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ENGLISH ICONS OF PIGEON RACING GEOFF & CATHERINE COOPER of Peasedown St John Whilst on a couple of days break in ambition. She confided that the West Country, it was suggested Geoff had thought that he would to me that it would be nice to visit always be the ‘bridesmaid but Geoff & Catherine Cooper of never the bride’. This was in Peasedown St John. This was to reference to so many near misses prove to be a very significant on this occasion though they weekend because by the time that really hit the target with a full I had managed to get hold of them bull’s eye. they had achieved a lifelong ambition to win a National Flying by Mike Lakin So we were soon on our way to Club race after umpteen near misses. This explains Peasedown to meet and interview one of the why the home telephone was so busy on the ‘icons’ of UK pigeon racing. For anyone thinking Saturday with a host of friends and fellow fanciers that I exaggerate please look at the Cooper eager to offer congratulations. racing ‘list of honour’ which accompanies this piece. I would if I may like to ‘cherry pick’ the I added my own congratulations on the Sunday fact that their loft has won the L A Baker Trophy morning when I spoke to Catherine for their outright for winning the Best Averages from the magnificent NFC win from Tarbes. I was told that NFC’s Sections C, D & G an astounding seven both she and especially Geoff were absolutely times. If that doesn’t earn you an ‘iconship’ then elated to have succeeded in Geoff’s lifelong I don’t know what does!

The magnificent lofts of G & C Cooper.

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NationalThe Flying Club Roll ofBritish Honour International Championship Club This is the largest National club in the UK. Open to all This club races the full International programme. fanciers in the UK. The UK is divided into Sections 1st National Falaise (2005) (Provinces). Section G is one of the largest in area as well as 1st, 2nd, 3rd Guernsey National members. 2nd Pau National, 350th International 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 10th Section G Bordeaux 2nd Perpignan, 86th International Perpignan 1st Section G Nantes 1st Section, 2nd Open Perpignan National 2nd & 3rd Section G Nantes 1,410th International Perpignan 5th, 6th, 15th Open Nantes 3rd, 4th Section G Nantes The only fancier in UK to record six birds on an Open 6th & 8th Open Nantes International result, Dax 2003 and again in 2004. 2nd Section G Nantes 1st, 2nd, 6th Section G Bordeaux Open races 7th Open Bordeaux 1st Romsey Guernsey 9th, 15th Open Saintes 1st, 2nd & 3rd Wimborne Guernsey 1st Section G Saintes 3rd Open Saintes West of England SR Combine 1st, 4th, 6th Section G Pau A Combine of over 30 clubs racing into the south west of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th Section G Pau England. 9th, 11th, 12th Open Pau 1st Hexham • 1st Littlehampton • 1st Plymouth 2nd Section G Pau 1st Truro • 1st Cherbourg • 1st Guernsey 3rd Section G Pau 1st Nantes • 1st Nantes 7th Open Pau 3rd, 4th Section G Pau Central Southern Classic 1st Section G Pau 3rd Section, 19th Open Ramsgate 3rd Open Pau 3rd, 5th Section, 6th Open Bergerac 2nd, 3rd Section G Dax 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th NW Section Guernsey 7th, 12th Open Dax 3rd NW Section Guernsey 4th, 5th Section G Rennes 3rd, 4th NW Section Guernsey 1st Section G Sartilly 5th, 6th Open Guernsey 3rd Section G Sartilly 1st, 2nd, 3rd NW Section Rennes 1st, 4th Section G Sartilly 1st, 2nd NW Section Rennes 1st, 2nd, 4th Section G Pontorson 6th, 9th Open Rennes 1st, 2nd Section G Guernsey 2nd NW Section Rennes 9th Open Guernsey 3rd NW Section Rennes 2nd, 4th, 5th, 10th, 13th, 19th, 20th, 24th Section G Dax 2nd, 3rd NW Section Dinard 3rd, 5th, 16t, 20th, 48th, 58th, 104th Dax 2nd NW Section Nantes 12th, 37th International Dax 2nd NW Section Nantes 93rd International Hens 3rd, 4th NW Section Nantes 4th, 7th, 15th, 34th, 45th Section G Saintes 1st NW Section Nantes 7th, 13th, 26th, 65th, 103rd Open Saintes 2nd Open Nantes Certificate of Merit Winner 1st NW Section Nantes and now 5th Open Nantes 1st Section, 1st Open Tarbes 1st, 2nd, 4th NW Section Nantes Winner of all applicable Average trophies, winning the L A 1st, 2nd, 6th Open Nantes Baker Trophy outright (best average all races Sections C, D & 3rd NW Section Nantes G) seven times in total. 10th Open Nantes 1st, 3rd NW Section Saintes British Barcelona Club 5th, 7th Open Saintes This is a smaller National club, with its main race from Spain. 2nd NW Section Saintes 1st, 2nd Section C Sennen Cove 2nd Open Saintes 2nd Open Sennen Cove 3rd NW Section Bergerac 1st Section C Rennes 2nd NW Section Bergerac 2nd Open Rennes 4th Open Bergerac 4th Section C Lamballe 3rd NW Section Pau 6th Open Lamballe 10th Open Pau 2nd Section C Nantes 2nd NW Section Pau 2nd Open Nantes 6th Open Pau 1st Section C Nantes 2nd Open Nantes 3rd Section C Nantes This list of results does not cover any local club results as 1st Section C Palamos there are too many prizes to list. 2nd Open Palamos 1st Section C Palamos 6th Open Palamos My family of birds are responsible for many top National and 6th Section C Nantes Classic (including 1sts) and International pigeons for other 10th Open Nantes fanciers, including 1st International.

