“ON THE ROAD” WITH KEITH MOTT.

South West Show Racer Society (‘Duchy’ Show).

In recent year the month of November has seen me and my mates make the 240 mile drive down to Bodmin in Cornwall to judge the South West Show Racer Societies annual Duchy Open Show. Originally the Duchy Show was put on for many years by the Duchy Racing Pigeon Club and when it disbanded about fifteen years ago the SWSRS took it over, and the first show I attend to judge was in 2010 and this was their fifth open show. The SWSRS has 35 members with their lofts in mostly Devon and Cornwall, with a couple of members living in South Wales. The Society holds five shows each season, three club events and two open shows, one in November and the other in December. The competition in the Society is very keen and the members do very well at all the National and Classic shows through out the UK. The Societies chairman, John Robilliard, told me, a few years ago the club out grew their old HQ at a local hospital site and managed to secure the Luxulyan Village Hall, which is a brilliant venue to stage big pigeon shows, with a nice well lit hall and good catering and parking facilities. The hard working secretaries are Jim and Liz Tallon who have their loft in Camborne and the President is Ken Hearn. The Society had some really bad luck a few years ago when they lost a lot of their equipment in a fire, including all their tables and trestles. They had fund raising events to raise money to replace their lost equipment, including small pigeon auctions at the club shows.

The Duchy Show is open to any fanciers in the UK and John Robilliard told me they come from as far away as Wales, Gloucestershire and the Midlands to compete. The show’s 37 classes are for Show Racers and Racing Pigeons, and the 2010 event attracted a 654 bird entry. Peter Taylor and I judged that first year and although we were a long way from home, it was good to see all the old familiar faces we see every year around the Show Racer scene every year. The judges on the day were: (Racing Pigeons) B. Brown, R. Pretty-John, A. Nolan, M. Hannaford, L. Jane, B. Smith, (Show Racers) M. Spears, Peter Taylor and Keith Mott. I was given the task of judging the specials from the 35 class winners and with the quality of the pigeon there, what a hard job that was! Tony Harry won Best Racer in Show with sweet little two year old light blue chequer hen. I awarded Best in Show to beautiful yearling mosaic hen owned by Colin and Jean Carter of the Cotswold and she was bred from a pair of John Robilliard birds. Colin said she had not been shown very much, but won several cards as a young bird. He had suffered a bit of ill health in recent weeks and gave full credit for the Duchy win to his now late wife, Jean, who had been looking after the management of the show team in previous weeks. The Carter loft entered 28 birds in the Duchy open show and lifted 15 cards, including five times 1^st and four times 2^nd.

When we walked around the National shows in the winter months, we quite often bumped into Colin Carter and win or lose, he always seemed cheerful. Colin and his late wife, Jean, were fanciers who enjoy their pigeons, top or bottom of the result sheet, they always enjoyed themselves! Being one of the premier Show Racer partnerships in the U.K., more often than not they had pigeons on the winners table, which is great achievement as theirs was a small team loft, with quality and not quantity being the criteria for their pigeon regime. Colin’s late wife, Jean, was his pigeon partner and was very active in the sport, playing a big part in the management of the birds and attends all the big shows with him.

The beginning of November marks the start of the annual show season and I must say I was always looking forward to visiting all the major shows, in the winter months. Although I love long distance racing pigeons, many of my racing friends can’t understand my passion for showing pigeons. I can never turn pigeons off and when racing was finished in September, the Mott loft went into showing mode. I had to have my ‘fix’ twelve months in every year. I suppose I’m a bit of a frustrated show man at heart! I think breeding pigeons for type and winning with them at a Classic show is as much an art as breeding outstanding racers, and winning a National race. I derive as much pleasure out of seeing a Best in Show winner at the National shows, as I do a National race winning pigeon, but I think I’m one of the lucky ones, as I can enjoy both sides of our great sport. Although I’m mostly known for the racing side of the sport, I have a big involvement in the Show Racers scene and have judged at all the Classic and National shows through the years, which I have really enjoyed.

