As press officer of the National Clubs I had a good opportunity to talk to winners of the big races and at the same time find out how they raced in other competition. I was quite impressed when I came across Steve & Scoot who are a breath of fresh air within the sport of pigeon racing. I said sport but to these lads it is purely a hobby that they put everything in and get a great deal of satisfaction from. For anyone who has seen them at the presentations they know that they are not going to forget them. First thoughts when you see them is “Who are these fanciers” they are not the type that we normally come across. Then when you get to talk to them they are two nice fanciers who have rather different ideas on racing pigeons. Ideas that are working and not what you would expect and by the time you have finished reading this article you may have come across a new idea that you might want to try yourself.
Pollitt & Peterbridge with Flying Fortress and Dreadlock Talking With trees.
INTRODUCTION
Please introduce yourself and tell us how you got started in the sport.
We are Steve Pollitt and S. Petherbridge. Steve Pollitt: I had friends who were part of the racing pigeon scene and after thinking about it I decided I could do it. Also I was a single parent and needed a back garden hobby to help me relax away from the everyday chores around the house. Scoot Petherbridge: My first introduction to pigeons was when I was out driving and my driver’s mate asked if we could take his birds for a training toss. This was something new to me so I must say thanks to Mark Henry of Milton Keynes because then looking closer at racing pigeons and have since become hooked, that was in March 2003 and what a few good years we have had since.
With your pigeon work do you have a silent partner i.e. wife, partner or friend, if so what part do they play.
There are no silent partners at these lofts in fact when you come to think about it there are not many silent pigeon fanciers let alone silent partners as most people we know in pigeons can be passionate about their hobby.
Do you consider there to be any advantage having a racing partnership.
Yes because it is not a cheap hobby so with finance and sharing the workload and with flying in the WFC, MNFC, the BICC and the Harrow Den Fed we often wean to be in two places at the same time. Therefore with there being two of us who can work together racing pigeons does become that bit easier.
Are there any points that you disagree on and if so how do you compromise a situation where there is a different viewpoint?
We disagree on almost anything everything and that is why our partnership works. The deciding factor is normally; “I’m with the birds while you’re at work.” But joking apart we do discuss everything and use the least strange or totally insane option.
Do each of you have an area within the partnership where responsibilities take control regarding a decision?
No one person has control over any part of the racing or breeding on the system we both have our input and generally it comes together.
Give the readers the most memorable results that you have achieved flying as a partnership and flying on your own.
Personally I have yet to achieve a memorable result, Barcelona 748 miles was good, Pau 603 twice with the same bird (39th + 69th open, 3rd bird over 600 miles, 2 years racing) 3x1st Sections in two years and 2x top 20 Open Nationals but we can do better. We also came 10th Open Barcelona. (LJP. We have already seen top results that many would like to achieve in their life never more just a few years. National racing is not that easy)
Is there anything that you have not won in the sport that you would like to achieve?
Everyone who races at the highest level in pigeon arcing has their sights set on winning a National or achieving success at or near the top of the International races. An International top 100 or an Open in any National.
What organisations do you race with?
Harrowden South Road Fed (Sprint up to 12miles), the NFC, the MNFC and the BICC (internationals only). Flying under 620miles from Pau puts us at a nice disadvantage in the Central Section with the BICC.
Do you hold any official position and if so do you take an active part, if no what are your reasons.
We both believe in doing our share in the club and fed and I (Steve) am Fed Chairman and President plus being on the Fed race committee. I try to take an active part wherever possible. Scotty does as much as his work allows him and no doubt if he had more spare time he would take on other positions. At the moment he is on the basketting committee and is the club Chairman.
What are your lofts made of and how big are they.
No fancy lofts here as we use what ever we can get our hands on, we have 2 x 8 x 6 Natural Hood and 1 x 20 x 8. 16 natural hood and 8 stick pairs. (I said they are different).
Old Hens loft.
