THE CONVOYERS' SERIES: THE THANKLESS TASK

Gareth Watkins interviews

PHIL FISHLOCK

 

Over the years I have written many articles on successful fanciers and their pigeons but not once have I written an article on the men who many think are amongst the most important components in the sport of pigeon racing - the convoyers. I know from personal experience the amount of hard work and skill involved in the job of convoying as my father, Dan Watkins, was for many years the chief convoyer for the then massive All Wales Combine. Being an active fancier with more than 50 years’ experience in the sport I also know how short sighted and at times viciously critical some fanciers can be in their attitude to the convoyer. When they give the members a good race they rarely get a kind word said, but give the members a bad race and their first recourse is to criticise the convoyer.

In this article, which I hope will be the first in a series of insights into the work of our often much maligned convoyers, I would like to highlight the convoying experiences of one of Wales' longest serving convoyers - Phil Fishlock. Hopefully by the end of the series the fancy in general will have a better understanding if not a greater appreciation of the convoyer's lot. Take it away Phil.

Phil Fishlock, Convoyer for the Welsh SR Fed and WSRNFC.

 

Do you keep pigeons yourself or have you ever raced pigeons?

Yes I've always had pigeons since I was a young lad. {I should point out here that Phil is a very successful fancier with a number of outright National wins to his credit along with many other wins at club and Fed level}

 

How long have you been convoying pigeons?

Almost constantly for the past 25 years, with a few trips on the north road before that.

 

What organisations have you convoyed for?

Welsh South Road Fed and Welsh South Road National, Welsh SR Amalgamation and the Central Southern Classic Flying Club.

 

Who was your first major influence in your time as a convoyer?

On the North Road W {Winky] Humphreys of Banwen, Joe Tyrrell {Llynfe} and a certain Dan Watkins of Tonypandy. All these were top class fanciers as well as being top class convoyers.

 

Which convoyer would you say was your "mentor" - the man who taught you "best practice" in the care of the pigeons?

On the South Road I suppose it would be  Peter Longyear of Waterlooville, along with Mr Ron Gardner of the WECA and Mr Richard King of the NFC & Midlands National.

 

Have you convoyed pigeons on various race routes i.e. North Road, South Road, East to West?

Over the years I've convoyed on all of the above routes.

 

What would be your typical day as a convoyer?

First of all it would entail collection of birds from the various clubs and marking stations, followed by travelling to the race point and care of birds on ferries etc. In the morning the first job is always making sure that the water tanks on the transporter are full. Then comes the transfer of any baskets on to the pick-up vehicle. At around 16.45 I start the pick up of pigeons and finally arrive at the services around 22.30. This is when we transfer any baskets that need to go on to the big transporters. The next job is to make sure that all birds are watered.

 

Can you give an outline of your day and the care of the birds on day of liberation?

For inland races I am usually up and about by 6.00 am waiting for an up date on weather. At around 6.30 I check the water troughs are full and then liaise with the race controller of possible liberation times.

 

Assuming an early morning liberation - what would be the latest time that you would feed the birds on the eve of liberation?

On inland races the birds are not fed. With overseas races I usually start feeding about 15.30 and have all feeding completed by around 16.30. The water troughs are then filled and the birds left to rest. I usually check the birds' water again around 19.30.

 

On holdovers do you vary the amount of food that each bird is fed from day to day?

Yes I give the birds a bit more food per bird on the second and subsequent days.

 

What is your impression of the new "state-of-the-art" transporters?

The new transporters are 100% better than when we were on rail.

A recent liberation of the Welsh South Road Fed pigeons

 

What, if any improvements would you recommend to transporters?

Plenty of natural day light and plenty of fresh air, plus dryness.

 

Weather forecasting - do you have access to your own weather information?

Not personally, but I do have access to weather on  the line of flight via convoying friends and the race controller at the home end.

 

What weather factor do you think is essential for a good liberation and consequent race?

About 50% high white cloud and a northerly breeze. I have never liked liberating when there are clear blue skies, the sun and moon in the sky at the same time, and liberating birds before 06.00 am in races under 500 miles on the south road.

 

Can you give your thoughts on how the sport can progress with regard to weather forecasting, convoying facilities and transportation?

The new transporters have most things for comfort, but most fanciers don’t give a toss about the people looking after the birds. They go to Blackpool or across to the Continent and pay big money for birds and all the medicines under the sun, but if you ask these same fanciers to update the transporters or baskets it is a different matter!! They do everything for the birds in their lofts then put them in sub standard transporters and then it’s the convoyer’s fault if they have a bad race. As for the forecast we get, well we have to go on what the forecaster tells us. That’s what we pay him for.

 

Please feel free to add any thoughts that you think would be of interest to the "layman" pigeon fancier sitting comfortably at home on race day!!

I don’t think we put enough thought into things like solar flares and sun spots, My thanks to Joe Murphy & Dixey for what they do, publishing "K" indices etc. I just wish it was a bit simpler to read for the layman. Only last week I was watching a programme on television regarding whole hives full of honey bees going missing. The scientists seemed to think that bees orientation ability is also affected by solar flares, sun spots so why not our pigeons and their homing ability? {This summer witnessed an enormous amount of solar flare, solar storms and sun spot activity - GW}.

 

My "dream team" of convoyers on the road at the moment would include:- Martin & Brent Bramner, Tommy Gerard, Brown Bros, Paul Hammond, John Ottley, Jimmy Wilson, Steve Teasdale, Dave From Cheshire, Ian French, Trevor Cracknell, Roy from Norfolk, Dave Stanway, Parry Bros along with Wayne Wilcox. All of these and a lot more do everything they can for the birds and fanciers with not a lot of thanks but a hell of a lot of criticism!! A good idea would be for one fancier from one club to go on the transporter each week to see how easy the job of convoying is!!

 

Many thanks Phil for your help and cooperation in compiling this questionnaire. - Gareth Watkins.

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Elimar - January 2015