idea how many times
Jan picked me up, straightened me up and sent me back out
to work another dog. I have been so lucky to have her; I owe
it all to Jan”.
Not long aer Greg started dog trialling Jan made Greg the
ofer that she would go back to work to give Greg the opportu-
nity to see if dog trialling was really what he wanted to do. Ten
years later Jan asked Greg did he still want her to keep work-
ing, Greg replied with a very solid Yes! hat famous one liner
“behind every good man stands a great woman” rings loud
with the Prince’s. Over the last three months talking to Jan and
visiting Greg I have had the opportunity to see what a strong
and competent woman Jan is, I am in awe of the way Jan has
dealt with all that has come before her. Greg was like many
of us triallers blessed with a great coach, councillor, inancial
advisor, cook, cleaner and best mate; we call them wives. Jan
was very much loved and adored by Greg.
P.S For those who are wondering Greg’s irst national win
was his most cherished. Greg’s best dog was “Clyde, he was a
champion dog at anything you wanted to do with him”.
The Best Handler
I’ve ever come across
By Joshua MarshallI have had the honour of knowing Greg prince for eight years.
I had always wanted to get to his dog schools but never took
the opportunity. Greg could make a so dog look strong he
was by far the best man I have ever seen work a dog. He had
good stockmanship between man and dog. Greg could read
stock better then most dogs and humans. Talking to Greg at
a 3-sheep trial at Rockley two years ago, he told me “anyone
can go out with a dog and have a go, but only the ones that are
willing to train, listen, learn and be constant doing the right
thing with their dog are going to succeed”.In my eyes Greg was one of the best stock handlers I have had
the honour of knowing he has represented his state and coun-
try many of times he has won the Australian Supreme a total
of nine times he had his bloodlines where he wanted it and
proved that, he had won Canberra National sheep dog trial 16
times his last being in 2017. Greg could see things in dogs that
other people wouldn’t notice.He has had the odd Kelpie and I believe he started out with
Kelpies. I saw him with Pushemup Butch and Binnaburra Boss
a few years apart. Greg made good dogs out of them. He ran a
100 with Butch and later sold him for a price I do believe was
$10k a few years later he sold boss for $5,500 at Molong dog
auction. he old saying of, you only get out what you put in,
I don’t think I’ll ever come across a more passionate person
about dogs.Greg and his wife Jan ran many dog schools showing people
his tricks and giving them advice and there are a lot that it
paid of for. I always watched Greg at a trial and took in a lot
about what I would see it was always a pleasure to watch Greg
and will always think of him as the one of the best handlers I’ll
ever come across.70 AWSDM http://www.stockdogs.com.au