MEL & SUE KING

of Blandford

talking to Les J. Parkinson

Blandford in Dorset was a place that I had not heard of until we went down to see Tony Haynes by invitation to judge at the Dorset Fed Show. We had travelled that way on several occasion’s to either sight see or visit Kevin & Christine White at Weymouth. Mind you we have been in that particular part of the Country on many occasion’s because it is worth seeing. All that aside the 2002 season saw Mel & Sue King win the National FC for the third time when they won the prestige’s Nantes National and being Press Officer for the NFC we report on such winners. Their first wins were in 1987 & 1988 and they have waited a long time for the sweat smell of National success, even though they have had many good performances in between these wins.

Melvyn comes over as the quiet one while Sue appears rather bubbly and everyone I know who knows them well likes them. Their achievements in the sport are more than enough to warrant adding their views to the pages of the BHW and those mentioned are probably only a small percentage of their total list of performances. Having said that I have included the last three years so that you are not under the impression that this National win is a flash in the pan, any performances missing during the last three years will be at the dissection of the Editor whose pen rules. Having had the chance to read and study the answer’s there are some good points raised and well worth taking on board, so without taking up anymore space here goes.

Q. Please introduce yourself and tell us how you got started in the sport?
A. Melvyn. I am 44yrs old and was born in the village of Milborne St Andrew which is halfway between Dorchester and Blandford. I am a self employed bricklayer working in conjunction with local builders. My introduction to the sport was a total accident after I had picked up a pigeon that had broken its wing at a place where I was working. With it being in such a poor state I could not leave it because it was easy prey so I bought it home and made a few enquiries locally. At that time I had not planned on keeping it but I did and a local partnership of Bright & Son gave me a mate to go with it. That was the start of my interest in racing pigeons in the late 70’s and along with my wife Sue we have enjoyed many good times and made some good friends in the sport.