The month of November 2012 saw Terry Haley, Brian Goodwin and myself make the drive down to Bodmin to judge the annual Duchy Open Show and that year’s event attracted a 642 bird entry. The judges on the day were: (Racing Pigeons) Ian Hawken, Trevor Hawken (eyesign), Richard Blewett, (Show Racers) Brian Goodwin, Terry Haley and Keith Mott. For the second time I was given the task of judging the specials from the 35 class winners and Mr. & Mrs. Frankie Hole of Redruth won Best Racer in Show with a handsome blue chequer cock. I awarded Best in Show (Show Racer) and Supreme champion to beautiful yearling mosaic hen owned by John Robilliard of Bodmin. John told me on the day that this latest champion was bred down from his wonderful family of opal / mosaic show racers that had won many championships through the years, including Best in Show and Supreme Champion at the BHW Blackpool Show.

In my 50 years as a pigeon scribe, a fancier I have admired is, John Robilliard of Cornwall, for his high level of success with his birds and the great work he has puts in to our sport, over many years. John first started keeping pigeons in the early 1950’s, about the time he met his wife, Pam, and was doing National Service in the R.A.F.  John raced pigeons up to 1958 and in those early days enjoyed showing his race birds at all the local events including the Bodmin November Show. He saw the show birds at these events and obtained his first Show Racers in the late 1950’s, but these were not very good quality, so in 1959 got some better stock from the late Trevor Parker of Treherbert and Edgar Griffiths, who were two of the premier showmen at that time. The three birds obtained from these fanciers won well for John and were a good foundation for his new Show Racer loft. Right from the outset these birds produced stock to win premier prizes at all the National shows for the Robilliard loft, including the People Show held at the Royal Horticultural Hall in London, the Old Comrades Show, Show of the West held at Swindon and the Royal Cornwall Show. The Robilliard loft has been built up over the years with the very best stock obtained from the premier Show Racer lofts in the U.K. John and Pam’s second hobby is dancing and have regular social dance evenings at Luxulyan Village Hall, which they enjoy very much. Through the nearly 50 years that John has been in the sport he has given a 100% commitment, being a founder member of the Bodmin R.P.C., serving over 20 years as secretary, also a founder member of the Mid Cornwall Federation, serving as President of the Federation and Cornish Combine. On the Show Racer scene he has had a 40 year commitment to the Royal Cornwall Show, serving as secretary and chairman, and has a big involvement with the British Show Racer Federation, the Stithians Show and a founder member of both the Devon & Cornwall Show Racer Society and South West Show Racer Society. John had quite a full pigeon life, when did Pam get to see him! He has a big involvement with the R.P.R.A. spanning over many years and was a founder member of the Devon and Cornwall Region. He was elected President of the R.P.R.A. in 1996, serving his three year term and before that was vice-president for four years. John said, ‘It was an honour to be President for the year the R.P.R.A. celebrated it’s Centenary in 1996 and again in 1998 when it hosted the Olympiad in Blackpool’. John was recently presented with a very nice carriage clock by the RPRA for his many years of first class service to our sport!

The third time I visited Bodmin to judge the SWSRS ‘Duchy’ Show was in November 2013 and on that occasion Terry Haley and I made the 240 mile drive down to Cornwall. The show had 37 classes and that year’s event attracted a 602 bird entry. The judges on the day were: (Racing Pigeons) M. Underhill, R. Prettejohn, M. Hannaford, A. Nolan, B. Brown, (Show Racers) Terry Haley, Tony Baugh, P. Bedler and Keith Mott. Tony Baugh was given the task of judging the specials from the 35 class winners and being one of the leading Show Racer fanciers in the UK, he did an excellent job. Tony awarded Best in Show (Show Racer) and Supreme Champion to beautiful blue chequer hen named, ‘Abigail’, owned by Brian and Caroline Seward of Brampton. Brian told me on the day that this latest champion was bred down from his wonderful family of show racers that had won many championships through the years. Best Opposite Sex (Show Racer), Best Young Bird and Best Opposite Sex Young Bird were won by David and Jill Fisher, with a wonderful duo of mealies. Mr. & Mrs. F. Williams won Best Racer in Show, plus other premier awards, with a handsome blue cock and also lifted the Best Opposite Sex Racer award with a blue hen.

