29 / 36
SAHPA 2016 Year Book Page 29
The winner was a young blue bar
hen that had only moulted eight
flights. Her sire was a Goodger
Metcalf cock that was bred off
two birds Bronte Andrewartha
had given me. Her dam was an
eight year old Dangerfield hen
that Gavin Harris had bred and
put in a squeaker sale. Bronte
bought her, used her and kindly
gave her to me.
The old bloodlines of Ron
Eitzen, Goodger, Metcalf, Pryor
and Dangerfield have worked
well for me in the hills. I have
not had much success with
imported bloodlines although a cross of about one eighth to a quarter of Gabby, Delbar and or
Busschaert bloodlines with the old families has been helpful at times.
In February of this year when it looked as though I wouldn’t be able to race because of a
serious lower back and sciatic nerve problem in my right leg, David Walker and Ray
Linkevics made some crucial modifications to my loft which enabled me to far more easily
manage my birds.
One of the things that always takes a great deal of time is educating the birds in preparation
for racing. I have found it necessary to give the birds lots of little tosses - perhaps as many as
fifteen before a Pt.Wakefield toss. At this time I would have the birds pretty lean as they
often need to be able to fly for their lives when attacked by the falcons.
When mating up for breeding racers I like to line breed. I like to breed off cocks that have
flown places like Canberra, Temora and Alice Springs. As long as the hen is in good
condition and a proven producer (and there are not many), I will keep using them and
likewise the cocks. My best breeding hen is now ten and her mother bred an Association
winner on the south line when she was ten years old (not for me).
I have raced in my current location in Stirling near the golf course one hill away from Mt.
Lofty for seven years. Apart from the falcons one of the challenges up here is the weather. It
is often wet and very foggy which makes it difficult at times to get the young birds ready to
race.
While in favour of the prepaid system, I would like flyers to pay for a team of birds rather
than register all the birds. For example I am a small team flyer so I might pay for a race team
of say 10 birds. Should I wish to race more I pay so much per bird (e.g. $2 per bird per race).
I particularly like limited bird racing and am very pleased that the committee has been
including a few in the programme. These races require flyers being able select their better
birds and they dramatically reduce the impact of drag.
I would like to thank all the members on the Committee and in particular Gavin Harris and
Paul Springett for their enormous efforts throughout the year.
BOB HUFF’S BLUE BAR WINNER