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Before visiting them I was already very aware 2nd Open British Barcelona Club from Palamos in that they were a successful team. During the visit 1976 with a mealy hen ‘Spanish Princess’. The to Peasedown though I came to fully appreciate birds were liberated on Friday morning and the vast amount of top National and Classic club ‘Princess’ homed at 7.30 on the Saturday results which the Cooper pigeons have evening. She had flown two full days in very hot accumulated, not only for Geoff and Catherine weather a distance of 750 miles. Four years later but also for an impressive list of other fanciers, a direct daughter of ‘Princess’ won 1st Section, most of whom are well known within the pigeon 6th Open BBC Palamos. Incredibly ‘Maiden’ was world.

My hope is that with the help of the RP Pictorial we can make fanciers more aware of the pigeons of Geoff & Catherine Cooper. I will also attempt to give you an insight into the reasons why Geoff has been such a successful fancier for over 30 years.

So lets look a little into Geoff’s early and informative years. Born and raised in the locality young Master Cooper was always interested in wildlife. While still a young boy he was introduced to racing pigeons by his uncle. Soon a loft was built in the back garden of his parents farmhouse in Peasedown. Great pleasure but no real successes came from these birds. Geoff though said, “That they enabled him to learn his

‘George’ 1st NFC Tarbes. mother to a young cock which won 1st Section, 2nd Open Rennes. This cock in turn bred a hen named ‘Silver’ which won 2nd and 3rd Section in NFC Pau races. Geoff believes that this proved that good pigeons bred good pigeons. “The old Venner blood is still in my loft and Brian Sheppard’s pigeon ‘Legend’ the 1st International Dax winner is part bred down from these birds,” continued Geoff with obvious pride. Geoff & Catherine Cooper, great flyers. In 1981 Geoff went over to Belgium on a trip. trade and acquire stock sense.” Geoff continued This was an eye opener to Geoff because prior to that, “I really enjoyed my pigeon racing but the visit he believed that English pigeons and when I competed in longer races the birds were fanciers were the best. Geoff told me that the either late or got lost. This soon brought home trip was an education and he was smitten by the the fact that to succeed in pigeon racing you results of the birds of Andre Vermote of Ostend must have good pigeons.” So Geoff got some and Emiel Deweerdt of Kortemarke who was pigeons from Reg Venner of Street who at the winning top National prizes. time was flying very well in the long distances and was without doubt the best fancier in the This resulted in two birds being purchased off area. Vermote with the intention of purchasing two off Deweerdt and using them as a cross, The wisdom of Geoff’s decision was ambly unfortunately the price was too high for Geoff revealed in 1976 when Geoff won 1st Section, to afford them off Emiel Deweerdt. Geoff was

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The fabulous view from Geoff & Catherine’s loft. determined to stick to his principles of only responsible for 1st National Pau for Harding Bros buying the best birds available, refusing to of Bristol.” compromise and buy cheaper pigeons. So he ordered two birds for the next year which Geoff was very impressed with he birds off Emiel allowed him time to save up for his new Deweerdt and his sons. In 1984 on another visit introductions.

