Keith Mott
The Champions of Yester Year (Part 51)
DICK & BRIAN TRUSSLER
OF MOLESEY
Trussler Brothers can never be called ‘Champions of Yester Year’, as they were brilliant pigeon racers when I first met them nearly forty years ago, and they are still brilliant today! Dick and Brian win the Federation most seasons, have won the S.M.T. Combine and won 1st open London & South East Clasic Club in the 2005 season. Of course this article is taking us back to when I visited their loft in the 1970s. Trussler Brothers are one of the all time greats in the Surrey area!
In the years I've been racing pigeons I've always looked up to and admired the outstanding success of Dick and Brian Trussler, who have won out of turn at all levels from club to National for many years. I visited the lads in the early 1976 and they had three races behind them and had totted up 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th Blandford Scramble. 1st. 3rd & 4th Club Blandford in the Molesev & Dis H.S. and 3rd Club Blandford in the Hersham & Dis H.S. What a start to 1976! When we arrived at the brothers home Dick was in their well set-out back garden watching the widowhood cocks exercise and Brian was just getting up, being a night worker. The widowhood was a new try out that season with about 12 cocks on this system and the rest of the team on their usual natural system.
The main strain kept was Cattrysse from Mr. & Mrs. Newman of Ely but they buy in a few young birds each vear to try out. The birds are mostlv blues and blue pieds, which handle small to medium with apple bodies. Dick said at the time they must have good strong backs and a good rich coloured eye. The Brothers were very selective with pigeons not pulling their weight by the end of their second year, being put under and the young birds are culled before they race. Some good birds were obtained from their good friend the late Arthur Coxon of Surbiton, the Bergerac ace, and the four Coxon birds were in the loft at that time had all scored from the longest race.
The Trusslers trapped through open doors in their very smart racing loft which was 22ft x 6ft, three compartments, two for old birds and one for young birds. They used deep litter, but they said they think it causes diseases when left down too long. The ideal deep litter being of a wood shaving mixture so the birds can't eat it. Ventilation in the loft was verv strictly controlled with plastic sheeting pinned on the front wire and they said that too much ventilation is a very bad thing. The loft roof was lifted 2ins for ventilation once, but was dropped again because the birds kept getting colds. The brothers said the birds need warmth in the loft. The loft was purchased in 1954 and the open door trapping was introduced in 1972 because of bad traps on the old system. They kept 25 pairs of old birds and bred 40 young birds, which were culled down to about 25 just before young bird racing. The birds were fed on a mixture of 50% Maize, 25% Beans, 25% Wheat and Barley being added in winter.
The brothers' motto was train hard, race hard, quality and not quantity and this advice they extend to all novices. They think that beginners should not get first class birds to start, but give it two years to get used to the birds, etc. then get some good stock. The Trussler's started up and joined he Molesev & Dis H.S in 1951 and smashed their novice status in 1953. They were top prize winner in the Molesey Club 10 years on the trot up to 1974 and at odd times before. Their first birds were all from local fanciers including the late great Molesey fancier, Pat Strong.
They knew what they wanted from a pigeon and really hated to see a bird come home from a race fresh as they said it hadn't tried or it would be tired. Brian liked inland racing and thinks this is proper racing and if he had his way he wouldn't send a bird over the channel.
The main stock pair were a blue pied cock and a blue hen known as "The Dutch Pair." This handsome looking pair were in fact Dutch pigeons and had bred countless winners including two Federation winners in one nest. The boys didn't know the strain of this pair but said they also bred show winners two-a-penny. This loft has housed many outstanding pigeons past and present to many, in fact, to list them all.
The loft housed 19 different winners at that time and onlv six birds in the whole team of 50 hadn't scored. B.P.C. 72N18132 a Cattrysse bred by Mr. & Mrs. Newman had won, lst. Club (152 birds) 10th. Federation (3954 birds) Blandford, 4th. Club (108 birds) Weymouth, 2nd. Club (174 birds) Exeter, lst. Club (131 birds) 4th. Federation (2673 birds) 7th. S.M.T. Combine (6423 birds) Nantes, 1st. Club (218 birds) 7th. Federation Exeter, lst. Inverness 2-B Club Guernsey. A blue cock named 'One Hundred' had to his credit 7 times lsts and many 2nds. and 3rd. in club. Also winning many Federation cards including lst Federation. A D.C.C. bred by the late Arthur Coxon won 3 times lsts. including lst. Niort and 69th. Open Nantes N.F.C. and was the sire of many winners. The Blue Cock named 'Oily' had won 1st. Club Avranches, 1st. Club Bergerac and has manv positions in the Federation and Combine. A Red Grizzle Hen owned by the brothers had been in the Open result twice from Pau N.F.C. This outstanding loft had won countless positions in the Surrey Federation including 10 times lsts. The winners go on and on!
Trussler Brothers were not only to be congratulated on their outstanding performances but also the perfect condition of their birds and lofts. I have visited the brothers two or three times in the past and have always been impressed by the condition of the birds and lofts.
TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT. 10/1/07