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Gareth Rankin Champion Loft of The Lanarkshire Federation 2014

 

 

GARETH RANKIN

Champion Loft of the Lanarkshire Federation 2014

by Tom Corrie Jnr

Gareth Rankin races in Larkhall & District in the West Section of the Lanarkshire Federation, the biggest federation in Scotland and the British Isles. Larkhall sits on high ground between the River Clyde to the east and the Avon Water to the west. It is in the scenic Clyde Valley and is a commuter town to Glasgow. Traditionally a mining, textile and weaving area, most of Larkhall’s traditional industries have now shut down including the heavy industries of iron and steel. In 2014 he became the federation’s Champion Loft. Here’s the trophies he lifted:

Federation Trophies 2014

J Cowan trophy for the best old bird average 42,384 birds. Flying from 78 miles to 440 miles.

The Reid trophy for best combine average Warwick, Upper Heyford, Bedhampton and Ypres.

The H McClymont trophy for best combined average, 67,035 birds competing!

The J Torrance Mem & the Arrapine trophy for best average Bedhampton & Ypres.

The S Anderson trophy for 1st yearling Bedhampton.

The Border trophy for first yearling open race Warwick 31st May.

The Carriage trophy for the best average Upper Heyford, Bedhampton & Ypres.

The West Section Combine Average with 23,150 birds competing.

This is an outstanding achievement, in one of the most difficult seasons ever experienced by the federation.

all photos 331

Gareth

Big Gareth is one of the hardest working members of the federation yet he still finds the time to be the best racing loft in the Lanarkshire Federation. This is what I call racing, every week having his birds competing in the twenty race programme, not just turning up for a couple of races. These are the real masters of the pigeon game, those that can manage this level of ability.

He has at present a loft of ‘all rounders’ that can cope with a very difficult race programme. Not to forget that the federation didn't race with the SNFC as part of our 2014 inland programme. Gareth is very much commited to the SNFC, his dedication being up there with his dedication to the Lanarkshire Federation, sending to all their races, which again takes some doing, with outstanding results, this including his brilliant National hen, Silver Award winner Marcia, a magical hen that handles and looks pure class. Her youngsters are her double - always a good sign for the breeding. Gareth is still contemplating sending this 6 year old back to attempt to win her Gold Award in 2015.

Marcia - five performances with the Scottish National Flying Club

You may think this a professional set up with a loft manager and two or three others involved in the loft, but no, he is very much on his own. The only time anyone helps out is when he goes on holiday and his son will feed the birds. You may think he must fly hundreds of birds but no, he races around 30 pairs of old birds and 40-50 youngsters.

His lovely cottage is very much set up for keeping pigeons with a very large garden space to the rear but with the very large trees that surround the lofts it makes trapping for the birds almost impossible. This is possibly the worst I have ever seen for trapping; the birds must have to drop like a stone to hit the lofts. But like most, you just have to adapt and get on with what you have.

In 2014, competing in Larkhall & District and the club sending an average of 234 birds to each of the 20 races, the loft won a record 12 x 1st , 8 x 2nd, 13 x 3rd, this sending an average of 27 birds to compete each week. Within the Lanarkshire Federation the loft won 4 first sections plus 27 other diplomas with a maximum 15 prizes allocated per race, this competing in one of the strongest sections within Scotland flying against up to 3000 pigeons.

Lanarkshire Federation week by week in 2014

Old birds  

19th April Otterburn 4,770b

26th April Otterburn 5,792b

3rd May Appleby 7,662b - 8th, 9th, 14th section 3048 birds in section 97 miles

11th May Otterburn 5,636b

17th May Middleton 7,187b - 4th & 9th section 2954 birds

26th May Uttoxeter 3,642b - 2nd, 6th, 11th Section 1288 birds

31st May Warwick 3,018b - 1st section 977 birds, 1st Open Yearling Derby 1154 birds 257 miles

8th June Upper Heyford 1,215b - 3rd sect 347 birds 284 miles

14th June Ingleton 2148b

21st June Bedhampton 702b - 1st sect, 5th Sect, 12th Sect 104 birds, 2nd Open 702 birds 359 miles

