Mr & Mrs John Matthews of Congelton
talking to Les. J.Parkinson.
The last 12 months I have had a regular piece in these cols on the
Congelton Central club and their P.O Peter Dale has never failed to
send the info to which he has added his own bits and pieces. Because
they have supported these cols so well I thought that we will go down
another road and include the views of their top prize winner for the
season. Congelton is only a 20min run so we gathered the camera, spare
films, pad, questionnaire, pen and set off to see the John & Diane
Matthews who have been one of the best fanciers in the town for quite
a few years. Alan Winstanley was telling me that they are such a nice
couple who work hard with their pigeons. We have met this likeable
and helpful couple on several occasion's and they never change.
Mr & Mrs John Matthews and their pigeon lofts
Q. Please introduce yourselves?
We are John & Diana and race our pigeons under the partnership
of Mr & Mrs J. Matthews.
Q. Give the readers the basic results that you have achieved as
a partnership?
We have won many prizes and have won the old bird ave for the last
7yrs in the main club that we have been racing with at the time. Also
1st Macclesfield Open and 1st Packmoor Open.
Q. Amongst those results what are the real highlights?
Topping the Staffs & Moorlands Fed at our first attempt with the
Congelton Central, fed 2,400 birds.
Q. What organisations do you race with?
Staffs & Moorlands Fed. North Staffs Fed.
Q. Do you ever think about competing for averages?
Yes because to win averages you must win races and that is what it
is all about.
Q. How do you race your pigeons and how many?
All our old bird racing is done with the cocks on the widowhood system
that range between 24 and 36 weekly.
Q. What are your lofts made of and how big are they?
Our main old racing loft is from M & G Lofts with a tiled roof
measuring 36ft x 8ft and is all for the widowhood cocks, except a
small section at one end where Diana keeps a few specials. The young
bird loft is 24ft x 6ft, both being of wooden construction.
Q. Do you attach any importance to having a tiled roof on a loft,
if so are there any benefits?
Not really because we have had both types of roof and won both ways,
as with anything fanciers do, it is always your own preference.
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?
In the stock loft there are 8prs that usually rear two rounds. We
also let the widowhood team rear a nest but in that nest will only
be one youngster so that a minimum amount of effort is used in the
process.
Q. When do you pair your pigeons?
Because we race all our birds on the widowhood we pair them all together
on the 10th January.
Q. Do you move the hens with the young birds?
Yes as we move the youngsters the hens are also removed to their loft
for the summer, this is a loft with a wire floor. There is a pole
across this section for the hens to perch on, they are not given any
chance of comfort to pair up to each other. They are then fed in a
trough. The youngsters do not go in with the hens but into their own
section.
Q. What criteria do you set down for the pigeons you winter with
your thoughts on the following seasons racing and breeding?
We want to maintain a strong loft so every pigeon has to be either
a 1st prize winner or one that has flown consistently throughout the
season. If you do not set a standard then you are not going to win
much.
Q. Do you have any grills fitted in the floor or in the boxes,
are there any advantages to using them?
Instead of using grills we prefer to clean out every day because that
is the way we like it, the cleaner the loft the better.
Q. What do you think about the vaccination programme for the pigeons
and do you think it affects the pigeons long term?
Yes because of the problems of the past they should be vaccinated
and to be honest we don't think that there has been any adverse effect
on the pigeons. If the constitution is sound then no harm should come
to them, if they are not sound pigeons then they may be affected but
that is up to the professional people to decide. Ours have always
been fine.
Q. Do you attach any importance to grits and minerals or can the
pigeons get what they want they are out of the loft?
They have grit and minerals in front of them at all times, this is
a part of their health programme.
Q. Do you use any floor dressing or do you clean the pigeons out
daily?
As mentioned earlier we clean the pigeons out daily but we do use
a light dressing of sand on the floors and we vacuum the lofts out
at least three times each year to keep any dust down as much as possible.
Q. Do you like to have plenty of room for the pigeons?
If you consider the length of the loft and the number of birds that
we house you will see that we do like the birds to have plenty of
room. If you overcrowd then you will create ill feeling between the
cocks and they will fight and are not then happy in the loft so do
not perform as they can.
