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NOVICES
SOCIAL CIRCLE. (part eleven) 'Spinksy' tells you straight! You've never had it told straighter. |
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NOVICES SOCIAL CIRCLE. (part eleven)
Well now - each of you mountaineers have had two seasons ie young birds in your first year, with old birds & young birds the following year. If you have followed my plan so far; then a marked improvement should be evident within your loft and team. Forward planning should always be the byword for a pigeon fancier; in my own case I like to forward plan well in advance and I am as keen at this time of the year as any other. Once moulted the birds take on a look of beauty and this can be very deceiving; some birds grow rapidly after moulting, whilst others have the physique from childhood and grow very little into maturity. It is because of this that some excel as youngsters and yet may never repeat their young bird form and this is where knowing ones family comes in very useful. It could be that the smaller type youngster distinguishes itself due to requiring less training or has less weight to carry by young muscles or feather. On the other hand it could be the bigger and stronger bird; earlier bred and more advanced in feather condition or nest incentive. Because of these things; it may sometimes be difficult to judge accurately any future value as a breeder or racer; so that is where family history comes in useful and also well kept records of performances. Handsome is as handsome does in old bird racing and very often it is the ugly duckling that turns out to be the swan!
So many new starters kick off with success racing young birds and proceed to get their hearts broken in the following old bird programme - the two seasons are as chalk and cheese. The old experienced fanciers know this only too well and smile to themselves when a novice comes to the fore in the young bird season. The success is mainly down to keeness and that is very difficult to maintain long term; particularly should one put ones all into specialised old bird racing. The steady approach pays the highest dividend; coupled to forward planning the ongoing study of the pigeons; the family and the family traits required for consistent repeat performances each year. These articles should have helped the new starter to establish the base camp required before any assault upon the mountain of pigeon racing success. Each of you should now have a thorough knowledge of your own pigeons - the best breeders, the best racers and the type to suit your locality; loft environment and system employed with due regard to available time or finance. You should now be well on the way towards discovering that the man plays an equal part with the pigeon. In actual fact the man plays the greater part - he has to breed them, feed them, condition and mentally prepare them. Should he fail then no matter how well bred the pigeon; it will be doomed to failure! From the breeding point of view, this to my mind is the greatest part that the fancier can play; there is little room for chance in the successful loft; breeding must be planned.
Having said that; occasionally luck may play a part via an unplanned love mating - it has happened in my own loft; but was a very rare exception. Best to best, or most physically suited to the most physically suited is usually the better method and breeding for performance and balance is the best recommendation. In my own loft; which after selection now houses some thirty pigeons, twenty four of which are yearlings, very few will be bred from. In fact I shall breed the bulk of my youngsters from two pairs only; another two pairs will provide the remaining requirement; plus a single youngster from selected yearlings. All other pigeons will have to undergo strict testing before being bred from. They must survive the programme through to the longest earmarked race and only when having proven themselves worthy. That is the yardstick for any small loft ie proven breeders only, or proven racers! Now is the time to make these "breeder" decisions which may be planned and altered several times until the final decision is made in advance of pairing. One thing that I abhor is "Pedigree Pairing" in racing pigeons and this you might find to be a strange statement; knowing that I advocate the creation and maintaining of a "Family". To explain - pedigree in the pigeon world has tended to follow the teachings of the "Kennel Club". The are millions of pedigree dogs; bringing high returns of revenue to breeders, even though they may never be more than high priced snobbish household pets. Very few of these aristocratic animals would ever win in a local show; let alone Crufts and the majority are nothing more than ordinary; regarding future breeding potential.
Pigeons must make their own pedigree; but I prefer to call it "Performance Potential" based upon a family tree. I will give an example of a "modern day pedigree" and also an "old time "performance potential family tree". For the modern example the names are fictitious although typical, but should not be taken to mean that the birds exist in some stud or breeders loft!
Example one - Typical modern pedigree. Pigeon (1) Bred By Piet van Perrywinkle "Blue Boy" is a typical example of the original Piet van Perrywinkle lines and should breed more of his kind; a beautiful family of powder blue's with bright pearl eye's . Price £200.
Grand Sire "Blue Bert"' Bred By Piet van Perrywinkle a G-g- g-son off his 30th Nat Orleans.
Grand Dam "Lorelei" last daughter of "Thumberlina" which flew every race up to 200 miles--.
Sire Blue Bob last son of "Blue Bert"
Grand Sire "Piet" Bred by Piet van Perrywinkle. He is a very nice handling blue cheq. cock--
Dam "Bright Eyes" violet eyed stock hen bred my first in clock at Nantwich 60 miles.
Grand Dam "Tushy Doo" good handler, won in show pen and breeds nice looking young -----
Example two - Performance Potential Family Tree. (Pigeon 2) "Scruff Neck"--- 1st Rennes 300 birds. 2nd Combine Nantes 5,600 birds. 3rd sect 40th Open National Pau.
Grand Sire "The Amal Cock" over 30 cards in first ten Amal inc 3 x 1st at 200 -400 miles.
Sire "Roughneck" 1st Amal Hereford. 1st club Bath 2nd Amal Nantes 20 prizes in first four racing Open Pau 4,000 birds.
Grand Dam. "Sweetheart" Top racer/breeder 3 x 1st Nantes etc, Dam of the "Amal Cock"
Grand Sire "Bingo" won at every point on the card. 12 x 1st plus numerous prizes in first six.
Dam "Mary Ellen" 2nd Avaranche 3rd Rennes, 1st Rennes 1st Nantes etc.Has bred six prize winners to date.
Grand Dam "Sweetheart" No 1 racer/ breeder Daughter of the "Gift Cock" x Joey Brown Hen.
"Scruff Neck" is Barker x Vandevelde x Joey Browns old family best offer over £15 . He has bred six prize winners to date. Offered for resale due to time wasters wanting pure bred stock!
Those are typical examples and yet "Blue Boy" has no recent prize winners in his "family tree" he would be expected to bring a high price from the "purist". On Lier Market he would probably cost £5. The continental fancier would make his purchase elsewhere and probably buy "Scruff Neck" for a much higher price than he is offered to the British Fancy.
My old mentor would often say to me when questioned about the birds he sold as opposed to racing himself - "Pure for selling"; Crossed to make my own family for "racing and winning!" But strangely Stevie; nobody wants to buy my own family! Pigeon folk are the funniest of people! I will tell you -- one day they will see some sense or my name isn't Janice!
