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MRS PAT MARSTON

of Stockport


A worker and winner for the sport

 

by Les Parkinson

 

Some time ago Elizabeth and myself call in to see Pat Marston and ever since we have been trying to get info from her for an article, well the info actually arrived after several phone calls. Pat is one of the workers for the sport and is currently secretary to one of the local clubs and is also a winner when it comes to the races.

Over the years Pat has kept her presence at or near the top of the result sheet a target for others to aim at and has taken here winnings into the Open and specialist races. Not only is Pat successful with the pigeons she also works hard in her busness and one wonders where she finds time to race the pigeons as well as she does. This no doubt goes down to the old saying of dedication and determination win the day. Lets start with a few questions that we put to Pat.

Q. Give the readers the basic results result's that you have achieved.
A. Since 1995 I have had 21xlst clubs, 8xlst Fed and in the Greater Manchester Amalgamation which formed in 19991 have had 3xlsts. I have also had 3xlsts in Open Races, plus many 2nds 3rds etc.

Q. Amongst those results what are the real highlights.
A. My personal highlights of the 2000 racing season was the Yearling Blue cock who scored 2nd Club, 2nd Fed, 2nd Amal Wollaston 2075 birds 8th April, 6th Club, 18th Fed, 31st Amal Weymouth 2398 birds 13th May, then went pn to score Ist Club, Ist Fed, Ist Amal, 4th Central Lancashire Combine, lOth Three Counties Combine 2nd Northern Counties 2 Bird club and 7th R.P .R.A. joint Millennium Race from Vire 27th May 12,222 birds, then scored Ist Club, lst Fed, 8th Amall017 birds from Cheltenham 2nd July then I sent him to the North West Classic Club Vire race on the 15th July where he scored 4th Section, 5th Open 325 birds. Also the Cheq cock who got me Ist Sect 7th Open N.W.C.C. Weymouth Open 492 birds on thelst May, then the Ch Pd and BI cocks that scored Ist and 3rd from Stockport Flying Club Mangotsfield Open 107 birds, and last but not least the Blue cock that scored 1 st from Shaw and District H. S. one bird Open race from Cheltenham 17th May 37 birds, which at the time of sending this bird I was having problems with the birds not wanting to land or trap and as I had already made my mind up to send to this race he was the only one that I could rely on to trap and my choice certainly paid off, he also won me �300 that day. And his total is now 6xlsts, 3x2nds, 4x3rds.

Q What organisations do you race with
A. My main organisation that I race with is Stockport Flying Club, qntil recently I was a member of Sunnybrow H.S. I also race with the N. W.C.C. and for the 2000 Season I joined the Midlands National Flying Club although I think I still have a lot to learn before competing seriously with this club. And for the 2001 Season I would like to join Danebank H.S.

Q How do you race your pigeons and how many.
A. My 17 Old birds I race on the widowhood system to open doors and the young bird team are raced to a stall trap which I put on the loft a couple of years. I find it much easier to clock the birds in from this kind of trap, plus the fact that I am not the worlds best at catching the young birds from inside the loft.

Q Do you ever think about competing for Averages.
A. Although I have won and been runner up for most of the Averages in the club since racing it is not something I set my stall out for.

Q Do you attach any importance to having a tiled roof on a loft, if so are there any benefit's.
A. Well the answer to both these questions are no. unless somebody out there can tell me the advantages.

Q 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.
A. I keep 6 pairs of stock, 1 pair of Marcellis 4 pair of star Van Reets and a recently acquired pair of Janssens. My race team I always breed off even ifI only let them single rear it is all part of nature and to keep the birds content which I think is important when it comes to racing them you must think of them as well. When it comes to breeding quality producers I personally think that if your first round from a stock pair do not show any promise by the time that they are yearlings then I would consider changing hens about.

Q When do you pair your pigeons.
A. I always pair my pigeons about the same time as the Blackpool Show weekend.

Q Do you move the hens with the young birds.
A. I never move any of my young birds until I know they are eating and are feathered enough under the wing so I dont feel the need to move the hens with them.
Q Do you have any grills fitted in the floor or in the nest boxes.
A. As I clean out twice a day during the racing season I dont think they would be an advantage to myself just a hindrance having to keep moving them to clean out.

