TRIBUTE TO BRIAN SHEPPARD OF TROWBRIDGE.
It is with heavy heart that I have to inform the fancy of the passing of Brian Sheppard of Trowbridge. Brian passed away peacefully at his home at 5.30am on Tuesday 16th July and the sport of long distance pigeon racing has lost another of its greatest champions. He had been ill for a while and was nursed lovingly by his two children, Stewart and Wendy, right up to the end. What can you say about this ‘legend’ of long distance pigeon racing that hasn’t been said before; Brian won it all at the very highest level over many years in the sport and was a ‘history’ maker, being the first UK fancier to win 1st open International. He was a smashing man, with loads of character and was a great man to talk ‘pigeons’ with. Our sincere condolences from Betty and me to the Sheppard family at this very sad time.
The 2003 Dax International marked the start of a new era in British pigeon racing, when two English fanciers were declared 1st and 2nd open International winners. The British contingent was very strong with the National Flying Club entering a very healthy 739 birds and it’s sister club, the British International Championship Club, sending a record birdage of 450 birds.
Britain’s first ever 1st open International Dax (19,400 birds) winner was recorded by Brian Sheppard of Trowbridge and on the Sunday morning after the race, I made the 130 mile drive down to Wiltshire to visit his loft and see his champion, now named “Legend”. This game blue chequer widowhood cock was paired up on 6th December and after rearing a pair of youngsters, was put on the widowhood system when sitting six days on his second pair of eggs. Champion “Legend” had several channel races on his build up to his Dax International win, including training races from Picauville, two from Nantes and the Saintes National. This brilliant two year old cock had had lots of wonderful previous racing form. He recorded 2nd section B.B.C. Nantes and 2nd section, 6th open N.F.C. Saintes in the 2003 season, and as a yearling 34th open C.S.C.F.C. Cholet. Brian sent 11 birds to the Dax International, clocking Champion “Legend” just after 19.00hrs on the day, flying 507 miles, and two next morning, with one arriving home when I was at the loft. On “Legend’s” dam side he is off Brian’s old Pau family, being bred down from his N.F.C. Pau Merit Award winner, “Jingals”, and his sire was bred by Jos Thone of As in Belgium, from his champion cock, “Sumo”.
At that time Brian had been in the sport 60 years and started up at the age of eight with a pair of tipplers. He raced 25 widowhood cocks to his very smart 20ft. brick built loft and paired his race team in December. All his pigeons had to perform, with yearlings going through to 400 miles and his old birds flying Pau (550 miles). The cocks were put on the widowhood system after rearing a pair of youngsters, only being trained prior to the first race, and flagged around the loft for regular exercise during the season. The New Wiltshire Continental Club had lots of early races from Picauville and Brian used these events to get the birds ready for the main National races. He liked all pigeons racing, long and short, but told me he got his biggest thrill out of the long distance events. Brian Sheppard RIP.
KEITH MOTT (JULY 2019).
