David Reynolds - Distance Man of Distinction

By Jim Emerton

1. David please tell us about yourself and where you live

Well, Jim. The first thing I would like to say is thank you for taking the time out of your very busy life to interview me. I feel very honoured and hope I can justify you’re effort with my answers.

Just a little bit about myself. Born in 1960. Working class. Secondary Modern school education. Leaving school without any Qualifications, And joined Her Majesty’s Forces as a young man of 17 And a half Years Old. While serving I trained in signals and communications Which when you think about it originally one of the most reliable Forms of communication for the military was homing pigeons kind of APT really when you think about where I am now. After completing My career in the Royal Engineers. I left the forces and had a brief Encounter with sales and marketing. (Double glazing salesman) And a Rather big change in my Family circumstances. IE divorce. I decided it Was beneficial for me to take time out. So I left the UK to visit Israel And my sister but ended up On a Kibbutz for almost a year, was an Absolutely fantastic experience and where I ended up meeting my Wonderful wife of over 20 years. In 2010 we purchased our house And I finally got to retire to the most idyllic part of Europe in the far Northeast of Germany on the Baltic coast, very close to the Polish Border, and that’s really where my attempt at Barcelona began to Take shape and my story begins.

2. What personal traits do you bring to distance and marathon Racing?

I think one of my best personal traits that I bring to marathon racing Is my unwillingness to accept that it’s just not possible, some people Would call this stubbornness I call it determination, (it’s also a trait That I look for in my pigeons). Some other traits that I feel I bring to The sport are hard work, honesty, attention to detail, and a Willingness to share my knowledge and discoveries (positive and Negative) with other pigeon fanciers, I personally gain an awful lot of Information and knowledge from helping others in such forums as Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp. Where after many long Discussions hundreds of people from around the pigeon world I find There is always something that I did not know before that comes up In our chats and surprises me. I suppose you would call that another Trait being able to listen and assimilate the information that is Presented to me, working out what I can use ,how I can use it, and Why would I use it. After all if we don’t live and learn and try to Improve we’ll never change our results.

3. You are most dedicated, and emotional about the sport ,what Does it all mean to you?

I am not sure if there would ever be enough paper for me to explain What this sport means to me, what I would go as far as to say is that Without this sport my retirement would be an absolute empty void (family aside). The myriad of Emotions that I feel when working with the pigeons Goes from top to bottom on the emotional scale happy, sad, Depressed, elation, you name it the pigeons will invoke It, and as I fill Every waking moment with racing pigeons, it’s what makes my world Go round I literally wake up every day 4:00 AM and go to the pigeon Loft to make sure they’ve all had a good night and everything is in Order before the day’s training starts. I spend hours and hours just Thinking about, how can I improve the chances of my pigeons winning From the Barcelona International race or how to maximise the Potential of breeding a winner for this mammoth endeavour IE the World’s most prestigious pigeon race

4. Does the man make the bird what it is, in racing ?

This really can only be answered on an individual basis I think most Pigeons have a very strong individual character and it is the job of the Fancier to find out what it is that motivates each individual bird to Change it from a homing pigeon to a racing pigeon, all birds are born With a natural ability to get home. The part that fancier has in this Pigeons life and development is giving the correct, nutrition, Environment, and motivation to develop the already present drive to Get home, although the pigeons have this as a Basic Instinct they still Need to be given the tools from the fancier to complete it at racing Speed. So really in answer to the question it is both man and bird the Two combined produce the racing pigeon.

5. One of the most genuine and honest people in the sport please Describe your intentions in the media with your films and Comments?

As far as my media presence is concerned, I am very active in both Facebook and YouTube and , I’ve started my own page. The Ultra Marathon pigeons 800 Milers which grew from nothing to 14,800 Members in six months, I’m very proud of my achievements in social Media but also it gives me so much pleasure to be able to pass on What little information I have two new starters and experienced People alike. The subjects that we cover are very broad and we get Some fantastic discussion points during a weeks’ worth of threads, as Far as my YouTube channel is concerned www.youtube.com/@Dandilofts I use this to keep the fancy informed With total transparency of everything that I do with my pigeons the Good the bad and the ugly, sometimes it’s wonderful videos let’s Make you smile, with great things happening and sometimes it’s very Sad and depressing, when you only have bad news to share, but life Sometimes deals a bad hand and we just have to make the best of it We can, being a very honest and open person I hide nothing and will Always put my hands up when I am at fault, (which is often), the Absolute fantastic thing about YouTube and Facebook is that it’s real Time, I do like going live even though I don’t have a big audience? But The audience that is watching see what’s really happening, warts and All, and not something that’s been cut to make the fancier or the Birds look good. Please subscribe and follow my Facebook and YouTube channels if You want more information or just to see what I do on a daily basis, I’m also nearly always available for phone calls on WhatsApp which if You go to my Internet site www.dandiloftsmarathonpigeons.com You can find my number.

