Keith Mott

The Champions of Yesteryear (Part 39) 

PETER OBERTELLI

OF HOUNSLOW

I first met Peter Obertelli on one cold winters night in the 1970’s, when I judged 52 old hens for Isleworth S.R. Club and he had just finished the season of a lifetime. There were two classes that evening and Peter had entered four hens, lifting lst, 2nd, and Commended in the young hens class and 2nd in old hens. After the show we had a chat and he told me about the fantastic young bird season he had had flying in the Thames Valley Federation.

Peter started up in the sport in the spring of 1975 with birds he purchased for 50p each from Petticoat Lane Market in London and after doing no good with these birds he decided to purchase some better stock. About that time Eric Hurley of Hanwell was packing up so Peter purchased four hens and a cock (all Stassarts) from him and these birds were the base of his 1970’s family. He also purchased Eric Hur1y's 16ft x 6ft one compartment loft and after added a 8ft x 6ft young bird loft. He kept 50 old birds and bred 28 young birds each year. All were trapped through Open doors. The birds were paired up in early February and sand litter was used on the loft floors. Peter was on shift work but tried to give the birds three 35 mile training tosses during the racing season. The racers were kept short (on the tin) and were fed on the best mixture of maize, beans, peas and tares.

Peter's great performance flying in the Isleworth & Dist. H. S. in 1977 was:- Old Birds: 3rd. & 4th. Leicester, 3rd. & 4th. Doncaster, 1st. Catterick, 4th. Pontefract, 2nd. & 3rd. Doncaster, 1st. & 2nd. Pontefract, 4th. Nottingham. Young Birds: lst. & 2nd. Leicester, 2nd. & 4th. Nottingham, 1st, 2nd. & 4th. Leicester, lst, 2nd. & 3rd. Nottingham, 1st, 2nd, 3rd. & 4th. Doncaster, lst, 2nd, 3rd. & 4th. Pontefract, 1st, 3rd. & 4th. Durham winning The Young Bird Average Cup, Harris Mem. Trophy, Besant Points Shield, Durham Young Bird Trophy and Comeback races Average Cup. He also took the Thames Valley Federation by storm winning 1 x lst, 2 x 2nds, 2 x 3rds and lifted the T.V. Fed Young Bird Average Cup.

I handled Peter's three most outstanding 1977 young birds and they were all of one type, large, with a long cast in the hand. The first bird I looked at was the red chequer cock, 'Albion Lad,' winner of 1st. Club, 1st. Thames Valley Federation Pontefract and he had a nice orange eye-sign. The second was a slightly smaller, a blue pied cock named ‘Albion Galahad’ and he has to his credit, 1st. Two Rivers 2-B Club Nottingham and 2nd Club, 3rd T.V. Federation Leicester (beaten by loft­mate). Last, but by no means least, as I liked this one the best of the three, was dark chequer cock, `Albion Rocket', winner of lst. Club, 2nd T.V. Federation Leicester and he had a nice pearl eye sign.

Peter broke his novice status at Leicester the first young bird race in 1976 and also won the longest young bird race from Durham that same year. He said he liked to win all races but the longer races give him the bigger kick. He advised novices not to start the way he did but go to a top loft and buy birds of one family. He didn't believe in hand­ling, or type, and said performance is the key factor and the shape of the body and head doesn't mean a thing when trying to select a good racer. He didn't believe in keeping the birds locked up in winter and said he let them fly out in any weather. He let the young birds fly out in the early morning as he thinks they learn more and tend to run more.

That’s it for this week! Peter Obertelli now lives in the Mansfield area and is still racing pigeons with outstanding success. I can be contacted on telephone number: 01372 463480.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT.