Gerry Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 As there seems to have been a glut of “RIP”s lately, I’ll just add one of my own, Phil Drabble. Died yesterday, he wrote loads of books on dogs / hunting / countryside and was a true “countryman” . Reading his book “Of Pedigree Unknown” inspired me to get my first Lurcher, a cross between Greyhound (for speed), Collie (for brains), plus a bit of Bedlington terrier (for balls) a brilliant little dog that gave me years of pleasure going for “walks” (and coming back with rabbits and the odd pheasant etc). She was happy to sit in front of the fire for hours on end just keeping one eye on me, but given a dark windy night, she was like a little guided missile on a rabbit in the lamp. Excellent dog, would steal the top of your ice cream if you looked away for a second. Some of you may remember Phil Drabble from fronting “One man & his dog” the sheepdog trials program for many years. In these fast times of the internet, cameras down every street and instant gratification, Phil seemed very old fashioned - but I can’t help thinking that in most ways he’d got it right. Don’t have to wish him RIP cos I’m sure he is…. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 RIP. I remember him now that you mention OM&HD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 No way. Phil Drabble dead. He was one of the Old School, came across on TV as a real gentleman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethr Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 One of my heroes. He gave up a high-powered job in industry (one book has a photograph of the large half-timbered Tudor farmhouse he used to own) to write about dogs and the countryside, and to create his own nature reserve. I loved his books. I've always remembered his method of clearing paths and rides in his woodland -- fence it off, introduce some pigs, let them dig it up, eat the bacon. My kind of gardening There's a great story in one of the books. The gamekeeper on the neighbouring land was killing badgers, so Mr. Drabble made his own land irresistible to pheasants and ruined the gamekeeper's shoot. The replacement 'keeper was better-disposed towards badgers http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/6922526.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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