Do you attach any importance to having a tiled roof on a loft, if so are there any benefits.
None at all, as I said we use what we’ve got and make the most of it. You don’t need a tiled roof for good ventilation as long as the rain keeps out and the loft is cool, some of our roofs don’t even do that.
Do you use any form of heating system in any of your lofts. Do you think it would be advantages for the birds?
None at all, heat can create problems. We come from a totally different approach believing that birds need to be cooled in extreme heat. If the water is frozen 3 days in a row we may put the fronts on the loft.
How do you control the ventilation in your loft?
As I said earlier all the lofts have open fronts so we let air in and out and up and down and all around, we have no control just lots of air (it’s free).
Do you have any grills fitted in the floor or in the boxes, are there any advantages to using them.
No grills, no frills, can’t see any advantage at all, I think it creates a superb trap on the pigeons legs, if they have a fight and can cause damage to the feathers. Floor grills can create ammonia hinder line respo.
What families of pigeons do you keep?
White widows (over the water up to 500 miles.), purple haze (inland) and the branch (Pau 603, Tarbes 611, Barcelona 748). These area a blend of Van Reet, Kees Bosua and Limbourg lines.
Easterly or Westerly do you set any stall by the position and if so why.
In sprint racing the loft location and wind direction is everything over the water I believe it levels out slightly over 600 miles got the bird home then mention wind or loft location I don’t thinks it matters.
"Flying Fortress" 1st Wetherby, 1st scotch Corner, 1st Northallerton, 2nd Berwick, 2nd club 2nd fed Exeter, 4th Doncaster, 4th Wakefield, 1st sec NFC Cholet, 7th Sec NFC. Pollitt & Petherbridge Looking for good weather with the Pied Piper and friend.
BREEDING AND RACE PREPARATION/PLANNING
How do you go about bringing in a new family and what do you look for.
We go to auctions and buy what we can afford we look for whatever turns us on there are specifics a flyer that gets results but forget the name on the pedigree. They must have better results over the last two years than we have had otherwise we stick to what we have. If they are a better a team then we buy what we can afford.
When you bring in that new family do you think that they need time to acclimatise, if so how long.
We normally buy at Blackpool and pair up on the Monday after Blackpool weekend. As long as they are in good condition a randy cock bird would pair to broken glass if that was all he had and a good hen will show to a golf ball.
When looking for new pigeons do you look for a particular family, one for specialist races or club races or just by name.
We go to Blackpool and we visit as many auctions as possible and we buy whatever turns us on, we forget about the eye forget the name and w defiantly forget the pedigree.
Which of the two sexes do you consider is the most important when it comes to breeding?
You can’t beat a good cock (not very often you can say that in public) hens can be just as important. Look at your results from your breeding and that gives you the answer. It’s all quite simple if you look at results that’s all that matters. When you start looking at other things you can soon go wrong.
Some fanciers like big hens for breeding does the size of the hen make any difference to the quality of youngsters that she breeds in your past experience.
Size is not important to us with hens or cocks, I cant say this enough “look at your results” do not fence yourself in. If all you breed is one size or type it is fact that is the only type you win with and then you will limit your options and you do not want to do that.
When it comes to breeding do you line-breed or use a first cross or just pair winners to winners.
We pair all of the above ways and some times we pair because we are amused by the pairing sometimes just for colour, sometimes because it’s the odds and sods that are left over. You never know what might come out of any pair we never know and if we did we would all be winning and there would be no losers.
Do you think that fanciers change for the sake of changing or do you think a loft can breed a winning team out and lose track of the winners.
System and routine The mantria of pigeon racing people are continually chasing instead of sticking to one thing, if you stick to a system and routine you are well on your way, Darwin states you will only be left with birds that fit and they will breed more types that fit.
What method do you use to select your breeders
If a pigeon is in our loft at the end of the season you have earned a breed. There is no set method and (look at results) we race the birds hard the survivors are good enough for us.
Did you find your best breeding pigeon by luck or judgment?
By a lot of lucky judgement that knows what you will get when you get a cock and hen. 40 gene pairs and all those variants will never give a constant result, Its got to be a certain amount of luck nature states this.
What materials do you use for nesting
A porcelain bowl wrapped in paper with a nest felt and tobacco stalks, sometimes cut grass but only if the cock or hen pick it up while out of the loft.
When do you pair your pigeons and why then.
After Blackpool the (Monday) we do this because it helps us clear the lofts of babies before the racing commences as I stated earlier with natural hood you do not have to worry about distance pigeons and egg and babies you just pair up when you want.
How many stock birds do you keep and do you breed off your race team also how many pigeons do you think that you need to breed off any individual stock pair each year to see if they are quality producers.
Eight pair of stock we breed off all our racing birds and breeding from stock usually 6 babies per pair per year some racers are used as sitters to bring up these babies. The better birds we keep there off spring all racers raise young.
Please explain the method used from pairing up until the first race.
We fly the cocks two hours each day one hour in the morning one hour in the evening during this time we introduce the natural hood system part 2. They just had two trainers this year it was 10 miles and 35 miles nine days before the first race.
Do you move the hens with the young birds?
Yes and inject cocks hens and young birds with one drop flea and wormed all cocks are left on there own on the same day or as near as we can achieve this.
What is the farthest distance that you would train your old birds or young birds?
Young birds three times at 10 miles maybe 4 old birds this year 35 miles normally 2 x 20 miles why do more, the old birds know there way home young birds do the same after three trainers or four then no more training
Do you breed off the top widowhood cocks after the racing has finished; do you breed late bred youngsters and what do you think of those later bred youngsters.
We breed from every cock in the loft after racing. Late breds are off your best, but you loose during next year’s racing but we have found that the ones that are left perform well possibly one or two from every twenty.
For every 50 pigeons that you breed realistically how many of them would win at 500mls, based on your past records.
No idea have not given it any thought we don’t don’t think you need to know we are not that complicated we just race the birds, life will normally breed life.
RACING
How do you race your pigeons and how many.
We race 40 Natural hood cocks, we missed 2 years with most of the hens but when we start in 2009 we hope to race every hen on the same system we have from the hens perspective.
Do you compete in the National events, if not why not? Or are you happy to race in the club.
Yes, NFC, MWFC, BICC Internationals and Fed and Club the Milton Keynes South Road probably the happiest and friendliest club ever (Well may be not ever but close)
Do you ever think of competing for averages, if not why not?
If we have a chance of taking the averages then yes if not we don’t It is not a prime directive we take it as it comes if you try to perform in all races you enter the averages will look after themselves.
Do you race your pigeons every week or do you prefer to condition them for a specific race.
In land we race them when they are ready channel races we race one team per National over 600 miles we tend to work on the for one race a year.
In your view do you think that a loft needs different pigeons for different distances?
Yes and no because some birds will race further as they mature but we tend to find inland sprinters i.e. our pure original Van Reet sprinters can’t handle the channel and rarely perform over the water but the odd one will.
Is there any specific condition that your pigeons perform best at, or any particular time of the year?
Not really, fit and healthy is our specific condition. Observation will tell you if they are hot or not. Look at the breast meat the mantle, the poo poo the feather quality and throat colour. Some bird’s do it even when they do not have all of the above and the snow and down feathers.
When do you allow your racers to take a bath?
Sunday morning this is the only time they are allowed to walk around in the garden or stand on the loft or lay in the grass our pigeons can land anywhere when they are out except the garden on the loft I use a broom
Do you use any floor dressing or do you clean the pigeons out daily.
No floor dressing, twice a week we clean out sometimes 3 times sometimes once if its dry its not that important dust is a killer for restpro i.e. loft dressings no dust poo poo is cool.
NTL Loft for the Distance.
Do you like to have plenty of room for the pigeons?
Room for the old birds is not important with our system, but with y/birds we think space and enough perches is really a must plenty of air and light.
How do you feed the cocks and what do you feed them on, a branded mix or do you buy separate corns and mix your own.
All cocks are fed in there boxes this allows you to feed different birds for different races we buy no pre mixed corn at all because this limits your options with your birds we can adapt our feed to suit. For example if the weekend weather changes during the week we can adapt quality and quantity of feeding.
Do you measure the amount that you give to each pigeon, or are they fed according to the individual pigeon.
We measure per pigeon and adapt to eat with habits and body weight and we feed according to whether they are racing. Also if they are flying, put on if they are not the mixes and amount vary accordingly but we do have a basic patter as a starting point.
Do you attach any importance to grits and minerals or can the pigeons get what they want they are out of the loft.
Any fancier that doesn’t attach any importance to grits and minerals we thank you because these flyers make it easier for us to get results, also they make the number of birds sent higher get back to basics. The amount of flyers that talk about all of the products but don’t use grits or mixes is astonishing.
Is there a way that your pigeons let you know when they are in form?
Oh yes they win or they come home first there is no hard and fast pattern as above if they are fit and healthy then you are in the lap of the gods or should I say wind, weather obstacles and hawks.
Do you have any secrets about what you do with your pigeons and how you get them right?
Yes, if you want to, no come and visit we are open and friendly.
Do the pigeons need any special treatment on their return from the race to help them relax? Is any such treatment needed for the short or long distance races or the hard races compared to the easy races?
They get a bath, they get 50% peas and 50% home base mix (which is a secret) morning feed garlic oil on the corn and brewers yeast afternoon feed with garlic oil on the corn with vitiae and provit oregostin and cioen vinegar in the water.
How many weeks do you think a pigeon can maintain its form on the widowhood system for both cocks and hens?
We have no problem in holding form on our system we don’t fly normal widowhood. A week off is sometimes enough to bring them back on form, a bird that has flown in a hard race will weed nowhere. Pigeons don’t have form really they’re ready on the lot.
Does this include channel races or are the specified number of weeks for sprint races and do you think that a pigeon can be prepared at fortnightly intervals for the channel races.
It includes all distances and channel up to 450 to 600 and is a different barrel of fish mainly Cod heads. Sprinters should go every week up to 150 if they get ill, leave them they will get better, feed them right they will race, over feeding takes them off the boil but is good if you use the tough and peak system which works well.
If your race team went off form during the season what action would you take to restore their condition?
Give them a week off because we don’t have all of our race team go off form just the odd birds now and again, mainly after hard races. Good food and rest never had the whole team off the boil.
What happens when you are racing either widowhood or the roundabout when you have a bad race and lose a few from one sex, how do you continue with those pigeons who have lost their mate.
We don’t know because we don’t fly standard widowhood or roundabout but I am working on a roundabout system, without the roundabout bit (weird).
Is a favourable loft location the single biggest factor in sprint racing.
It helps a lot feeding is probably the daddy of a good sprint man as Rufus proits feeding is good in sprint and he took 2nd and 3rd club in sprint races and 9th fed then 10th open Barcelona (748 miles) all down to feeding.
Do you treat pigeons differently with their preparation if they are to go to the bigger races whether National, Classic, Specialist club or open.
Not really as I said before, in 600 miles plus we give them different things, foods and other stuff. Sprint and channel racing is mainly feeding differently different grains but same system for all distances.
Do you think a pigeon has the capabilities of racing both short and long distance races? Also what distance can a pigeon actually still “RACE” as opposed to homing from any race point?
We have found pigeons can fly further as they grow older, pigeons have no concept of racing only homing, some come home quicker than others, just coming home is a good start as already stated Rufus does sprint and marathon.
