Barbie Loft , Morrisville PA
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5th 2004 Young Bird I.F. Champion Loft.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.
(A) My name is Bill Loessy, and I fly as Barbie Loft, (named after my wife). I have been a pigeon flyer since 1952. The last few years I have been flying with partners at their loft. Since suffering a heart attack in 2001, and being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis and pigeon lung disease, I cannot physically do the work involved with the birds. Therefore, the last couple of years I have been helping other flyers. This past young bird season, I flew at Dennis Bardi’s loft under the name of Bardi & Barbie Loft.

2. Do you think your position is a good one as far as combine races are concerned? How big is combine? Club?
(A) I think our position in the combine is good on a long day, and not good on fast days. The reason being, that we are one of the four longest flyers in the combine and club. The combine is about 57 flyers and the club is 9 to 10 flyers. We fly in the Suburban Combine and Delaware Valley Club.
3. What type of birds do you now fly? Big, med, small, a particular strain?
(A) We fly big & medium birds. The strain we flew this year were of birds bought from JoJo’s Int’l, Janssen, birds from Harry Steele (Gypsy Loft), which are Wegge, Caesart, and Hurricane Harry – crosses. Also, we flew birds from Joe Martino and Wess Bolton (Huyskens)

4. Can you give us a little history on your Champion bird? Champion Loft? Pedigrees?
EXAMPLE. Races entered. Races and diplomas won. Level at which birds competed.
(A)
Race Position Birds From
100 mile race – 4th club 16th combine – 48 lofts, 804 birds – JoJo’s Int’l. – 4 on the drop
100 mile race – 5th club 18th combine – 57 lofts, 956 birds – Barbie & JoJo’s Int’l. – 3 on the drop
150 mile race – 1st club 12th combine – 44 lofts, 648 birds – JoJo’s Int’l
150 mile race – 1st & 2nd club 7 & 8th combine – 52 lofts, 758 birds – JoJo’s Int’l
200 mile race – 1st club 4th combine – 35 lofts, 381 birds – JoJo’s Int’l
200 mile race – 1st & 3rd club, 1st & 10th combine – 45 lofts, 577 birds – Gypsy Loft & JoJo’s Int’l
300 mile race – 1st & 3rd club, 1st & 3rd combine – 36 lofts, 381 birds – Gypsy Loft
300 mile futurity – 15th position-- 38 lofts, 366 birds – Gypsy Loft

5. Do you race imports?
(A) No
6. How big is your old bird team? How big is young bird team?
(A) We only flew Young Birds with a team of about 40.

7. Do you use a system? For young birds? Old birds? Which ever applies? Dark? Widowhood? Etc. Explain your system day by day from preparing for the first training toss to the last race how many hours of light per day do your birds get? From what time to what time is light used? When do you go on natural light? How do your birds molt as old birds if you were on a young bird system? How do you feel about people using different systems that compete with you?
(A) No, we don’t use a system. Our system is natural. If someone is using another system and beating me most races I will have try harder to beat them or try their system. The system that they use may not be why they are beating me. It could be that they have better pigeons, or better loft management.

8. Do you fly to the perch? Do you fly widowhood? Separated sexes, or just hens? If you fly natural or widowhood, please explain your method in old birds and young birds.
(A) We fly young birds to the perch up until the 5th race, then start mating them up to get ready for the 300 mile races.

9. Describe how you feed? Hopper, or individual seed? In the nest box or on the floor? After a flight around the loft or is it when they return from training? Is there a set time in the morning or at evening? Which mixture do you use?
(A) We feed in a hopper – upon returning to loft, we feed candy; one hour, later regular feed. The regular feed is a local mix between 17 to 20% protein, occasionally we add safflower seed.

10. How do you train your birds? Single toss, in a flock, or on the training truck? Do you time your birds from training and if so give us example? How often do you train and at what distances?
(A) We train the birds ourselves by car up to 40 miles in the beginning, and use the training truck most of the year, 3 days a week. We do time the birds when we train on the truck, to see how our birds train with other lofts on the truck, and to see if a few birds are doing better than the others. We train everyday when the weather is right. On the truck 60 to 70 miles a day, not on truck 40 to 100 miles.

11. Do you have any regular training schedule to take the birds down the road, or do you loft fly regularly? Explain what you do. Explain the reasons why you do certain things.
(A) No, we don’t have a set schedule. We believe in training what we think the pigeons need to be in condition for the next race. We also believe when you start training, never loft fly your birds. The reason being – we train the bird to come home and go in the loft as fast as possible. Loft flying gives the hawks many opportunities to kill the birds.

12. Is there any kind of health program you follow regularly? If so explain it to us. How do you medicate and for what reason?
(A) With young birds we vaccinate for Paratyphoid & Paramyxovirus as soon as birds come into the loft and we give them a half pill of Spartrix for Canker. About 2 months before races start, we Pox the team and worm them with Ivomectin. The day after the race, we medicate for 2 to 3 days with respiratory medication because our birds have been in close contact with other birds. We observe all of the birds in the loft daily for any signs of sickness.

13. How often do you race your champion bird, how about the rest of the team?
(A) We believe in racing birds every week if possible. The first 5 birds clocked always go back to race the following week if they are in condition.

14. Do you believe in bird entry limits? Do you believe in clocking limits? How do you select your breeding pairs? Have you any advice for new flyers? Have you any advice for advanced Flyers?
(A) My advice to new flyers is to keep your loft clean which results in healthy birds, and train hard.

15. Is there a flyer, breeder or book that has helped you become a better pigeon flyer? Do you have any kind of goals in the sport? Compose a list of awards your have received club, combine and national awards if any.

(A) Awards received: Won Club and Combine Average Speed for YB 2004, Won 5 Club races in a row, and won 2x 1st place Combine positions. Won the Suburban Combine 2nd place Outstanding Bird Award for the 2004 Young Bird Series of Races.

By Paul Walsh