Q. Give the readers the basic results that you have achieved as a partnership?
A. 1st Sec, 208th Open YB NFC. Guernsey 1985, 1st Sec, 25th Open NFC. Pau 1986, 1st Sec, 1st Open NFC. Nantes 1987, 1st Sec, 1st Open NFC. Nantes 1988. 1st sec 1st NFC Nantes 2002. See separate attachment for more recent results, maybe you can summarise some of the results. Birds have won over 90 certificates from the NFC. BBC. & CSCFC. SUMMARY RESULTS 2002 28th Open Romsey Guernsey. 12th Sect, 57th Open Central Southern Classic Picauville; 21st Sect, 116th Open Central Southern Classic Picauville; 26th Sect, 155th Open Central Southern Classic Picauville; 30th Sect, 203rd Open Central Southern Classic Picauville. 3rd Sect, 24th Open British Barcelona Club Nantes; 14th Sect, 58th Open 24th Open British Barcelona Club Nantes; 18th Sect, 67th Open British Barcelona Club Nantes; 19th Sect, 70th Open British Barcelona Club Nantes. 1st Sect, 1st Open National Flying Club Nantes; 2nd Sect, 5th Open National Flying Club Nantes; 1st West Sect, 2nd Open National Flying Club Yearling Championship Nantes. 3rd Sect, 11th Open National Flying Club Saintes; 24th Sect, 249th Open National Flying Club Saintes; 30th Sect, 291st Open National Flying Club Saintes. 4th Sect, 33rd Open Central Southern Classic Picauville YB; 14th Sect, 101st Open Central Southern Classic Lamballe YB; 43rd Sect, 191st Open Central Southern Classic Lamballe YB. 1st club Littlehampton; 1st club, 7th fed Eastbourne. 1st 2nd and 4th club Picauville. 1st club 9th fed Picauville. 1st club, 10th fed Picauville; 2nd and 4th club, 5th and 19th fed Fougères; 1st 3rd and 4th club, 4th 6th and 8th fed Fougères; 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th club 1st 2nd 4th and 9th fed Messac. 7th open Dorset YB. Open Guernsey; 1st Open Dorset YB breeder/buyer Guernsey, best breeder and best buyer; 1st 2nd and 3rd club YB Ashford; 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th club, 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th fed YB Littlehampton; 1st 2nd and 6th club YB Eastbourne; 1st 2nd 3rd 4th and 5th club YB Ashford. SUMMARY RESULTS 2001 1st Sect, 9th Open NFC. Herstal; 10th Sect, 318th Open NFC. Herstal; 12th Sect, 404th Open NFC. Herstal. 11th Sect 147th Open NFC. Sennen Cove 17th Sect 220th Open NFC Sennen Cove 21st Sect 417th Open NFC. Sennen Cove. 5th Sect, 950th Open N.F.C. Guernsey. 1st Sect, 1st Open B.B.C. Sennen Cove; 5th Sect, 14th Open BBC. Sennen Cove; 23rd Sect, 117th Open BBC. Sennen Cove 26th Sect 135th Open BBC. Sennen Cove. 10th Sect 27th Open BBC. Sennen Cove 16th Sect 49th Open BBC. Sennen Cove 28th Sect 107th Open BBC. Sennen Cove. 2nd Sect, 5th Open C.S.C.F.C. Ramsgate;13th Sect, 19th Open C.S.C.F.C. Ramsgate; 20th Sect 27th Open CSCFC. Ramsgate. 45th Sect 65th Open CSCFC. Ramsgate; 64th Sect, 93rd Open CSCFC. Ramsgate; 80th Sect, 117th Open CSCFC. Ramsgate 4th Sect, 82nd Open CSCFC. Sennen Cove; 10th Sect 135th Open CSCFC Sennen Cove. 20th Sect, 246th Open CSCFC. Sennen Cove. 2nd Club, 11th Fed Ashford; 1st 2nd 3rd and 7th club, 4th 6th and 16th fed Ramsgate. 1st 8th club, 23rd fed Ashford 1st 4th club Ramsgate. 1st 7th club Gent; 1st and 2nd club 19th and 22nd fed Littlehampton. YB 2nd 3rd 5th and 6th club 25th fed Guernsey YB 1st 2nd 3rd and 8th club. 1st 2nd and 5th fed Ashford YB; 2nd 3rd 4th 5th and 6th club. 13th 14th 15th 20th and 22nd fed Ramsgate YB. 3rd 4th 5th 6th and 7th club 18th 19th 21st 22nd and 24th fed Ashford YB. Best breeder Dorset Guernsey Open. SUMMARY RESULTS 2000 1st Open Romsey Guernsey 38th Sect, 430th Open CSCFC. Guernsey; 11th Sect, 40th Open BBC. Nantes; 21st Sect, 97th Open BBC Nantes; 32nd Sect, 149th Open BBC. Nantes; 10th Sect, 122nd Open NFC. Nantes; 19th Sect 344th Open NFC. Nantes; 19th Sect, 102nd Open CSCFC. Nantes; 2nd and 3rd Open DSR. Fed YB. Guernsey, 1st B/B, 1st bird in Dorset; 7th Sect, 68th Open CSCFC. Y.B. Guernsey 2; 2nd Sect, 78th Open NFC YB Vire; 6th Sect, 318th Open NFC. YB. Vire; 15th Sect, 79th Open BBC. YB. Lamballe 1st DCC. YB. Guernsey 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th club, 7th 8th 10th and 14th fed Vire; 1st club, 3rd fed Messac. 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th club, 12th 15th 17th and 19th fed Picauville YB; 1st 2nd 3rd club, 1st 2nd 3rd fed Ashford Y.B; 1st breeder/buyer Rossmore SRFC. 1st breeder/buyer SMSC; Y.B. Average Rossmore SRFC.

Q. Amongst those results what are the real highlights?
A. All National wins of the past and any in the future, I say future because you never know what is around the corner.

Q. What organisations do your race with?
A. National Flying Club, British Barcelona Club, Central Southern Classic Flying Club, Rossmore South Road Flying Club with the Dorset Federation, Dorset Championship Club.

Q. Do you hold any official position and if so do you take an active part, if no what are your reasons?
A. I (Mel) am President of the Rossmore SRFC, also president of the Dorset Championship club, Federation delegate for the club, Clock setter for the Club, BBC. NFC. CSCFC. Sue is treasurer for the Rossmore SRFC also assists with the clock setting and in general helps out wherever required.

Q. Do you ever think about competing for averages, if not why?
A. No because I feel it puts pressure on you to send birds, which may not be right, this then leads to the possibility of ruining our aim at the bigger races.

Q. How do you race your pigeons and how many?
A. Mainly widowhood system, starting the season with 36 cocks, we have founf that the system suits our way of racing the pigeons.

