Loft Feature by James Greer
George Barr has been a big time racer in all my time in the sport, at one time we both duplicated into the old Ballymena Championship and you were never sure where you finished until the card from George Barr appeared. He continues to race in the Ballymena & Dist and can score from all points and looks forward to the racing from France and the competition in the Irish Nat FC. He collected the Highest Prizewinner in the Ballymena & Dist in 2005 season and had a very good season at National level in 2006 winning both the Robinson Cup for 14th Open Kings Cup Vannes and the J Gilmour Memorial Cup for Best Ave Vannes OB Nat and Sennen Cove Yearling Nationals. James Greer penned a fantastic report at the time. "HOMER"
“Always moving the ‘Barr’s higher”
GEORGE BARR is a successful fancier flying his pigeons into the big Ballymena & District HPS, based in the hot-bed of Mid Antrim.
Ballymena is a market town in the north of County Antrim in Northern Ireland, it is situated approx. 30 miles north west of the City of Belfast. In this town the Barr Family run a very successful Butchery Business. Until just a few years ago George Barr ran the Broughshane Street shop in the town centre, George has now retired and this allows him more time with his pigeons.
The famous Barr Brothers, Archie, Albert & Leslie, all uncles to George, were butchers and all were pigeon fanciers, as well as George’s father also being a fancier. Albert Barr was also a very good footballer at the highest level playing for Manchester City. George followed in his uncle Albert’s footsteps as he to also played football at Irish League level, playing for Cliftonville, Ballymena United and Glentoran.
Sammy Barr who was the brother of George owned the Flamingo Ballroom in the town and was responsible for bringing some of the great music artists the world had to offer in this era to perform in the Flamingo Ballymena.
Base Birds
When George commenced racing in Ballymena & Dist HPS in 1964 the club who were founder members of the NIPA boasted approx. 56 members. Now perhaps they have about 15 or 16 members which unfortunately reflects the down turn in the sport of pigeon racing in general.
Many great fanciers raced their birds in this long standing Ballymena Club. The late Tommy Harper with a team of pigeons based on the old Dr Buckley’s had outstanding success up to 1st National, He was a former President in both the NIPA and Irish Nat FC, and Simon McCrory from the town was the NIPA President at formation in 1945. The late Willie Erwin a Kings Cup winner in1968 with Moonlight Mannequin whose base pigeons came from the Heathcote Bros. The Smyth Brothers whose performances at the distance with their team of Kenyon pigeon’s is legendary, Bobby Smyth is still continuing to clock good pigeons in from the long distance events. The late Bobby Law was also a fancier who flew a good pigeon at all distances. Bobby was a “Hall of Fame Winner” from France and was up at the top in several Derby & Nat events. The late Crawford McClintock, a hard man to beat on the day with his small team of pigeons.
Then of course the Barr Bros Georges uncles already mentioned were successful fanciers. They had a great pigeon called “Reliance” which won a 1st Open from France in 1932 before the Kings Cup was competed for. A photograph of the pigeon was displayed proudly on the wall of the butchers shop in Ballymoney Street.
As already stated George’s father was a pigeon fancier and his birds base came from Mr Mason a Scots man who moved from Scotland to Donegal and flew his pigeons with a club based in Londonderry. The Barr Bros pigeons were housed in a barn loft at the rear of the butchers shop on Ballymoney Street and the young George at that time spent most of his time at this loft.
When George commenced racing on his own in 1964 he purchased birds from Billy Walkingshaw, Anthony McDonald (former Kings Cup winner) George Herron and a round of eggs from his uncles, Barr Bros. The gift of this round of eggs from his uncles triggered a sequence of events which George to this day recalls frequently.
First of all to rear the youngsters from the eggs George required enough pigeons as feeders. As fate would have it James Cahoon a local fancier had decided to give up the sport. George went to Mr Cahoon, bought his entire stock all bar one, about 25 or 26 birds in total, for the sum of 10 shillings each (50p each to younger fanciers.) The birds were collected and were in a hamper at Ballymoney Street loft awaiting transport to George’s loft. Albert Barr enquired from George if he had got all Mr Cahoons stock. George replied all but one which was too big and was not fancied. Albert told George to go back to Mr Cahoon and purchase the pigeon as it would be required to make up the number of feeders to accommodate the number of eggs.
George went back and seen Mr Cahoon and gave him another 10 shillings and brought the large pigeon, a cock, home and placed him in the hamper along with the others. Into the shop came a Mr Ken Parker another local fancier. Mr Parker asked George if he could supply him with a spare cock bird to even up his pairings. George typically gave Mr Parker the pick of the hamper of feeders he just purchased from Mr Cahoon. Mr Parker picked the large cock that George had made the return trip for to Mr Cahoon. Mr Parker took the cock home, mated him up, broke him to his loft, and the following season put him on the road racing. The cock was Mr Parkers only entry in the NIPA OB Derby (OB National now) flown from France. The large Blue cock came to win 1st Open for Mr Parker at over 400 miles and over three channels.
Over the years George has made many new introductions to his stock blending these in and in turn not always but in many cases has produced winning pigeons.
Performances
One of the many good performances by this loft was to time 11 returns from France within ninety minutes in the OB Derby when many good fanciers had failed to record a single bird. Many times he has taken 1st Club with Mid Antrim Combine positions taken. Many Sect & Open positions with the NIPA (one of the largest organizations in these islands) have been won and also many Open positions with the Irish National Flying Club.
I do not wish to bore readers with lists of results but in 2005 George is having another good season. One Blue Cheq hen has won 1st Club from Bude approx. 290 miles, she was sent feeding a big youngster. The following week a Dark Cheq cock won 1st Club from Sennen Cove approx. 330 miles. He was sent driving his hen again (the Bude winner from the earlier week). The same cock was given a weeks rest and then sent to Messac a distance of approx. 525 miles from where he recorded 1st Club, and 51st Open with the Irish National Flying Club, this was the race for the Blue Riband Kings Cup. The cock was sent sitting approx. 10 to 12 days on eggs, the breeding of this pigeon. Sire is son of Fallahill Super Star from Louella Stud, dam a Geoff Kirkland Blue Cheq hen from the line of the Pest.
In the Friendship OB National from Picauville (432 miles) George timed a Pencil Blue cock to take 1st Club & 6th Open INFC, this cock was in a small loft with his hen, just the single pair on their own, sitting again approx. 10-12 days. Breeding of this pigeon. Sire is Willie Tass purchased at the Blackpool Show from Frank Tasker. Dam a Blue was bred by Higginson & McMeekin (Ballyclare).
In the young bird season which has just finished George has won 1st Club Tullamore (1) approx. 126 miles, 1st Club Thurles (1) approx. 164 miles, 1st Club Thurles (3) and 1st Club Wadebridge YB Nat (308 miles) plus 110th Open INFC and just 179 birds home.
Lofts
George flies his pigeons to a brick built loft (two storey), this loft he admits has brought no success, all Georges best performances have been to his array of wooden loft circulated around the spacious gardens. These lofts are by no means palaces, they are ordinary small wooden structures with piano style trapping systems but the pigeons are happy and content in them.
This happiness and contentment is something George places great emphasis on, he thinks if pigeons are content and happy in their surroundings they will at least want to come home. The ventilation in these small lofts is spot on with escape routes at the highest possible point to allow for the exit of stale air. The fresh air is not brought into the loft by large louvers but by small apertures along the front, the pigeons are always in form. One interesting point is that George put his young bird team on the Darkness System in one of the small lofts but did not remove the cock which was clocked from Messac so this meant this pigeon along with his hen were both having plenty of rest. Could this be the reason why George did so well in the latter part of the Old Bird programme?
Feeding
As far as feeding goes George always buys the best mixtures available. At present he is using Terlings Mixes, for breeding its Beans, Peas & Tares with lots of Hormoform. When racing starts they are fed to appetite and for breeding purposes by hopper. George has never been a racing to the tin man. He feeds his birds plenty, all of the time, no breakdown of pigeons is practiced. Grit & minerals are always available and during the moult good food with linseed added and plenty of baths.
System for Racing
Going on to ask George about racing systems he admits using all the old natural tricks to get the best from his team. George tries to find out about every individual bird, when it is likely to peak, what is its best condition, and sets them up based on this. Half of his young bird team are placed on Natural and the other half on Darkness, the Darkies always beat the Natural birds and George has found no problem with the Darkies as they have gotten older. The Darkness commences when the youngsters are 26 days old, from an early January mating. They then come off Darkness from approx. 1st June. Youngsters are encouraged to mate and are raced on this natural cycle, sometimes dummy eggs are provided to young hens.
Best old bird performances are from pigeons 8 to12 days sitting on eggs, George does not like sending pigeons to a race on a small youngster, from a 8 to10 day youngster, yes. The old birds for the distance events are mated end of March start of April in order to delay the primary moult holding 8 or 9 primary flight when dispatched.
Training
Both the old birds and young are giving as many tosses as weather will permit before the start of the season. During racing they will get two training tosses per week up to 35 miles, and they are expected to fly around the loft one hour morning and night with flag if required. Old Birds going to National races may have 2 or 3 tosses to 60 or 70 miles prior to dispatch if necessary.
Hygiene
The lofts are cleaned once a day all year round George pays special attention to cleanliness of the drinkers these are thoroughly cleaned every other day as these can be a possible source of disease. Water is changed twice per day.
Supplements and Medication
Asked if any supplements are used George replied in a word none. No treatment is given for anything, not even multivitamins. A healthy natural pigeon with an immune system is the outcome, very few sick birds and if any, they will be culled.
General Points of View
George thinks a form indicator is when a pigeons leaves the flock when exercising and has ‘a ball at its throat’ and gliding and clapping from time to time. Another form indicator is a pigeon reluctant to leave the nest. This is normally brought about by a quite contented loft. There are in George’s opinion no secrets, good pigeons well managed, and close observation by the fancier in the loft. Keep the pigeons content and happy in the loft. Common sense practiced by the fancier.
If the pigeons are not good enough for George they are culled and not given to someone else. Many good pigeons have been given to many fanciers by George, and these are always off the best. The whole loft regime is geared for Cross Channel and distance racing.
Advice to the Novice
Advice to beginners, to win in today’s competition you have to have the best, pedigrees are very important but it is the pedigree of the person selling the pigeon that is important. Before purchasing stock, get to know the person supplying, most fanciers are genuine and will help with good pigeons and plenty of advice.
Conclusion
On my own summing up and in conclusion this has been an insight of a fancier who has spent a lifetime in the sport, helping many people along the way with pigeons, plus advice. Much help has come from this man to people within the sport, and also to other people outside the sport. We wish him good health to enjoy retirement and his pigeons, and it goes without saying, many more wins will follow.
James Greer.
George Barr with wife Hazel, the loft won Highest Prizewinner in the
Ballymena & District HPS in 2005.
Special guests at the Ballymena & Dist dinner and prize night
were good friends John & Jean Hollinger from Millisle.
A happy George Barr collects the Gilmour Memorial Cup at the
INFC prize night in the Stormont Hotel 2006.
George Barr with very good friend Joe Doheny from Dublin at the INFC.
The cups won in the 2006 season at Ballymena and the INFC.