28th June Otterburn 1,696b - 7th sect 562 birds

7th July Ypres 612b - 3rd sect 267 birds, 5th Open 612 birds 441 miles

Young birds 

20th July Otterburn 3,845b - 1st sect 968 birds

26th July Otterburn 5,776b

4th August Stainmore 5,330b

9th August Stainmore 3,775b - 9th sect 976 birds

16th August Ingleton 2,387b - 8th sect 639 birds

23rd August Ingleton 1,908b 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th section 514 birds

30th August Charnock Richard 1,263b 1st, 5th, 6th sect 306 birds

7th Sept Uttoxeter 367b 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th, 14th sect 59 birds, 27th Open 367 birds 213 miles

SNFC Positions 2014

3rd Section E 21st Open Ancenis 591 miles
14th Section E 92nd Open Clermont 516 miles
7th Section E 138th Open Ypres 441 miles

15th Sect Maidstone 364miles

The range of lofts

Please introduce yourself and tell us how you got started in the sport.

With my father being George Rankin any interest I had in pigeons became more than just an interest in 1983. At 12 years of age dad used to let me assist when possible in looking after the pigeons and on a Friday pool a pigeon. This was an added bonus which for a young lad was all very exciting. At this time the pigeon lofts were 3 miles from our house which made it very hard for me to attend without dad’s transport. In 1984 dad included me into a partnership that was to be called G Rankin & Son (a very proud moment for me). In January 1984 the pigeon lofts were moved to Blantyre to an allotment which was now only 800 yards from our house, which made it more accessible to me. I still remember dad telling other fanciers that year that I ate and slept pigeons and amazingly after 30 years this passion is still as strong today.

From 1984 to 2002 we flew firstly within Livingstone Memorial club and then latterly in Cambuslang & District. In 2001 and with a young family of 3 boys, I took the decision to try and get a house suitable to have our lofts moved to my rear garden. After a long search the house that I purchased was some 6 miles south, to the town of Larkhall where I still reside as a happy and proud member of the competitive Larkhall & District. Dad had retired the year before and was supposed to take it easy, but with his passionate and committed approach he still took the daily 18 mile round trip to Larkhall to help with the pigeons, sometimes twice per day. Sadly dad passed away in October 2011, and as well as losing a father I had lost a friend, partner and a mentor. Those 27 years in partnership together were great, as being in a partnership you can enjoy the good times and during the hard times help each other come through it.

3rd Section 21st open SNFC Ancenis 591 miles

Among your results what are the real highlights?

Over the 30 years there have been many highlights, though the most memorable was our first section win in 1990 with “Westbound” 1st west section 4th open SNFC Niort 673 miles. The birds were liberated at 09.00 in a strong west to north-west wind and no pigeons were expected until teatime on the second day but just before 1 o’clock Westbound arrived, which still to this day gave me the most excitement of any pigeon arriving from a race. The late Andrew Deans said that that was the toughest wind conditions he had ever remembered flying into the west of the country. The blues cock’s performance that day was even more special as he beat all the pigeons to the south of the country and was only beaten by 3 pigeons in the east section of the SNFC.

I am fortunate to have won seven SNFC 1st west sections and one region win in the SNFC young bird national, a record six SNFC west section averages and an equal five Lanarkshire Social Circle Gold Cups (with the other fancier being the late Willie Wilson of Larkhall). The LSC Gold Cup, in my opinion, has to one of the hardest awards to win in Scotland with traditionally five channel races flown with only 4 birds allowed to be nominated by each of the club’s members.

Do you hold any official positions?
I’m Transport Manager of Lanarkshire Federation, President of the Larkhall & District club, Scotttish Homing Union delegate, Lanarkshire Social Circle & SNFC Committee member and also run the Lanarkshire West Club, a one bird nomination club.

 

Do you compete for averages?

