About UsSteve Gray and Doreen Smillie

Welcome to Oakberrow - the home of husband and wife team Doreen Smillie-Gray and Steve Gray together with a prize winning flock of pedigree Ryeland Sheep, Coloured Ryelands, Greyface Dartmoors and Texel Sheep who are all kept company with our dogs – German Shorthaired Pointers, Hungarian Wirehaired Vizslas and Labradors.  Contact either my e-mail dsg.oakberrow@gmail.com or phone 01531 640102.

Our CV – well Steve has worked with livestock since a young lad.  Up early in the mornings and off to Donnington Court who had the pedigree herd of Donnington Herefords helping with the animals learning from the Head person all there was to know about keeping cattle.  Not only the modern methods but many of the old fashioned.  Steve has had the opportunity to work with many of the top Stockmen in the country. 

Steve has worked with the top herds for Herefords and Longhorn cattle advising the owners, preparing them for the show ring and also winning many Championships including the Royal Show some 6 times. 

During his career he has been Farm manager and Head Stockmen and has since decided to be freelance and passing his expertise onto others.

Me, Doreen, my father was a farmer and I was fortunate enough to learn from him.  Steve was Head stockman at the farm my father managed where we first met. 

My interest is in the sheep and the dogs.  I have owned GSPs for over 30 years and my show dogs are the same dogs that are out working in the shooting field.  I have had considerable success in the show ring and at Crufts.  Also bred Show Champions.  The HWVs are great, owned them since 2000 and find them really easy and a joy to work.  The Labradors also play a big part in my life.  

The Ryelands I have owned for over 15 years and they are great fun , easy to manage an d fit in with our lifestyle and also put up with the dogs running around them.

Steve and I feel that we have a lot to give back and as such we are available to give advice to, guidance in both looking after livestock but also in the dog training world.

STEVE GRAY

Freelance Stockman and Agricultural Contractor.  Worked with livestock all his life and been involved with breeding and showing pedigree Herefords and Longhorns and more recently Ryeland sheep.

Judges Panel

• Rare Breeds Survival Trust

• Longhorn Cattle Society (has judged at the Royal Norfolk and the Royal Welsh)

• Ryeland Sheep

DOREEN SMILLIE

Ryeland Sheep

• 2012 President of the Ryeland Flock Book Society

• Serves on Council of the Ryeland Flock Book Society

• Chairman of the Judges Panel

• Judging Ryelands at the Royal Welsh Show 2012

Also judges other breeds and have judged the Inter Breed Rare Breed Sheep Championships at the Royal Bath and West Show.

Dogs

• Championship Show Judge and award Challenge Certificates in six breeds – German Shorthaired Pointers, German Wirehaired Pointers, Hungarian Wirehaired Vizslas, Italian Spinones, Large Munsterlanders and Pointers.

• In 2006 judged German Wirehaired Pointers at Crufts.

• Chairman of Mid Western Gundog Society

• Chairman of Worcester and Malvern Canine Society

• Committee member for Hereford Ringcraft

• Committee member for Bosbury Village Hall

Even although I do enjoy showing my dogs, I also love working them and delighted in 2004 when my team of GSPs won the Pickers-Up Class at Crufts – a first for the Breed and myself!  The following year my great friend Chris Guest and I entered a team of Hungarian Wirehaired Vizslas and they were third, again a first for this breed.   To date these are the only times they have been made.