The following year the two young birds arrived and Geoff could not wait to open the box and examining his ‘future’ blood. I will let Geoff continue, “I took out the first youngster a small hen bred off ‘Filip’ one of Deweerdts base breeders. I was not too impressed by her size to be honest but when I inspected the second young bird my heart hit the floor. He was big, awkward and thoroughly ugly. At the time I thought what have I paid for? The next year I paired my ‘odd couple’ fully expecting to breed rubbish. How could a big ungainly cock like this one be able to breed anything else? After breeding three rounds of youngsters from the pair the cock met with an accident in the loft and killed himself. At the time I was not too upset because I did not like the bird anyway. It was only when the offspring were raced that the ‘odd couple’ showed that they were in fact after their friendship had grown, Emiel said, superb breeders. One of them was a bird I “We had something special for you Geoff.” It named ‘Bernard’ which won 1st Combine from was a daughter from ‘Liesbet’ the 1981 National Nantes and flew well right through to Pau. winner from Barcelona. “To my dismay she was Another was ‘Stumpy’ who also raced through to yet another of those big ugly bodied pigeons. I Pau. A third son was known as the ‘Old thanked the Deweerdt’s and hid my Deweerdt Cock’ and he was a super breeder. In disappointment.” Once in the Cooper loft she fact pigeons down from the original pair were like the previous purchases simply churned out

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Prize winning National and Classic pigeons bred from Geoff avid believer in eyesign and he said that he had Cooper’s family of Cooper x Deweerdt pigeons. files with photos of hundreds of birds and that he had spent many hours studying the eye ‘Ashgrove King’ 1st Open NFC Pau for Harding Bros theory. He chuckled, “Now I can’t even see the ‘Scott’s Boy’ 1st Open NFC Saintes for Stan Dangerfield eye without my spectacles and consider it not ‘Court Out’ 1st Open Pau Classic for Witney & Reed really relevant.” ‘Morning Glory’ 2x2nds Open Pau NFC for Paul Kendall ‘The Narrow Cock’ 2nd National BICC Dax, 10th NFC Pau for G & M Gilbert I was by now ‘champion at the bit’ to get and ‘Southfield Supreme’ 1st International Dax, 1st NFC Dax for see the birds. So when Geoff said, “Would you Mark Gilbert (‘Daybreak’ lines) like to have a look at my breeders?” I thought, 1st Perth Classic for John Haynes “Do bees make honey?” So off we went into 1st Guernsey YB Classic for John Haynes Geoff and Catherine’s lovely garden. Catherine ‘Cooper Boy’ 2x2nds Open MNFC for Richard Boylin 1st National BICC Pau for Kevin Hitchcock says, “That it is very low maintenance,” but I am ‘Birthday Boy’ 1st Section E NFC Nantes for Alan Thompson sure she spends quite a lot of time keeping it in 1st Section F NFC for Nigel Finch its present condition.

The latest We were told that the 80 foot loft is a new 1st Section MNFC Saintes for Hand Bros of Stoke on Trent construction. Brick built and rendered with a pantiled roof it is a credit to Geoff who told us excellent racing pigeons. So Geoff was beginning that it was mainly self built and “nearly killed to think maybe judging pigeons by ‘the hand’ is him” but that he is now very pleased with the a possible mistake. The final straw was when I end product which is a real credit to him and borrowed a hen from the late Bob Ashman of Hagley who had won well with the Deweerdt pigeons including 1st & 2nd Midlands National Angouleme. This hen which I called ‘The Ashman Hen’ had won six races including 1st Saintes and 1st Section Pau. Everyone including myself through her the ugliest pigeon ever when in the hand but one in the stock loft she was pure gold. After this I now never judge a pigeon by hand, shape is a theory like eyesign and so many other opinions. Now I consider only two things, pedigree and performance, and let ‘Mr Basket’ decide.”

This I believe is a common sense and sensible way of selecting good racing pigeons as a loose analogy, were Linford Christie or Paula Radcliffe selected for England because Three of Catherine’s paintings of Geoff’s birds. of their eye or looks grand at the top of his elevated garden body shape? Of facing south and overlooking the Somerset course not it was countryside. I commented that, “I bet you can for one reason – see the birds coming from miles away,” to this because they win Geoff chuckled and replied, “Not usually I’m races. looking but they just seem to appear from nowhere.” So Geoff’s opinion is Once inside I saw that all sections had grille pedigree and flooring with the continental hardwood slated performance, panels and that it was all decked out with which is based Hermes self cleaning nest boxes and young bird on facts not any perches and it all looked a treat. I asked, “Do theory. Geoff you like the boxes?” The reply was, “Well they laughed and told were expensive but I thought that I would treat The new electronic nest boxes me that years myself and I must say I really love them, it makes making life easy. ago he was an life so much easier.”