6. We are waiting for you to write a booklet, when will this be?

On to my booklet with the working title Dandilofts the road to 800 Miles plus. As Jim has said it’s all in planning some is written and Some is still to be formulated but I’m sure as winter starts it should Be ready. It’s just a small guide to how to breed train educate and Feed my pigeons for 800 miles add more. I am hoping to keep it as Basic as possible to help any new fanciers coming into the sport of Distance racing and also experienced fanciers to pick out the parts They feel may help. At the end of the day nobody can know Everything and somebody else may have a different take on how to Achieve your aim, and as I said earlier I learn something new daily.

7. Who have influenced you in the sport?

As a young boy just interested in getting birds back, I was influenced By all the local fanciers and went for Sprint and middle distance Pigeons, where I was very successful! But since retiring from service And moving to Germany I have embarked on my road to Barcelona. To this end I have had two relearn and rethink how I can achieve this Mammoth task and I came to the conclusion I need to look at many Different fanciers and their methods. I gathered as many books Articles and films as I could on races all over 600 miles, unfortunately This was probably a mistake I have found to get birds to fly 600 miles Is relatively simple in comparison to finding birds that can race over 800 miles, so I had to read different books that catered for these Extreme marathon racing. I found myself doing very well on 600 to 700 miles but up until 2017 I hadn’t sent further, at the same time I Was introduced through Facebook to the author/mentor Jim Emerton. A true gentleman and fantastic author of nine books all still available Online and not just on pigeon racing. Jim has definitely been an Inspiration to me and also kept me positive and on the right track. I Would have to say he has definitely been and influence at Dandilofts, I really couldn’t leave this question without giving Simon Shearsby at Dandilofts UK a big mention he has helped advised motivated and Pushed me to achieve my own and our lofts goals since the Partnership began he is undoubtedly one of the best pigeon men I Have had the pleasure of meeting, what the man has done with my Pigeons is beyond belief and I’m sure he is going to be the one to Watch in the future in all the UK internationals thank you Simon. A Quick mention to 1 other although not an influence in what I do but An influencer in how I do it and that’s Dave bunker Brierley, Whenever I don’t know the reason why something does or doesn’t Work Dave has researched it to the point where no stone is left Unturned and this has helped me to keep my birds fit and healthy Without the use of medicines so thank you Dave for your input.

8. Why is Barcelona the greatest race on planet earth?

Very simple to answer because it has every elite fancier from the Whole of Europe trying to win it from every corner someone is Pushing the limits just look at the results in 2023 and you can see Mark Gilbert making history by clocking on day one from Barcelona An absolutely outstanding achievement, never been done before, I Take my hat off to the man he certainly knows how to condition his Birds to race both the short and the long distance, you only have to Look at the many many nationals that he has topped or being very Close to. Barcelona is the ultimate for pigeon sport and also my childhood Goal and dream, although for me it may well be an impossible dream, A distance of 600 to 800 miles is really hard but the impossible 1000 Mile barrier may take a little longer to break,

