Keith Mott’s The Champions of Yesteryear (Part 82) 

MICK PILCHER

OF BIGGIN HILL

To say Mick Pilcher of Biggin Hill had a great season in 1986 would be an understatement. He started on the right foot by winning the first old bird race from Blandford, then went on to win 1st club, 1st Federation, 3rd London & South Coast Combine Le Mans (1) 3,181 birds; 2nd club Le Mans (2); 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th club, 11th London & South Coast Combine Niort; 1st club Bergerac; 1st South East Specialist Club Le Mans (1); 1st South East Specialist Club Le Mans (2); and 2nd South East Specialist Club Niort. Mick raced his pigeons in the Biggin Hill club and lifted the Old Bird Average, Channel Average, Le Mans Average, lowest winning velocity trophy and knock out cup in 1986. He also recorded the first bird into Kent in the 1986 Nantes National taking 31st Open.

Although the Busschaerts are normally renowned as an outstanding Widowhood sprint strain Mick raced them with great success the Natural way over the Channel up to Bergerac, 450 miles. Mike said his Busschaerts had flown Pau, 550 miles but was then trying a few Janssens and Van Bruaenes. He had his own plastering and building business and had no interest in sprint racing because of the limited time he had for his birds. The Pilcher pigeons were housed in a fantastic £3,000, 36ft Petron loft, which Mick purchased in 1984. The loft had five sections and a corn store, with the birds being trapped through open doors into a corridor which ran the length of the building. Although the loft had a section set up for Widowhood, Mick tried the system but couldn't get on with it, so only raced naturally. He said he had no pet theories regarding racing his birds and maintained his management was pretty basic.

He paired his 12 pairs of stock birds and 14 pairs of racers the second weekend in February and bred about 50 youngsters every year. The star bird for the 1986 season was the two year old Busschaert blue chequer cock 'Dougal' which won 1st club Bergerac; 1st club, 11th London & South Coast Combine Niort; 6th club Nantes. With his blue hen 'Katie' in 1986 he won 1st club, 1st Fed, 3rd London & South Coast Combine Le Mans 3,181 birds; 2nd club Seaton; 1st South East Specialist Club Le Mans. Mick's first bird into Kent in the 1986 Nantes National was the three year old Busschaert blue chequer cock 'Tango'. He had been an outstanding racer North and South Road winning 1st club Wetherby 1984; 2nd South East Specialist Club Niort, 31st Open Nantes N.F.C. in 1986.

Mick started in the sport in 1978. Mr Tomlinson of Hayes helped him on starting out and some of his early stock was obtained from this Middlesex fancier. His first club was the Orpington F.C. and he broke his novice status in his first season from Blandford. His first loft was a 12ft Kidby loft which housed a mixture of birds which didn't race too well. Fanciers who have helped with his progress in the sport are Ron Wasey, T. Fearn and George Gauntlett. The 1982 season saw Mick send 23 birds to Bergerac, recording 20 on the day and taking the first five positions in the club. The winner was one of Mick's all-time best birds 'Marilyn's Choice', a blue chequer hen which recorded 1st club, 2nd Federation, 3rd Combine 4,646 birds that day. In 1984 he won 1st club Le Mans (8th & 14th Combine), 1st club Bergerac and 1st club Wadebridge, the longest young bird race.

The birds were fed on the best corn available in the form of a mixture of Beans, Peas and Maize, with the birds being trapped on Red Band. Young and old birds alike were trained hard for two weeks before the first Federation race, but once racing started training was stopped and the birds were flagged for an hour every day. Old birds were trained to the coast and youngsters to Hindhead, about a 50 miles fly. Mick's wife, Marilyn was keen on the pigeons and she exercised the birds around the loft and had also timed winners for Mick. He said correct feeding was one of the main factors behind success and liked his birds sitting ten day old eggs for Channel races. The loft was scraped out every day as Mick was strongly against any kind of deep litter. Mick owned a Dordin cock bred by Ron Wasey of New Addington which he called 'The Wasey Cock' which had won 1st club Wadebridge and 1st club Weymouth. Two more of Mick's consistent racers were 'Minstrel' and 'Little Red', both had scored through to Bergerac and both were Busschaerts. He was very strict when selecting stock birds and maintained they must be apple-bodied, medium in size, have a good eye and a good curtain in their throat. The good eye was only part of the make-up, but he said it is important to pair opposite eyes together. He was quite interested in eyesign but maintained it is not the complete answer.

He said compulsory vaccination would be a benefit to the sport and thought fanciers should only pay one subscription to the R.P.R.A. He rated T. & G. Rye of Swanley the best Widowhood fliers and John Lane of Bromley the best Natural distance flier in the area. Mick rarely bred late breds, but sometimes did so for stock or for a friend. He thought the most important factor behind success with racing pigeons is patience.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT

10/12/07