Dr. Christopher & Mrs. Danelle Gatcombe
Windward German Shorthaired Pointers traces its roots to the early 1970s, when Danelle, influenced by her Aunt Charlene’s passion for showing and breeding Scottish Terriers, showed her family’s Doberman Pinscher before moving to German Shorthaired Pointers in 1987. That year, after significant research, she got her first “real” show dog, Roscoe (CH. Von Pooh’s Bold Marauder) from Dr. Charles and Nancy Baldwin of Von Pooh GSPs in Lebanon CT, who proved to be wonderful friends and mentors. Danelle showed Roscoe to his championship in 1989 and he was the number 26 German Shorthaired Pointer that year; during the course of his career as both a class dog and special, he defeated most of the top dogs of his day, including two GSPCA NSS winners. Roscoe, a strong, charismatic son of the great Am/Can CH Weinland’s Matinee Idol, lived to be well over fifteen and remains dearly missed two decades on.
In 1997, we purchased a puppy from Minado GSPs in California, one of the six influential dogs from the “golden cross” of CH Lieblinghaus Chief Executive, JH x CH Minado’s I-M Precious Crystal. “Chief” was out in California that year and won the GSPCA National Specialty and while there, had been bred to Crystal, who had already proven herself as an incredible producer as she had also produced the matchless CH Minado’s Parade Drum Major (“Toby”), one of the most influential dogs of the last thirty years. There were six puppies in the Chief x Crystal litter, and four would go on to finish their championships: one (CH. Minado’s Awesome Ozzie) was exported to Japan where he was a group winner and had his own servant; another (Am CH/Aust GCH/MBIS/NSS Minado’s American Express) after winning his class at the 1998 GSPCA NSS in Carlisle, PA under judge Paula Nykiel, was exported to Australia where he became the #1 GSP of all time in that country until being knocked off that particular pedestal years later by his own grandson, and founded a dynasty (more about him in a bit); the lovely bitch, CH Minado’s Adamant Addie, was retained by Inge Clody (and became the dam of our beloved Marcus), another, CH Minado’s Jax Or Better also finished, and of the remaining two bitches, neither of whom cared much for the show ring, Minado’s Chief Liesl JH picked up a hunting title and the final girl, Minado’s Wild Poppy, came out here to us in Massachusetts. Though Poppy was never bred, she was a wonderful puppy-teacher and in her own way, as much a foundation bitch as our beloved Tansy in that having her for over fifteen years cemented our love for the Minado/Lieblinghaus “look,” which we have sought to maintain in our own breeding program.
In 2005, we purchased yet another puppy from Inge Clody and Leanne Farrell of Minado GSPs out in California; he would go on to become our beloved CH. Minado’s On The Marc, CGC, and sire of our first litter. Over the ensuing years came Olde Ridge Hollyhocks on Bunker Hill (Holly, 2009-2021) and our great foundation bitch, CH. Legacyk Purple Tansy, who produced two litters for us and five champions to date; one more title, and she will have earned her ROM. Sadly, 2021 claimed both Tansy and Holly, but Tansy lives on in her children and grandchildren.
We are a small hobby-breeder, focusing on quality not quantity, and despite three and a half decades in the breed, we have only bred three litters. You can read more about our dogs, and these litters, here. We hope you enjoy your tour around our virtual “kennel!”