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I fly my birds with Winchburgh & District Homing Society, who are part of the Scottish Central Federation. Season 2009 will be my first season with them and I'm very much looking forward to it. I was formerly a member of Newbridge Homing Society, who I joined in the early 1980s. I'm also a member, in my opinion, of one of the greatest distance clubs in Britain, that being the Scottish National Flying Club.
Although flying under my own name, this is very much a joint venture with my father Eric, whose knowledge, support and daily management around the lofts, I value very much.
In our early days we flew various strain of pigeons, Cattrysse, Busschaert, Van Bruane, Wildemeersch and Staf Van Reets, all bringing some good success in Club, Federation and at National level. In my opinion, our present day family of birds bred down from some of the best winning bloodlines in the UK, are of a higher standard.
Throughout the season of 2003, I had been closely watching a family of birds that I'd potentially introduce to Norton View Lofts and felt under the correct management, would bring us continued and improved success. Later that season I began to inquire about these birds, unaware of what the outcome would be, as I knew the family was in great demand.
The family I chose to pursue, was the famous Gaby Vandenabeeles of M & D Evans, Myrtle Lofts, top racer and breeders.
I knew the M & D Evans Vandenabeeles were going to be a little hard to source knowing their popularity in the UK, which as you know has largely grown since then. With there being a three year waiting list at Myrtle Lofts I decided to contact two partnerships that were achieving top results right through to National level, those being Mrs C Lycett & Son of Rugeley and also Graeme Warman of Doncaster (formerly Granger & Warman). I felt that both partnerships have some of the best M & D Evans bloodlines in the UK and that any additions from them would certainly be a credit to Myrtle Lofts.
The early part of 2004 saw the first batch of Gabys enter my race lofts and I must say that the early signs were very promising. Not being able to settle with my latest additions, I felt having the backup in the stock loft would certainly help me maintain a good strong winning race team. This resulted in a batch of later yb's arriving directly from Mrs C Lycett & Son's top stock loft, bred from some of their proven breeders.
Since then I have made several additions to the stock loft direct from Myrtle Lofts, for me the best winning family of pigeons in the UK.
For more information regarding the above mentioned fanciers please visit my links page.
Colin.
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