Q. What are your lofts made of and how big are they?
A. Main widowhood loft is 32ft long, with 4 sections for race birds, centre section is corn store, it is of timber construction with tiled apex roof, second loft for stock. The young bird & widowhood hens is 30ft long of timber construction with apex tiled roof and the 3rd loft is for darkness young birds 10ft long of timber construction with flat felt roof.

Q. Do you attach any importance to having a tile roof on a loft, if so are there any benefits?
A. The apex tiled roof is definitely preferred because it allows more air space and ventilation, this does help to maintain a healthy loft.

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. 16 stock pairs which all breed 2 or 3 rounds each year and we will only breed from a few select racers.

Q. When do you pair your pigeons and why then?
A. All pigeons are paired at the end of December so they are sitting eggs and nice, calm and quiet, so they are easy to manage by our family when we are away for Blackpool Show weekend in January.

Q. Do you move the hens with the young birds?
A. No.

Q. Young bird sickness is a problem; have you had this in your loft and if so what have you treated them with?
A. We think we may have had a mild case a few years ago; they were given probiotics until recovery, we have had no other problems in that area.

Q. 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?
A. All the YB will be raced at some time during the season but some will be stopped after the 100mile race, some will then go to the longest races but they will not be raced every week. We do believe in looking after the young birds because they are the team that you rely on for the future so there is no point in spoiling them in their early stages of life. All young are then judged on how they have coped with their various races i.e. wind on the nose, wind behind them etc. not just if they won first prize.

Q. What criteria do you set down for the pigeons you winter with your thoughts on the following season's racing and breeding?
A. All stock birds must have bred winners within 2 seasons; yearlings must have shown me they have the ability to win as O.B. Old bird performances must not have waned during the past season, then it's the hard job of selecting out the surplus. If they do not work then they must go, there is no room in a winning loft for passengers.

Q. Do you have any grilles fitted in the floor or in the boxes; are there any advantages to using them?
A. Grilles are fitted to all lofts except the young bird darkness loft, the advantage in the other lofts is to save time.

Q. What do you think about the vaccination programme for the pigeons and do you think it affects the pigeons long term?
A. Don't particularly like it, but like all fanciers do it because it is we have to because we compete in so many channel races.

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. Grit and minerals are important and always readily available.

Q. Do you use any floor dressing or do you clean the pigeons out daily?
A. Floor dressing is laid under the grilles but they are periodically cleaned out; all box perches are cleaned daily and with the darkness young bird having no grills both loft perches and floor is cleaned daily.

Q. Do you like to have plenty of room for the pigeons?
A. Yes, as much space as possible within the room we have available, this helps to keep the pigeons content because they are not fighting for a safe place to settle.

Q. 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?
A. We feed a branded mix for appropriate stages throughout the season.

Q. Do you measure the amount that you give to each pigeon or are they fed according to the individual pigeon?
A. Widowhood pigeons are fed individually in their boxes, the amount that they eat will tell you how well the pigeon is; stock birds have as much as they need.

Q. Easterly or westerly, do you set any stall by the position and if so why?
A. As we have pointed out earlier our pigeons are selected on the races that they compete in and the wind direction is taken into account.

Q. Do you consider there to be any advantage having a racing partnership?
A. Yes to share the workload this allows us to give more time with the pigeons and that little bit of attention to detail that winners need.

Q. Are there any points that you disagree on and if so how do you compromise a situation where there is a different viewpoint?
A. (Mel) makes all the breeding and racing decisions, we share the workload and (Sue) does the training and looks after the young birds.

Q. Do each of you have an area within the partnership where responsibilities take control regarding a decision?
A. No, not really it is as mentioned in the previous answer.

Q. To term a phrase are you a professional team of pigeon fanciers and do your circumstances make a big difference?
A. Not professional in the sense that we are full time pigeon fanciers; we both work 5 days a week at various times but we are as professional as possible in the care of our pigeons, that is the way forward.

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?
A. We don't follow eye theory in any form, only look at the pigeon's eye to see if they are healthy, that is a good indication.

Q. 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?
A. Sometimes use preventative products for canker and worms and we will always try to treat minor elements but seldom get any bad problems.

