NEWS FROM DOWN UNDER
by Doug McClary
November 2013
Not a good time
For some weeks I have been struggling with indifferent health. It all started with a nasty virus which has been doing the rounds here in Victoria. It left me with absolutely no energy and all sorts of tests revealed nothing of note. This week it was suggested that I entered hospital for a few days but I felt I would be better off at home under the watchful gaze of Nurse Ann, taking the antibiotics which I hope will do the trick for me. So dear reader, if I sound a little melancholy that is the reason and I thought I would share a photo to illustrate it using melon/collie.
I hate taking antibiotics as one can never gauge the long-term effects. It took me back to the situation with pigeons and the use that fanciers make of various anti-biotics for which they have no understanding whatsoever. By coincidence while waiting for a scan in a local hospital, I was able to read the BHW of the 1st November and was most interested in Mike Smith’s comments and the views of Jos Thone on the subject of the indiscriminate use of medicines for pigeons. It was good stuff indeed as was the piece of writing by ‘Old Hand’ included in Owen Vaggers’ notes and I would suggest that every fancier reads the positive advice in the article by Dennis McDermott. I will look forward to reading his article in the newly published Stud Book.
Pat Bartle
I have received some nice comments about my recent notes about Pat and George and the Bartle family. It is gratifying to know that Pat is remembered by so many who appreciate some of the memories of her and doubtless everyone who came into contact with her will have their own memories. Following publication of the Focus, I received a most pleasant letter from George who appreciated the thought and made mention of a few facts. All thirteen grandchildren were born before Pat died but sadly she did not get to see any of her eight great grandchildren who have been born since. The latest was born prematurely weighing only twenty ounces in January but has made remarkable progress and now weighs in at twelve pounds. George writes a good letter and it is always a pleasure to hear from him. His heart problem involved the fitting of a stent to free up a partially blocked artery but he reckons that he is now well again and enjoying his pigeons. Incidentally Andrew is living about five miles from George at Sturton-le-Steeple and is in partnership with an older fancier who has had to enter a nursing home. George will be pleased to hear from friends and can still be found at Ridgeways, Sturton-Le-Steeple.
Transporters
I have been reading with great interest the letters of Owen Elliott in the BHW of October the 18th and the 8th November about the transporters being used to convey pigeons to races. Albert Rosebottom has also chipped in with some good common sense. Fanciers seem to think that once the birds are taken to and loaded on the transporter, their cares are over but those who think a little about the subject like Owen Elliott are rightly concerned at the situation. Shiny and smart-looking transporters are good for our image but the important thing always is the comfort of the birds. The NFC and other organisations used the Blackpool company for years, with wicker panniers and shavings. Now, modern requirements demand the cleaner aluminium but please read carefully Owen’s detail about heat, fresh air and dehydration. The fewer numbers of birds in the crates and the more air there is above the crates must have an important factor on the decency and safety of transportation. In this day and age with advances in air-conditioning, the answers are there if they can be properly accessed by those who design and construct transporters. Convening meetings of manufacturers, convoyers and drivers might be the best way forward. Perhaps it should be a matter for each convoyer to routinely take internal temperatures and to record them for future use and reference. It should also be possible to measure air quality within transporters. The best pigeons in the world cannot perform properly if their health has already been eroded or destroyed by incorrect air quality and by lack of water. Even in the showing world, I suspect that we have all been guilty of causing distress to our birds by cramming baskets into cars. A fancier friend arrived at the National show in Melbourne a few years ago, to find that a couple of his bird had died en-route in his estate car presumably owing to suffocation. He was distressed over the incident and as a true and dedicated fancier was remorseful that he might have inadvertently caused suffering. It is an offence in Australia to carry any form of livestock in the boot of a car. That is something I have always avoided, preferring the use of estate cars using the premise that if the air is good enough for me and my health, it has to be good enough or my birds. Good friend Geoff Nelson who lives here in the village has purchased a Nissan van just for the transportation of his birds to the shows. He disliked smelling pigeons in his vehicle. A sealed bulkhead has been fitted behind the four seats, leaving the luggage area behind the seats, just for the birds and with separate and good air-conditioning for the birds, further separated by a frame to maintain air flow between the boxes and baskets and to keep them secure and unable to slide about. That is the ideal but few of us can afford such luxury and have to adapt. However, as I keep saying, it is pigeons first, pigeons second and pigeons third.
Olympiads
I note that at the October meeting of the RPRA it was decided to send a team to Hungary. I would like to urge that all performances are published in the pigeon papers to provide transparency about the racing qualifications. We need to be seen as ‘above board’.
John Park (John the Pole)
I was saddened to read of the death of John Park of Aberdeen. I met up with him at the Edinburgh shows and others. He was generally in the company of either Davie Rose or Jimmy Hamilton. Jim and John exchanged pigeons every season I believe and there was a great friendship between the two. Jim always called him John the Pole because as a line worker for BT, he often phoned Jim from up a pole somewhere. Those were good days running in to such class fanciers and good men in connection with pigeons. All three mentioned have now passed on leaving the sport the poorer for their passing. Jimmy Hamilton regarded John as a top fancier and that is a good enough reference for anyone.
John Park judging
John Park, Bob McDonald & Jimmy Hamlton
David Brown photo
Did you notice my mistake in the last edition of the Focus? I made reference to a photo of myself, Dick Lipski and David Brown taken at the Edinburgh show many years ago. I wryly suggested that David and I hadn’t aged one little bit but could offer no such observation on Dick as I haven’t seen him for so long! Dick and Donna Lipski were so very impressed with Edinburgh as a city and with the show which always commemorated Remembrance Day. They were so taken with the Scottish piper playing the bagpipes at the Memorial garden.
See text
Plymouth & District Classic Club
Wishing to partake of a glass of Australia’s best whites, I pulled from the cupboard a glass which brought back some pleasant memories. Before leaving the UK Ann and I were invited as guests at the annual dinner which was held in a hotel somewhere near Yelverton. It was when Ron Dove was active in pigeon racing in the area. It was a most pleasant evening which I remember in particular for having a good ‘go’ at good friend Freddie Nurse. Fred appeared to take it well and I feel sure that had I remained in England I would have had repercussions from one of the characters of the sport in the Plymouth area. Another glass I use for my tots of Scotch is a heavy tumbler which celebrated the 10th Anniversary National Homer Show at Warrington in 2001 and is decorated with a Carrier on the other side to the words. Such mementoes are valued.
Showing in Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Show Racer Society will be holding six shows this season and I am pleased to include the dates as follows, all at the Ballymoney HPS. November 23rd, December 21st, 4th January, 25th January, 1st February, 8th February. Racing classes will also be scheduled and the dates are being shared with the Ballymoney Fancy Pigeon Club. Andy McCook on 07780888162 will provide further details. Additionally, the Irish National Flying Club will be holding their 36th annual show for all types of pigeon, on Saturday the 14th December with entries closing on the 1st December. For this event John Edgar can be contacted on 02820732765. It looks like being a busy show season in Northern Ireland.
Fanciers I have known
Lance Smith of Barnsley, despite being blind loved his pigeons and pigeon showing. We became firm friends, mainly because every autumn with his wife and daughter Lisa, came to Paignton for a short holiday which allowed them to use buses or trains to travel up to Exeter to visit me and my lofts at Argyll Road. These visits meant a lot to Lance who, despite his disability loved life, was full of humour and didn’t let it prevent him getting around. Typical of this, one year he announced that he was off to Australia for a holiday, leaving home on Christmas Day to fly, I believe for the first time, to the other side of the world. When he got home he rang me and was full of the wonders he had experienced and brought me back an insulated holder for bottles or cans of beer. Now that I live in Australia I know the need for such an article as they seem to like their beer near to freezing. Having no thoughts myself at that time of living in the southern hemisphere, I was so impressed that Lance, without sight, would have the courage to undertake such an adventure. Lance had a terrific feel for pigeons and enjoyed handling them. He also enjoyed his showing which was made all the more enjoyable because Lisa encouraged her father to do so and became a top fancier in her own right. His death came suddenly and unexpectedly and robbed the showing fancy of a top character and exponent. I know that Lisa continued with the birds and won well with them but I am out of touch with her current situation. Perhaps she might read this and be kind enough to round the story off.
Lance Smith pictured with Doug in September 2000
In Conclusion
That brings another month’s offering to a close. Again, it has not been an easy edition to put together owing to how I have been feeling but hopefully next time I will be feeling less melon collie!
I am still at 3 Kunyung Road, Mount Eliza, Victoria 3930.
email
Kemyel Lofts of British Show Racers
douglas-mcclary.blogspot.com.au