What proportion of you pigeons get better on subsequent trips to the long distance races and what do you call distance.
All of our 600 mile birds were quicker on subsequent visits, distance is 600mls plus may be 500 to 600mls plus. We only started 600mls plus racing last year for the first time, but in our short experience they seemed to have come more direct, we believe a pigeon has flown quicker when all he may have done is flown a straighter route.
Which is the more difficult, establishing a team of sprinter’s or distance pigeons and why.
Probably distance only because if they don’t come home it is hard to work out what you did wrong, any pigeon did wrong, any pigeon should fly up to 150 miles no matter what you do so you can learn quicker.
Sprinter or distance, there is no difference; it is all in the feeding.
I would like to say yes but that is to all the compassing it is a difficult question to answer, we need do more research, example, a swan can fly 600 miles in 10 hours with the right food. But in the natural environment it may take weeks or even months to cover the same distance.
If you could pass on one piece of advice or tip, at this point to fanciers old and young, what would it be?
Routine if it’s wrong because then you can adapt it by observing your results each week. Stick to it like glue, take your time.
What problems do you think are most detrimental to race condition in modern day racing, both Old Bird and Young Bird?
Too many antibiotics creates weak pigeons and worse resistance so they will not achieve a great deal and do not last very long.
"Munng 22" 3rd & 7th sec NFC Fougeres, after three race sin the NFC 08 season was 5th in the averages.
How far do you race your yearlings?
Some go 600mls plus whereas some go 125 miles and others go 350 miles, there are no steadfast rules we have no boundaries
What races do you send your long distance candidates to before their chosen race?
We like to send them 300-350 miles 2-3 weeks before they are basketed remember most distance races the birds rest from up to and over 12 in the race crate and the 1st fed races up to 125 miles.
Where do you house your widow hens?
In their own loft next to one of the cock lofts. Away from the other to cock lofts we house some widowhood hens in the widowhood lofts. This year we tried ten hens on darkness with the young birds.
Can you tell the readers your routine for preparing pigeons for the longer races? Do you look forward to the channel racing?
We love the channel, we pair approximately 2 weeks before the intended race, sometime 3 weeks before, we do not pair up to 500 miles just for the 600 mile plus races, the 450 to 500 many have the hen for a couple of days before basketing we do not train at all during the racing season because our natural hood system keeps our natural birds fit.
YOUNG BIRDS
Young bird sickness is a problem; have you had this in your loft and if so what have you treated them with.
Early on as we introduced the anti-biotic system, since then we have the odd such youngster, they just get separated till better, then they are reintroduced to the loft, we used to use anything and everything, now we use nothing except for pro vit, brewers yeast, garlic oil, cider vinegar, vitae.
Do you race your young birds, if so how many races, if not why, do you think they are better off in the longer events if they are only raced lightly.
Yes every race possible weather, it makes no difference in later life education is the one. Un raced young birds are a year behind and you are always playing catch up. Weed out the weak early we are racers if I wanted to look at pigeons I would show not race.
Brown loft converted coal shed for sprinters.
What do you think the sport should do to change things for the better, in relation to your points made a couple of questions ago.
It is not up to the sport it is up to the individual Pigeon racing is an individual sport if something is wrong the first sign of insanity is keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. Use no antibiotic.
Do you use any preventative medication? If a pigeon goes ill do you try to put it right or does the bird have to go.
Zero preventative medication the bird is given every chance to get better. For example we held one bird for whole season till he got better, higher immunity concept don’t panic pigeons are very hardy
Earlier in the article we discussed the wind direction, do you consider that good pigeons will win in any position.
Good pigeons good system good management you wont always win but you can get up in the results even with a disadvantage wind. Management could be taking over from just having good pigeons get both and you’re on to a winner
Some fanciers go out and purchase good quality winning pigeons but never appear to make the grade, why do you consider that this happens.
