ARTICLE 1-BY “The Keen Fancier”
“SUPER PIGEONS MAKE SUCCESSFUL PIGEON FANCIERS”
A TRIBUTE TO THE LEGENDARY TOM LOCK SUPER PIGEONS
One of the most intriguing questions over the centuries has always been:
“What came first, the chicken or the egg”
One of the most commonly asked questions in the pigeon racing world is something similar”
“What brings success first, the pigeon, or the pigeon fancier”
My name is not important, but if you need to call me something call me ‘The Keen Pigeon Fancier’. As a re-entrant to the modern pigeon sport in 2005, it became apparent from the very first race that pigeon racing has become a highly competitive sport, with many a pigeon fancier in our Club competing with fantastic racing pigeons, and by keeping a close watch on the weekly results, it was noticeable how certain pigeon fancier’s birds kept on showing up on the score sheets on a regular basis.
I also started studying the Division and Union results. It soon became apparent on Club, Division and at Union level that the same pigeon fancier’s names ranked at the top constantly on a weekly basis.
This made me realise the importance of obtaining only the best pigeons available on the market. I attended most of the auctions and handled as many of the pigeons for sale as possible, always on the lookout for either proven racers or proven breeders with a family history of winning in their genes.
Being competitive and very keen to improve our current stud, some of these good performing fanciers in the Union advised me to visit Uncle Tom Lock, and his great pigeon family, commonly known by all as the “Lockies”.
The following week an advertisement was published by Tom Lock in the SA Pigeon News, advertising pigeons for sale from R500. I thought it a great opportunity to visit and to handle some of his pigeons. I believe all new pigeon fanciers should try and visit good performing pigeons and fanciers in their area, and handle as many of the good racing pigeons as possible to try and learn what to look for, the built of the particular family, wing types, etc. Ask as many questions as possible and listen!!!!!!!
I learned from some fanciers that knew Tom Lock, that he sometimes only raced/basketed 4-8 pigeons from race 10 onwards and still clocks week for week at the top against much bigger teams of racers. He must truly have some great pigeons………………………
Accompanied by one of the best pigeon fanciers in our club, A. Reynders,we set of to visit Tom Lock.
It become apparent to me and my friend, that here was a family of pigeons uniform in type, with fantastic wings, great feathering, well balanced and carrying little weight.
By the time we handled the third pigeon that was a winner bred from Uncle Tom’s “Super Pair”, it was time to ask him for permission to handle this great pair of pigeons.
What a privilege this was for us to see how skillfully this pair was matched. The “Egg Cock” having a longer wing and broader flights, the body on the large side, remember he is offspring of Ds. Painter’s “Bloue Groote”. His click hen the inbred “Hawk Hen” having the typical characteristic of the Tom Lock “Hawks” as I now affectionately call them, with the last four primaries louvering to allow for wind passage in flight , and a shorter and smaller apple sized body.
The “Egg Cock” being inbred by Toppie Jansen back to his “Famous Toppie Hen”The Toppie Hen was bred by Ds. Painter. The “Egg Cock” was given to Tom Lock as an egg, and the “Hawk Hen”, an inbred back to the “Hawk”/ Foundation hen blood of Tom.
To add a note here, but not intended to confuse the PAINTER & T. Lock fans, a cock by the name of “THE LAPPIES COCK”, a 3 x Winner, and apparently a Kilovich Jansen, played in my humble opinion a HUGE role in the R100 000 Egg Cock’s winning genetics.........
Being a keen pigeon fancier with an eye for good pigeons, I realised that these two birds and their offspring, was probably some of the best pigeons I have ever handled.
They have proven themselves as “Super Breeders” by producing 26 winners, winning 32 races. 7 Winners in the 2005 season alone from one pair of breeders!!!!!!
As Uncle Tom had advertised that all his pigeons are for sale, I hesitantly asked him how much this pair would sell for. He answered without flinching, a R100 000.
Being an owner of a business, I knew how important it is to start out right with anything, being it a business, or my beloved sport, pigeon racing.
I immediately took him up on the offer.
It was here that I also identified probably one of the best hens I have ever seen, the now well known “WHITE EYE HEN, 30116” She was also immediately purchased for R30 000 as well as 23279, a daughter of the R100 000 Super Pair. Both these 2 hens later proved to be 2 of the best breeders we have ever owned.
I also had the privilege of handling another pair that was sold soon after the “Super Pair” for R80 000. This pair consisted out of a Double Union Winner son of the “R100 000 Super Pair”, and the hen a TRPF Fed Winner(Bronze family) This pair has bred 4 winners flying 1sts and 2nds Federation and Unions for the new owner. This same pair bred the 2007 Best Bird for Russel Van Der Merwe in the strong THU Old Bird Series and winners for other fanciers. I was privileged to later also purchase this great “R80 000 Super Pair”
Another Son of the “Super Pair” has bred 10 winners so far in very strong competition. Numerous other children and grandchildren has also produced outstanding wins.
This I have come to learn from facts and rumours alike, as so common in today’s sport.
It has become obvious that not only the “Super Pair” themselves are great pigeons, but that their children, grandchildren and great grand children also carry over their “Super” genes.
I would appreciate it if fanciers owning some of these pigeons, would be so kind and to communicate the performances of these offspring, by phoning me on 0842000667, to enable me to give credit to this “Super Pair” of pigeons.
It was when Tom Lock kissed his beloved “Hawk Hen” and “Egg Cock” goodbye, putting them into my basket, and I saw a tear trickling down his cheeck, that I realised how much joy these two “Super Pigeons” must have given him, and how much Uncle Tom must have loved them.
It was with a mixture of great happiness and sadness that I drove home with two of the best pigeons I have ever handled or heard of in South Africa.
Yes, I have visited Uncle Tom a many few times more, and bought some more of these fantastic pigeons, up to a point when I pleaded yet another Winner daughter of the “Super Pair” from him in an effort to further strengthen my bloodline, Uncle Tom said to me, this is the last pigeon you buy from me, you now have my best”. Go now and make me proud!
My name is “The Keen Fancier”, and this is a salute to 5 of the best pigeons I shall probably ever have the privilege to own, and lastly but not least, to the living legends Tom Lock, Ds. Painter and Toppie Jansen for their great skills in breeding and creating such fantastic winning pigeon families.
Sensible line and inbreeding methods are being employed to ensure that the genes of this super family of pigeons are maintained.
My greatest challenge is to continue the legacy of these “Super Tom Locks”.
“Saying of the week”
“Give me the strength to give credit and praise to the true Champions of this beautifull sport we call pigeon Racing and the relentless efforts made by my feathered friends trying to please me week by week”