Mel & Sue King of Blandford Forum Could this partnership have a better name, because they really are the reigning monarchs of the pigeon world. They have had an exceptional season even compared to their own high standards. 1 st B.I.C.C falaise 1 st B.B.C Poitiers 1 st C.S.C.F.C Truro Here s a little about them. Mel is a self employed builder, Sue works for the local Council. This partnership is not just in name. Mel and Sue both do their fair share. Mel says that without Sue s input, they would struggle to race as successfully as they do. They were married in the late 70 s and they have two grown up children still at home. Neither are interested in pigeons. Mel was born in a village between Blandford and Dorchester called Milborne St Andrew. While Mel was growing up, there were several fanciers in the village, including his school friend who raced with his father as Bright & Son. Mel s older brother Barry also had a keen fondness for our feathered friends and kept them on and off. Mel s pigeon career was started quite by accident after taking a racing pigeon home that had a broken wing. Not intending to keep it! He made some enquiries locally to find the owner but to no avail, so he ended up keeping it. Mel s old school pal gave him a mate to pair with it and so it all began. Another local fancier Brian Kevern also gave Mel and Sue some birds. Incidentally, their first winner was bred from that broken winged bird Mel had rescued. (Which just goes to show you there are some people that you could give a streeter to and they would win with it). This partnership are in that category. Now, just sit back a minute, close your eyes and imagine winning three Nantes N.F.C s. Yes three, because that s all we can do is imagine. This husband and wife team have done it. That s something magical. In total they have won seven Nationals and two Central Southern Classics. The racing loft is 32ft, with four sections for the widowers and a centre section used as a corn store. The loft has a corridor along its length with two double door openings for open door trapping to each section. The second loft, is an 8ft x 6ft stock loft with a 6ft x 6ft aviary to the front to give plenty of space for the birds. A 20ft loft houses the widow hens plus the natural young birds in the other section. Lastly, a 10ft x 8ft loft joined onto the garage houses the darkness young birds. Mel has tried deep litter with the young birds but suffers with Asthma and finds it too dusty, so now uses grills. Mel and Sue race a standard widowhood system. The first three sections have only eight cocks each and the fourth with twelve, so no over crowding at these lofts. The race birds are paired between Christmas and the New Year. The old birds are trained 20 miles to the coast before the season begins. Training through the season depends upon whether Mel thinks they need it or not. They do not race every pigeon every week as they prepare certain birds for certain races. The birds stay on widowhood throughout the old bird programme, not being re-paired for the long
races. The cocks are mostly shown their hen on marking night and always on return from twenty minutes up to two hours. The partnership feed a standard branded widowhood mix. This is supplemented with Gem G10 pellets at the recommended ration for three days after returning from a race. The cocks are fed individually in their own box. Most of the birds race to the 400 mile Stage. Mel and sue are starting to build a long distance team and these are already showing their quality, winning 1 st Open B.B.C Poitiers and 1 st Open C.S.C.F.C Young Bird Ramsgate. The bloodlines of these are M. White and Son, Patrick Brothers (Jan Aardens), Guselbrecht, R. Vereecke and Eric Limbourg. Mel and Sue joined the B.I.C.C in 2007 and hopes to test the off spring of the above families in the International races. I think they are pretty optimistic that they will do well. I for one wouldn t bet against them winning a International event. The partners main family are Gaby Vandenabeeles from M & D Evans. These pigeons bred winners from the very first nest and have gone on to win right up to 1 st Open N.F.C. Nantes. They are also responsible for the majority of Mel and Sue s big winners. The stock pairs are also paired between Christmas and New Year. They are fed a branded breeding mix and whilst rearing have all they need. Any new birds making it to the stock loft, must come from a loft that is successful at national level. Preferably with current successes. New stock have two seasons to prove their worth, probably paired differently the second year. If in that time it hasn t proved itself, then it must go. So any bird lasting for threes seasons or more will be breeding winners regularly. This loft practices all types of line breeding and cross breeding with various different pairs. Most cross breeding is done with the best race winners. Mel says they don t keep late breds for racing they are kept for stock purposes only. Mel and Sue prefer to have tame pigeons about the loft, but have found no difference in performance, tame or otherwise. Around eighty young birds are reared, forty five to fifty are on the darkness system from weaning until the first week in June. The remaining youngsters are raced naturally. No separation of sexes, nor fancy food and water programmes are followed here. Versele Laga young bird plus with Gem G10 pellets added, on occasion multi vits or probiotic added to clean water. The darkness youngsters are allowed to pair if they wish in preparation for Classic and National races from the channel. The young birds pair amongst themselves. They are not encouraged by pairing them with old birds. The young birds will race every week (when permitted), some young cocks will be stopped after the 100 mile stage and some are selected for the longer channel events with the bigger clubs. Who could argue with this management. In 2007 taking the first 6 Open positions from C.S.C.F.C Truro also taking 12 th Open and that s flying against the best of the best. Winter time all birds are separated after weaning late breds from the widowers. After young bird racing has finished all birds go on a moulting mix until the moult is over, then it s time to prepare for breeding again. Mel says he likes all pigeon racing short and long but has not sent to too many of the longer races over the last few years, having concentrated on their middle distance team. Well, I think it is fair to say they have that one right. In recent years winning fifteen x 1 st section Classic and National, over eighty times in the top ten in their Classic and National section, over twenty times between 2 nd 15 th open National and Classic, several Open race winners, 2006 Best Average all races B.B.C and 2006 Best Average Y.B C.S.C.F.C. To list all their performances would be impossible. We will
just have to look out for those distance performances now they are blending their own distance team. There are many people Mel and Sue admire in the pigeon world. It would be unfair to single out one or two as so many fanciers concentrate on different aspects of the sport, sprint, Fed, racing long distance, National Etc. That s about it from the Kings lofts apart from saying what an absolutely smashing and genuine couple Mel and Sue are and what a remarkable achievement in 2007 it was to win 3 major races. 1 st Open B.I.C.C Falaise, 1 st Open B.B.C. Poitiers and 1 st Open C.S.C.F.C Truro. Just incredible. If you would like to join the Classic, please write to me, Clare Norman, 133 Laundry Road, Shirley Warren, Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 6AR, Email: secretary@cscfc.com or print off an application form from our Website: cscfc.com All Subs are now due 15 also any Young Bird Nominations at 5 per bird. Don t forget we have the Lifetime Ring Nomination. You have until July 31 st 2008 to enter. 5 per ring, 100 guaranteed, paid out per pigeon every time it appears in the top 100 of the Open result in the classic. (Old hens races and yearling races are excluded). The birds first race is Lessay Young Bird. Just send me your ring list of birds you wish to nominate before the closing date. Once your bird appears in the top 100 of the open you have 7 days in which to claim from when the result is published. We have paid out so far, in 2007 1800, in 2006 1800 and in 2005 600. (This was the year it started so this was only for young bird racing). 2007 Winners were: Fougeres: J. Ross 100 Mannor Lofts 100 - Miss S. Jorro 100 S. Stokes 100. Cholet: G. Wood 100. Pau: D. Wells 100. Guernsey: B & D. Young 100 T. Cowan 100 Mannor Lofts 100. Truro YB: T. Cowan 100 R. Hoare & Claire 500 J & D. Staddon 200 B & D. Young 100.