Very much so. I see it as a challenge against fellow members. Between Lanarkshire Federation and the SNFC national races I can only ever remember missing four races in total since 1984.

1st Lanarkshire Federation yearling open Warwick 1154 birds

 

What’s the size of your race team?

30 pairs of old birds and 70 youngsters but not all are sent weekly.

 

What are your lofts made of and how big are they?

It’s a wooden structure, joiner built. The main racing loft is 40ft x 8ft with 60 nest boxes and 5 sections. The stock loft is 16x8 and the young bird loft 24x8 with three sections. I have some grills fitted as basically it saves time and stops birds coming into contact with contaminated food. The stock and YB lofts have grills on the floors and I’m contemplating putting them into the main racing loft. I put cat litter or Vesele Laga granules under the grills which are cleaned out every eight weeks. I also use a burner on occasions plus Jeyes’ Fluid and Virkon S. The old bird race team are currently cleaned twice per day during racing.

How many stock birds do you keep?
16 pairs, taking 2-3 rounds from each pair to race. Years ago you could get away with no stock pigeons but nowadays there are too many obstacles in the sport for the pigeons, so depth is required. For the coming season the stock pigeons were paired on 10th December and the race team will go together on 20th January.

 

Do you move the hens with the young birds?
No, sometimes cocks finish off the young birds. I feel the cocks settle down when the hens are removed at 16-17 days and make a better job of the YBs when the hen isn't there. The stock birds stay together.

What criteria do you set down for the pigeons you winter with your thoughts on the following season’s racing and breeding?
Nothing special. I will hope to get four or five races into my experienced channel candidates and the others will be raced week to week, sprint cocks to 260 miles, sprint hens further.

2nd fed Bedhampton 367 miles 702 birds & 8th Appleby 97 miles 3048 birds

 

What is your vaccination programme?
I vaccinate the old birds for Paramyxo a month before the first race and young birds when leaving the nest. At present they do not get vaccinated against Paratyphoid.

 

What grits and minerals do you give?

DHP multimix and mixed grit is available to the birds in small stainless steel grit containers. Kilpatrick black minerals is essential when breeding.

 

How do you feed?
During the race season as follows:

Saturday - day of race they are fed Matador Turbo Energy or Vanrobaeys Top Energy, as much as they want.

Sunday - if a hard race has taken place then as above, if not then Energy in the morning and sports mix in the evening.

Monday - Natural Finesse Condition, a sports mix, fed twice per day until 10% stop eating.

Tuesday - as above.

Wednesday - as above.

Thursday - as above morning but evening feed the Energy mix.

Friday - 10.00am Matador Turbo Energy or Vanrobaeys Top Energy.

In the water on return from a race and day of race a Vet-Schroeder/Tollisan product Med.Tollyamin Forte.

In the water Sunday Vet-Schroeder/Tollisan product Med.Tollyamin Forte.

Once or twice per week throughout the year the pigeons will get Dosto Ropa Organo in the water.

Preventive products:

After the moult a Paratyphoid product.

When on eggs a canker product, and during the season they may be treated a further once or twice if required.

Respiratory preventative before racing and if required again once pigeons get to 250 miles. The birds have to be 100%.

Stock birds when breeding are fed on Natural Finesse Start.

14th section SNFC Clermont 2014

 

Do you measure the amount that you give to each race pigeon?

The birds are hand fed by hopper and when approx 10% stop eating then no more is put in front of them. Generally there will be a trickle of barley left. They are fed twice per day after each loft exercise.

Are your pigeons allowed any free time outwith training/racing?

They have a bath on a Sunday or day after the race, with a vermin Bath Salts Vet-Schroeder/Tollisan product in the bath water once per month.

Do you consider there to be any advantage having a racing partnership?
I’m not in partnership but when I was you motivated each other when you weren't flying well.

Are you a full time pigeon fancier?
I work, but during the racing season it feels like I am a full time fancier!

 

Do you consider the eye has any importance?

Good distance winners always have a nice rich eye with a bit of depth to it. The eye is a good talking point, just like many other fads that fanciers have about their pigeons.