Talking to Brian Seward the day after the show, he told me, he had not slept to well with the excitement of his big win and he and his wife, Caroline were highly delighted with their success at the ‘Duchy’ Show. Their Supreme Champion, ‘Abigail’, was named after their eldest granddaughter and she won as young bird at the ‘Duchy’ and won her class at the 2012 BSRF Southern Show. In 2012 she was mated to a gift pigeon from Alastair Tankard and they produced four youngsters, two of which had won first prizes. This wonderful hen was bred from a long line of premier winners, with her dam, ‘04273’, winning a first at the Camborne show, as well as cards at the BHW Blackpool Show. ‘Abigail’s’ sire was a blue cock, gifted to the Sewards by Roland and Julie Thresher and he had won a class at the ‘Duchy’ Show the previous season. The Supreme Champion’s grand dam, ‘04192’, was bred from Jill and David Fisher stock birds and she too was a champion in the show pen winning, four firsts as a yearling, as well as 1^st all winners champion class at the Devon & Cornwall Show Racer Society. A wonderful line of winning Show Racers!

Terry Haley and I were back on the road to Luxulyan Village Hall in Cornwall to judge at the SWSRS Duchy Show again in November 2015 and on our way down to Cornwall we stopped off in Exeter for an hour to visit my ol’ friend, Bob Reeve and I must say he looked really well! At that time Bobby was 92 years of age and couldn’t drive far  because of his ‘dodgy’ leg, but still had a wonderful team of pigeons. Colin Carter and Bill Harris were down from Gloustershire to judge and the four of us went out for a meal the night before the show and we had a very enjoyable catch up with the pigeon news. The judges on the day were: (Racing Pigeons) Peter Hockridge, Ray Clive, Duncan Harvey, (Show Racers) Terry Haley, Colin Carter, Bill Harris and Keith Mott. All the judges on the day were given the task of judging the specials from the 37 class winners and with the quality of the pigeon there, what a hard job that was!

We awarded Best in Show (Show Racer), Best Young Bird (Show Racer) and Supreme Champion to beautiful 2015 red chequer cock, owned by Brian & Caroline Seward of Brampton and that wonderful pigeon was bred down from gift stock birds from Alistair Tankard. The Seward loft also won Best Adult Cock. Brian and Caroline had previously won Supreme Champion at the Duchy Show in 2013 with their good mosaic hen named, ‘Abigail’. Best Opposite Sex (Show Racer), Best Yearling Cock, Best Yearling Hen and Best TTW were won by David and Jill Fisher. Best Opposite Sex Young Bird (Show Racer) and Best Colour Class was won Nigel Rescorla and Roland and Julie Thresher was awarded Best Adult Hen. T. M. Neville had the premier racing pigeon on the day in the form of a wonderful dark pied cock that lifted Reserve Campion, Best Racer and Best Channel Cock. Mr. & Mrs. F. Williams won Best Opposite Racer, plus other premier awards, including 300 mile Adult Cock, 300 mile Adult Hen, Channel Hen and Likeliest 400 mile Cock. W. & L. Jefford lifted Best Young Racer, Mr. & Mrs. Phil Wilson won Best Opposite Sex Young Racer, Best TTW and David Stuart was awarded Best Colour Class Racer.

Brian Seward was a pigeon fancier at a very young age, with his father, Arnold, being a very successful racer before and after the Second World War. The late Arnold Seward flew both North and South roads with outstanding success in club and Federation, but his main success was gaining premier positions in the National Flying Club, and from Palamos. Arnold got his interest in pigeon racing from his uncle, Arnold Record, who flew in the Record & Talman partnership of Exeter before the war. In the 1970’s Brian’s pigeon racing conflicted with his work in the family business and their two young sons’ activity of horse riding. The late great Show Racer fancier, Mike Hale of Cornwall, suggested that some show birds might be more compatible with Brian busy life style at that time and Brian decided to changed codes, and Mike supplied him with his first pair of Show Racers. Brian’s father, Arnold, also changed over to show birds and they enjoyed showing and judging at all the major shows together. Arnold passed away in 1993 and Brian found it very hard to travel around the country show on his own, so packed the pigeon up. Doug McClary kept in touch with Brian through his none pigeon years and gave him regular judging appointments. Brian was invited to judge at the 2005 BHW Blackpool Show, where he received a wonderful welcome back by his Show Racer friends and he soon had a new loft erected in the garden. The smart new 18ft x 8ft structure was soon followed by a basket full top quality Show Racers, gifted from Jill and David Fisher, and Jill’s late father, Mervyn Patt. Within two years these stock birds produced both adult and young bird champions in the Devon & Cornwall SRS. Brian and Caroline retired from work in 2008, which gave them more time to be involved with the pigeons and they became joint secretaries of the Devon & Cornwall SRS.

