Dave & Sharon

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I first met Dave and Sharon at a Bar-B-Que. held at John Jones’s place back in the summer of 1996. His thirst for knowledge then and now has not altered. Dave is a very dedicated pigeon man and when you read his profile you will understand what I mean. Dave and Sharon then visited my place in the summer of 1997 on my return from Australia leaving with two pairs of creams if I remember correctly. Unfortunately we could not make their garden party last year believing that it was a very long way to go for a cup of tea and a chat but I understand that a good time was had by all that attended. Dave and Sharon are very much together when it comes to keeping pigeons but as Dave is the West keeper I am going to concentrate on his profile (much to my regret). Dave’s occupation is a Pipe Fitter and besides his pigeon Dave also enjoys gardening and taking Sharon Shopping (must keep that bit from my wife). Dave has had a lot of deserved success in the show ring and I know that he will carry on to be one of the most successful breeders and of course showmen of the West of England Tumbler.

A. I have lived at my present address since 1965. My next door neighbours were George and Maureen Bates. Top South Road flyers ‘and still are today’ and secretaries of the Local North Road Club.

A. My first pigeons were Rollers when I was 13 (1905) at that time I had Jackdaws. Magpies, Owls etc. in fact my whole life centred around birds, collecting Pheasant and Partridge eggs and sitting them under the Chickens. Then one day my Mother said there was a white Fantail in the Chicken run. I was made up (must be a Kent saying) this only lasted a day as the owner called around for it. He was a person from up North and when I went around with the Fantail he had lots of Rollers and I soon had some of these housed in some rabbit hutches. They used to fly out but many met their end on the fence posts and trees. Racing Pigeons replaced the Rollers and the Rabbit hutches replaced by a loft, which my Father built. Working and Motor bikes nearly took over my life before I eventually started racing my pigeons. On getting married I lived in rooms in the town centre and was working at some warehouses. There were lots of pigeons in the roof, so a trap was made and the ones with rings were returned to their owners. I was eventually given some young birds these were housed in egg boxes on poles. When I moved to my present address (1965) George and Maureen persuaded me to join their club and this lasted until 1995, being top flyer for most of these years. In 1994 Jimmy Trim also a pigeon racer was working on some houses and one of the occupiers was a old gentleman who was going to live with his daughter who would not allow him pigeons. Jim felt sorry for him and we agreed to take them. It was quite a shock when Jim came around with the birds. They were fancy pigeons, Holle Croppers, Jacobins, Fantails etc. A pen was quickly made up to house them. The following year on giving up the racers. We (Sharon and I) decided to keep fancy birds to give me a hobby. We joined the Canterbury Club and many different strains were purchased. The first show we entered I realised most of my birds were inferior to the top club members, even though I was assured that when buying them they were top class winners!!! In 1996 I looked around for some better ones gradually getting an odd one here and there. The strains were reduced to West’s, Rollers and Tipplers with Sharon keeping Exhibition Fantails and Marcheneros. With West’s being my No.1 and the Exhibitions being Sharon’s No.1

A. I have 20 pairs of West’s in various colours. 6 pairs of Rollers and 6 pairs of Tipplers. Sharon has 4 pairs of Marcheneros and 10 pairs of Exhibitions.

A. My birds are housed in a 24 foot loft for my old birds. Divided into four sections and a 10 foot loft for my young birds dived in two sections. These are my old racing lofts. They have tiled roofs, a corridor and full length aviaries. Sharon’s old birds are housed in the 12 foot stock loft and a 8 foot loft for the young birds.

A. To continually improve year after year and at the moment I am pleased with the way things are going.

A. Don’t be fooled by the fancier who talks a good pigeon, and listen to fanciers who are winning now, not twenty years ago. Also go to the open shows, as the club shows don’t have the competition or the strength in classes of different strains, although the Canterbury Club excels in top West Exhibitors. Go to the open shows and when you have decided on your strain ask the fancier to breed you half a dozen young birds with your rings on. This way you will have more chance of getting a couple of good ones or buy from a fancier who is calling it a day. We have joined The London and Essex Club who are very forward thinking. Having monthly meetings with table or slide shows, Summer BBQ. Club Dinner etc.

Q. What are your personal views on the fancy in general, show birds, fanciers etc.?

A. With racing pigeons you lose them training and racing, with fancy pigeons what you breed you end up with, so you must be prepared to cull if you want to go forward. Also if novices have to pay for their birds they appreciate them more than free gifts.

Too many fanciers have champions when they are the only exhibitors in that strain. They say this bird has so many firsts or NPA’s. I have been there and that is why I keep the flying breeds, more competition, and more incentive to do better. Judges should be current fanciers in the breed or just out of it. When racing I always supported my clubs, also serving as Combine Sec, Federation Sec, Club Sec, Auditors, Press Officer for three pigeon magazines etc. etc. I have had BBQ’s, New Years Parties, Fancy Dress Parties with up to 100 fanciers and friends turning up and also the police in the wee small hours. I thought I would do the same for the fancy but the local ones did not want to know so last year I invited fanciers from further afield who I had met at open shows and they all came. I wonder what that tells me.

Finally I would like to thank the following John Jones of Maidenhead, Dave Walters from Bristol, Ian Johnson from Folkestone and Gary and Doreen Eaton for answering my questions, Mary Roscoe for being so pleasant and Neil Thomson for selling me my fist good birds.

The end of yet another profile and I hope I have been able to put over on paper yje character of Dave whom I believe is the sort of character the Fancy needs – willing to listen. Learn and put into practice what he believes is correct, willing to help others where he can. He has proved his dedication with the racing pigeon and I know he will with the flying breeds. Dave will be around for a long time and deserves all the success that he gets. All right lets be honest the real date when Dave was 13 was 1955. I think this may still be an exaggeration of the truth.

The show season is rapidly approaching. I hope you all have those potential champions ready for the coming season. Regards to all. Dave Walters