Q. How do you feed the cocks and what do you feed them on?
We use only the best which is the Versele-Laga widowhood mix that
is all fed in the hopper.
Q. Do you measure the amount that you give to each pigeon, or
are they fed according to the individual pigeon?
They are given a set amount that is set according to the number of
pigeons in the loft.
Q. You have quoted your position on being Easterly or Westerly
do you set any stall by the position and if so why?
Loft position does not matter because a good pigeon will win anywhere
and a winning bird will always win.
Q. Do you consider there to be any advantage having a racing partnership?
It has to be because someone can always be at the lofts when required
and with me working shifts Diana feeds and waters them in the morning.
Any help with pigeons has always got to be an advantage.
Q. Are there any points that you disagree on and if so how do
you compromise a situation where there is a different viewpoint?
We would think that if you are fanciers joining together then there
may have to be a compromise somewhere along the way but in our case
we have no problems, we work well together.
Q. Do each of you have an area within the partnership where responsibilities
take control regarding a decision?
No we generally agree with all decisions that are made regarding the
pigeons.
Q. To term a phrase are you a professional team of pigeon fanciers
and do your circumstances make a big difference?
A professional team (ha ha) I don't think so, but we do like to do
the job properly.
Q. Whenever I have visited a loft fanciers always look at the
pigeons eye. Do you consider that the eye has any importance in (a)
the breeding, (b) distance races (c) sprint races. (d) the pigeons
health. Or do you steer clear of the subject and if so why?
We think that our views are like most fanciers and that is, we like
to see a good rich eye, other than that we hold no importance to the
eye sign theory.
Q. Do you use any preventative medication?
We try to get the best out of the pigeons and to do that they must
be healthy so we treat then for worms, coxxi and canker before pairing
up.
Q. How many weeks do you think a pigeon can maintain its form
on the widowhood system for both cocks and hens?
Probably between three and four weeks before they go off form but
it will soon come back, we are referring to the cocks because as we
have pointed out we do not race hens.
Q. 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?
This period also applies to the channel races because they can be
built up again in the two weeks between the standard club channel
races.
Q. 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?
Most pigeons will race up to 410mls but one that will do all distances
is a rare pigeon and should be valued.
Q. What proportion of you pigeons get better on subsequent trips
to the long distance races and what do you call distance?
Our team have been built up on a sprint to middle distance family
so the percentage is only 15%.
Q. Which is the more difficult, establishing a team of sprinter's
or distance pigeons and why?
Sprint birds because channel racing is a bit of a lottery, the conditions
on the channel can dictate.
Q. Sprinter or distance, there is no difference, it is all in
the feeding?
No matter what races you compete in it is all down to the way you
feed your pigeons.
Q. 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?
Competition is our main objective, we want to make out team as strong
as possible and we will send to any distance.
Q. What families of pigeons do you keep?
Our main pigeons are the Van De Weyers that have flown well for us
and won to 410mls but the further they go the more help they need.
We also have the Van den Bosche lines and have now brought in the
Kellens to compete in the longer races.
Q. How do you go about bringing in a new family and what do you
look for?
First and foremost we look at the performances of the pigeons and
then the breed, but they do have to be a winning family.
Q. Early in the article we discussed the wind direction, do you
consider that good pigeons will win in any position?
We have no doubt that a good pigeon will win in any wind, good pigeons
do not need help they have their own built in capabilities.
Q. Some fanciers go out and purchase good quality winning pigeons
but never appear to make the grade, why do you consider that this
happens?
We have always said that you cannot buy the man, your racing methods
you have to sort out yourself. The other main point is the feeding,
most fanciers do feed differently.
Q. 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?
We do put Milton in the water for the birds when they return for sterilisation
purposes.
Q. Which of the two sexes do you consider is the most important
when it comes to breeding?
Both cocks and hens contribute to the breeding and the hens must be
in tip top condition to breed in the first place.
Q. 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?
No we don't think size of either hen or cock makes any difference
at all.
Q. Is there anything that you have not won in the sport that you
would like to achieve?
We would like to do what the vast majority of fanciers do and that
is win the National.
Q. Who do you consider to be the best fanciers in the Country
and for what reasons?
Joe Adams because he wins from the first race right through to the
500ml National races and we would like to follow in his footsteps.
Q. What do you think can be done to take the sport forward?
For the new starters they need to be freely given good advice from
the established winners. There also needs a great deal of movement
with the rules because too much red tape surrounds them and they are
difficult to change. Too many meetings to go through.
Q. Are there any special treatments that you give your birds once
the season ha finished what do you recommend the readers to do with
the birds?
There are no secrets or special treatments here, the pigeons just
have good corn, vitamins and minerals all the year round.
Q. When it comes to breeding do you line-breed or use a first
cross or just pair winners to winners?
We try to get the best out of all pairings by putting winner to winner.
Q. 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 do not pair up after breeding and therefore do not breed late bred
youngsters but we would consider buying late breds if we felt that
their lines would be of value to our existing stock.
Q. If your race team went off form during the season what action
would you take to restore their condition?
A couple of good training tosses should sharpen up their racing instinct
and bring them back to form.
Q. Is a favourable loft location the single biggest factor in
sprint racing?
This is going back to previous questions and the answer is still the
same because if a pigeon is good enough and on form it will win anywhere.
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?
Usually we do but with the foot and mouth this year we do not use
the system, however we do feel that after being raced as young birds
on the system they do not seen as good as yearlings but do come back
again the following year.
Q. 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?
We do like to keep them a bit on the hungry side until they get used
to trapping, we then put them on normal feed methods for racing.
Q. What percentage do you consider it takes to win with racing
pigeons for Management and pigeons and why?
It takes a 100% effort by all to win with pigeons on a regular basis.
Q. What is the farthest distance that you would train your old
birds or young birds?
Both old and young birds are trained at the 20ml stage weather permitting.
Q. If random drugs tests were carried out on your pigeons, would
it reveal any substance, illegal or otherwise?
Definitely not and anyone can test our pigeons anytime. Good pigeons
do not need drugs to win.
Q. 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?
The continental are far more advanced in systems and any ideas from
them should be implemented where possible as long as they are a benefit,
especially to the local clubs.
Q. 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?
Yes technical advances are making it more complicated especially for
the older element of the fancy.
Q. You are successful fanciers, 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 not think that you should limit prizes because this would give
other fanciers false positions and this does not make their team stronger,
every fancier must win credible prizes.
Q. 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?
If winning fanciers left the local club scene the clubs would soon
disband due to lack of competition. From our own point of view we
only enjoy racing and not selling.
Q. Do you attach any real importance to the pigeons 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 only check for physical damage i.e. wires, other than that the
birds must race.
Q. Do you use any form of heating system in any of your lofts.
Do you think it would be advantages for the birds?
No heating is used at all and the only thing that we do not like in
the loft is a draught that will affect the performances of the pigeons.
Q. 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?
All our pigeons have if they are racing on a Saturday is plenty of
rest on Sunday and a bath on Monday for any race at any distance.
Q. 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?
During 2001 in the Congelton Central we won 4 x 1sts 8 x 2nds 7 x
3rds 6 x 4ths plus the old bird averages and top points with £!50
prize money. We consider this to be a good season with our local club
and that is what this article is all about. Just to point out that
we did not compete in all the races.
LES.J.P. Earlier in the article I referred to the comments
of Alan Winstanley and we all know how well Alan has flown over the
years and is a National winner. I agree with Alan, they are a nice
couple and do work hard with the pigeons. When we were at the lofts
they were all looking fresh and well, there was very little that could
be classed as out of place. John was saying that he would like to
venture into the National events and judging by their present performances
they should get there. The only reservations that I have are whether
or not they will be able to make the change from the club racing that
they are so good at. However we wish them well and look forward to
seeing their results in the coming season. Thanks for your time we
shall see you in the near future.