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As we looked the loft over Geoff explained that being prepared, if necessary, to save up the his biggest fear had always been as to the funds. The rewards are sitting in every nest box ventilation as it was so important to get it right. with the likes of ‘Titch’, ‘Farm Boy’, ‘Bernard’, But he said that he is very pleased with the end ‘Emiel II’, and so many more super quality result. The only downside he felt and he was pigeons which are bred out of generations of candidly honest was that he thought that some superb long distance performers. You must remember that Emiel Deweerdt got his birds mainly from Charles Van Der Espt. Emiel Deweerdt went to Van Der Espt after a stay in hospital when everyday he watched Van Der Espt’s birds exercising as he lay in his bed. Van Der Espt let Emiel have the very best of his Stichelbaut based bloodlines.

So it is no real surprise that these pigeons gave fantastic results on the long flights. All long distance fanciers will be well aware that Alois Stichelbaut’s pigeons are in the pedigrees of many champions right up to the present time. Lets not kid ourselves its very simple the very best of stock when looked after well will do what comes naturally – win top prizes. It’s not ‘rocket science’. Geoff knows it and he doesn’t worry about shape or size or colour, its pedigree and performance, plus of course an honest man writing out the pedigree.

of his older birds had ‘lost their love of home’ I have digressed somewhat. Both ‘JW’ and just a little and that his loses had been higher ‘George’ are now in the stock loft also after than normal this season. I understand what he winning 1st BICC Falaise and 1st NFC Tarbes means as pigeons like most animals simply hate respectively. I was very fortunate to be able to change even when its for the better. We humans handle many of Geoff and Catherine’s fantastic are very similar, pointing to ETS as an example of breeders. As expected they are very similar in this. both looks and shape, dark chequer is the dominant colour with the odd slightly pied or I think that Geoff is a little too critical here as white flighted bird. In the hand the similarity is this season has been what the politicians would very evident. Though some show slightly more describe as ‘very testing’. Personally I would keel than others and one or two show a label 2008 as ‘bloody awful’ racing wise with so variation in size, many wet or north easterly winds. Geoff laughed predominantly and said, “It seems odd to say that my birds have the inmates are lost a bit of love of home because of the new large to medium loft with two National wins with 1st British size with a International Championship Club from Falaise strong bone and now 1st National Flying Club Tarbes.” At structure which that we all laughed and I thought I wish my is so necessary to birds hated my loft as much as Geoff and compete in long Catherine’s, if it would result in two 1st testing races. Nationals. While I would not describe the As we entered into the stock section I believe we pigeons as The widow hens perches with found out the reasons the loft has been so beautiful looks inserts to help prevent hens amazingly successful and can be answered in two wise, they do coupling. words – the birds. The more complete answer exhibit an air of both curiosity and intelligence. though is in the quality of the pigeons. As Though Geoff says that he no longer puts any explained previously Geoff has never been afraid great store in eyesign, believe me the of getting out his wallet to purchase the very Cooper/Deweerts have excellent eyes and push best stock totally regardless of the initial cost all the required buttons. With strong dark

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colours, loads of character in the eye and the breeding loft having just been coupled to eyesign in abundance. I would not stake my life two excellent hens. ‘JW’ is a very nice handling on it but I cannot remember seeing a light wishy bird with several good results to his name washy eye during my visit. The hens were including 26th NFC Saintes and 9th NFC Dax particularly similar with the predominant dark before winning 1st BICC Falaise in 2008. So he chequer rich colour and nut brown eyes. has very little to prove. ‘George’ is now living the life of luxury after helping Geoff and I put a rather unfair question to Geoff by asking Catherine to fulfil the dream. I bet Geoff thinks him which he considered his best breeder? This back to the original pair which raised so much made him huff and puff a little and I could tell doubt as to the wisdom of his purchases. He now that he was stumped by my question. Finally he knows that it was money very well spent which said, “Well my favourite is ‘Farm Boy’ but that is has repaid his bold move one hundred times over.