 

How many weeks do you think a pigeon can maintain its form on the widowhood system?

Cocks 7-8 weeks, hens 10 weeks. My birds are raced on a celibate system with cocks and hens racing each week to the nest box on return. The hens are on perches throughout the week and the cocks are in nest boxes.

5th Fed 600 birds, 6th section SNFC Ypres 690 birds & 38th section SNFC Maidstone 680 birds

 

How do you stop your hens pairing to each other?

I seldom get problems with this. With them getting raced and then exercised twice per day it tends to keep them from pairing. If it happened I would remove the hen. As the season goes on and we get to the longer distance races, then the cocks and hens will spend a greater time together, sometimes 24 hours.

 

Do you think a pigeon has the capabilities of racing both short and long distance?
No. With the odd exception sprint pigeons can’t fly 500+ miles into the west of Scotland. Our 500-600 mile winning pigeons are steeped with long distance lines and fly at a different pace to sprint pigeons and that is why distance pigeons shouldn't win in the sprint races.

Which is the more difficult, establishing a team of sprinters or distance pigeons?
Distance, especially into the west of Scotland due to the raptor problem. With sprint pigeons you can generally establish a team within months whereas for the distance you require patience and it may take 3 years to test them correctly.

What happens when you have a bad race and lose a few from one sex? How do you continue with those pigeons who have lost their mate?
Sometimes it can be a blessing when a pigeon gets a new partner after it loses its mate. Some fanciers wouldn't themselves mind coming home to a new woman! Seriously though, I would have a partner at home throughout the season, but I am not willing to have pigeons that are not tested by the basket.

Another shot of the lofts

 

Sprint or distance?
The long distance races from the continent bring memories that last forever and nothing can beat the thrill of a pigeon coming 500-600 miles and landing on the loft. That said I like to be competitive from the very first race of the season and really enjoy the sprint races.

 

What families of pigeons do you keep?.

Sprint & middle - Geerincks pigeons from Brian Johnstone of Norton and Leo Hermans from Brian Johnstone, and birds from John May of Worcester Park and Andres Stremmer of Germany. Three cocks from GWP Macaloney have recently introduced. All these bloodlines have proven fruitful within the first couple of years.

Long distance the family is a mixture of our own family that have been winning for 30 years and I always look to bring in stock from proven pigeons. These will primarily be local but I have no hesitation in going to the continent.

 

Some fanciers go out and purchase good quality winning pigeons but never appear to make the grade. Why do you think that is?

They are not fully committed. You always have to test your birds.

What product do you feels makes a difference to your birds?

The Vet-Schroeder/Tollisan product Med.Tollyamin Forte. A top product. I rate this company's products very highly.

Which of the two sexes do you consider is the most important when it comes to breeding?
Both.

 

Does the size of the hen make any difference to the quality of youngsters that she breeds in your past experience?
No.

The smart interior

Is there anything that you have not won in the sport that you would like to achieve?
To win a Scottish National Flying Club race from the continent.

Who do you consider to be the best fanciers in the country and for what reasons?
GW&P Macaloney. No-one has come close to them, both in results and the consistency that they have shown over the last 3 decades. In distance racing there are seven or eight lofts in the west that have produced consistent top results year after year. I’m not in a position to judge other fanciers that don’t compete in this area.

 

What do you think can be done to take the sport forward?
A professional structure to promote the sport to approximately 80% of the general public that aren't aware of the benefits of the sport.

 

When it comes to breeding do you line-breed or use a first cross or just pair winners to winners?
First cross is very good. Though line breeding is a must.

 

Do you breed late breds?

Sometimes but not as much as in the past. I’ve had some really great racing pigeons that were late-breds including Westbound - 1st section 4th open SNFC Niort and Westbound Lady - 1st section 9th open SNFC Nantes. Patience is required with late-breds.

 

If your race team went off form during the season what action would you take to restore their condition?

Birds come into form at different times of the season.

