Tony Stone

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It was a day never to be forgotten - I had just got home from erecting the pens for the Federation Show the next day when I received a call to say that Tony Stone had suddenly passed away. It was too late to try and stop the show as some people were already travelling but it sadly put a mar on the day especially followed so soon after Harry Heal’s death. Reading Tony’s profile you will see that he was a really keen and successful pigeon fancier and the show scene will never be the same without him. Tony was aged 65 and had just retired although I do believe he had itchy feet and was looking to go back part time.

The Federation has put up a trophy in memory of Tony and this will be awarded every year to the best Exhibition Roller. Anne, Tony’s wife and their grandson James kindly offered to attend the show the year after Tony died to present not only Tony’s memorial Trophy but all the trophies.

We would like to thank Anne - Tony’s wife for giving her permission for Tony’s profile to be published.

THE FEDERATION ROLLER ENTHUSIAST

This month we visit Tony Stone in Worcestershire. Tony is one of those fanciers that fall between two stones We could of called his article Roller Enthusiast or Tip Top Fancier as Tony keeps Both Tipplers and Rollers but I do know that Rollers are what he is putting most energy into at the present time. Having said that Tony is a tiptop fancier anyway, there are some nice guys in pigeon keeping and some very nice guys Tony certainly falls into the latter category. (Collect the £5 next time we meet Tony – DW). Tony is married to Anne and last year (August) was their Ruby (Forty years) wedding anniversary and by means of celebration they took themselves off to Canada for three weeks and as Tony said this is a country that they had both wanted to see and they both had a wonderful time. Tony besides his pigeons has no other real hobby although he is interested in American-Canadian first Nations People, one of the reasons they went to Canada. What sticks out in Tony’s memory of the trip and as Tony said ‘will remain with him for ever’ was the canoeing adventure in British Columbia. With nine other people they were taken to the top of the Okinawa Valley and in a hand made Indian Canoe they came down the Bow river, which runs the whole length of the Okinawa (some six miles in all). There was a few times when they saw the white water that the nerves jangled a bit but as Tony said at the end of it they felt very proud of their achievement.

Tony and Anne have a Son Lee who is married to Kim they have three children Kirsty 14 years, James 9 years and Teri who is 6 years old. Lee by trade is a welder. Tony and Anne also have a daughter Brigitte who is married to David and have two daughters Emma who is 17 years and Joanne who is 14 years. Brigitte is a nursery nurse. They all live close to Tony and keep both him and Anna very busy. Their only Grandson James is taking a very keen interest in the pigeons every time Tony is around the loft James is there trying to do it first as Tony says ‘Long may it last’. Tony is a Security Officer for a catalogue company but with only two years to go is really looking forward to his retirement. Yes! for the mathematicians amongst you Tony is 63. It is good to see that Tony has come back with flying colours after his setback with the pigeons last year, there is a lot that would have given up but full credit to you Tony you deserve all the success that comes your way.

A. I have had pigeons most of my life. Around 1965 I started showing at the Worcester Hi-Fly club shows. This show went on to be one of the main UK shows and attracted fanciers from North and South of the Country. The Hi-Fly club still exists but only as a flying club.

A. As a young boy I kept anything that would fly, Racers, Rollers, West’s you name it I had it. I kept so many pigeons the neighbours complained to the council and I was told they had to go. I was 16 at the time so that was it until I got married in 1960. I made sure that I bought a house with a large garden to house my pigeons. Needless to say as soon as I moved in I built a large loft at the top of the garden. It’s still there now although it’s been rebuilt a few times but still very dry and secure. I was into flying Rollers at the time so the man to see in those days was Bill Barratt a well known and respected Roller Flyer. Bill and I became good friends over the years I can remember the first time I saw Bill in his brown smock and old hat. He was quite a character and it’s hard to replace his sort. He flew two kits that day and when they came down he said well lad pick yourself three pairs and take them home (What a man).