Learn the trade, read, listen, talk, buy dvd’s and go to meetings even if you only take one thing from a 3 hour moot you are still growing. For example we were watching a dvd on pigeons and the fancier said one line as a passing comment the interviewer carried on about treatments and potions we re wound the dvd 3 or 4 times to make sure we had heard right, last year and this year based on a throw a way comment.
Do you give any special treatments when the pigeons return from the race as a precaution against anything that they may have picked up in the basket?
No A. B. brewers yeast garlic oil cider vinegar orego prov-vit vitae “its so simple”
Do you use the darkness system for the young birds, if so for how long and do you think it affects them later in life.
Yes we use it (we have tried it with hens this year) it may do we don’t really know it might not start after separating until June the 21st the longest day. Same as everybody we do nothing special to help the moult at the end of the season i.e. light.
Are there any feeding methods for the young birds i.e. do you break them down, do you keep them hungry for control purposes, do you give them a trapping seed mix.
Just good food enough to eat, don’t let them get fat if they don’t fly and come in straight away not enough food if they don’t fly and stay out when called too much food if they fly and come in when called you are about there (simple)
Do you attach any real importance to the pigeon’s wing i.e. back wing, end four flights and do you look at the wing to see if they have cast before a race. Any other comments on the wing.
We always check to see if they have a feather sprouting, we wont race them that week. Apart from that an undamaged wing is a good one Wing theories again limits your options Darens theory of evolution will give you the type of bird that suits what you do race then breed off them, two wings are better than one
If random drugs tests were carried out on your pigeons, would it reveal any substance, illegal or otherwise?
Not at all we are probably more illegal than the pigeons
THE MOULT/WINTER
What criteria do you set down for the pigeons you winter with your thoughts on the following seasons racing and breeding?
None, they all get the same treatment we do not keep them on the natural hood throughout the winter good food normally works for us we don’t have to think about next year racing until it happens.
Are there any special treatments that you give your birds once the season has finished what do you recommend the readers to do with the birds
No special treatment good food let them fly when ever possible flying is important don’t keep them tight birds use energy to keep warm (easy really like most things) we recommend no treatments in the winter then carry on through the racing season, break the treatment chain free your selves.
What were the last four things that you put in your drinking water, when and why and did you notice any benefits.
Orego-stim. Cider vinegar (only 2) then every day why they help with salmonella and we believe canker we notice our birds are rarely ill no antibiotic.
If you could only give your pigeons one supplement what would it be.
Pro-vit or cider vinegar or pro vit and no cider vinegar we have always been decisive or have we I am not quite sure what do u think no cider vinegar.
"23 White Widow" 1st club 1st fed Fougers, 2nd Portsmouth, 4th Wetherby, 6th Poole twice, 18th UBI Combine over 2,000 birds, 1st sec NFC Fougers.
GENERAL
Irrespective of how your pigeons have flown, what are your views on the past season whether good or bad or the management of the sport in general.
We love it its out lives win or loose we just want to race the birds we love the banter we love to have a bet, sometimes people get annoyed with the management of the sport sometimes it is justified sometimes not. If decisions are made for the majority that’s good decisions made for personnel gains are bitchieness that’s sad
Taking into account distance, which is more difficult racing to your area, is it; a case of a 600ml race is a 600ml race regardless of competition or route.
600 miles is 600 miles defiantly we don’t ask how difficult things are we just adapt what we do to what we want to achieve. Some times you don’t have to win to have the best birds on the day it’s not all about position in the race. Every race shows you something that helps you learn something in advance.
Which fancier has influenced you most, in the way in which you fly your pigeons?
There are many are you ready for this Colin Harrison Mark Henry Gavin Peto Barry Graham Harvey Warner the Corketts Fuzz and Val Farrell Woodbreck lofts John Baker Terry Westwood a big hello to Mike Andy and all the guys in the Milton Keynes South Road Harrounden Fed
Which Champion pigeons over the years have left an impression on you and perhaps influenced your direction in the sport.
None we don’t really go for pedigrees, we do like unusual names Like our top stock cock called Drop Wing, Red Moon Rising, or Dread Hock, Talk With Trees, One of his Offspring, we don’t cloud our mind with these things that don’t seem important
Whenever I have visited a loft fanciers always look at the pigeon’s eye. Do you consider that the eye has any importance in (a) the breeding, (b) distance races (c) sprint races. (d) The pigeon’s health. Or do you steer clear of the subject and if so why.
We think that all fanciers should study the eye theory and race and breed accordingly, then we could win more it is complete hog wash yet another boundary that limits people reaching there own and there pigeons full potential more eye sign please we want to win a national.
Who do you consider being the best fanciers in the Country and for what reasons.
It would be unfair to name one man people like Geoff Kirkland Frank Tasker the Corketts come to mind I believe there is a lot of exceptional flyers who probably don’t get the right publicity.
What do you think can be done to take the sport forward?
Forget the youngsters target 40 plus early retirement men and women advertise the potentional for prize money to cover costs get in touch with home and leisure channel and make our own programme and pigeon racing the new rock and roll get rid of the stuffy flat cap image check us out.
What percentage do you consider it takes to win with racing pigeons for Management and pigeons and why.
70% to 30% sprint 50 % to 50% 30% 70% long distance sprinting get the feeding and system wrong for get about bird quality middle you can be slightly out but good birds come home distance if the bird has not got it doest matter what you do
What past mistakes have you learned from?
Believing everything we were told and expecting it to work instead of listening and doing the research not looking at results breeding not believing in your own abilities and using other peoples methods without considering your own.
Who or what motivates you to remain successful?
Ego and always wanting to do the best we can at what ever we do if it was not pigeons it would be something else. We fly to win and also our club vibe and the people we meet.
What qualities do you think must be present for a fancier to be classed as a top fancier and at what level must he/she have achieved results to be rightfully so-called a “Champion”.
Winning Nationals nothing else really matters or counts if you don’t win you cannot be a champion. You can still be successful and happy and content but only winning makes champions nothing else counts maybe consistency one win does not make a champion.
"61 Sprint" 13th sec MNFC as a young bird, 2nd club 2nd fed Portsmouth, 1st club 1st fed Newbury, 1st Portsmouth, 1st Lulworth, 3rd Salisbury.
Do you think winning fanciers should move on from club racing once they have reached a certain level of consistency? Are club performances paramount for personal satisfaction or sales purposes?
Club and Fed racing is the back bone of National flying all National flyers should support there local club even if they don’t race in these races remember we all started some where it was probably in your local club.
To term a phrase are you a professional pigeon fancier and do your circumstances make a big difference.
Circumstances make a huge difference people who work and race are hero’s that really is hard work my partner works but I can’t I spend all my time with the birds my partner can’t but he would love to but with out his finances and help we would not be where we are now.
58 "Dreadlocks with Trees" 1st & 2nd Morpath, 4th Berwick, 4th club 11th fed Poole, 1st club 1st sec 15th open MNFC, 2nd fed 3rd sec 47th open MNFC.
You are a successful fancier, there are far too many leaving the sport, to encourage fanciers to either join or stay in the sport what do you think about limiting prizes to two per race per loft. If not Why. If yes Why.
We do this in our club in Milton Keynes S R all clubs should adopt this not at any other racing though just at club level. Everybody gets a chance to score it is nice to get some cards at the end of the season only 2 prizes per flyer at club level, as many as you want at fed and national
Is pigeon racing as a hobby going beyond the average working man? Is it becoming too technical and complicated or can you keep everything simple and still win with the pigeons.
We keep it as simple as possible club racing is well within the reach of the average man and federation racing even nationals. Play to your abilities, bank balance and potential. You can build a loft from discarded ply from building sites most things can be made from stuff from tips or building sites we have done it.
