Brian And Pearl Griggs
Inductees Hall of Fame 2023
Brian William Griggs was born at Franklin (46 kilometres south of Hobart) on 25 July 1911. Like his parents Henry and Olive, Brian was an orchardist, but also ran cattle and sheep, and lived at North Franklin for all of his life. Ruby Pearl Woolley (ever known as Pearl) was born to parents Thomas and Ruby at nearby Glen Huon on 2 March 1914, and they too were mixed orchardists.
The pair met through family and friends, fell in love and were married at St. James Church in Ranelagh on 6 June 1934. Brian and Pearl had three children, Kevin and Terry (both deceased) and Gayelene. They purchased a ten-acre holding in North Frankin, on the highway between Franklin and Huonville, where they lived their entire marriage. Both Brian and Pearl were hard-working and strong-willed people. Brian, who could be seriously stubborn, was extremely clever at making most things he would need. Pearl was determined to a fault, a forward thinker and accomplished sportswoman, especially at golf.
Brian first became interested in greyhounds in the early 1940’s. His uncle Fred Griggs, who also lived nearby, had greyhounds and was particularly involved in coursing. Brian started helping and trips north to the open coursing, often around the Oatlands area, really captured his interest. Brian soon got started with a small number of dogs and had his first winner as a trainer with Widge’s Choice in early 1944. Brian and Fred actually won the 1946 Waterloo Cup, Tasmania’s premier coursing event, with Yuri, trained for them by the Hall of Fame Rosevear brothers Cyril and Colin.
So, the greyhound journey started, with Pearl’s love of the game switched on as well. Her initial winner was a chaser named Fawn Meggs in 1946. Her 40-pound purchase became a highly accomplished hurdler, winning four on end at the T.C.A. at one stage. Apart from a few family members in the ownership of some of their earliest dogs, Brian and Pearl would always be a partnership of just themselves. They did race some with Brian’s brother Dudley, who interestingly had married Pearl’s sister Phyllis. Both sons Kevin and Terry only had a minimal involvement, but it was daughter Gayelene that would become the next greyhound tragic in the family.
Brian and Pearl did purchase some performed chasers at times, but moreover, they bought well-bred pups from top breeders such as the Rosevears, George and Eilleen Johnson, Roy Nunn, Don Gale and Ken Hilder. They were sourced at a tender age and reared by themselves at home. Increasingly, they also bred their own pups, always do their own rearing and breaking. Living on the land, Brian and Pearl had the access to the best fresh produce and made sure their dogs had only the best. They were big on fresh milk (and straight from the cow), beef, cooked tripe and lots of vegies.
In the early 1950’s Brian amazingly built his own J-shaped track with an actual catching pen on their property, right next to the orchard. This played a notable role in their training and breaking in. Brian also made it available for other trainers in the Huon (and back then there were quite a few) to use, and even the legendary Bob Brown (Pearl’s personal idol as a trainer) would come from Hobart to use it. The Griggs’s left no stone unturned to make their greyhound operation the absolute best it could be. Pups aside, they rarely had as many as four or five racing dogs at any one time.
Before moving on to their most outstanding chasers, it’s notable to mention Brian’s serious kidney illness which saw him hospitalized between July 1953 and April 1954. Prior to that time Brian was the dominant trainer in their partnership, with Pearl the backup, though both were extremely competent in all aspects. But ten months with Brian in the Royal Hobart, saw Pearl forced to take over the reins of not only the greyhounds but the day to day running of farm business too. Once Brian was well enough to return home, it became Pearl the dominant one in the training of the pooches, and Brian in the backup role.
Brian and Pearl had many fine chasers, won several good finals, and made most of the big ones, but were to be denied in the ones that counted most. In their heyday, hurdle racing was hugely popular statewide, and Brian and Pearl had some of the greatest hurdles of their generation. The mid to late 1940’s were their foundation years. After Fawn Meggs, they won multiple races with Kirkbelle, but the mighty jumper Ronsid was very special. He had 8 hurdle wins and 8 placings at the T.C.A. between 1945-47, then co-trained with close associates Colin and Cyril Rosevear won 5 on end at White City also. In 1949 they had a “reformed rogue” in Fair Mantle that broke the 540-yard Hurdle record at his initial Tasmanian hurdle run. He re-broke it in a 30-length victory, running 31 9/10th win a week later. At his subsequent start the “not so reformed” Fair Mantle fought and was given 12 months!