 

Is a favourable loft location the single biggest factor in sprint racing?
Yes. Drag is 49% and the wind is 51% of where the winners will be in short races. As the distance goes out a pigeon in an unfavourable location may be able to put up an extraordinary performance to combat its unfavourable location.

Do you use the darkness system for the young birds?
Yes but not all youngsters. Once the darkness young birds have their new coat then they will be fed the same as old birds.

Plenty of air

Man or pigeon?

Both are required so 50/50.

 

What is the furthest distance that you would train your old birds or young birds?
Old bird cocks last season got one a day at 2.5 miles x 7 tosses and thereafter exercised around the loft twice per day, and the hens had 2 tosses before the season started with the fed transporter from 24 miles and none thereafter.

Cocks are out 7 to 8am then 4 to 5pm. Hens 8-9am then 5 to 6pm. Youngsters will be trained before racing up to 24 miles then exercised around loft twice per day for an hour to 90 minutes. The candidates going to the later channel races may get private training, this due to the yearlings being re-paired.

Do you think illegal drugs are used to enhance racing performance?
I’m not sure how big an issue it is in Scotland, but where the financial rewards are high like they are on the continent then it becomes a serious problem. I would personally like to see drug testing implemented in the Lanarkshire Federation, more for the benefit of the successful fanciers than anything else.

 

Do you attach any real importance to the wing?
It’s hard to describe but I prefer channel pigeons to have space within the last 4-5 flights as it helps when they have been on the wing after 12 hours. I also like to see pigeons throwing a flight whilst in the basket.

What about the throat theory?

No but it’s worth a look!

 

Do you use any form of heating system in any of your lofts?

No. It is installed but never used. I have an extractor fan and ducting that runs the full length of the old bird loft connected to sensors but it is not used.

A sample of Gareth's hens

 

Do you use ETS?

Yes, Tauris, an excellent system. I have it set up to send a message to my mobile when not available at the loft and never miss early birds arriving. My sister got married this year and it was fantastic. I received a text message minutes before I had to make a speech and ended up finishing 2nd federation Bedhampton. The guests at the wedding must have wondered why I had a grin from cheek to cheek.

 

Can you explain your type?

Sprinter - power at the front with plenty of muscle, though they come in all shapes.

Distance - more streamlined, fantastic feathering with perfect balance. I’m not fussed on size providing they are built in proportion.

 

How do you pick your weekly pool pigeon?

Watch your birds in and around loft and know the history of the pigeon’s previous performances.

 

Are you only as good as your last race?

Yes. You get plenty of banter at club and fed level.

How old is your oldest racer?

6 yrs.

 

Do you send your youngsters the full programme?

Depending on the fed programme most will have 5 out of 7 races and a few will go to the YB National.

Do your yearlings go to the coast or are they stopped at say 260 miles?

Generally 250 miles for the sprint family, with others going to the coast around 350 miles. Occasionally if I notice a development change in a yearling at the beginning of July then it may be sent over the channel to 440-517 miles.

 

Do you show your birds?

2012 & 2013 was the first time for 20 years and they did well. It’s good time to meet your fellow fanciers during the winter months. I’ve done no showing this year however.

Loft ventilation: what, why, where?

All ventilation is at roof space, and the stock lofts have extra ventilation at ground level.

 

During the off season do your pigeons get out of the loft?

No but they have access to a bath in the aviary.

Raptors: are they a problem to you?

Yes. (As we stood outside the sparrowhawk made a visit Tom). With 30,000 fanciers in the UK though it shouldn’t be a problem!

East or west, what race route do you prefer?

The traditional route of M74 -M6, which is called the west due to being west of the Pennines.

When is your favourite time of season?

I like going to the club on marking nights for the great banter and also enjoy the social events throughout the season.

I would like to thank Gareth for the lovely lunch and an introduction to one of the all-time great names ever to compete in the west. He is very much an asset to the federation and we thank him for his dedication. All the best for season 2015. I will conclude with a few more photos of Gareth's lofts.

Tom Corrie Jnr

Lanarkshire Federation Press Officer

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Elimar - December 2014