Q. How many weeks do you think a pigeon can maintain its form on the widowhood system for both cocks and hens?
A. Maintaining form is not something I worry about as I try to prepare certain birds for particular races. Widowhood hens are not raced so they are no concern in that area.

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?
A. All our old bird races are raced from across the channel.

Q. Do you treat pigeons differently with their preparation if they are to go to the bigger races whether National, Classic, Specialist club or open?
A. All pigeons are treated the same because we mainly race the Nationals, Classic etc.

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?
A. Some pigeons have the abilities to do both; most pigeons have a limit as only a few are successful, meaning winning over longer distances, whether or not they race or home over 500mile races depends on the conditions not the distance.

Q. What proportion of your pigeons get better on subsequent trips to the long distance races and what do you call distance?
A. We have not competed in many long distance (over 500 mile) races over the last few years so it would be unfair of us to pass comment, you can only comment if you have and relevant information.

Q. What is the more difficult, establishing a team of sprinters or distance pigeons and why?
A. A team of long distance pigeons take longer to get established because you have to wait for them to mature fully before they can be tested properly.

Q. 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?
A. As we only race widowhood cocks, if any go missing it does not affect our management.

Q. Sprinter or distance, there is no difference; it is all in the feeding?
A. Birds bred and conditioned for the job are more prominently the winners in extreme distance races of 600mile plus.

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?
A. When it gets to a distance of 600 mile plus every race is different and only birds conditioned properly do it in good time.

Q. What families of pigeons do you keep?
A. Gaby Vandenabeeles, Staf Van Reets and a few René Nauwelaerts and Van Loons.

Q. How do you go about bringing in a new family and what do you look for?
A. Any new family of pigeons likely to be introduced must have been successful in National type racing, preferably very recent because times change and so do pigeons.

Q. When you bring in that new family do you think that they need time to acclimatise; if so how long?
A. Any new pigeons would need to reach their maturity to fully test their capability; if they haven't shown promise by then they probably won't.

Q. 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?
A. Some fanciers change families of pigeons to keep up with fads and fashions; others let circumstances and time overtake them. It's a lot easier to lose a family of winners than it is to keep them; it's hard work to keep up yet alone getting in front of others.

Q. When looking for new pigeons do you look for a particular family, one for specialist races or club races or just by name?
A. When looking for new pigeons to add to an already successful team, they would have to complement the breeding of the established team or fill a gap or weakness I may have identified in the current team's performances, preferably both.

Q. Early in the article we discussed the wind direction. Do you consider that good pigeons will win in any position?
A. I think you can get a pigeon in any conditions or winds but the big races will usually be won when the wind is in their favour.

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?
A. There could be a hundred reasons. Maybe they don't apply themselves properly; perhaps the environment is wrong or there is no guarantee that even the best pigeons don't breed some rubbish and they might have been
the unlucky one to buy it.

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?
A. No.

Q. Do you race your pigeons every week or do you prefer to condition them for a specific race?
A. Don't race every pigeon every week; try to condition them for certain races.

Q. Is there any specific condition that your pigeons perform best at, or any particular time of the year?
A. I try to prepare them for certain races so I hope that they perform best at these races and times.

Q. In your view do you think that a loft needs different pigeons for different distances?
A. Yes.

Q. Which of the two sexes do you consider is the most important when it comes to breeding?
A. I think they are both equal.

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?
A. No.

Q. Is there anything that you have not won in the sport that you would like to achieve?
A. Lots more National, Classic and BBC wins, it’s no good sitting back and resting on past performances you have to set your sights on the future.

Q. Who do you consider to be the best fanciers in the country and for what reason?
A. I can't say any one fancier in the country because I don't know them all but there are good fanciers in one area of the country that are successful in races that are different to successful fanciers in other areas. It would be difficult to say that one was better than the other.

Q. What do you think can be done to take the sport forward?
A. You always need to look forward and no matter what anyone does there is always something else around the corner that needs attending to.

Q. Do you read many magazines/articles? If so, which type of article do you find interesting and why?
A. Read the weekly pigeon press, loft reports and articles on new ideas on improving and maintaining health and fitness in our pigeons and lofts. Someone somewhere will always have an idea that you can adjust to suit your system and the only way to find that is to read the reports.

