THE PIGEON LOFT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7806, 10 September 1903, Page 4

THE PIGEON LOFT.

_ » HOMIN£ NOTES. (By RED CHEQUER.) The annual meeting of the Napier Flying Club was held on Wednesday, when a very satisfactory report wtfs submitted. Twenty races were flown during the year. Mr H. Burridge was the winner of the club's shield for the year. Officers were elected as follow: -^President, Mr D. S. Laing ; vice-presidents, Messrs F. Moeller and S. Crowther; committee, Captain Norman, Messrs H. Svehdsen, J. Griffin, J. Burridge, L. Ryan, G. Tait, G. H. Wooften and B. Elmes ; secretary, Mr F. Sutton. Ten new members were proposed. A number of valuable trophies have been presented to the club for competition in. the ensuing season. The Auckland Flying Club deserves the thanks of the fancy for issuing the leaflet containing Captain Edwin's report on the weather conditions that prevail in New 'Zealand. It would be a great help to fanciers generally if some arrangement could be arrived at with Captain Edwin whereby liberators could be advised when to hold over; I am sure ifc would reduce a great deal of the risks we now run. The Timaru Pigeon Flying Club has determined! to try in the ensuing season to conquer Hieks's Bay, a. 600 miles air-line. This will beat the club's previous ixjcord; (Gisborne) by 57 miles A the Gisborne flighfa being the Australasian record 1 , 23 miles ahead of any other. • The " Australasian "• df August 26 publishes the following : — "The Northern District Homing Pigeon Club flew its first old'bird race this season on Saturday last from Kilmore East, with the following result: — Mr J. Home's b c p hen, average velocity 2700 yds per minute, 1; Mr W. H. Bendall!s be, 1 2645yd5, 2 ; Mr H. J. Coles's r o c Cerberus and! b c c Right Bower 11., 2494yd5, 3; Mr O. A. King's b c h Miss Cairrington, 2488 yds, 4. Messrs Anderson, Nixon, Waiker, Porter, Young, Dixon and Hale also competed. Fifty-five birds started. All the bird's were ' clocked ' within at ■couple of, minutes of the leading bird." Some wonderful velocities have been recorded irom Kilmore, which ds about 43 miles from Melbourne, bub this surely beats them; all. The Belgian Grand National Race of 1903 was ai great success. No fewer than 5242 pigeons were entered. The race was from Dax, distance about 500 miles, from t the Belgian frontier. . The weather in France was perfect for the birds, but in Belgium was against them, consequently the fanciers i in the north of Belgium were somewhat handicapped, the bulk of the prizes going tor those' in the south. The following is I the list of the first-day arrivals: — Blam- ' piar. 6.2 p.m:, Arthur Evrard 6.19, Gamin 6.28, Votiillimix 6.42, A. Renaux 6,32, Ga- , mote 7.6, Charlier '6:48, Michauz 7.1, Antoine 7.1., Daumerie 7.2, Maiinil 7.1, Vandbren 7.3, Martin 7.3, Hullon-de-Cabecca 7.4, Blampian 7.13, St Martin 7.13, Hinin 7.15, Lacroix 7.17, Francois 7.26, Leroy ■7^28», Demalle 7.32, Dufergnies 7.35, A. Nameche 7.35, Coupy 7.38, V. Baudour 7:59, V. Future 8.7, V. Degabre 8.13, Cla- : bug 8.37, (Dineur Couvin 8.54. The race was I made more interesting by the maitch between 'Gustave Blampian and George Gits. This match was the outcome of a heated contro- , versy on< inbreeding in the Belgian fancy. Press between these fanciers, Mons Blampian being a firm believer in line breeding, while M. Gits favoured mating birds of different blood. TheanateE was for £20 a side, the one taking the most prizes according to the number of birds entered to win the match. ,M. Gits, ! with ten pigeons* engaged, won thrie prizes, whilst M. BlampiajD repeated his performance of the previous' Grand National race by winning five prizes with five birds engaged — truly a grand performance. It .is only fair, however, to stats that the weather conditions were against Gits' birds. Still, the opponents of line breeding must admit that it x has proved a success in 'M. Blampiau's loft. At the same time, I am. convinced that A requires an experienced hand, who thoroughly understands the birds he i 9 inbreeding to, to make. a. successful linobreeder. - A. novice should not attempt it unless he has. the guidance of an experienced fancier, who, perhaps, has bred Ms birds, or who knows their history. M. Blampian has, I understand, only introduced one putcross in twenty-five years, this being a bird of Delhau blood, a strain tEat-has worked well in Belgium.