Keith Mott writes about winning fanciers past & present

L.& S.E.C.C. FORUM

DOUG GATLAND

OF MERTSHAM

By the end of that summer, Doug had enjoyed an excellent 1995 season, winning several 1sts in the very strong Reigate Columbarian, twice 1st Surrey Federation, 4th Open SMT Combine Rennes and 4th Open London & South East Classic Club Pau.

The 1994 season was also a brilliant one for Doug winning many major prizes including 1st Section, 1st Open London & South East Classic Club Pau. The Pau winner was the Widowhood blue chequer cock '33' and he flew the 546 miles on the day, being clocked in 13 hours 41 minutes and won the Classic Club by 62 ypm. A  great performance! This great cock was of 'Champion Major' and Cattrysse bloodlines and had bred winners at his first year at stock. Doug said '33' got lost several times as a young bird, but as he got older he matured into an ace Channel racer, winning 1994: 1st Open L&SE Classic Club Pau; 1993: 1st Club, 16th Federation, 55th SMT Combine (6,976 birds) Nantes; 1992: 2nd Club, 12th Federation, 71st SMT Combine (3,829 birds) Poitiers; 3rd Club, 18th Federation, 76th SMT Combine (3,262 birds) Bergerac (443 miles) on the day.

Doug has kept pigeons for over 20 years, since the age of eleven and started up as a second hobby to competitive swimming, as a means of relaxation. Doug swum for the England team all over the world and was made captain in the 1990 season. His first birds were exhibition fantails, but he became bored with them and obtained his first racers in 1982 as latebreds. His first racing birds were gifts from Joe Humphrey of Redhill and Doug spent many Saturdays in Joe's garden, awaiting his race birds and gaining an introduction to the sport. His first loft was a shed converted by his father, from knowledge gained by reading library books. At the time of starting up in pigeon racing, he was actively involved in his career as a competitive swimmer. He reached International status in 1987 and represented England and Great Britain until his retirement in 1990.

His first club was the Reigate Columbarian Society and he won his first race from Exeter in 1986 with a blue chequer cock of Busschaert and Delbar bloodlines. Several fanciers have given help and advice to Doug since his start, in particular Mr & Mrs Stan Witts of Whitchurch in Hampshire who provided him with the parents of '33', his L&SE Classic Club Pau winner. Two other fanciers who helped Doug were Dennis Leach and Stewart Donaldson, both local fanciers who have since moved away. Doug also exchanges pigeons annually with his good friend Duncan Harvey of St Pouryan in Cornwall. Doug's first loft is still used today for the young birds and his main racing loft is 12ft x 6ft with two sections, one for inland Widowhood cocks and one for Channel Widowhood cocks. It is of pent roof design with plenty of ventilation under the eaves and trapping through open doors. Each section holds eight Widowhood cocks and the two teams of cocks are paired up a month apart. Doug has a third 12ft x 5ft loft which houses his stock birds and a few Natural racers. He said the most important factors of good loft design are dryness, good ventilation and never overcrowd.

Stock birds are paired on December 18th. with the first round discarded and the birds then separated. They are repaired 90 days prior to the first race with the widowers and the stock birds eggs moved under the race team. Doug prefers single­reared youngsters whenever possible. Doug's main system is Widowhood for both inland and Channel racing. He finds it gives him the edge over his competitors by maintaining form over long periods and allowing the birds to rest and recover from racing during the course of each week. He said, "I do not feel that there is any clear cut rule about how the Widowhood System should be flown, only that you must maintain a careful routine and stick to it all season. If the routine is right, form will come”. Doug's is a simple Widowhood system which suits his current lifestyle.

The pigeons are paired up around 90 days prior to the first race, this is very important to ensure that birds are ready to commence racing on Widowhood from day one of the programme. They all single rear a baby each and at about 15 days the hens are removed and the cocks continue to rear the youngsters. The babies are weaned at 28 days and the cocks are given five days rest to recover. They are then repaired and allowed to sit until one week prior to racing, when all hens and nests are removed and Widowhood commences. Pre-season training commences upon repairing the cocks for their second round and usually consists of about ten tosses from between 10 and 40 miles. Once on Widowhood cocks are exercised at home one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening with no other training.

A conventional feeding method is used where the cocks are broken down at the start of the week and built up towards the end of the week. At the start of the season the cocks race every week up to Plymouth (185 miles) and this is usually about four races. The Channel racers are then stopped and raced every fortnight across from France. Doug believes it is essential to separate inland Widowhood cocks and Channel widowers to allow them to be prepared for their main races. Doug has certainly cracked the Widowhood System, his cocks win the Federation from Weymouth (110 miles) through to the Classic Pau (546 miles).

Having said that, he won 1st Club, 4th Surrey Federation, 4th Open SMT Combine (6,919 birds) Rennes in 1995 with a Natural hen. She was his red pied Westcott/Jan Aarden hen '50' and this cracking looking pigeon was sent to Rennes sitting six eggs due to hatch off. Doug was also 4th Open London & South East Classic Club Pau in 1995, clocking his blue Clerebaut/Coudou Widowhood cock '34' on the day, after nearly 131/2 hours on the wing. This game cock previously won 2nd Club, 4th Surrey Federation Weymouth and 3rd Club Bergerac (450 miles).

Doug is currently working in purchasing for a major pharmaceutical company and is a qualified biologist. He said the Widowhood System fits in well with the high pressure of his work.

He has Janssens for the inland races and 'Champion Major', Westcott and Jan Aarden for the long distance events. The plan is to create a family of his own pigeons capable of winning through to 700 miles. He maintained his most thrilling experience in pigeons was timing in on the day from Pau and said there is nothing to top it. His parents and wife, Amanda, take a background interest in the pigeons and are always willing to help with the birds if he is away or unable to attend to them. Diet in racing pigeons is of upmost importance and when you master it success follows quickly.

Doug enjoys showing his birds at club level and likes to do the odd bit of judging from time to time. The moult is the most important time of the year, the food must be high in protein to build the new feathers, and the pigeons should rest and be stress free. Doug isn't into deep litter and scrapes the lofts out regularly, but likes straw on the floor of the young bird loft when weaning.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT