North West Combine Loft Report - Dave Berry
I attended the brilliant racing lofts of Dave Berry early March on behalf of the North West Combine to ask him some questions and take pictures of his lovely & tidy set up in the district of Maghull, myself and Conor were greeted by Dave & his lovely wife with a nice cup of tea to warm ourselves up from the spring snow which has just come upon us, after a chat and a brew it was into the garden to brave the weather conditions and see the quality on offer in the sheds and it’s easy to see why this loft is often at the top of Club/Amals & Combine sheets, so have a read and hope you enjoy the article .
1) Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and how you become involved in the sport?
I got the pigeon bug at the age of 8 or 9 when I used to stay at my grandparents every weekend, they lived in a built up area and I would be up a ladder watching for early arrivals, I got my first loft when I got married and moved into our first home, I had some success but working 12 hour shift, a mortgage, kids and the pigeons had to go, 30 years later after a long illness I would watch my neighbours birds exercising whilst I was recuperating and these birds belonged Thomas Devine a top young bird specialist, we became close friends and it was decided to give it a go, I read many articles/books in the weekly’s etc and the name Gaby Vandenbeele was always at the forefront so I decided to buy some latebreds of Crowe & Worrall Widnes, and a kit of young birds off George Slaven, Glenview Lofts, Ayrshire
2) What was your first club and what club/s are you member of now?
I have only ever been in 1 club which is the Maghull & District who fly in the Liverpool Amalgamation and the North West Combine
3) Who were your mentors in your early years of the sport?
Peter Cowley of the Caunce & Cowley partnership
4) Have they taught you anything which you still practice today?
One of the main things I have learned is patience & routine, I learned this many years ago when we went on a family 2 week holiday and Peter Cowley looked after the birds and when we got home the young birds were so much calmer & tamer just because he spent a bit of time with them
5) Can you tell me what goes into your preparation prior to pairing up?
Nothing special just the normal Cocci, Canker & one spot treatment, I usually do this the middle of December and they go on a strict diet to get the winter fat of them
6) What method do you fly your pigeons on?
Old birds are on a basic roundabout system and young birds are darkened
7) Can you outline your system from the time you pair up to the time racing commences?
The system I have done last few years is to pair all race birds mid-January and each rear 1 young bird, at around 17 days old the youngsters are moved to their section with the hen for around a week, after this the race birds are exercised morning & night building up to 1 hour each time, and 3 weeks before first race they will get 4/5 x 30 mile tosses weather permitting
8) Do you believe you must stick rigidly to your management routine once your racing season is in full swing or do you adapt it as situations arise?
I stick to a routine with both old & young birds time wise and feed wise and once training starts I don’t train unless they tell me they need it
9) Describe in as much detail your Friday preparations from feeding and at what time through to basketing for the club?
On a Friday birds are fed a light mix around 10am and then left to rest till 3pm, since my accident breaking both my legs I struggle with my mobility and I have to give extra time whilst basketing, this doesn’t seem to affect the birds, the first 2 races they see each other for 10-15 minutes and races after that the cock will get his bowl and hens will go straight in the basket ready for going club
10) Do you prefer sprint racing or channel or prefer all distances?
Sprint & middle distance for me
11) Do you stock your best racers and at what point would you do this? When they reach a certain age? Win a big race or there producing good pigeons in widowloft lofts?
I don’t have a stock loft due to limited space, when I am asked where is your stock I tell them it’s in Ayrshire at Glenview lofts, since I got my first young birds of George Slaven we have become close friends and we discuss the race every weekend, George now sends me whatever I ask for in young birds every year in young birds, a lot of my success is down to his birds and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him
12) What do you prefer a good racing cock or hen?
A winning one
13) Can you outline your health schedule during the race season?
On return from racing they get electrolytes in water then cider vinegar & garlic till Wednesday, a multi vitamin Wednesday & Thursday then fresh clear water Friday the day of basketing
14) Do you use supplements that are for pigeons or natural products? Or both?
I don’t use a lot I prefer to use natural products if I can, let’s be honest there is not enough days in the week to use what’s on offer
15) What corn do you use and when? From racing and winter ?
I use 3 branded bags of racing mix and mix them together and this is fed to old & young birds all year round, the brands used are VanRobeys, Versa Laga & Bayers
16) Do you feed ad lib or believe in feeding measured amounts ?
The birds get 1 1/4 oz each per day, split into 2 feeds, am 1/4 oz and the straight 1oz at night, and I always have a pocket full of peanuts
17) How much time do you devote to your pigeons ?
Since I have retired I spend a lot of time with my pigeons especially in the racing months, flying roundabout for me is 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening letting the both sexes out, then you have the young birds in between which takes up a lot of the day if you let it
18) Do you visit other fanciers and observe their methods/share their ideas?
I have been to many lofts and I find it fascinating how everyone has their own ways , I am learning every day and if I see anything I think will improve what I do I will use it
19) What do you look for when introducing new stock?
As I have said in earlier question I don’t have stock but I bring in a few young birds in every year from winning lofts to try and improve but at the moment I am yet to find any better than the Vandenbeeles
20) How many old birds and young birds do you race and how many stock birds do you house ?
I have 18 cocks and 18 hens and breed 18 young birds, plus what George Slaven sends down and maybe a few others from a winning loft to try against my own
21) How do you train your young birds and how often once racing starts?
I start at 3 mile and then to 5 miles and then 5 mile more each time till the birds are at the 30 mile stage, once racing starts they will get 2 x 30 milers and more if they need it
22) What has been your best achievement to date ?
The day I first topped the North West Combine, although I was just as happy the 2nd time because that told me the first time was not a fluke
23) Can you tell me about your best pigeon/s you have raced and same with stock birds?
My best bird came from George Slaven, Glenview lofts called 41, although he didn’t win a lot of races he was nearly always my first bird, he won multiple cards at club & Amal level and ended up back at Georges in Ayrshire where he sired my 1st combine winner
24) What advice would you give that could help improve the management/results for novice/new starter?
Without doubt go to a winning loft and buy as many young birds you can afford, pigeons today go for silly money, most of them with super pedigrees with very few actually won a race or seen the inside of a basket
25) Who do you admire in the pigeon sport?
Too many to mention
26) What is it that you love about the sport that keeps you involved ?
I love to compete; I know I can’t win every race but as long as I stay competitive I have a chance of winning
27) What drives you mad about the pigeon game?
BoP
28) What is it like racing in your club?
The Maghul is very competitive and a good bunch of lads, Thomas Devine has helped me so much since my accident and I can ask any member for help and they are there for you
29) Who is the one to watch for 2023 in your club & Amal?
In the club Saggers & Fishwick are the loft to beat, they are on their game every single season and in the Liverpool Amalgamation Stevie Goulding, Paul Beaumont, Saggers & Fishwick, Dave Shaw I could go on, the quality of pigeon flyers in Liverpool is second to none
The name Dave Berry over the last 4 seasons has won 2 x 1st North West Combines, 2 x 2nd North West Combine, and over 20 positions in the top 20 as well as 7 x 1st Liverpool Amalgamation which is an achievement in its self-considering Dave is 70 years old and had a real bad accident a few years ago affecting his mobility and every day duties but certainly not his performance of his super team of racing pigeons, it was plain to see, as well as in the loft these family of pigeons had the black & white results which were a credit to Dave, on behalf of myself & Conor and the North West Combine thank you for taking the time to answer the questions and all the best for 2023
Thanks for reading