As mentioned above I started showing at Worcester Hi-Fly and over the next ten years the show became so big and so popular fanciers started arriving from all over the Country with excellent show birds in time we acquired some of them and mixed them in with ours. In a short time we in Worcester were producing some good show birds. In 1986 I took up the challenge of new colour Tipplers as I felt I needed a second breed. Over the last ten years or so I have concentrated on a new Tippler colour Khaki in both Self and Bars. This was started with my olf friend George Drysdale in 1987, sadly George passed away in 1988 but I kept the pigeons going. I worked at these colours until in my view they were perfect but no Judge would put them up at the shows because they were (I quote) ‘Funny Colours’. That is until Mallory Park show in 1991 when that great Tippler man Mel Brooker put a Khaki bar hen up for Best in Show. Mel was his own man as we all know. From then on the colour Khaki was accepted in the show world. Around two years later I let a West of England fancier friend of mine John Jones have some of these Khaki Tipplers, which he crossed into his West’s. Through these Khaki Tipplers, John produced the Khaki West of England which is now like the Tippler and spread all over the UK. With this venture now over I am concentrating on show Rollers again, of course this is another big challenge as all my Rollers were now the wrong type so I have had to clear them all out and start from scratch. The beak setting for the new Roller has changed over the past few years for the better may I add, I really like this straighter beak setting.

A. This year after two years of breeding I will be concentrating my stud around eight pairs of Rollers. I shall only breed of four pairs and use four pairs as feeders with any luck I shall start the show Rollers again this year but with the competition so strong in this breed I don’t expect to much joy, if I can get a card or two I will be happy. The main thing is that they are the quality of Roller I like to keep and that’s all that really matters. I also have three pairs of Tipplers in Khaki Bars and Self’s and Silver Bars

A. As mentioned earlier I do like the straighter beak setting so that is a must when looking at the modern day Roller. The body should be short and fit in the hand like a wedge. Loads of feather on the head and neck

A. I have two large lofts one 20-feet x10-feet with three sections and a 12-feet x 8-feet wire flight. My other loft, which I call, my breeding loft is 18 feet x 8 feet in three sections. I think you need plenty of room for show pigeons and I never overcrowd my birds.

A. As I mentioned I have put down four pairs of Rollers but had a very disappointing first round with lots of clear eggs. The second round eggs are all full. It would be my intension to get three rounds off each pair. It was the same with the Tipplers a lot of clear eggs from the first round but in talking with other fanciers this seems to be a common thing this year.

A. I just want to continue to enjoy keeping my pigeons and hope they give me as much pleasure in the future as they have in the previous years and as mentioned earlier to develop the Roller into a show winner. I would also like to breed a Barless silver Tippler which I hope I can do this year.

A. My advice to the new fanciers is go to the shows see you is doing the winning, get talking to them. Pigeon men and women are the friendliest people I know, they will always advice and birds to newcomers they think will take up the fancy. The trouble is newcomers expect to win shows after only one or two years, that just will not happen you must have patience if you are keen you will get there, if you keep on going to the shows and showing birds other fanciers will notice this and help you out. Some top fanciers go to shows and don’t win the main thing is the love of pigeons; winning shows are just a bonus.

A. There are some good well-organised shows around but we have to travel long distances to get to them, most good Roller shows are up North which on average is a 400 mile round trip and most good Tippler shows are down South. I must say that the first stand alone Federation for a little while held at Pucklechurch, Nr Bristol was excellent. The Federation caters for all the flying breeds and is run most admirably by Ian Johnson and Dave Walters. They put on a superb show and all credit must go to them for effort and presentation almost 600 entries. Flying Breeds only this show is a must for me, it was so good to see the Rollers and Tipplers so well supported it can only go from strength to strength.

A. There are lots of people I would like to thank for help over a long and happy venture in pigeons but top of the list must be my wife Anne who for the first time in forty years of keeping pigeons has today told me to leave my slippers in the conservatory as I’m bringing sawdust into the house on them. Stuart Harford companion and driver to all the shows, it’s good to have someone in Worcester that keeps show pigeons after being the only one for so long, I think Stuart will do well in the shows he really is keen and he is getting together a really good stud of show birds I hope he stays with it for a very long time.

Thanks Tony glad you enjoyed the Federation Show. I hope you are all having a successful breeding season and although I think most of the agriculture shows will be cancelled this year because of the foot and mouth it will not be long before the winter shows are upon us. Look forward to seeing you all around the pens.

The ‘Tony Stone Memorial Trophy’ awarded to the Best Exhibition Roller at the National Federation main show each year