The Keith Bush Legacy

 A ‘Certificate of Merit’ winner in 2017

by

John Clements of Stockport

What worries a lot of fanciers is the change in pigeon culture. Modern pigeon culture has moved away from the celebration of ‘National’ long distance and marathon racing towards a celebration of first prizes regardless of distance. This change has brought in its wake many  smaller regional clubs.   Modern pigeon culture also includes 'One loft Races' and anything that appears to make money . This change away from Long Distance  has not happened overnight. It has been a gradual shift in attitude and inclination over 40 or 50 years so now very few awards are left that celebrate outstanding long distance pigeons.

The NFC Certificate of Merit

One of the few awards  that still does exist but receives little attention by most fanciers is the NFC Certificate of Merit'.  Needles to say this award is a difficult  to win or even getting close to winning. Out of the thousands of pigeons that enter the Tarbes race every year less than 50 have ever qualified by flying Tarbes (the NFC's Longest race) three times. You would think these outstanding few would attract enormous attention as examples of the best and most reliable Long Distance pigeons in the UK. Unfortunately they do not.

Luck Free

 This award is specifically designed to be Luck Free. Speaking for myself in the selling era that now controls the sport  - I would like the ‘Certificate of Merit’ idea to become a top commercial brand in itself. I would like it to become a top brand like a ‘Ferrari’ or ‘Rolls Royce’ - This award should be  the ‘Stradivarius’ of pigeon quality. . I think my hopes will never be realised unless  a ‘Sea Change’ happens in the way we think about our sport and a further ‘Sea Change’ in how we measure performance  here in the UK. 

My Third Report

I am gradually working my way through this years award winners one by one with an article for each of the winners.

My third report of this years 'Certificate of Merit' pigeons is of a pigeon from a loft that fits exactly into  the non selling - non buying - only swopping category. Keith Bush is part of  a dynasty of pigeon fanciers going back almost a hundred years. Keith's father won 1st open in the North Road Championship clubs  longest race from Lerwick twice in the 1930’s. That was at a time  when the North Road rivalled the NFC  as a race of high status.

Keith and his brothers have continued in this family tradition. They are all dedicated Long Distance fanciers who race to separate own lofts in different parts of the country. Keith’s pigeon is a Cheq Hen GB 13 N 64534

Her award winning performances are

Tarbes 2015 12th Section 196th Open

Tarbes 2016 2nd Section 18th Open

Tarbes 2017 6th Section 113th Open

‘534’  was prepared the same way all three years.  Paired late March with no training before racing. Racing started 1st Saturday in May with three land races to the coast then one short channel race from Carentan .  She then went to nest on third round of eggs so she was on a small baby at the time of Tarbes basketing and on open hole from early May but generally the pigeons of Keith Bush pigeons do not  exercise much around home but they are allowed to express themselves in an open environment.

The sire of ‘534’

The sire of ‘534’ was 12th section Messac NFC and within the first 50 open places from Tarbes.  He has bred other good pigeons my 2nd and 3rd birds this year are two sisters from him.  Plus others 23rd Open and a lot more Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren that have proved themselves. .  He was from a red cock who was 7th section Pau and 4th section Palamos timed 2nd day.  His dam was from my brother Neil of Scunthorpe. This pigeon was a daughter of  1st section Pau x 1st section Saintes. 

The dam of ‘64534’

The dam of ‘64534’  flew Pau three times and was clocked each time but detailed records are not kept so what positions were is unknown. .  She was from half brother/sister mating to a hen that was twice 95th open Pau and she was a granddaughter to my 2nd open MNFC Bergerac. All these pigeons are a family of pigeons Keith has had for many years. Very few introductions have been made in that time.They are certainly one of the very few still intact ‘Strains’ or a related family  of long distance pigeons in the UK.

Keith was brought up with pigeons and was interested from an early age. After Keith married he started on his own with chosen late breeds from his father so success was immediate. Keith was 4th open NRCC Lerwick at his first attempt. After that Keith was 2nd and 3rd twice and lots more in the first 30 open.

A Few Introductions 

Part of the ‘Bush’  success is because pigeons is a family affair - for instance Keith bred his brother Neill’s ‘Nantes Hen’ the foundation pigeon of Neill’s loft. In return Keith got quite a few good related ones back to further strengthen his own loft. Very few introductions from outside the family have been made but one that has left its mark was a ‘Mick Spencer’ grand daughter of Mick’s famous ‘Scottish Lady. ‘Scottish Lady’ as many will recall has left its mark in many parts of the country including the lofts of long distance fanatics and treble Certificate of Merit award winners M/M E F Cannon of Wormley. This illustrates how the same UK good blood has a habit of emerging  regardless of location or loft in various top lofts through the country.  Another loft that has had influence is that of ‘Ken Hine’  but apart from those two,  little else.

The turn from North to South

Because of a series of fast Lerwick races with the NRCC Keith decided to change direction and turn South. From this change came the 2nd MNFC Bergerac bred from the best of Keith’s Lerwick pigeons. This hen was also 35th NFC Pau and is one of the best in the loft to this day. In Keith’s opinion modern pigeon prices are ridiculous so he sticks with exchanges with offspring from proven Tarbes pigeons from his brother in Scunthorpe. Nevertheless it is a mistake to think the Bush philosophy is one of being grounded in the past. When technical improvements arrive Keith is not shy of adopting them. Keith registers and times his pigeons on an ETS system so they no longer have to be handled and for convenience during the hours of waiting for marathon pigeons - Breaks of all kinds are now possible but I would imagine even Keith has moments of sadness and regret  if he fails to see the pigeon actually drop after flying 676 miles - especially when the pigeon in question has done it for the third time. Distance flying is the reason this loft exists. It is this objective that  keeps Keith outside the pigeon ‘Matrix’ He has definitely not swallowed the ‘Blue acceptance  Pill’.

’635’  Cheq Hen

the Keith Bush NFC Certificate of Merit winner 2017