Walter Boswell - Inland Average winner 2003.
A model of consistency in Lanarkshire Federation
Walter Boswell is an exceptional pigeon fancier who has a fantastic level of consistency that makes him " All round pigeon fancier".
Over the last few seasons he has been concentrating his team on the Lanarkshire Federation programme and Inland National races..
There has been many fantastic National performances over the previous years but lately Walter has turned to the Sprint/Middle distance events.
He has adapted his new team of Performance UK Stud pigeons over the last few seasons to be one of the best performance lofts in Lanarkshire federation.
Walter can’t talk highly enough of John Short (Performance Pigeons UK) pigeons, these are based on Frans & Gert Rondags, Van den Bulks, Kittel and John’s own performance pigeons.
He says the number of winners that have come out of this Stud in its short existence is phenomenal.
Montage of his top performance National birds.
Winning for Walter
14 x 1st west section wins in Lanarkshire federation.
Last year alone they won 39 section prizes in 6 races ,YB racing only
One hen to win three National prizes and £1,000 in pools
This is top performance racing.
Winner of OB Inland Averages Lanarkshire federation 2023
1st West sect All Old bird races Average winner 2023
2nd Overall in All Old Bird Average races 2023
1st West section Combine Averages All races 2023
3rd Overall Combine Average Lanarkshire 2023
Winner of 25 section prizes in top 15 of west section 2023
Winner of 3 x 1st West sect,2023
Winner of 4 x 2nd West sect 2023
Winner of 3 x 3rd West sect 2023
7 x 1st Club wins in Burnbank club 2023
Blue yearling cock "Shorty" won 1st club 2nd sect 3rd Open Billericay 343 miles and 10th sect,30th Open Guernsey 440 miles. Showing they are scoring at the longer races on the programme.
Walter Boswell with his top performance yearling "Shorty"
Walter says he is still analysing what strain are best for what distance, but early signs showing they are great one day pigeons.
As earlier stated Walters National performances were brilliant into the west section of the National with Silver award winners and Dewar Trophy winner (Best long distance pigeon 2018) in his record to back this up.
Trophies
He has got disillusioned with distance racing and now only enters in the Inland National races.
As the title states he is a great "All Rounder" and remarkable it’s based on the Natural system of nest cycle and youngsters flying natural no darkness.
Walter says he has always flown the natural way with the birds being trained very hard from around 30 miles most days. He says it’s a way of life for me to train pigeons, it’s in my DNA . The getting up early, the full routine he loves.
Walter trains where most don't dare to go. He trains the direct line of M74 which is the main road link between Scotland and England. Most will not train because its reported to be the most dense area of falcons in lower central Scotland.
Walter says he has been training there for a number of years and has been getting fantastic training. His assessment is the hawks are moving with the food source and because most feds fly east that's where they are going.
Since moving from a more easterly training area he states his results have greatly improved as the birds are finding a better breaking point back into Lanarkshire and also for Inland National racing.
Food for thought, not for the falcons!
He goes out his way to train other Lanarkshire members birds with good.
I said to Walter it was remarkable the amount of pool pigeons he scores with and how he picks them. He says he pools five birds in his club, which has a healthy purse to be won. Their pool is two bets £1 pool & £2 pool winner takes all. The number of times he scopes the lot is remarkable.
So what's the secret. Walter says on Wednesday or Thursday he will select 5 pigeons to super motivate that week. This can be winding up a cock with another cock in his box or let the cocks hen out loft with another cock and sit the pigeon in a basket to watch them. Taking away a partner and make one feed a youngster or sit nest. Add extra eggs to the nest, add a youngster earlier than the hatch day.
In its simplicity its brilliant! Five poolers each week, super motivation.
As stated the youngsters are flown on Natural cycle, early bred with stock being paired end of December early January.
Walter has developed a team of 15 pairs of John Short stock to breed from. One reliable pair he calls the McPheat pair.
The McPheats partnership are members of Clarkston club and also invested in the best possible lines Performance Pigeons UK.
Walter has great friendship with Clarkston members and during his weekly social visits on a Tuesday night to the club hut, he got to talk about a pair of pigeons the McPheat had purchased from John Short and the partnership couldn’t get to pair up. Walter offered to take them over as he has an individual pen section for such use. This pair have proved great at stock producing top some really handy pigeons, with youngsters going to both parties.
There is always great banter between the lads throughout the winter months on Tuesday nights in the club.
Walter has retained three pairs of his performance Louella Jan Aarden birds that have served him very well in the past, something that's proven at the distance events. These are bred from the cream of all the best lines that proved themselves at 500-600 mile mark into the West section of the Scottish National.
Racing
At the start of the season Walter wants his birds to be fit, to get the birds going he will force them up into the air using anything he thinks will upset them, laughing on his reflection of using a potato in a plastic bag he swings around and throwing it up or using a sling to scare the birds off neighbours roofs, although his direction isn't the best hitting the wrong things he laughed.