The standout star of Brian and Pearl’s career was Nippy Bug. Weighing in at a meagre 47 pounds she was a September 1947 brindle daughter of the immortal Tumble Bug, and from Nippy Dunn. A slow beginning, fast finishing chaser, she racing almost exclusively at the T.C.A. Her fifteen wins on that track included the 1949 Puppy Championship of Tasmania. Her many top-grade victories included success off 1/10th , 2/10ths and 3/10ths behind scratch, and was twice only 1/10th outside the track record. In 1950 Nippy Bug won her Hobart Thousand Heat, then followed up with a Semi-Final 2nd to Black Highlander. In the 1950 Thousand Final, she assumed the uncustomary role of pacemaker from box 10. In a thrilling finish she was nosed out right on the line by back marker and star N.S.W. chaser Neat Brandy. Placing 3rd in her 1950 Launceston Cup Heat, she came on season prior to the Semis and was spelled. She was the third highest stake earner in 1950-51 with 613 pounds. Nippy Bug was the Griggses greatest broodbitch despite whelping just one litter. This included the high-class chasers Blue Keval, Valley Bug and Terry’s Queen. Sadly, this great bitch died in suspicious circumstances, when sent to Sydney for her second mating.
Blue Keval was a hardy, versatile and sometimes enigmatic chaser. He raced with great success, mixing flat and hurdle racing at the same time. He won an impressive 1205 pounds in stakes and was actually sold to race on for 100 pounds when five years old. This multiple top-grade winner owned victories over great sprinters such as Red Gilda, Master Marcola and King Harryed. He made a Sprint Championship of Tasmania Final and was 3rd in a Thousand Consolation Final. One of their greatest hurdlers as well, he won off savage handicaps and boasted wins over the grand jumper Sir Newton.
His brother Valley Bug was similarly all class at both capers, winning 9 flat races and a remarkable 18 hurdles. He won a Heat and Semi of the 1955 Maiden Thousand and was a Hobart Thousand heat winner. A year later he followed a Thousand Heat 3rd with A Consolation Heat win, Semi-Final 2nd , culminating in a Consolation Final 2nd to Viv Beresford’s mighty bitch Moomba Queen. Valley Bug was an amazing hurdler and posted an 18 length T.C.A. first, followed by a 30 length White City win. He not only won off 5/10ths behind scratch but was Hobart’s second leading dog for 1957-58 with 8 wins and 11 placings at the T.C.A. for 431 pounds earned.
Their sister Terry’s Queen was highly accomplished also. A slow beginner like her mum, she was extremely hardy and a powerful finisher. Terry’s Queen ran 5th in My Cheetah’s 1954 Launceston Cup Final, after winning both her Heat and Semi. She was a Hobart Thousand Heat winner and scored over 685 yards as well, on her way to accumulating 327 pounds in stakes.
In the early 1950’s they won plenty of races with the smart Black Colleen, and handy types Huon Star, Huon Princess and Huon Gossip. But Mad Century was particularly special. Purchased from the Rosevear Brothers, this blue blood was by the highly vaunted Irish import Whitechurch Boy from their foundation brood bitch and champion racer Lady Percyton. He won the Puppy Championship of Tasmania from box 6 in 1953, made it to 4th in a Thousand Semi in 1953 and again won his Hobart Thousand Heat in 1954. Particularly adept at the T.C.A. he still made it to the Launceston Cup Semis in 1954 as well. In fact, Pearl was equal third leading trainer in Hobart for 1953-54 with mainly this bloke and the exciting hurdler Marksman’s Gold.
Testament of just how tough the great dogs of this era were, Marksman’s Gold not only won off 1/9th, 2/9ths, 3/9ths and 4/9ths handicap, but twice giving starts of 5/9ths. Some effort that! Mad Gossip, a Semi runner-up to 1956 Maiden Thousand winner Lord Rectify, subsequently became a prolific T.C.A. winner. Despite their modest numbers at any one time, Brian and Pearl were amid the top owners and trainers at Hobart’s annual awards from the late forties to the end of the fifties.
The 1960’s saw a consistent stream of Griggs winners, including Top Tide, the fast finisher Tru Keval, Our Satellite, and dual sprinter-hurdler False Pride. But it was the mighty jumping bitch Moonlight Bay that stood above the rest. Her outstanding deeds in Hobart saw her win 7 on end at one stage. The 7th one was off 5/10ths behind scratch, and the Hall of Famer Valiant Spirit was 3rd.
Between 1969 and 1976, Brian and Pearl had four outstanding chasers, that rivalled their brilliant cluster of stars of the early fifties. Berry Cream, a blueblood from the magnificent Old Berry Hermes – Aunt Anne litter, was a 32-time winner, and in the most elite company. He won his Heat and Semi of champion Victorian Plunder Road’s 1970 Hobart Thousand. He took out the Heat and Final of a Nelson Cup at White City, with another Hobart Thousand winner Trion Scout in 2nd. Berry Cream won a Devonport Cup Heat and a Gold Cup Heat before 2nd in a Semi. He scored in a Launceston Cup Heat, before 3rd to star bitch Jan Remie in the Semi. As well he won a Heat, Semi and Final win of the Devonport Trial Championship. He was 2nd in a Heat and 4th in a Semi of the Tasmanian Distance Championship, behind Australia’s champion stayer Sargood from Victoria. He rounded his great record with a Ken Thompson Cup Heat and Final and ran 1st in a Heat and 2nd in a Final of the Mick Sturges Memorial.
Nippy Charm was another regally bred chaser by Chariot Charm from star brood bitch Miss Moorleah. A 16-time winner, this light brindle bitch won her Heat ad Final of the 1969 Nelson Cup, before winning her Heat again in 1970, and a Final 3rd to kennelmate Berry Cream. After scoring in her Heat and Semi of the 1970 Launceston Cup, she was unplaced in Jankers Star’s stellar Final.
Rockin Gold was bought as a pup from Hall of Famers George and Eilleen Johnson, by famous import Newmore King, from their greatest bitch Fenton Girl. A 20-time winner, Rockin Gold also competed with aplomb at the highest level. She was a Heat winner and Semi Final 3rd in a Devonport Cup; she beat Hobart Thousand winner Beaut Dina in her 1976 Gold Cup Semi, before missing the money in Always Late’s Final, and won the 7HO Christmas Stakes among her many top-grade victories at the T.C.A.
Rounding out the classy quartet was No Concern, bred from Roy Nunn’s powerful stayer Truth Finder by champion Sydney sire Travel Rev. She scored upwards of 33 victories over all distances, and was equally adept on all tracks, recording 29.5 at the T.C.A. and 30.25 at White City.
Brian Griggs died at the Royal Hobart Hospital from kidney disease 29 May 1981. In his July 1981 National Greyhound News tribute, Rod Marsh wrote “ Brian and his wife Pearl were considered by many, as the nicest people in Tasmania’s greyhound industry”. Pearl continued with all things greyhound, but in ever declining numbers for obvious reasons. She was a lamp lighter in many ways for our sport, especially encouraging participation and respect for the role of women. Pearl was the first to front the chief Hobart Steward in the 1950’s at a time women were not allowed to handle dogs at the track. She pitched her strong thoughts on how they did it as well as the men away from the track, and thankfully she made a breakthrough for women handling at the track. Similarly, those under eighteen years old couldn’t attend race meetings. As a family sport this seemed senseless to Pearl, and eventually the efforts of her and others saw this folly changed.
By the time racing moved from Pearl’s beloved T.C.A. to the Royal Showgrounds, she was virtually regarded as racing royalty herself. It’s little wonder that Pearl was a Life Member of the H.G.R.C. by 1993. Pearl Griggs died on 21 March 2006, fifteen years to the day, after her last runner, a bitch named Country Crisis raced at Hobart in 1991.
Brian and Pearl Griggs achieved so much in greyhound racing, and in no small way their legacy flows on today. Daughter Gayelene and husband Allen Townsend have similarly had a lifetime involvement with training and breeding. Their great chaser Top Thunder beat Black Tuesday and Social Dancer in winning the Puppy Championship of Tasmania in 1967. Many other smart chasers like Queen’s Doll, top hurdler Sneakin’ Around, Hi There Thunder, Tea Tree Bandit and That Was Then have flown the flag high. Gayelene has served on the H.G.R.C. Committee whilst Allen has been the principal hare driver in Hobart for many years. Both are Life Members of the H.G.R.C. Their daughter Tracey held the H.G.R.C. Office together for many years at the Showgrounds, whilst her sister Michelle is a major component of the glue that holds us together now. Both Michelle’s husband Mick Collis, and their sons, Adam and Jye play major roles with their grandparents’ dogs and around the Club itself.
In greyhound terminology, it would be fair to say the Griggs line “ has really thrown on”. Most fittingly, Brian and Pearl Griggs now enter the Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame.
By Greg Fahey