UkPigeonRacing

So when I was a kid about 10 or 11 in the early 60's I used to keep pigeons off the church roof and kept them in a little shed.
I fancied racing some of them and got some rings from the RPRA. These rings were my pride and joy and I kept them in my pocket all the time.
Had a family visit to my uncle in London and opposite him lived a fancier who I went to talk to.
It turned out he had babies in the nest ready for ringing but hadn't received his rings yet, so I gave him mine.
As a thank you he bred me 2 proper racing pigeons and told me they were "Swiss Grizzles" which were also my pride and joy and one went on to win my first ever race when I was about 12.
I had to give up the birds a year later when the family moved and never saw any pigeons until my own son was about 13 when I encouraged him to start.
I wrote a letter to the racing pigeon mag asking if anyone still kept the Swiss Grizzles hoping to obtain some for him.
It turned out that they were actually "Smiths Grizzles" and no-one had them anymore but someone sent me Mr Smiths stud book that I still have today. He was very successful with his grizzles at all distances.

Great to look back on Dave, and very good memories for you. So in Mr Smiths stud book, does it point out where the family line started from?

Thanks for the info on the grizzles. I never had one or thought about them until I was given a pair of eggs and one is my Grizzle Thone'. He is paired to the Billion Dollar Baby. She is a great grand daughter of Kittel on one side and descended from Pitbull on the other. Although the Grizzle is a blue chequer grizzle their babies are real grizzles, some of them very pale. Must be coming through from both sides, even though the B$B is a blue bar.

Devo1956 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 11, 2025 7:35 pm Great to look back on Dave, and very good memories for you. So in Mr Smiths stud book, does it point out where the family line started from?

Should think a older general distance family as most valued a distance pigeon in them days not out and out sprint pigeons
It’s really the pigeons of the 80’s and 90’s not being grizzles in top sprint lofts is my puzzle not so much looking for Kirkpatrick etc

I think it’s safe to say there is no real big legacy of `belg sprinters in the 80’s and 90’s that were Grizzle

I certainly saw none at the likes of Wildemeersch, Maurice Mattheeuws etc

MIL wrote: ↑Tue Mar 11, 2025 8:58 pm I think it’s safe to say there is no real big legacy of `belg sprinters in the 80’s and 90’s that were Grizzle

I certainly saw none at the likes of Wildemeersch, Maurice Mattheeuws etc

That’s my thoughts

MIL wrote: ↑Tue Mar 11, 2025 8:58 pm I think it’s safe to say there is no real big legacy of `belg sprinters in the 80’s and 90’s that were Grizzle

I certainly saw none at the likes of Wildemeersch, Maurice Mattheeuws etc

Did De Meyer have any Grizzle Mike, I know he had white flights.

Not really George

Lambrechts, De Meyer and Gert Heylen all worked together and regularly swapped birds with each other

Gert had a bit of colour, I’m thinking especially of ‘Meeuw’ but you wouldn’t say they were a Grizzle-laden family

The best Gert Heylen bloodlines in the UK were always with Paul Green at Red Hill Farm Lofts. I’ve sold for him for years, but in the last 12 months I’ve sold a lot of the direct Gert’s to China for him

Lee Painter had lots of success with De Meyer over the years. Lee had the last son of Champion Whitehead who was `De Meyer’s no1 cock

Lots of people done well with Lambrechts including my good mate Jimmy Dutton

It was through Carl Lambrechts that Jimmy met Alex `Docx

They are a good pigeon too

MIL wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 1:18 pm The best Gert Heylen bloodlines in the UK were always with Paul Green at Red Hill Farm Lofts. I’ve sold for him for years, but in the last 12 months I’ve sold a lot of the direct Gert’s to China for him

Lee Painter had lots of success with De Meyer over the years. Lee had the last son of Champion Whitehead who was `De Meyer’s no1 cock

Lots of people done well with Lambrechts including my good mate Jimmy Dutton

It was through Carl Lambrechts that Jimmy met Alex `Docx

They are a good pigeon too

I think the Williams hen I got 2023 has Heylen / de Meyer on the sire side I am not one really one to check the strains to much but pretty sure it has . I only really checked the sires performance at the time
Also Leon Prince told me some time back his best De Meyer pair were from the Painters