THE LATE COLIN BROUGH
OF CONGLETON
talking to Les Parkinson
My family of pigeons was originally established in 1901 by my grand father Paul Brough with stock from his very good friend James Moss founder of the fanciers Moss strain this same family has been housed here continually since that time without any break what so ever. My first invitation into the sport was at the tender age of 8 helping my grandfather Paul Brough to ring the squabs and laid claim to one that was not wanted for ringing. Eventually after a lot of pleading to keep it I rung the young bird myself and this bird won nine first prizes and was mainly responsible for winning the Sentinel Cup. This is probably the most difficult trophy in Britain to win competing against an average of several thousand birds each week in the strong North Staffs Fed. What a pigeon to own for starters. Apart from many wins in many organisations my grandfathers greatest achievement was winning 1st open National Flying Club 1912 from Bordeaux and the Moss breed including “Broughs Dax Cock” can be seen in FW Marriott’s pedigrees for Triumph and Repetition and the 1st sec 15th open NFC San Sebastian for J Clarke of Windermere was bred by my grand father. Also in close contact was the legendary Joe Cheetham and birds from the best in our respective lofts were regularly exchanged. After the death of my father I took over this great team in 1956 and success continued and still does to the present day. Old established families such as Galway’s Delmottes, Parsons Silver King strain Barkers, Lamottes and Dardenne were introduced over the years and anything not coming up to scratch was without hesitation culled and any bird containing such blood was also eliminated. I am a firm believer in keeping the strain together by inbreeding making sure not to go to close to often, favourite mating are half brother and sister and god parents to god children. Like any honest fancier I admit to having made mistakes along the line but this is the way to learn. My lofts are situated on a hillside overlooking the Cheshire Plains and in spite of it being bitterly cold on Congleton Edge in winter my lofts are well ventilated and unless it is either raining or snowing heavens hard I never put covers over the dowels or louvers. Flying only on the natural system there is not the same need to keeps the lofts at an even temp. About 30 pairs are housed in the racing loft and the very valuable stock birds are in a stone building some 20 yards away. I generally pair up in early mid March because I am only interested in the channel events, having very limited time to concentrate on the short events even so with some success. In the past few seasons alone my birds have more than held there own in National events following on such good performances of 2nd sec 47th open Nantes 5418 birds in 1996 8th sec 1968 birds 6th and 39th sec 1972 8th 65th 110th sec 30th 216th 374th open 1975 with 10311 birds competing. In fact I have only failed to score in the sec NFC on 4 occasions in the last 20 years. In 1980 I was 14th and 56th sec. 35th 196th open 12166 entries 1981. 57th sec 317th open 8976 birds, 1982 7th 17th 48th sec and from Penzance 1983 7th 11th 16th 17th 21st 25th 66th sec. My birds have also performed well in other competitions including 18th sec Nantes Mid Nat 5th sec 20th open Mid Nantes Carteret 34th41st sec Nantes Mid National 5th sec 71st open Mid Nat Angouleme 24th sec 69th open Mid Nat Picauville 21st sec 115th open Penzance 16th sec 53rd open Mid Nat Penzance. I have also been 2nd Nantes and 3red Penzance in Cheshire the 2-bird club 3rd open Great Northern {only 3 on day}. Probably the outstanding birds in my loft at the present time are the good blue cock 82688, 6th sec NFC Nantes 8th sec 30th open NFC Nantes 10311 birds 3rd open Great Northern with many minor positions my good Dark Chequer hen 70491 flew y/b National as a youngster with consistency after including 14th sec 35th open NFC Nantes 12166 birds 7th sec NFC Nantes 1753 birds and a blue hen 82165 2nd Nantes {beaten by a decimal} Cheshire 2B club and 7th sec NFC Penzance 1983. One of proudest moments occurred in 1978 when I was invited to be a member of the renowned Lancashire Social Circle and although somewhat off the line of flight with the convoying organisation being the S Lancs Combine my birds have flown with distinction. My best performance being in 1982 with 1st Rennes and 1st Niort with 2 sister hens winning the F H Parsonage Memorial award. Another very proud occasion was after winning 1st Saintes North Staffs fed, 1st open and 1st championship and a good season all round. I was very pleased in 1965 to be asked by the Racing Pigeon to write an article for the 1966 Squills yearbook an honour with which I was to comply. I consider the biggest mistake many fanciers make is over feeding and over training and racing before asking the bird for a good performance at the distance. I endeavoured to treat all birds as individuals hand feeding with a normal corn mix favouring beans as we approach the channel races and I always complete the day with a tit bit. I am even conscious of changes in the climate and never hesitate to increase or decrease any particular part of the mix as the weather allows individual feeding. Keen observations are essential in selection of candidates for particular races. Apart from physical fitness birds should have the right mental attitude if they are going to be at the top of the prize list. Young birds are raced hard at least to the coast 180 miles plus and each year a team of 6-8 are sent to the Y/B National. These are then treated very lightly as yearling to ensure a good moult that year which is most important in a pigeon’s life. Youngsters so treated invariably made excellent National candidates in later life. Once racing has started I like to give them a 20-mile toss mid week and providing they are all exercising well around the loft this is considered sufficient. I am not an eye sign expert but I do like and appreciate quality in the eye with emphasis on the iris. My birds throw a procession of such pearl eyes, which in my opinion is an asset in maintaining quality and balance in the eyes of my family. I only have a limited knowledge of eye sign but it certainly cannot be ignored. I have never seen a top class bird with a second-class eye. My advice to any novice is firstly to make up their mind what they want from the sport, short sprint type racing or the thrill of timing in a good one in a Continental race. Having the decided then to select and establish a family and give it time to settle down to a new environment and your way of management be careful when putting in a cross ensure a good moult. Be dedicated, observe and master the art of feeding learn all you can from successful fanciers and success can almost be guaranteed never over breed for the races. I do not rear late breds there is no need for them and they do require special treatment if intended for racing probably OK for stock but in principal but they are not entertained. I don’t use deep litter even in the stock loft cleaning out daily if time permits, I believe only deep litter only encourages the parasites of the pigeon no matter how clean and dry it may be. In selecting birds for stock pedigree is the first essential for maintaining a family providing the candidate is built right and has a good quality eye. A bird that is too shallow or narrow has a very short life in my loft. As readers will appreciate this family being established so long ago, from time to time needs an injection and over the last 4 or 5 years I have had the best possible from Percy Gallimore of Ashbourne, the now deceased Frank Rushton and my good friend W A Gough of Lymm. Three very good stables to find something that will work with and eventually cross with my family but it will remain a process of elimination until the object is achieved. To sum up I consider feeding the most important when to increase or decrease protein and carbohydrate as the climate condition changes wind and temperatures the balance must be right. Also through feeding you get that affinity between fancier and the birds which is a must a tit bit instead of the training basket does a lot more good at times and never ever over feed. The moult is equally important but again we come back to feeding I use a lot of seed linseed, hemp, rape, during the moult but very little during racing. Milo and split maize with a little cod liver oil during the moult. I use dogtooth maize during racing as a tit bit I have a mixture of groats and pinhead oatmeal cooked in the oven with cod liver oil and malt mixed with a little hemp.