I asked Geoff as we moved from the breeders, how did the Vermote cross work out? And in his own honest style he told me, “It was a mistake, though the Vermote birds were good pigeons using them as I intended as a cross to build my own family just did not work.” I pushed things a little further by asking but didn’t the Deweerdt family use the Vermote birds as a cross and was it not successful? “That is true,” explained Geoff, “But they only used the Vermote birds as an injection into their family. So it was put in then the successful offspring were put straight back into the Deweerdt gene pool and the Vermote blood was then diluted into the dominant base blood. That is what I should The wing of ‘George’ 1st NFC Tarbes 2008. have done.”

more to do with his character than his breeding I thought about ability. To be truthful I could not really answer this one long the question. I suppose ‘Titch’ has bred the most and hard after winners but he is now 14 years old so many of the conversation the younger birds could actually produce more and by using two good pigeons, I can’t really say.” separate families of pigeons and I was quite impressed with Geoff’s honest crossing them answer. One thing I did pick up on was the fact you are really that though ‘Titch’ is a 1994 bred pigeon he is just producing still fertile, a sure sign of the family’s longevity hybrid vigour The widow hens, absolute which is a trait of good long distance pigeons. It beauties. from what is, would I feel be a good thing to look at ‘Titch’s’ and I use the racing CV, which highlights the fact that the term loosely, a created mongrel breed which Cooper’s birds are birds for all ‘seasons’ as he is a may fly very well in the first generation but winner from start to finish. Winning three times thereafter you have nowhere to go if the bird is from 100 miles right through to Pau which is not put back into one side of the base family. well over 500 miles up to Peasedown. Birds like That is why the fanciers like Geoff Cooper who these are like gold, very hard to find and very have a family of pigeons stay at the top for years precious. They are the type of pigeon which all and not just burst on the scene like a firework, back garden fanciers need. Dual purpose pigeons soon go out never to be seen again. A good which will be up with the leaders inland and friend of mine from Belgian calls these fanciers over the Channel and are extremely rare like ‘one summer butterflies’, very beautiful but only ‘rocking horse do do’ in fact. lasting for one season.

As I wrote earlier, ‘JW’ and ‘George’ are now in We then moved on into the young bird section

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and it was like mirror images, with 90% of the “Tell me about birds dark ones. I enquired what does the future ‘George’?” I hold for these pigeons? Geoff explained that he asked. Catherine only races the cocks as old ones at the present so explained, “He is the hens go to as many races as can be found named ‘George’ from across the Channel, so that he can after a friend, thoroughly test them. The cocks though, he George Ridge continued, have things a little easier with from North probably a single Channel crossing or no crossing Devon, who was at all for selected there when birds. This ‘George’ won selection is once 2nd Section from again by Bordeaux in pedigree only 2006. So that’s and not by the how he got his hand selection name.” On the process. day of the Tarbes A view of the breeding boxes. National race I asked Geoff George Ridge about his system was again at Geoff and Catherine’s home. Geoff with young said that, “The winner would do 53mph by his birds. I was told calculations,” and off he went to prepare for the that from an arrivals, and that there were food and water in early age he likes the pots. Suddenly ‘George’ dropped from the babies to be nowhere and stood on the dropboard trembling outside which he The wonderful painting by believes gets Catherine of their young son. them prepared for the perils of life with hawks etc, which he finds by getting them out early in life helps make them ‘streetwise’ as he puts it. Also he finds that this keeps losses off the loft to a minimum as the birds spend a lot of time striking off and get to know the area far better than birds with restricted exercise periods.

They are fed with Versele Laga Sport mix with barley added which Geoff believes in good pigeon food and a good appetite indicator as they only pick up barley when their appetite is good. So when they stop picking up the barley the feeding is stopped. In this way the young birds get enough food but not too much.

We moved on to the widower sections where the cocks were resting ready for the future races or should that be ‘battles’ because that is how 2008 has been with so many very hard races. I asked and looking to quote Catherine in “brilliant” Geoff about his feeding and he said we use Versele condition. In no time he flew over Geoff’s Laga and Willsbridge sports food mixing them and shoulder and into his box, taking Geoff by adding bits of this and that, so that the balance of complete surprise. carbs, fats and protein is right. Peanuts are used but only if the source is known and trusted. Geoff On inspection ‘George’s’ wattles were reddened said, “In the past I stopped using peanuts because having encountered some adverse weather but of fear of toxins etc, but providing I know it is of the partners were delighted by his overall sound quality then peanuts are an excellent source condition, confident he could have flown on of energy and fats.” without any problems. Catherine said, “That it

