Parkinson L.J
We very often go out with Geoff & Paula Bebbington for a meal and on the odd occasion one of their grandchildren may come along if they are doing their grandparents job of babysitting. The oldest is Leon who we have watched grow up and it appears he has now taken to the pigeons with granddad Geoff. Pigeons are not new to Geoff because he had pigeons for many years but parted company with them a few years ago because of chest problems but is now back with them in full swing. His brother Rob has also had pigeons for many years as did their father before them but due to work commitments Rob is now thinking of taking a break from having too many pigeons in the garden. Leon (see photo) has taken to the pigeons and has a team of Blacks of his own he decided on the colour after seeing one on the web site. He now has a small team of them and is probably going to have his own loft just for his team of black racers. Geoff is more interested in the longer races but I don’t think that is the way Leon is planning to go, he already has his own ideas of what he wants to do and has already set his plans in motion so watch these pages in a few years time. I even did a deal with him when he purchased his latest black hen and what a nice hen she is.
Young Leon Geoff Bebbington's grandson and future pigeon fancier
Had a call from Gary Daykin who had seen my comments about what he is doing in the sport. I said in my previous notes that he has some good ideas and is prepared to work at them but at times not getting the response that he should be from a hobby/sport that is shrinking fast. I was asked by another fancier a few weeks ago about what I thought on the way forward for the sport. We had a long conversation and he said why not put your views in your notes, too which I said, “They would not get printed so I am not wasting my time” Still that’s another matter and one that I am not going to get wrapped up in. With running the web site, what I do see and hear from the fanciers is that there are still a small number coming into the sport who have been in before but for various reasons are back again. Gary Daykin is doing great things with younger members of the community but there are a lot out there who are 40 plus and could be tempted back into pigeon racing. There are those coming back without any tempting because once pigeons are in your head on many occasions they stay there, the problem is finding those ex fanciers who are still thinking about racing pigeons. No doubt the odd loft report from the past that I am bringing out will have been seen and there are more to come.
One of those reports that I have brought out of the archives is an old one that I wrote well over 20yrs ago on Joe & Alan Shore of Audlem. So with doing a good job of racing I have extended this one to include son Alan’s partnership of Mr & Mrs Alan Shore. This is a team who have done really well in the National races and when I asked Alan for a list of results he brought out a list 7 pages long. There were spot on 200 positions, won in National/specialist races from across the water racing half way up the country into Cheshire in the last few years. This is the type of record many would like to achieve at the highest with a small team and nearly always only sending a handful to the races. Not going into anymore on this report as it will be appearing in the BHW. Well we are now into another year and in general those who paired to rear in December will have had a good time because in general the weather has been very mild for the time of year. I was talking to a premier fancier before Christmas and he said “I bet you miss this time of the year because of the breeding” No I don’t I never did liked the breeding period at all and I always wanted to skip forward 3 months when they are flying round. I know it’s nice to see them grow but it just wasn’t my scene but the rest of the year was great even the moult while I was waiting to see what they looked like after a new coat on them, only problem is we have no end of feathers blowing everywhere. With having to wear a mask every time I went into the loft I felt that I was losing that close connection with the pigeons that I had many years ago, having said that if I had been wearing a mask I may not have had mild problems with my chest. Pigeon lung does not affect everyone and personally I put it down to a weakness in my body and that is the case with most health issues otherwise everyone would have the same problems. During the conversation we were also talking about people with knee and hip problems, where you see them they are very often in other members of the family so I look at pigeon lung in the same way.
Our new summer house
Inside the new summer house
On to a brighter subject where the loft once stood there is now a 16x7ft summer house that I will no doubt be having the laptop in there to do some work during the summer months, even thinking of having a small handy fridge for a few beers and wine. A few fanciers who have called passed comments about it being a good widowhood loft, good idea but not going to happen. We are debating about getting back onto the circuit to visit the Blackpool show this year as we have not been in recent years for one reason or another.
Sebastian Casaert and friends at the Fugare Show
We are also thinking of going to the Fugare Show in Belgium on the 20/21st February. This is one of those shows where I think the date is in between the others and is it too late to hold such a show. Having been 3 times and seen the crowds the day does suit a lot because there are a lot of young birds for sale and there are still old birds available. This is also a show where I see continental fanciers for mostly the only time in the year so is handy. May I take this opportunity to wish everyone
a very
“Happy New Year”.