Walter also loves a team of later bred youngsters that are road trained intensively over the non-racing months and kept going into early season and are ready for the early races. He has developed some cracking birds from this source and again it allows him to continue training that keep him motivated when not racing.
As stated his birds are up there with the best trained birds in the federation with possible 15 trainers before the first old bird race. He doesn't shy away from adverse weather as with regular flights the bird are well aware of their flight path.
He said the book 101 methods by Jules Gallez was very insightful and well worth a read about motivation in pigeons.
Inside racing section
So what about the management of the feeding and water .
Beginning of season the birds receive 2/3 barley 1/3 Bamfords widowhood mixture on return from training, feeding only once per day for thirty minutes then removed
Over 200 miles 1/2 barley 1/2 Bamford widowhood
Last two races 350miles & 450miles- 3/4 Bamfords widowhood 1/4 Barley
Friday 10 am couple of handfuls of conditioning seed and that's it.
In the water he likes the product "Quill boost tonic ". This was developed for poultry and has essential ingredients to keep the birds in great condition. It also lowers the PH level of the water killing any germs.
Walter introduces only clear water to drinker Thursday evening and Friday as he says the birds don't like the taste and he likes them to be fully hydrated on going to race.
Tip from Walter is to slowly increase the amount of Quill boost over the first week until birds get the taste.
Every three weeks during the season they have a Canker treatment product in the drinkers.
The birds receive cod liver oil or peanut oil on the feed but with no great regularity.
He also uses a multivit (tablet form) you can buy in supermarket every so often.
One drop lice control on the neck and vinegar in bath water.
Walter has in the past suffered mysterious illness in his flock with apparently health youngsters stuck down after returning from races. Since using this product and making sure the birds are vaccinated twice with Colombovac vaccine for Paramxyo their health has been excellent.
The season started with 43 racers and 46 youngsters.
He had a horrendous training flight from the east (Went to let them see that side of country, don't think he will be back) with only 18 homing on day. Over the next few weeks some returned some were reported with the numbers up to 30.
Walter says some returned in very poor condition and took up to 4 weeks to recover and some unfortunately didn't.
At this time he went calling to Performance Pigeons UK and purchased 20 birds to supplement the team. These took time to settle as they were already on their third flight. They initially weren't for sale but John agreed to part with them.
So these birds in Walter’s thoughts were rushed by him into training and raced from 100 miles and what managed to home was put aside for the following season.
The lofts consist of one section breeding areas, sections for stock and racers. They are open fronted with large sections with easy bed on the floor which is changed at key times of the season.
Walters racing loft
He would like to thank "Troy" his next door neighbour who does a great job cleaning the boxes and perches every Sunday and Alec McPheat who cleans the floors when needed.
When speaking with Walter arriving at 10:30am and getting into the grove talking pigeons to realise it was 2:30pm in what felt was no time because of his great enthusiasm and dedication to his sport. He has a youthful approach wanting to go to every race.
If a pigeon gets lost he has a positive approach feeling another will take the place.
He has lost top pigeons, one being a cracking hen going for their Gold awards and that is hard to accept but he carries on with his goal.
So what are his goals, it’s to win the best averages in the Lanarkshire federation and compete at National level in the Inland National races.
Walter is not one for stopping his yearlings with them competing in the Inland Nationals or the last races of the Lanarkshire programme.
I was really impressed with the quality of pigeons handled. Although not at their best in feathering due to being in the moult the general feel and quality was there.
They are quite deceiving, they look bigger but when in hand they sit very well. Very powerful, strong back and bold headed.
They are very much the feel they are my type of pigeon.
There is no question, Walter Boswell is a top pigeon fancier who can change and evolve for whatever type of racing he wishes to fly. He is always up there at the top end of the average board.
Next season will see him with a stronger team of 46 that have raced and 18 that have been trained well.
He is looking for around 50-60 ybs for his team.
The question was asked on preferred route for racing East or West, Walter would prefer to go down the old route which is West. He says it’s a must for us to learn the birds to come the quickest route and not doglegging from the East.
If you want to win at the highest level then this is the route to train and race.
One loft racing-It’s not for him he likes to breed, train and race himself.
Family balance -He laughed saying there isn't any balance its always pigeons.
Showing of pigeons-He says he doesn't really enjoy showing but always likes to support Clarkston shows, enjoying the company more than the show.
He said many a year ago a few doo men used to go to a local pub for a great wee social but this hasn't been the case for many a long year.
He said it was sad to see GWP Macaloney partnership finishing in the sport as they were the "Gold" standard that set the bar in Lanarkshire.
He has brilliant memories of his time in the sport the timing of all poolers at 500miles on the night, getting that buzz when you see the wings of a winner shutting to hit the boards. Many many great memories and great friendship from keeping his pigeons from the first time he seen a pair of feral birds going to nest as a boy.
Well thanks again Walter for a fantastic day and sharing some excellent information on your management.
Tom Corrie jnr
Lanarkshire Press Officer
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