I was born into a pigeon family, my Dad Cecil was a great long distance fancier, winning many races from the hard Scottish race points. My Dads most famous win was winning the London Combine from Thurso 500 miles with a blue hen called The Owl. She was the only bird on the day from 5700 birds – timed in the dark with the aid of a torch at 10.03 in the night. Dad also won the London Combine from Lerwick 582 miles. He had few equals in London distance racing. My grand father on my mothers side was also a respected pigeon fancier – so you could say pigeons are in my blood.
I began getting keen aged 14. Being young and ambitious I wanted to compete in every race, where as Dad was only interested in the distance. After a few years of learning from Dad I bought some new pigeons and began racing the widowhood system. Immediately we started winning and were soon nominated top flyers in the large North London Federation (2500 birds – 150 members).
In our last season together we won the coverted Thomas Long Trophy for best average in the Scottish Combine races and 6 times first Federation.
I bought my own house in 1995 and began racing on my own in 1996 – aged 25 years old. Dad bred me a complete round of young birds and I followed the same methods. I won the young bird average in the County of Essex Federation in my first season, and was top flyer in the North London Fed the following year. I followed this up for the following 2 years and was then awarded top fancier in the whole of London Region North Road Twice. I also won the London Combine from Berwick 290 miles and Lerwick 583 miles.
Despite numerous wins from 100 to 600 miles in the London North Road competition, my interest was increasing in racing in National competition on the South Road from France. My dad (my mentor and best friend) died very suddenly in 2005. I was now determined to win the Grand National from Tarbes 588 miles – open to all of The United Kingdom – the biggest race – as a tribute to my dad.
I started racing South Road in 2007, and by 2009 I won 1st London and South East Classic with my Fantastic Hen “Sergeant Cecil”. I was also awarded the LSECC Fancier of the year award.
In 2012 my dreams came true – I won 1st Grand National from Tarbes 2808 birds, The Kings Cup, with Legacy. The biggest most prestigious race in the UK. What is particularly important to me is that both Legacy and Sergeant Cecil are related to my Dad’s champion The Owl. Our family of pigeons have been personally cultivated for many many years, have won all the big races and keep beating the modern wonder strains of today. I can trace my family of pigeons back to 1955 – incidently to another Kings Cup winner on the North Road from Lerwick.
The week after I won the Grand National, I was 1st and 2nd BBC National from Fougeres 242 miles. In 2013 i was 2nd and 3rd National Flying Club from Messac 284 miles. Scattered between all these have been 100’s of club winners and aprox 50 federation wins.
I am quite un conventional to many of my fellow fanciers. I don’t follow fashions. I don’t buy many pigeons looking for the new wonder strain. I keep with my tried and tested sprint and distance families, cultivating my own champions. If I do bring in any new pigeons I severely test them before introducing their bloodline into my family. I can honestly say that most of the new champion blood i’ve tried can rarely beat my family of pigeons.
I’m also old fashioned in my methods of racing. I don’t believe in medication unless it is really necessary, and don’t use many supplements. Instead I test my pigeons very hard and am very severe in my selection – keeping only the very best. I work full time as a Civil Servant, have no helpers with my pigeons, and have two young children. I therefore have very limited time with my pigeons.
这不是传统意义上的文章，严格的说是一位英国2012英国国家赛国王杯冠军鸽友的以叙述的形式书写了这个伟大的赛鸽家对家人赛鸽荣誉的人生感知。
文章大意是母亲嫁给她父亲时他的爷爷对他母亲讲对一个鸽友要让步，讲述了他父亲赛鸽成绩包括伦敦伯马，2012年国家赛冠军 （286雨点雄）让他梦想成真，对鸽子而言本家的老系统要好过任何的引进品种，养鸽子不要提供过多的营养和药物，尽量自然等等 。
个人感觉其人的赛鸽感悟情真意切，尽管不太适合中国职业赛鸽技及术用药等人为调整状态的竞技比赛使用，但是对于英国本土全距程多关赛制100千米到1000千米的比赛尤其还要越海，是有借鉴学习的重要意义。