Q Do you attach any importance to grits and minerals or can the pigeons get what they want when they are out of the loft.
A. It is important that all minerals and grit can be freely obtainable within the loft otherwise you tend to encourage the birds to pick about in fields and the garden.

Q Eye sign.
A. This is something that I have never shown an interest in, my pigeons seem to be able to compete with the rest by just pairing up cocks to hens that I think are suitable then failing that change the hens.

Q Do you use any preventative medication.
A. Normally no but for the 2000 season as young bird sickness was rife I decided to treat them with Adeno Coli prior to racing, and this turned out to be the biggest mistake, I could not get my young birds to race, they would arrive home but not try.. And yes my birds were vaccinated, normal droppings and no bringing back corn. So as the experts say do not treat anything blind, and that's my belief from now on.

Q Is a favourable loft location the single biggest factor in sprint racing.
A. I suppose you may have an advantage but then again it depends on which way the wind is blowing and how keen your birds are to get home on race days. I am told I favour an East wind, but my birds have won out of turn in any wind.

Q 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.
A. No I don't use the darkness system, I let nature take its course, naturally and let them moult when they feel fit to, myself I much prefer racing old birds.

Q Are there any feeding methods for the young birds.
A. Well I never let them go hungry and never overfeed them I try to get the balance just right, and I certainly don't send them to a race point hungry because I want them for the next season.

Q What is the farthest distance that you would train your old and young birds.
A. I train from a distance of 20 miles young and old birds, very rarely do I go any further .

Q If a random drugs test were carried out on your pigeons, would it reveal any substance, illegal or otherwise.
A. Definitely not, the only products I use are herbal teas and multi-vitamins.

Q What families of pigeons do you keep.
A. Most of my pigeons are Staf Van Reets although I do have one pair of Marcellis and a pair of Janssens, for which I am hoping to get a good team of distance pigeons from. The lofts are well set out and maintained for a winning system with most things thought of when the lofts were erected. The Old Bird loft is 20ft x 9 ft divided into 3 sections. The first is six by six foot for the stock birds, in this sections there are 6 stock boxes each measuring 2ft x 3ft and all with their own v perch and gaIly pots that are there throughout the racing and breeding season. However there is a change for the winter months when they are fed in the hopper. Attached to the Stock loft is a 12ft x 5 ft Aviary that the stock have access to constantly. Behind the aviary is an adjoined 12ft x 4ft section that is split into two sections one being 8ft x 4ft that houses 18 widowhood hen boxes. The other measures 4ft x 4ft and has a section of 20 box perches that is used for the stock hens when they are separated from their cocks and any other spare hens that Pat may want to keep.

The Widowhood team are housed in two sections one measuring 6ft x 6ft for 8 widowhood cocks and the other measuring 8ft x 6ft for the other 9. They all have a 2ft x 2ft 8 inch box and their own gally pots, Pat never feeds the widowhood cocks in a hopper. This way she know exactly what each bird eats and what they like and don't like. The loft also has a corridor with the cocks fly to an open door on race days with a small trap on the outside for the late comers. The young bird loft is 18ft x 6ft with 12ft x 6ft of this being used to house the young birds. Pat is a great believer of plenty of room for young birds as overcrowding can lead to all sorts of problems. There are 42 box perches in one 6ft section and 36 box perches in the other 6ft section with a sliding door in between which comes in handy during the racing season if Pat decides to separate the sexes at any time. Both are wooden lofts with nothing fancy and as mentioned earlier Pat does keep them well maintained, with a fresh coat of paint now and again on the widowhood loft. By the way she has just finished putting a new front on and says that she is very proud of it too, and a nice coat of red cedar wood now and again builds up the look on the young bird loft Pat does think it is important to keep the lofts looking presentable especially for the neighbours point of view, it is the perception of others that at times gives the sport a bad name..

Since our visit Pat has gone on to win the North West Classic Club from one of the re-arranged Portland races for the season and also has many other good results that have kept her in the limelight of the sport in the North West. Thanks for your time Pat and by the time the season is over I am sure that Pat's name will have been at the top of the results many more times in 2001.