NCIPA The club where sportsmanship really counts President Chris Mouw ctmouw@frontier.com 712-475-3988 President's Message:
Bob Vos vosrobert@yahoo.com 712-754-3946 525 6th Ave Sibley, Iowa Vice President's Message: It's been a good winter. I got some extra birds from swaps and shows and they are starting to mate up now. So I will have some extra pairs that will be for sale. I got a lot banded so far in 2012. I would like to thank all the members for attending the swaps and the show in Little Rock. If we all work together we can be a club to be proud of. Rick has been doing a great job improving and keeping up the website. THANKS RICK! So let's all do our part in supporting this site. I would like to get the club members together this summer and have a potluck picnic and fun show. So would like some input on this. This is about all I have. THANKS again for the support to our club and hope to see you at the swaps and shows. Have a great breeding season and raise those CHAMPIONS. Send to: John Flattery 3040 190th Street Duncombe, IA 50532 It's time to think about sending in your dues ONLY $5.00 A YEAR!!!!! OWN A PIECE OF THE NCIPA!!!!!!!!!
Classified Ads Wanted: Buff Orpington hens, either chicks or pullets. Also Red Golden or Yellow Golden rooster and a couple of hens. Contact: Mike VanBeek @ 605-335-0305 or vb.modena@live.com Looking for a GOOD pair of Blue Gazzi Modenas. Contact: John Flattery @ 515-543-8177 or flattery3@wccta.net For Sale: Damascenes, Old German Owls,Classic Frills, Brunner Pouters, Voorburg Croppers and South German Monks. Contact Bob Vos @ vosrobert@yahoo.com or 712-754-3946 For Sale: A few pairs of Arabian Trumpeters. Great voices and feeders. $20.00 a pair Contact Mike Pope @ mike_pope@hotmail.com Wanted: Articles, pictures or any information you would like to submit for the bulletin. Email Rick Wood at rrwood45@hotmail.com
Where have they gone I often sit and wonder about the pigeon hobby. What has happened to it? I can remember when just having birds was reward enough, then there was the SHOWS! Some of the first shows I attended were sponsored by the Iowa State club. No not Vet's but the Boone, Iowa show, twice a year. Where have these shows gone? Remember the Marshalltown, Mason City, Jefferson, Perry and Fenton shows? Small shows, that reaped great rewards. Many people were introduced to birds at these, as well as many first time show goers got their first taste of showing their birds. Low entry fees and great friendships, what's wrong with that? Now these shows are gone. We complain about high entry fees and the great distances to reach these bigger shows. Cost, Cost, Cost!!! The large shows are great, but not always for the beginners. "Beat the best" they say, sometimes the name game comes into play, hard to beat that! So let's stop and go back in time, small shows with small entries and great fellowship, sound good? It's up to us to bring it back, support the smaller shows and save the hobby as we knew it. MEET THE MEMBERS Back in The Hobby Here I am 62 years old or is it 63, can't remember anymore, oh well 60 something. Back in 1996 or 1997, I was really getting the hang of breeding and showing modenas, ran for the office of Bulletin Editor of the National Modena Club and was elected to that office.i attended the National that year in Penn., I think I spent more time in the motel room than I did at the show. I was constantly sick, spitting up blood all the time, couldn't eat or drink anything, just down right sick! I flew home a day early and went to the doctor, not good results at all. After several visits to this doctor and that doctor, it didn't look good for me. So I resigned my position with the club and sold all my birds except a few I gave to a 4H group. I couldn't work for a long time and spend most of my time going thru tests and cures, I wouldn't give in to this and after a long battle, I won. I went back to work, I've been a construction Supt. for years and really missed the guys and was
