Keith Mott's The Champions of Yesteryear (Part 52)

ERIC & JAMIE TATE OF CHERTSEY

The father and son partnership of Eric & Jamie Tate of Chertsey had only been in the sport since 1985, but have chalked up many major positions in the Federation, Combine and National. At club level they had won an amazing forty six 1sts, forty eight 2nds, forty five 3rds and thirty seven 4ths since 1985 racing in the very strong Sunningdale RPC (Three Borders Federation).

In 1984 Eric caught the pigeon bug when he purchased two pet birds for his daughter Kellie, and in turn he got interested. His first pigeons he had to race were purchased from the pigeon shop in Chertsey, then run by Roy Bishop, plus a late bred from local fancier Paul Johnson. The Johnson pigeon was still in the loft on my visit, racing very well, and in fact it won the last old bird race inland in 1988. The main pigeons he had at the start were Secretins from Eric Higgenbottom of Sandhurst and Marshall, Evans & Allan of Bristol. Eric said these pigeons won for him in 1985 as young birds and were still winning in 1988.

Eric was introduced to Eric Higgenbottom by his workmate Alfie Taylor of Frimley, who was a great help to Eric on starting up in pigeon racing. In 1985 the Tates raced two old birds, the Johnson late bred and an old broken in hen and started properly with a full team of young birds that year, when they lost their novice status. In the early days he got a lot of encouragement from local ace Fred Elliott, who Eric regarded as the best fancier in the area.

His first loft was a second hand wire fronted Natural loft and said his main mistake in those early days was over-feeding. Eric still regarded himself as a novice and said he still made plenty of mistakes at that time..

Some of the partner's best positions were: 1st Sect, 6th Open Guernsey (8,500 birds) N.F.C., 10th Sect, 17th Open Rennes (6,250 birds) N.F.C., 11th Open Rennes B.C.C., 7th Open Nantes B.B.C., 5th Open Combine (3,717 birds) Weymouth, 4th Open Combine (3,929 birds) Rennes, 1st Hersham Open Weymouth, 8th Open Combine (3,943 birds) Plymouth and several times 1st Federation. Eric said his biggest thrill was in 1988 when he sent one bird to the very hard B.B.C. young bird Rennes race to record 9th Sect G, 11th Open from 840 birds and lifting £164.

The Tates have several very neat lofts which are self-built and closed in with Sputnik traps. Eric says the main features are dryness and contentment for the inmates. Up to 1988 the partners kept ten pairs of stock birds, 16 pairs of racers and bred about 50 youngsters each year. The winter of 1988 saw 25 pairs of stock birds introduced, mostly Janssens from Louella Pigeon World and Alec Martin of Godalming. The stock birds are housed in a new loft with open wire flights and when I visited the Tate's home in mid January they had 25 pairs of youngsters in the nest almost ready for weaning.

All the old birds, stock and racers, were paired up at the end of December. Widowhood was the main system raced, although they did practice some Natural racing, having recorded some excellent performances with hens. Jamie said in 1989 they were trying the Roundabout system so as to get the best of hens and cocks.

Eric took over the Chertsey pigeon shop from Roy Bishop (Pigeon Racing Gazette) when he moved to Plymouth, which was then his main occupation , and he supplied the local Fancy of all their needs. He said he is very lucky as the whole family were very interested in the pigeons, sometimes over enthusiastically. Many's a time while he had been out they gave the birds a bag of corn!

Probably the best racer in the loft then was the handsome Secretin blue chequer cock 'Bullet' and he had chalked up lst Club, 1st Federation, 4th Open Combine Rennes; 1st Hersham-Weymouth Open and three times lst Club Weymouth. 'Bullet' was sire of many winners including one of the loft's best 1988 youngsters' 'Young Bullet', winner of 9th Sect, 11th Open Rennes B.B.C., 89th Open Guernsey N.F.C., 1st Surrey Championship Club Guernsey; 8th Hersham Weymouth Open; 3rd Havant Guernsey Open flying Guernsey three times as a young bird. Another ace young bird in 1988 was the Janssen blue chequer cock 'Rocky' winner of 1st Club, 12th Federation Blandford.

Eric said the Secretins were good right up to 450 miles and had crossed them with the Vandenbosch / Janssen and produced some good hens for hard days. The furthest the old birds were sent was 550 miles, with selected yearlings racing to 460 miles and young birds raced the programme to 230 miles.

A good clean mixture was fed and generally Eric liked birds sitting ten day old eggs for the longer distance races. The partners worked the birds when it was needed, Jamie maintained that rest was just as important as hard work. Eric was secretary of the Chertsey midweek club and said he kept out of pigeon politics as there were too many people just looking for power, who never race pigeons themselves properly.

The loft, although racing widowhood, housed some outstanding hens, such as the four year old blue 'Blue Lady', winner of 1st Club, 1st Federation, 8th Open Combine Plymouth, and three times 1st Club Weymouth. Another star was the pied hen 'Eric's Choice' which had chalked up 1st Sect, 6th Open (8,512 birds) Guernsey N.F.C. 1st Club Weymouth; 4th Hersham Weymouth Open.

The partners didn’t consider themselves ace showmen, but have shown three times in that winter winning three firsts. Jamie said, "We enter what we think looks good and only take them staight out of the loft". The Tates were not really into eyesign, although they had won some good open eyesign shows. They maintained the main factors behind success was a happy environment and a good education for the young birds.

Eric said they had bred a few late breds and found that they made good two year old racers. They had never had a flyaway with the youngsters and once weaned got them out on the loft as soon as possible. Granules were used on the loft floors while breeding and they found this kept the loft really dry. The partners had a great crop of youngsters in 1988 and two more good un's were the pied cock 'Slatey' which Eric said was their most consistent young bird winning a considerable amount of pool money and 'Blue Boy' winner of 1st Club, 6th Federation Guernsey. Jamie said success in pigeon racing was down to good birds and dedication, you only get out what you put in.

There you have it, Eric & Jamie Tate! My phone number is: 01372 463480. See yer!

TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT.

31/1/07