Billy Gordon, Lanarkshire Social Circle
Champion Loft 2015.
"The Gold Standard"
Billy Gordon of Cambuslang is this years Champion loft in the Lanarkshire Social Circle.
The Champions trophy" Dr Anderson trophy "hadn't been won in the club for six years,to win this includes the Lanarkshire programme and also every race on the Scottish National Flying club.
On top of that he also won the prestigious Gold cup the Holy Grail of cups which requires a four bird nomination in the most prestigious SNFC races, this takes some winning into the west section. I am not sure how many times this has been completed but I would guess possible the last fancier was the great G Rankin & Son, so he joins a very small select group of fanciers who have achieved this. I personally feel this takes Billy into the Master class.
Billy with his Champion Trophies
Many have tried but failed in their quest to be the Champion loft but Billy has what it takes to be the best.
I have never used the term Gold Standard before but Billy has achieved this by winning both these prestigious trophies, making him one of the premiere distance fanciers in Scotland's west section.
In 2014 I completed a loft report for Billy after he topped the Lanarkshire Open federation and SNFC west section from Ypres and I was back again after his brilliant season in 2015 with him narrowly being beaten for 1st Open again this years longest race in the Lanarkshire’s programme being 2nd Open.
Billy welcomed me with a lovely lunch and we spent time discussing his cracking season.
Although I would say that Billy has a great record at any distance, he is happy if he is there and there about in the shorter events. Billy doesn't wish to fire his birds up in the shorter events as his goal is the distance events and he keeps his birds on the roundabout system up till the races he wished to make an impact in. Thereafter they are paired with them being sent in the nest cycle. Although Billy is thinking of racing right through on the roundabout as he feels they could hold their form and they exerciser better so possible reducing their need to road train. Presently once re paired they are trained up the east coast when sitting 6 day eggs onward.
2015 he raced 30 pairs and around 70 young birds were bred and raced to at least 120 miles if in good feather with half on darkness.
Billy feels the darkness does them no harm for the years to come.
Grizzle cock 32nd sect Alencon SNFC ,540 miles - Check Pied cock 6th Sect ,25th Open SNFC Ancenis ,597 miles - Blue hen ,11th sect Eastbourne SNFC,394 miles
When asking Billy what makes him perform to such a high standard this year again he feels he really hasn't changed the pigeons are the same base of Deweert with a number of other well established distance strains that can perform in the distance events. He initially uses a build up feed in the earlier events with barley always in his feed as a measure, but the birds are never hungry.As the distance gets to the chosen events the birds are fed Bucktons conditioning mix and hemp/sunflower heats in their boxes to provide the fats they require for the job ahead.
He likes to give natural products when racing and this year used Rohnfried Avimycin on the corn and Avisana drops in the nostrils and also Aviform Mycroform T which he felt was beneficial to keeping the respiratory system right and uses throughout the season. He thinks respiratory disease is the" silent killer" in pigeons and if the birds are not responding he said it is likely to be linked to this problem. He likes to keep the birds clear of this problem with regular natural products.
Davie Allison(Billy's good friend) who won 1st sect Ancenis 2015 ,pigeon bred by Billy out of the same parents as Billys 6th sect Ancenis hen - Billy at the social circle receiving his colour photo from Ronnie Reid ,for winning the Alencon race in the club
During the rest period the birds are never pampered they build up their Natural resistance to disease with the build up to pairing in February being treated with Para cure and canker treatment. Billy said if the down doesn't come out them after treatment it hasn't worked. Billy admits that his birds are on the heavy side during the winter and this is turned to muscle as the racing progresses. He has his system that obviously works for himself.
Billy uses a double vaccine for the birds once per year after he has treated.
His pigeons are given fresh mixture of grit which includes a variety with red stone and also black minerals.
He isn't a fan of these combined medication, stating if you have something wrong" Hit it with the right stuff"
He is a very self motivated person who is always looking for better, including winning distance lines and natural products.
Thanks again to Billy.
Tom Corrie jnr
Lanarkshire Press Officer