What is your view on pigeon "moots" or "panels", are they over played and outdated and what do you think may bring as much or more interest to the quiet season when racing is not taking place?
Moots and panels are great, as we have said before keep collecting information sieve out the dross.
Keep the factual and the credible but never stop finding out and search moots are not out dated just not appreciated I would like to do a moot I am available for bookings at any time.
What do you think about the vaccination programme for the pigeons and do you think it affects the pigeon’s long term.
We do it we see no ill effects it’s the only medication we give our birds old and young a bit expensive though.
What do you think of veterinarians in the UK and have you had any dealings with them.
Don’t bother with them there not needed at Dreadlock Lofts. Over priced should be taken to the monopolies commission.
How do you consider that the British sport is going compared to the continentals and do they have any ideas that you think would benefit the sport in the UK?
Haven’t really looked into it pigeon racing will get more professional as time goes by and this is good. Home racing still survives and is total professional we should not fear this it will give a good image out and attract people into the sport. The working man will not suffer people with money always invest in things they love.
What is your view on pigeon shows and showing?
Not for us but we cannot get enough of the special show types they are totally wild great to look at and sometimes really freaky power to the show man.
"The Pied Piper" 5th Poole, 5th Fougeres, 39th & 72nd Open Pau BICC.
Do you read many magazines/Articles, if so which type of article do you find interesting and why.
BHW RP (We always read your articles Les) any article with information I use to write my self but editing but tried to make me sound normal (and I am not) I like them wild and wacky. One flew over is on the edge and getting edgier and we like that oh yes and Norman happens be our scribe.
What aspect of the sport interests you the most?
Putting the rubber in the clock without that the other is pointless, the result is the icing on the cake. We cannot work out what is working and what is not with rubbers in clocks
Is there anything that you do not like about the sport, something that you feel needs changing for the good of the sport?
Release the dogs, and brace all people and all images do not suppress things that do not fit with the image we are supposed to have heard to. In such aw individual sport the papers really like to keep the old ways and attitude by trying to doctor an image we are multi cultural (no more flat caps)
If you went into another fanciers loft and were given the opportunity to leave with a pair of pigeons, how confident would you be that you had selected the best pair, or in other words do you consider that you are a good judge of a pigeon.
We would leave with the best breeding pair on the best racers because we would ask anybody who was a good judge of a pigeon by handling and looks without asking questions will make mistakes. The basket is god, results are your bible, handling alone is like eye sign.
Young bird loft
Is your loft of pigeons as strong as it was 5yrs ago?
Stronger and growing as the theories and system mature the results improve every year we have improved on our results but we are ready to accept that this will not happen every year.
Do you have any further comments about anything that we may have missed in any area of the sport?
The sun and the moon rise and fall, the wind keeps blowing, the rain keeps coming, the seasons are changing, the more you wrap the birds up in cotton wool the further behind you will fall. Yearlings fly in east winds the cold is a natural disinfectant. Systems from the past are in the past Peas, beans, and tars are not racing corn your lofts only have to look nice and cost a lot for you, the pigeons don’t care if you use any human term with pigeons i.e. love hate boredom keen excited you must replace these words with stimulus. Pigeons do not know these words it can cloud your thought process. Pigeons do not race, they home, territory is a prime directive and also food and breeding is too everything else is a fluffy pink frill’s that’s all pigeons want get it on bang a gong.
LJP. While I was going through this series of answers I was tempted to add and change but on reflection I am glad I have left it more or less as they have presented the answers. They are certainly different than any other fanciers that I have reported on. The pictures are a good reflection on what these fancier are like, they are fancier who like and enjoy their pigeons as a hobby and how they enjoy it. The 2009 season will soon be with us and it will be interesting to see if they can continue to climb the ladder in the pigeon world where competition is tough and with fanciers getting more on a level playing field it is not going to get any easier to get to the top of the pile.