Q. Are there any special treatments that you give your birds once the season has finished? What do you recommend the readers do with the birds?
A. All birds are treated for canker and worms at the end of the racing season before the moult starts. We use any brand, could be different each year. This is all the treatment they receive before breeding, after the moult. The droppings etc. will be sent to the lab for testing after the first round of breeding; if any treatment is needed from the test results that is all that is given, recommended by the vets.

Q. When it comes to breeding do you line-breed or use a first cross or just pair winners to winners?
A. We practise all types of line breeding, cross breeding with various different pairs. Most of the cross breeding is done with the best race bird winners.

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?
A. Sometimes we breed from top widowhood cocks, but we don't keep any late bred young birds to race; if we keep any it will be for stock purposes.

Q. If your race team went off form during the season what action would you take to restore their condition?
A. Depending on the way they have gone off form, if it's a health problem I would get them tested and treated if necessary. If it's not a health problem I would rest them on a light diet and try to bring them back up again.

Q. Is a favourable loft location the single biggest factor in sprint racing?
A. I don't think so. We do enter the short races at the start of the season but we are not out and out sprint racers. Management is what counts; a loft position cannot be favourable every week when the pigeons are liberated in different conditions and winds.

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. Yes, all our first round young birds are put on the darkness system up to the first week in June. Although we have only been using this system for three years, I don't think it makes any difference to their ability in later seasons.

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?
A. We only use branded young bird mix; they are not kept tight or broken down. They just have a lighter feed in the morning and then a heavier feed at night after exercise or training.

Q. What percentage do you consider it takes to win with racing pigeons for management and pigeons and why?
A. 50-50 to be a consistent winner. A top fancier could probably condition an average bird to win a race and a good bird could win a race in spite of its keeper not because of the bird, but to win regularly needs both a good fancier with good pigeons.

Q. What is the farthest distance that you would train your old birds or young birds?
A. Most training for old and young birds would be to the coast approximately 20 miles; the young birds I would try to give 1 or 2 longer tosses before the first race.

Q. If random drugs tests were carried out on your pigeons, would it reveal any substance, illegal or otherwise?
A. NO.

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?
A. I don't follow the continental scene very closely, but I believe their long distance races are only run by the National and Classic type organisations and the local clubs only run short, middle distance races. I think this could be a way forward over here with the smaller feds or combines stopping at about 30 miles.

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?
A. The small loft or average working man can still win races with the very best of birds at various times during a season, but I don't think they can compete on a weekly basis with the big professional set-ups that have developed over recent years.

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?
A. We think for local/club racing it should be one loft, one money prize, but all birds should receive the appropriate placed cards which we have put forward in our club, to keep the novice fancier interested at club level.

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?
A. Club racing for us is basically for training and experience; any win at this level is a bonus. If fanciers were restricted from entering these races the local clubs could not survive because of lack of birdage, as do many of the other local National/Classic flyers.

Q. 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?
A. I don't take any notice of the shape, step, vented end flights etc. only that the feathers are all in good condition, silky etc.

Q. Do you use any form of heating system in any of your lofts? Do you think it would be advantageous for the birds?
A. We have heaters fitted in the lofts but they are never used.

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?
A. The pigeons are treated the same after every race; electrolytes are added to the water and beer yeast with their corn the following day.

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?
A. It was a great shame not to be able to fly into France last year due to the foot and mouth. This year it has been a pleasure to get back into France with the record entries in most of the National etc. races showing most fanciers' thoughts.

Q. With your pigeon work do you have a silent partner i.e. wife, partner or friend? If so what part do they play?
A. There is no silent partner, only the wife who has plenty to say.

Q. Is there anything that you do not like about the sport, something that you feel needs changing for the good of the sport?
A. Like all things in pigeon racing, we must accept progress on a fair for all basis.

Q. Do you compete in the National events? If not, why not? Or are you happy to race in the club?
A. We try to compete in every National/Classic event that we can as this is our main interest, but we also try to send to as many local fed races as possible because this is the backbone of the sport. The sport also need to maintain an interest for any newcomers that they may be.

Q. Do you have any further comments about anything that we may have missed in any area of the sport?
A. We would like to see some top level investment for research into an answer for the various ailments that are grouped together as young bird sickness. The fancy needs a definite answer from the veterinary profession so an end can be put to this problem that seems to get worse every year. Young bird entries are getting fewer which is not doing the local club fanciers any good; people are leaving the sport because they can't bear to see their birds affected time after time.