welcomed back with open arms by all that knew me and said I was missed. Everything was going well at work and in life, a grandpa for the first time, my kids were graduating from school, some going to college and one moving away and starting her own business, so proud. Then in 2007, I was paged by a sub contractor to the other side of the job site, I ran across the floor of the building and stepped in a hole. I hit the right side of my body against the window sill and bruised my whole side. Back to the doctor for a whole year and never got better. Again couldn't eat or drink and keep it down, I thought, here we go again. I have always weighed around 170 to 180 lbs but looked like I was about 200 plus, I had the biggest stomach you could ever want, nobody knew why. I went through more MRI's, Ultra sounds and bone scans then anyone in their life. My daughter came home and said you look awful and after coxing me, to the hospital we went. My body was holding about 3 gallons of fluid and putting pressure on my lungs and heart, they drained it all and in a month time, I went from 180 to 135 pounds. They found out that during the fall, I had severed my liver and that all the fluids I took in would seep into my body. I had to go in and have it drained every week. During all of this I was taking 8 pills, which were damaging to your liver, go figure. My family doctor told me to get rid of them and take a pill called liver detox and feeling great. Then in 2010, my youngest daughter said, Dad, I want you and I to raise pigeons. Celsie, my daughter wanted to raise modenas and I went with flying homers and show type homers, one problem. When I was sick, my wife needed more storage areas because her Dad had passed on and needed a place for stuff and my old loft was used. So my daughter and I built a new one, 10 by 30 and it's not big enough already! Celsie and I did not pinch on the purchase of birds, we spent a lot and was pleased with what we bought.her and I have joined more clubs than I ever did before, connected with many fanciers that I knew before and became good friends with Bill Bird and his wife. I talk to many each week from Penn., Texas, Ill., Minn. and many more states. Celsie and I attended a show in New Ulm last year, the first thing someone said to me was I thought you had died, well hell no I said, the good Lord just kicked me back to enjoy raising pigeons and the great conversations and meetings of fellow fanciers. I can say that I really missed you all and really missed my birds. I'm glad to be back! My first year back, was good at the shows. In 3 breeds, at 4 different shows, we got 1 Best of color and 1 Best Modena, 2 Champion and 1 Reserve Champion Show Type Homer and 1 Champion Flying Homer and 1 Reserve Champion, not bad for our first 4 shows in about 16 years. The only thing I was stunned about was the cost of entries, about $300 for 4 shows, that has went up a lot and the quality of the birds have changed in 16 years, I just couldn't believe it! The price of feed has taken a big jump but what hasn't. I just want to say, if at any time any of you want to talk about birds or whatever give me a call or email. I'm retired now and the only thing I do now is to take my 6 year old grand daughter to school and pick her up. I spend the rest of my time in my loft or in my boat, oh and moving Celsie from here to there and back from school. She is going to be a park ranger or something like that, I probably got that wrong, but I'm very proud of her and couldn't ask for a better partner with the birds. She is vaccinating them now but always did help me out with the birds, she learns fast and is getting pretty good at understanding genetics. My other partner, many have seen her at the shows this year, is my grand daughter McKenzie, she is a doll and loves the birds. Why is it, when you have 2 sons and 3 daughters, the only one that shows an interest are the girls, go figure. Anyway I'm glad to be back and hope to visit you all at the shows. Mike VanBeek Blue Thunder Lofts
Leon's Jacobin's loft Leon's Owls and Frills
Leon's Swiss Mondaines News from the Membership Jody Roll writes: Hey Rick, nice job with the web site up dates, especially the Member's Info and the breeds they have. Great work! I was wondering who I sent the 2012 membership dues to and what is the price this year? Notes from Rod Ferguson Started the heater in the loft today, did the spring cleaning and put in the nest boxes. Mated up 6 pair of Parlor Rollers and 1 pair of Orange eyed self white Flying Rollers. Banded 4 young Skycutters. Man I am tired, Spring must be here? New member Harold Collett wrote A new member, but maybe one of the older members of the club. I found your club's yahoo group and I joined. In the winter time these groups are very interesting, some more active than others. OK, now who am I. I am Harold Collett, from MT. Pleasant, Iowa. For the past 20 years, I have been a part of the ISPA, helping with the Des Moines show in December and serving the past 12 years as a Director and VP. I stepped down so others could step up, time for new blood. I belong to the ISPA, Southeast Iowa Pigeon Club and the Classic Old Frill Club. I have raised pigeons for 41 years and have had many different breeds. Now I have Old Frills, white
homers and Seraphim. I'm a retired school bus builder. I worked in the factory for 35 years. They closed the plant when I was 57. I learned how to cook, vacuum and do laundry, while my wife continued working. That's easier than building buses. Back to these yahoo groups, we have one for Old Frills. Also, I just started one for kids, beginners and everyone else; it is called Pigeons 101. Check it out! The only job I have now is that of youth director for the Old Frill club. I did get a 24/7 camera for the back yard. Now I see everything in the back yard from deer to an old man doing chores. Thank you Rick, for doing the bulletin, that's the lifeline of most clubs. Harold Collett From Leon Hulstein Rick, the Horsemen I got from you have laid their first egg! I'm so excited. Started to band my birds this year and have around 35 done so far. I missed about 8 Saxon Monks and a few Wests because the muffs were bigger than I thought. Have, I don't know how many on eggs and it is only Feb.. At this rate the new loft will be full to overflowing by summer. I'm switching a few enclosures over to pellets and after a period of adjustment, I think the guys are doing better on the pellets. I had to treat the whole flock for paratyphoid in Jan.. But have stopped losing birds since then. Expensive, but worth it. I used a product called Furazolidon Plus. You treat for 5 days then 2 or 3 days probiotics and then another 5 days treatment followed by probiotics again. Mixes right in the drinking water. I have 3 Jacobins so far. More than I have ever raised. Last year only got 1. AND I haven't even trimmed any yet. Banded 2 Wests and a Lahore today and have several OG Owls and Homers to do in a few days. Yes I heat my lofts. I keep it 48-50 degrees. They are comfortable and so am I. I cleaned and put down new hay this afternoon when the guys could go out. Less birds to work around. I have new Pomeranians being shipped today, can't wait. Bob Vos showed me the Slobberknockers auction site. Had my first Pom hatch out last night. Yes, I got the Horsemen bulletin. Looking forward to seeing your first publication. Good for you!!! Leon Treasurer Report John Flattery is in the process of obtaining necessary paper work to make the transition into the position of Secretary, Treasurer, replacing John Underberg.
Jody Roll's Loft Pictures
Hey did you know The NCIPA is now accepting advertising. (1/4 page only, at this time) Help support your club If you would like to support the club with a personal ad, please contact me at One issue for only $10.00 Yearly - $25.00 rrwood45@hotmail.com
SAMPLES The Wood Shed Elton Wood Whittemore, Iowa Exhibitor of Quality Saddle Fantails & Flying Racing Homers Promoting sportsmanship through the shows Rolling Rod's Loft Rod Ferguson woduck@ruthventel.com 712-380-2256 Ruthven, Iowa Two samples of what your ad could look like.
Words From The Wise Hey guys and gals, first off I want to thank everyone for sending articles, pictures and comments for the bulletin. Hope you all like the bulletin, remember this is my first one on computer and email. Also, I would like to thank Dave Cooke for sending their bulletin for ideas. A special thanks goes to my wife Becky for all her hard work and help. We will be working to make the next one even better. I want to thank John Underberg for all the work and running he did for our club. Job well done, John. And thanks John Flattery for assuming the job. With the NCIPA Swap fast approaching, hope everyone can attend and have a great turnout. Remember, a meeting is planned afterwards so we can discuss club functions. I really appreciate the support the club's yahoo group is receiving for you, the members. If you would like different things, holler and I'll try and put them on it. I know the economy is tuff, but without the membership's support, the club won't make it. I'm hoping with the small things I'm trying, we can keep growing in memberships and enthusiasm. But it takes all of us, not one person is more valuable than the others. Hope all of you have a great year and can attend as many club functions as possible. Thanks, Rick Wood