Keith Mott
The Champions of Yesteryear (Part 38)
REG & HELEN LORENTI
OF KINGSTON
Although the partnership was called Mr & Mrs Lorenti, Reg maintained that the partner's successful team of Channel racers was solely managed by his wife Helen and he was only a 'dogs body'. It all began when their eldest son, Peter, persuaded his father to buy some pigeons for him when he was about 13 years old in 1973. Peter eventually gave up because he was unable to get the birds trained as the Lorenti's had no transport at the time. When Helen saw the birds being culled before selling the best, she stepped in and said that she would take over the loft and racing. Peter was a member of the Kingston club and Reg said it was simple to just change the racing title to a Mr & Mrs Partnership. Most of the members of the Kingston club gave her help and advice, with John & Peter O'Connor giving her youngsters and stock birds. The partners also obtained Kirkpatricks from Mick Worsford of Woking, who had won 1st Combine twice from Bergerac.
The 1984 season saw Helen win 1st & 4th S.M.T. Combine from the very hard Le Mans race, with 2,086 birds taking part. The Combine winning pigeon was their good blue cock 'Blue Max' and he was bred from the late John O'Connor's Combine winning family of Busschaerts. The Le Mans event was the race of a life-time for the partners, also recording 4th Combine with 'The Louella Hen', a Kirkpatrick grizzle hen bred Louella Pigeon World in 1983.
The Lorenti's started racing in the strong Surbiton club in 1987 and recorded 1st, 3rd & 4th Club, 4th Surrey Federation, 7th S.M.T. Combine Marmande (470 miles), the club's longest old bird race. The partner's Marmande winner was a four year old chequer cock called 'Sloucher' and he is half-brother to the 'Blue Max', which were bred from a brother to John O'Connor's Combine winner ‘John's Dream’.
The partners decided to join the National Flying Club in 1988, sending two birds to Nantes recording 69th Sect E with their good red cock 'The Red Baron'. After his Nantes (NFC) success 'The Red Baron' went on and won 1st Club Niort in 1988. He is a direct son of Mick Worsfold's Kirkpatrick stock cock 'Sir Duke'. Two birds were sent to Pau (NFC), recording 66th Open with the grizzle hen 'Rainbow Lady', bred by Mr Watkins of Rochester Way. Helen was highly delighted with her National performances and had purchased a new clock with her winnings. The 1988 season ended on a high note by winning the longest old bird race from Bergerac (450 miles), with their good hen 'Sunshine Girl'.
The main strain in the loft was Kirkpatrick obtained from Mick Worsfold and Louella Pigeon World and four late breds from the late John Carmichael. Helen and Reg had two lofts forming an 'L-shape and trapped through drop holes. The young bird section had an aviary so the youngsters could get out in the fresh air as often as possible. All birds were raced on the Natural system and were trained from Winchester and Basingstoke with the 'Lucky Foreman' transporter.
They raced 20 pairs of old birds and kept six pairs of stock birds, breeding about 50 youngsters each year. The stock birds were paired up in February and racers in March, with Bergerac in mind. The partners raced Natural as the system appeared to be the one for distance racing and allowed hens to be raced. The Lorenti's had a go at North Road racing in 1984, recording several good positions including 2nd Club Banff, with only two birds being clocked on the day of liberation.
Diet consisted of a good mixture of beans, peas and maize, trapping with Red Band condition seed. They put cod liver oil and garlic oil with brewers yeast on the corn and all these products they obtained from the health food shop. Helen and Reg rated Bob Besant of C H Besant & sons fame the best local fancier, winning out of turn year after year.
The partners bred a few late breds which were mostly kept for stock. Helen said when picking stock birds good proven bloodlines were the main factor and not the look or handling of the bird. All the old birds were sent to the longest distances, including the yearlings. Reg said success seems to come through dedication. The harder you work the luckier you get!
Reg and Helen were two really nice people, now living in the Midlands, I believe. I can be contacted on telephone number: 01372 463480. See yer!
TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT.