HOW DID YOU START

[pigeonscout]

I found a pigeon in my garden and I put it in the garden shed and fed it for 3 weeks it was flying in and out until one day it was gone. I decided to get myself some more birds so I pick up a copy of the British homing world. As I was reading it I came across an add selling pigeons so I call the number and ask if I could buy some birds.

The guy at the other end of the phone asks what kind I wanted, I said homing pigeons he asks again what kind do you want again I said homing pigeons. You know nothing about racing pigeon he said do yourself a favour and do not ring anyone else advertising pigeons as they will take you to the cleaners. He told me to go get some pigeon from a local fancier and come back to him in couple of years when I knew better what birds I wanted. I told him the only guys I knew where the men I would be racing against. He then give me a phone number told me to call it and ask for Richard. Tell Richard John Gerard said he was to sort you out with some stock pigeons. I did as he had asked and Richard ask me to come up to his house the next morning.

The next morning I was met by Richard who took me to his stock loft and ask me to pick out any 4 hens.

When I had picked the 4 hens Richard took the ring numbers and we went into the house where his father Brain was waiting. He told his father the ring numbers of the hens and ask him to pick 4 stock cocks to go with them.

That was the start of a great friendship as Richard was on the phone to me every day telling me what to feed treat train etc. Anyway it was not long before the first young bird race and I was hoping I had done everything right. On the day of my first race my son and I where waiting for the birds thinking they would come 1 at a time and hoping they would not be to far behind. Then all of a sudden there they were and straight though the open door. I will not tell you the result but I doubt if anyone else has had a first ever race like I had. I went on to win every young bird race that year + £3,500 and 11 years later they are still winning and it is all down to John Gerard and Richard Hogg for the birds advice and friendship.

[Guest]

I found a pigeon in my garden and I put it in the garden shed and fed it for 3 weeks it was flying in and out until one day it was gone. I decided to get myself some more birds so I pick up a copy of the British homing world. As I was reading it I came across an add selling pigeons so I call the number and ask if I could buy some birds.

The guy at the other end of the phone asks what kind I wanted, I said homing pigeons he asks again what kind do you want again I said homing pigeons. You know nothing about racing pigeon he said do yourself a favour and do not ring anyone else advertising pigeons as they will take you to the cleaners. He told me to go get some pigeon from a local fancier and come back to him in couple of years when I knew better what birds I wanted. I told him the only guys I knew where the men I would be racing against. He then give me a phone number told me to call it and ask for Richard. Tell Richard John Gerard said he was to sort you out with some stock pigeons. I did as he had asked and Richard ask me to come up to his house the next morning.

The next morning I was met by Richard who took me to his stock loft and ask me to pick out any 4 hens.

When I had picked the 4 hens Richard took the ring numbers and we went into the house where his father Brain was waiting. He told his father the ring numbers of the hens and ask him to pick 4 stock cocks to go with them.

That was the start of a great friendship as Richard was on the phone to me every day telling me what to feed treat train etc. Anyway it was not long before the first young bird race and I was hoping I had done everything right. On the day of my first race my son and I where waiting for the birds thinking they would come 1 at a time and hoping they would not be to far behind. Then all of a sudden there they were and straight though the open door. I will not tell you the result but I doubt if anyone else has had a first ever race like I had. I went on to win every young bird race that year + £3,500 and 11 years later they are still winning and it is all down to John Gerard and Richard Hogg for the birds advice and friendship.