9. Please detail your thoughts behind your methods to produce Great race condition?

As many of you are aware the biggest no no in My loft is blind Treatment of racing pigeons whether that be canker, trico, or any Other illness or problem, I put a lot of Emphasis on the natural Immune system of the pigeon, I don’t treat any of my birds including Young birds that are weaned, I only vaccinate each year against Paramyxo, rotavirus, and salmonella as directed by my vet all other Sickness or illness the pigeons must overcome them without the aid Of medicine. As many of you are also aware there are many many other ways of Treating and combating pigeon illnesses than shoving antibiotics Down their throats I personally use Kuhn Brieftauben Tonikum Every Single day in the water since I’ve been using this, I have to say I’ve Had no sickness no trico no cocci and as an example this year only Lost two young birds to sickness, obviously they had a weakened Immune system and did not survive on my zero tolerance policy I shouldn’t of course be explaining to you how to condition the birds But without basic health nothing will work. Sick pigeons under the Weather pigeons not quite right pigeons do not fly 800 miles, in my Opinion most of the losses in the UK are down to medication abuse Producing weak pigeons. Assuming the birds are fit and healthy the next part of conditioning To look at is feeding here once again I don’t really go in for the Mainstream thoughts that all distance and marathon pigeons need to Be fed on peas and beans in my loft peas and beans are in very short Supply as the majority of seeds that I feed are very quickly digested And give a lot of energy in fats. This is all part of health and Conditioning in my opinion feeding peas beans and too much maze Puts a lot of strain on the digestive system, and as we all know that’s Where most sicknesses take a hold And spread Without going into Too much detail but I’m sure if you were to look at the different Articles from Dave bunker Brierley on Elimar you will be able to read In great depth how the stomach and digestive system of the pigeons Is also its first and biggest defence against bacterial and viral Infection. So if the bird is healthy 100% he is fed light, rich, easily digestible Foods, if the digestive system is kept clean and clear From bacteria And viral infections with for example Kuhn Tonikum then it will come Down to how you train and educate your birds, I like to introduce my birds to all Aspects of racing as young birds straight from the nest that is to say they are weaned To a race crate where on the first week after leaving their parents they are eating Drinking and sleeping in a race crate, I then take that education a bit Further and leave them overnight in the trailer and release them from 20 metres it just helps to confirm that the basket or crate is not going To be a stress factor to the birds throughout their entire life. Actual Fitness training is done two weeks before their first race with Intensive daily sometimes twice daily short training to get the birds Bodies and muscles race fit the rest of pre-race conditioning is taken Care of by the system I use i.e. Roundabout (If you want details on my Roundabout system check out my booklet in the new year)

10. Are you creating a strain or are your birds a diverse mixture?

To be quite honest my strain Dandilofts marathon pigeons all based Around Marcel Braakhuis pigeons of the golden couple line, to this Base of very hard and determined pigeons, I have added birds that Have performed for me or for others at a distance of minimum 800 Miles, most recently I have introduced birds from military Rogala and Eagerly waiting for the chance to get them on the distance racing, Time will tell and Time is a very good starting place to show just how Difficult it is to build a team that can race 800 plus miles, unlike the Short to middle distance racing where you can find out how good Your birds are in one year or maximum two years with distance Racing you need a minimum of three years and for marathon racing You could add another year, and that is why it is very difficult to build A team of reliable pigeons for marathon racing I do think my strain has proven time And time again 800 miles is not the limit and with constant commitment to the goal of Barcelona or bust I am sure my strain will crack 1000 miles in race time.

11. What are the limits to what a champion bird can do and will you crack 1000 miles in race time?

I personally think the limitations of the pigeons is open-ended but the Limitations of the human mind puts barriers where there are no Barriers many people have pigeons that could excel as marathon Pigeons but their own mindset hinders and does not allow the pigeon All the fancier to reach its full potential and compete in marathon Racing.

12. What will be my legacy to the sport?

If you’d have asked me this question 10 years ago I would have said I Would be leaving nothing of any use to the future of pigeon racing, And I think others in the sport would have asked “who is Dandilofts”, Today I would hope that’s my legacy that is left behind will be hard And reliable marathon pigeons that have competed at Barcelona 1000 miles and of course on the light side hopefully a little booklet of Information that may help somebody at some time achieve Something.

13. Do you approve of inbreeding and supplements?

First of all I’ll answer supplements, I’m a great believer in Supplements as long as I feel they will be of benefit to the pigeon Over a period of time and when I refer to supplements I am referring To product such as probiotics, protein powders, Brewers yeast, mixed Herbs and spices, and any other natural products that I deem to be Beneficial to my pigeons, any other information required about Supplements call me or check my YouTube channel Inbreeding: I really pair my birds to breed the best to best from Performances and best the best from the stock loft, if that then Means that some would be inbred I am quite happy to go ahead I Am a great believer in the first cross from an inbred family produces An awful lot of vigour in the young pigeons this I have noticed has Happened with the military Rogala pigeons ,on their first cross Although they are renowned for their extreme distances as a cross They have been showing great potential around the world in one loft Races out to 500 kilometres so that makes me OK with inbreeding.

14. Please comment on other aspects of the sport you feel You would like to air?

Just to close this interview off, I would like to say I am very very Passionate about the sport of pigeon racing and especially the Marathon aspect of it. I have enjoyed every moment of the last 10 Years building a strain of reliable pigeons, that’s all now showing Themselves all around the world from the USA, to Romania, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, and Poland, and for this I am Eternally grateful to everybody that has Dandilofts marathon pigeons In their loft and very shortly in their race teams. Good luck to all of you, I will be watching with bated breath for the First reports of performances from my Birds

Thanks to all that have supported myself and Simon over the past Years .

Barcelona or Bust

David Reynolds Dandilofts