KEITH MOTT
Visits
Ponderosa UK Stud Weymouth, 2014
The original plan was to visit the new Ponderosa UK Stud in February, but with high winds and flooding at the time, the day out in Weymouth had to be cancelled. We were to meet up with Mike and Edna Shepherd, who were down on the south coast for a few days for a break and I was to take photos for this article. I finally made the 130 mile drive down to Dorset with my ol’ mates, Peter Taylor and Terry Haley at the back end of March and the wait was well worth it as the weather was brilliant. I have had a great relationship with the Stud owners, Tony Hayne and Mary Bartlett since the early 1990s and was looking forward to the visit very much as it had been a number of years since I had seen these two very nice people.
The Ponderosa UK Stud moved ‘lock, stock and barrel’ into a new facility in September 2009 and the brand new complex must be described as fantastic. The new site is just along the lane from the old Ponderosa site and the new pigeon living quarters are a carbon copy of the old. The original 26 breeding sections, including automatic cleaning nest boxes were relocated in the new site, as were the 20 holding flights which house the birds for sale. The only new facility in the pigeon breeding quarters is the under floor cleaning, which are deep pits under a wooden slatted floor, and this is cleaned out at regular times. The ventilation in the whole stud is brilliant and the inmates looked in ‘mint’ condition and wonderful health. The new complex has a function room, restaurant, pigeon shop and a wonderful flat with en suit bathroom for travelling fanciers to stay over. The new VIP room was very impressive, with luxury seating and wide scene plasma TV.
Tony Hayne told me, “at our new Ponderosa site we offer a wide range of facilities and in terms of pigeons we have 26 sections of breeding birds, with 12 pairs in each section. In total we have over 2,000 young birds for the customer to come and choose from and all of these birds are housed in state of the art accommodation, and they always receive the best possible care that we can give. We also have other facilities to offer and they include: a function room, café and an onsite shop for all the fanciers’ pigeon requirements. Our onsite shop sells a variety of different pigeon products which are available all year round. We sell ‘Country Wide’ pigeon corn and if the item they require is not in stock then it can be ordered on request. We also sell Cage and Aviary small bird products too. Anything from ‘Champion Canary’ breeders mix to wild garden bird food and visitors are always welcome to come and purchase or browse our range of products. The function room is of a very modern, light and airy style. This room can hold approximately 70 people and we hold a variety of functions, such as weddings, birthdays etc. The restaurant area is also very spacious and light, with facilities such as a bar, where the fanciers can meet up and chat”.
The strains housed at the Ponderosa UK Stud are: (Short Distance) Janssen / Arendonk - Janssen Bertie Camphius - Luc Van Mechelen - De Klak - Hearmans - Causters - Van Loon - Brad De Joode - G & S Verkerk - Ad Schlaeckens - Van Dyke - Kannibaal - Gaston Van de Wouwer - Meulemans Troyes - Deschacht - Denduyver - Vandenabeele Minderhoud - Desmit Mathjis Ceusters: (Long Distance) Van Wanroy - Van De Wegan Stichelbout - Muller Aarden.
The Ponderosa UK Stud was first established in 1984 and set up in Weymouth Dorset. Communications with Tony Hayne and Mary Bartlett first started in Holland as they were running a quarantine business for the birds that were being imported and exported. As time progressed, the Dutch and English relationship continued to expand. This was when developments on the new Ponderosa UK Stud, founded by Hans Eijerkamp, took place. The ideas behind this new development was that this building would become the first breeding centre to be opened over the border in England and it was designed as the Dutch Ponderosa. Mary told me on our visit to the Stud, ‘in the late years of the 1980s Ponderosa UK Stud started off with just 20 breeding pairs of stock birds, and over time as business was increasing that number steadily increased to house over 320 pairs of top quality stock birds. In the South of England, myself, Tony, Steve and our professional team care and nurture the birds to the highest standard. The Ponderosa's connections started to expand, and the offspring that have been produced have gone on to achieve great results. Not only in England but in other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Egypt, China, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The Australian connection is unique because the Ponderosa UK Stud was the first to export livestock to Australia for 46 years”.
Some of the Ponderosa's aims are to provide the best quality service that they can; maintain healthy and happy relationships with the customers; being able to provide a safe environment in which people can work and produce the best quality stock in which to sell top quality bloodlines. An example of these aims is when they established connections with Dubai. Working as a team they provided a good quality service, by this they mean helping them choose the best possible birds for their specific requirements, advising them how to race, giving them information on the specific dietary requirements needed for breeding and racing the birds. From then on the Ponderosa UK Stud has kept very strong links with the United Arab Emirates. This is a positive sign of good customer care and this is one of Tony and Mary’s main priorities.
When you enter the new centre, you first arrive in the reception area and from this, doors lead off to the really nice coffee lounge, picnic area and pigeon accessories shop. The breeding pairs are housed in the stock wings, containing short, middle and long distance strains. The whole stud is sweet and clean, with the inmates looking in first class condition. Ponderosa UK has 320 stock pairs and the stud wings are split up in sections housing 12 pairs, and the birds sun themselves in large flights at the rear of the wings. There are other wings with flights, which house the birds for sale. On request, the loft manager, Tony Hayne, is happy to let you handle the birds you are interested in. Many winners are reported every season with birds bred at the stud. Some recent Ponderosa winners are: Preece Brothers of Wales won 2nd, 5th section, 3rd, 17th open BICC International St. Vincent in 2013 with pigeons based on the Ponderosa Muller and Van Geel / Jan Aarden of Alun Maull. Doug Gatland of Reigate won in the 2013 season, 2nd open BICC International St. Vincent with a two year old blue chequer hen containing the Van De Wegen, Jan Aarden and Wim Muller bloodlines. Dave and Vince Padfield of Wales continue their brilliant success with their long distance family based on the Wim Muller / Jan Aarden pigeons. Dave and Vincent have won at least seven Nationals and they won 1st, 2nd open Welsh SRNFC Tarbes, 1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th Welsh SRNFC, 27th, 33rd, 52nd, 88th open NFC Tarbes, 8th open BICC Barcelona, 3rd open BICC Tours, 30th open BICC Pau International, 1st section, 1st open BICC St. Vincent (566 miles). Tony told me that Steve and Paul Kulpa of Berkshire had won a long list of premier positions and have been customers of the Ponderosa UK Stud for many years. The highlights being: 2013: 1st Shinfield (3,348 birds), 3rd Exeter (3,384 birds): 2011: 1st, 2nd Shinfield (1,122 birds): 2010: 1st Caversham (2,243 birds): 2009: 1st Shinfield 98km (991 birds). Mary says there have been many outstanding winners reported from overseas recently, including Egypt and 2nd Ace Middle Distance in Bagdad Iraq. Just a few of the many winners over the years. A fantastic stud, with wonderful results!
That’s it for this week! The lads and I would like to thank Tony and Mary for showing us around the new stud, we really enjoyed the day! I can be contacted on telephone: 01372 463480 or my new email address:
TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT (www.keithmott.com)
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