 

Lovely story. Just proves a point that you don't have to spend a fortune to be successful. Dedication, a listening ear and a True pigeon fancier to help get started are all that is required. Continued success to you

[fred x]

How did i start lets see if i can remember that far back!. My Dad had pigeons as a boy up to the time he was married to Mum, then i came along in 1937, I was in & the pigeons was out then dad was called up as WW2 blow up & he was off to the War like so many others of that time. After the War dad returned from Africa, And in

In 1950's the pigeons was once again on his mind, Mum wasn't so keen on them, but after when he went though in the War Mum let him have his own way! Dad got on to start  building a pigeon loft in the back yard, the building material was of massive big wooden boxes that parts of machinery was shipped over to the UK my dad got from a friend who worked in the Royal Albert dock in Silver Town. Mum went berzerk as the to lorries dropped them in the middle of our road.  just as well it was a blocked turning. & no one had cars them days. We them flow as father & son, But in the late 1950, the Masonic group that owned the area, sold all the area under  the slum clearance programme of East London. Dad & Mum was put in a flat but no place to put a pigeon loft.

Then in 1980 i got a job with a tide house with a garden & a pigeon loft was put up, we once again raced as father and son. 1st The Manor Park FC, South West Ham  FC, Then our last club Laytonstone & Stratford FC. right up to 1988, went my job took me down to the South Coast Of England, where i live now.

 

[REDROCKET]

born into this great sport now in a family partnership my oldman bro sis and me . we now have over 100ft in lofts and a racing team of over 70 old birds + 20pr in stock we have had a team of 80+ yb for the past 4/5 year hard work but good fun. ps hard work for other 3 im only home every 2nd weekend . good subject blas top marks(happy)(happy)

[Lennut Tar]

How did I start?...... 'I'm afraid that I was very, very drunk'.  :B

 

 

Wonderful !!!!!!!!!!!!!! (grin grin ) now I understand everything etc.

PS, for the rest of you here "Magic".

Enjoy.

 

 

[Tony C]

How did I start?...... 'I'm afraid that I was very, very drunk'.  :B

 

 

'I'm afraid that I was very, very drunk'. Actually this statement couldn’t be further from the truth.  

Christmas 1987 whilst bouncing my 3 year old daughter on my knee it suddenly hit me how much she’d grown. I being young, working and spending most evenings out was missing out on my kids growing up. I decided there and then no more nights out, no more drinking (still on the wagon 20 years on), no more darts and no more snooker or dogs. I was going to watch my kids grow up, be responsible for the first time in my life. I kept to my word but boy I needed a hobby that I could pursue, something to stop me going mad and something that didn’t take me away from the home. Enter pigeon racing.  The last couple of years before I left home my father took an interest in racing pigeons, he caught the bug and I thought he mad. I didn’t take a blind bit of notice of em. Further forward 5 years, I became inquisitive, what did he see in this pigeon racing game! I started going round home to watch them race days, went up the club with him to see how he’d done and met a whole bunch of crazy pigeon folk. Here was my answer, I’d get a few pigeons perhaps even try racing a few if I got on with them.

That was 20 years ago sheesh! Doesn’t time fly when your having fun.

 

[Jim56]

It was in the early 70's and there was a lot of crazy stuff going on all around us in the North of Ireland.  However my brother and I wanted "the birds", looking back now I know my dad got them for us to keep us out of trouble.  But I will never forget the day he took us to an abandoned old farmhouse and there nesting in an orange box nailed to an outside toilet wall was a lovely old red cock paired to a red check hen (an SU stray) reds have been my favorite ever since. Just got them back now the last few years, its the best hobby in the world!

 

 

Jim

[Roland]

Was  - as I have posted,  pigeonscout the same for me when I started up on my own. Got shot of the goats, and a pigeon settled flown out. Misses was intrigued. Said get you to losing i ... which it did of course clear shortly when recuperated. Told misses I was starting up a pigeon loft. Tried the wedge 'Well you can do both, show fish etc. and have pigeons Nag bah nag nag blah codswallop. Had 17 tanks, was tip top class 90% of them Built up ducking and diving, swapping etc. and moved big time into lake Malawi and Tangeniksa, some tiddlers (Electra Blues for instance) I had paid £150 each and had them in nines. So I phoned the sec and said any one want anything to come... they ascended like locaust and stripped them bear in side a two days. Tanks, pumps etc. etc. and never as much as even offered the kids a sweet.... Misses right peeved.... Did right, got devoiced 4 years later   ;D ;D