For me personally it was great to be back at the Duchy Show in 2015, after a season lay off from judging because of my ‘dodgy knees’ problem. I had five great classes of pigeons to judge and picked a wonderful young red cock from my reds and mealies class to be the best pigeon I handled that day and he then went on to win ‘Supreme Champion’ for Brian and Caroline Seward. A very satisfying result! Back in the summer I gifted a pair of Eric Cannon youngster to a Cornish fancier I had never met by the name of David Johnson and after many phone calls over the weeks, we arranged to meet up at the Duchy Show, which is staged about three miles from where he lives in Rosemellyn. On meeting him at the venue in Luxulyan we had a bit of a chat and he was soon roped in and he walked around with me and scored up while I judged my five classes. David had been a pigeon racer for 45 years and was only interested in long distance racing on the natural system.

We had a change in 2016 when the month of December saw Terry Haley, Steve Howard and I make journey down to Bodmin to judge the South West Show Racer Societies annual ‘Open’ Show. The December ‘Open’ is the sister show to the Duchy Show which is held every November and that year’s event attracted a 595 bird entry.

Bill and Julie Harris were in Cornwall to judge and the five of us went out for our annual meal and get together the night before the show. The judges on the day were: (Racing Pigeons) Peter Hockridge, Mark Prouse, Malcolm McDonald, (Show Racers) Terry Haley, Steve Howard, Bill Harris and Keith Mott. ‘Best in Show’ (Show Racer), ‘Best Young Bird’ (Show Racer) and ‘Supreme Champion’ went to a beautiful 2016 bred mosaic cock, owned by David and Jill Fisher of Bideford and that wonderful pigeon was a son of their champion cock, ‘Valentino’, winner of ‘Best In Show’ at the BHW Blackpool Show in 2016. ‘Best Opposite Sex’ (Show Racer) was won by Brian & Caroline Seward of Brampton, with a red hen bred by John Robilliard from his champion red hen, ‘Rocquaine Princess’, winner of ‘Best in Show’ at the BHW Blackpool Show in 2014. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Hole had the premier racing pigeon on the day in the form of a wonderful blue chequer hen that lifted Reserve ‘Supreme Campion’, ‘Best in Show’ (Racer Pigeon) and Sean Durrant won ‘Best Opposite Sex’ (Racing Pigeon). I had five great classes of pigeons to judge and picked a wonderful young mosaic cock from my mosaics class and he then went on to win Supreme Champion for David and Jill Fisher.

The 2016 BHW Blackpool Show attacked an entry of 2,000 birds and ‘Best in Show’ over all was won by a young Show Racer mosaic cock owned by Jill and Dave Fisher of Bideford in Cornwall. When I spoke to Jill after the event she said, that the partners were thrilled to win Best in Show and that Blackpool performance was their best to date. The handsome cock was then named, ‘Valentino’ and was a young bird champion in the truest sense of the word, winning: BIS South West SR Society young bird show, then first in the all winners class to be nominated in to the BSRF class at Blackpool, to win that and ‘Best in Show’. A fantastic achievement!

Both Dave & Jill Fisher were born and brought up in and around the Bideford area and Jill’s late dad is Mervyn Patt, an old friend of mine and he had been a pigeon fancier all his life. Jill’s first pigeon was a dark chequer cock given to her by her dad at around the age of three or four and she followed her dad into pigeon showing and initially entered Children’s classes at a very young age. Jill was later told that she apparently had the knack of always recognising her own bird at the show, much to her dad’s amusement. All through her childhood, Jill had pigeons and when she reached her teens, Mervyn provided her with a three or four pairs and a spare compartment and later her own loft to keep and look after her own birds.  Family friend Percy Mitchell was also there on hand with a couple more birds to help with the mix and Jill was by then entering the open classes and one of her memories was of winning BIS at a Devon & Cornwall show at the age of 16, with a mealy hen. As a youngster, Dave was a keen football player and played for the North Devon team while he was at school and later played on his work’s football team. Jill has been in the sport 50 years overall, although there was a 20 year gap in the middle and for Dave it has been 20 years. Jill has never raced pigeons and has kept Show Racers only.

That’s it for this week! I love Cornwall; we have had some great family holidays and outstanding pigeon shows in that wonderful county! I can be contacted with any pigeon ‘banter’ on telephone number: 01372 463480 or email me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT (www.keithmott.com).