Ray Roberts of Hersham by Keith Mott

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Ray Roberts of Hersham.

In the 2003 season the Three Borders Federation sent 780 birds to its longest old bird race from Bergerac (450 miles) and only a few birds were clocked on the day of liberation. The Federation liberated at 0600hrs and Ray Roberts of the Hersham club had a brilliant race, recording two day pigeons, at 18.30hrs and 20.02hrs, to win 1st and 2nd club, 1st and 12th Three Borders Federation, 2nd open SMT Combine. Ray's Bergerac Federation winner was his good Staf Van Reet  red chequer cock, named ‘The Red Cock’, which was bred by his good friend, John Allen of Chester-Le-Street. This game cock was raced on the natural system, being sent to Bergerac sitting 10 day old eggs, and had four channel races on his build-up to the Federation win: The second pigeon on the clock from Bergerac was his Busschaert blue cock, ‘Blue Vision’, and he was also sent to Bergerac on 10 day old eggs. Ray told me at that time, he must say a big thank you to John Allen for giving him his Bergerac winner and also to Danny Alison who helps with the training of the Roberts' pigeons.

Ray raced to a two section 12ft x 6ft loft at his home in Hersham and used sputnik trapping and a sharp sand litter on the floor. He put his eight pairs of racers together on Boxing Day and raced on the natural system with channel racing in mind. The main families raced were Busschaert and Staf Van Reet, with the birds being trained several times each week during the season, from Alton in Hampshire.

Being a pigeon fancier for 45 years, Ray started at the age of ten, winning his first race ten years later. His brother, Colin, raced pigeons in the early days and they obtained their first stock from a premier local fancier named George Wicks. Ray was a very keen Angler but pigeons and his sons took up all his spare time. He fed a good mixture all the year round and told me he was only really interested in long-distance channel racing, using the club inland races for training. Ray Robert’s loft had no stock birds and prior to winning 2nd open SMT Combine Bergerac in 2003, his best performance was 3rd open Combine Avranches. Ray told me he didn't like the darkness system and raced his young birds natural to the perch. He rated Johnny Keywood and Trussler Brothers the best local fanciers and said they were always at the top of the Federation result sheet.

Text & Photos by Keith Mott (January 2026)