Rick Geary & Son

Macclesfield

1 st North West Classic Club Picauville 2005

by Les.J.Parkinson

Rick Geary & Son

Fanciers come and go in a sport that has many up and downs that is the case with Rick & Simon Geary who raced pigeons but then left to return again in 1997. What made them return, well like most fanciers, they have had a go, packed up for their own reasons and found that they have missed the pigeons. It is surprising how many have left the sport and soon miss their pigeons, I know of one now who would love to get back if the circumstances allowed.

1st North West Classic Club Picauville for Rick Geary & Son

There preferred racing system is the traditional widowhood, they have successfully tried some hens but find that racing the cocks fits in better with their work. The pigeons are exercised for one hour both morning and evening and during this time they are cleaned out. Even though they do their daily exercise with ease the pigeons are also trained twice each week at 25mls, weather permitting. A close eye is kept on the pigeons around home and if they are not exercising properly and looking sharp they are trained on the Friday, day of basketing. When they come in from exercise they are fed half an ounce in the morning and one and a quarter ounces at night. They feed the Vanrobaeys heavy & light plus the addition of a small amount of seed and peanuts, there is a further addition of wheat germ oil on the corn. Multivits are added to the water and Rhonefreid combocoxi is given twice each month. The only other thing that they do with the pigeons in this area is to vaccinate them as per RPRA. The 10prs of stock birds are paired up in January with racers left until February when they rear one youngster.

The stock birds consist of the Soontjens from Trevor Brimacon from the North East plus the Frans Van Windersmeerch stock from Frank Faulkner. At the present moment they are trying some from Brian Holland and Jack Cotrill but do emphasise that any new blood has to be thoroughly tested and has to win before going into the breeding programme. All birds have to achieve to stay in the loft, in 2003 they brought in 6 with there is one left winning 1 st 2 nd and 6 th fed Messac. They had four to try in 2004 with 2 being left, one won the fed Gold Ring £100, won 1 st Picauville 6 th fed £80 with not many left at the end of the season. In 2005 we started with 25 of which we have 11 left, 7 have won more than a 1 st with "Shy Boy" winning 14 x 1sts plus £2500 prize money. Another has won up to 4 x 1sts including 1 st North West Classic and a total of £1000 plus other cards. The a Wildy cock "03" 4 x 1sts and fed cards and again £1000. Then still with yet another of the Wildy cocks a winner of 4 x 1sts and £500. These are examples of how they are trying to keep the standard high in the loft and therefore able to keep competitive. Breeding and racing is very keen and this is what keeps their loft winning in the best of competition and why there are not always full boxes by the end of the season, they have to work hard and win. There are usually between 40/50 ybs reared and in 04 they tried the darkness for the first time winning 6 x 1sts plus some good results in the MCC. The youngsters are trained everyday weather permitting and to make sure they can cope they are fed well and are rested on the Sunday. Their view is that good healthy educated youngsters will win and shine again as old birds.

Shy Boy heavy in moult

In the Macclesfield club [about (3000 payout) we have been highest prizewinners for the last 3 seasons, there is an A & B league system which pays two lots of prize money. If you acquire points for the season then you stay in the A league but it you don't then you can win prizes in the B league. They have also won good fed positions and opens plus MCC results. The Northern Counties is one of the strongest in the Staffordshire Moorlands Fed averages winning on average about 10 x 1sts in a season.

Widowhood loft

Rick was saying that you need good members in your clubs to enjoy racing and you do need to have Chiefs and Indians in clubs to make them work well. Rick's final comments are "Thank you to all the members for always having a good laugh. Feds need to talk to each other more about weather conditions for the old and young bird racing and join together for at least some of the races. My advice is listen and be patient, look with the eyes and remember the old saying that cleanliness is next to Godliness. If you are a new starter or not winning buy some late breds off a top winning fancier in your area, you are not a threat to them and we all need to help new starters to achieve otherwise they leave the sport. We need those who have left the sport and now retired to come back, if their wife will let them, if we encourage them we may get a few. Enjoy your racing. Rick Geary & Son"

Hens Loft

Rick & Dave outside the widowhood loft

Inside the young bird loft