Racing Pigeon Pictorial International – June 2018

they won the Three Borders
Federation three times in the
2005 season. His other club was
the London & South East Classic
Club, where he was a Life Vice
President and committee
member. Fifteen years ago Steve
and his wife Annette moved
from Guildford to Ash and
started to race again from his
new garden, and his present
four section racing loft set up is
a 24ft x 8ft, which includes a 2ft
corridor and all clocking is on
ETS. He told me he considers
the most important factors
when it comes to loft design is
good ventilated, dryness and
facing south if possible. His
stock birds are housed in a very
well ventilated 8ft x 6ft loft in
the corner of his very well kept
garden.

When Steve started in the sport
the Natural system was
employed but found he was not
happy with it as he was not
making full use of the hens
while waiting for them to lay
and start sitting again. Because
he only keeps a small team his
loft was at a distinct
disadvantage not racing hens.
He then changed to the

Roundabout system as both
sexes are available to race all
the time. This has been a very
good decision for him and has
given him a fair amount of
success. He believes that the

cock bird will race home just as

hard to his nest box as he does

to his hen. The hens will always

race back to their cocks.

Undoubtedly his best racers

have been hens. In recent

seasons Steve has raced some

birds on the celebrate system,

with outstanding success. Steve

keeps about eight pairs of

racers which are very

manageable, as he finds 16

good pigeons can just about

meet his requirements. He says

the more pigeons you have the

less you know about them and

the most old birds he has sent

to any old bird race have been

about six. The main

disadvantage of racing a small

team is that sometimes he can’t

stretch to each race, both in his

club and the BICC at the same

weekend. Racing a small team

he can easily identify any

changes in behaviour which can

some times be used to his

advantage when it comes to

motivation. To do well entering

just a small team gives him a

great sense of achievement and

usually he never enters a race

unless he can be competitive.

When I asked Steve about the

family of pigeons he raced, he

said, “As you know Keith, I’m a

small team man and only keep a

few stock pigeons. The strain I

keep and race are the Jacob

Poortvliet of Holland pigeons

and these were obtained from

Dave Waterhouse. My good

friend, Tony Adams, who is the

race controller of the Solent

Federation and I purchased

some latebreds jointly from

Dave, and these are the basis of

our lofts today. David

Waterhouse is well known for

his outstanding performances,

having won both the National

Flying Club and Central

Southern Classic Flying Club,

and in the 2018 season won 1st

Section, 11th Open Coutances

with the British Barcelona Club.

A fantastic pigeon racer. Tony

Adams bred 1st Open CSCFC

Young Birds Classic in the 2016