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was a long wait after being told that we were simple Widowhood. The first pairing takes place the leading verification expecting to hear they in January with a round of young birds taken. had been beaten by further flying pigeons. So it The birds are then paired and repaired at the was a great feeling to be confirmed as the end of March. They sit for four-six days with the winners of 1st Section, 1st Open Tarbes. The hens then removed. Then its exercise twice a day dream has been achieved, we are all thrilled to and a couple of training tosses. The birds are bits.” then ready to race. Geoff explains that he doesn’t normally show the hens before a race, I asked about his previous racing record and its but never lets them down on their homecoming ‘pretty damn’ impressive, 42nd BBC from Saran, 30th BBC from Carlisle when the club briefly sent North Road. Proving that ‘George’ had a good head on his shoulders. He then went on to win 150th Central Southern Classic Club Cholet; 2nd Section, 102nd Open Bordeaux with the NFC; 207th National Tarbes and 130th CSCFC Fougeres. So as you can see he is an excellent pigeon and part of a family capable of winning from 60-600 miles.

His sire is a brother of ‘JW’ the 2008 BICC Falaise winner who is a son off ‘Titch’ which was mentioned previously. His grandmother is a Deweerdt pigeon being a daughter of ‘Boris’ which won 38th International from Perpignan. The mother of ‘George’ is a sister to ‘Mr

The Cooper’s young bird team resting. with their hen waiting in the box. Geoff thinks this keeps the birds calmer while in the basket, so reducing the stress factor.

I asked how far the yearlings are expected to fly. The answers was 300-400 miles. This is dependent on how hard the 300 mile race is. The two year olds up to 450 miles normally if the racing is easy. Some may go to 500 miles, it all depends on the season. Three year olds are expected to go to Tarbes, Dax or Pau.

Geoff is a little concerned at the lack of longer distance young bird races as most clubs only compete from top end of the Peninsula from Picauville or Lessay. With this in mind High The National winner back home with his hen. Littleton Pigeon Club is due to hold a race organised by Geoff from Tours which is 300 miles Consistent’ which won 5th NFC Dax and 37th to Geoff’s loft. This imaginative race will test the International Dax. She is bred from ‘Emiel III’ a very best pigeons. The race is planned to be son of ‘Emiel’ winner of 1st International open to all of England and Wales I believe. Bordeaux. Her mother is a sister of ‘Nicholls’ 3rd NFC Pau and 4th CSCC Bergerac and ‘21’ an Geoff told me that apart from good birds three excellent racer breeder and also ‘Fiddle’ 2nd other things are necessary, they are health, Perpignan and 9th Pau both with the BICC. All I fitness and motivation. If the birds are looked can say is what fantastic breeding. Endorsing after health is not a problem. Sound corn, grit everything which Geoff believes in. Talk about and a good loft will enable good health. This in ‘apples and the trees’. turn is the building block for fitness because healthy birds just love to fly so fitness will soon I asked Geoff about his system and he said basic, be achieved. Motivation is down to you the

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fancier. There are many ways to encourage a fit that it will be treasured for years to come. bird to race. That though is down to your Catherine certainly is a very talented lady. imagination. Simple things can motivate a pigeon, a new perch, a hiding place, access to a Proof of the couples love of animals is present fresh nest box. with a Jack Russell dog, a large aquarium with a super collection of tropical fish and ‘Fredo’ the I could not help but notice Geoff’s widow hens parrot who is a very good talker. He is always and what a cracking lot they looked, bright telling you when he is hungry. In my opinion eyed, tight feathered. I am sure that they would animals help to make a house a real home and give the cocks a run for their money if they were the Cooper’s must think likewise. afforded the opportunity. That is the problem with Widowhood, it wastes so many good hens It was a real delight to spend time with a lovely and the Coopers have some beauties, believe me. couple who have just fulfilled their outstanding ambitions. When I commented on this Geoff said When back in the conservatory I asked Catherine not quite, I would now love to win an how the partnership worked. She told me that International. That’s a tall order but as they had Geoff is the manager and she just helps out a hand in their friend Brian Sheppard’s pigeon when she is needed. Then reminded me that she ‘Legend’ which won 1st International Dax and is a busy lady who loves to paint. Several of her Mark Gilbert’s ‘Southfield Supreme’ which paintings are hung on the walls. The pigeon repeated the feat, not so long after, I for one portraits are superb but the picture of their would not put it past the Coopers if they made young son when he was just a toddler is my it a hat-trick of International UK victories. One favourite. It captures everything and I am sure thing is certain they have the tools to do it!

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