Prestigious Award For Hetherington & Rudd
9th February 2014 at the National Pigeon Association AGM, held in Rugby saw our club secretary collect the Master Breed Award for Exhibition Homers on behalf of Hetherington and Rudd.
Raymond, our club president and Mark are uncle and nephew who make up Hetherington and Rudd are experienced and knowledgeable fanciers having kept Homer breeds for over 25 years. Mark is actively involved in the showing and promoting of our British Homer Breeds and is Chairman of The United Homer Club and new elected Vice President of the National Pigeon Association.
Hetherington and Rudd now hold two Master Breeder Awards the first being presented to them for their work with the Show Homer in 1998.
The National Pigeon Association, as rewards for success, achievement or outstanding contributions to the wellbeing of the fancy have this prestigious award, which can only be initiated by either the various Breed Clubs or by the Management Committee of the Association. The final decision on recipients of the awards are made by the Committee of the NPA. The Master Breeder Certificate is awarded and presented annually, to a maximum of two recipients, usually at the AGM.
Other than the already mentioned criteria required for nominations, for the Master Breed Award there are three other conditions. The nominee must have been an NPA member of good standing for at least ten years, they must be nominated by a Breed Club and that no member of the Management Committee can be nominated to receive either awards whilst they are still in office.
The nominations, together with a full documented history, proposed and seconded by officials of the Club involved has to be presented to the Management Committee, the nominations are then fully discussed in committee meetings prior to the awards being confirmed.
Where did it all begin? – Mr David Bramley.
Well David’s long and winding road started on the day he was born, being the son and grandson of pigeon fanciers, grandad having various flyers in the garden and Dad keeping and racing pigeons, who took after his Uncle who supplied pigeons to the National Pigeon Service during the war. When it comes to David’s first encounter with the breed he is now so well known for was, at the age of 10 when he visited Granville N. Hall who kept Pigmy Pouters, Show and Flying Tipplers, Show Pen Racers, Norwich Croppers and G
ame Bantams. One day David had gone there unknown to his parents who were wondering where he was, only to be found with Granville who was smoking his pipe in his penning room, stove lit looking at pigeons, both eating tomato soup kindly provided by Granville’s wife Ann.
This is where David saw his first Exhibition Homer, 2 Blue Hens, being fascinated by these birds, he went home to ask his father if he could have a pair, luckily for our hobby, Dad said yes! Granville then managed to purchase for them 2 cock birds from Mr Denham, one red chequer for 30 shillings and a blue chequer for 25 shillings. David went home with his first pair a blue hen and the blue chequer cock as 25 shillings was a lot for a young lad in those days.
David’s first success was winning the Juvenile Cup at Belpur Fur and Feather in 1962 with an Exhibition Homer, now he’s really got the bug! David and his father still continued to race until the early 70’s when family made more demands on their time, it’s all about priorities in life.
It was Russell Wheeldon from Belper who David went to see when starting with Exhibition Homers again in the 1970s, putting him in touch with Wynn Saddler of Shrewsbury and Jack Ramsey from Falkirk, Scotland for the Show Homers. During this period they also kept Carriers and Show Racers. David’s father Ted was a master at conditioning pigeons which resulted in lots of success. Over the years they bred and worked with both Wynn Saddler and Jack Ramsey strains of Show Homers to create their own family and the wins big wins came in the 1980’s
1985 was one particular highlight when Valley View Steven won Best in Show at Doncaster, winning that day was wonderful for the Bramley’s but more importantly that was the day that David gained a friendship and a young man from Cumbria along with his Uncle first set eyes on Steven the winning Show Homer, from there those fanciers have never looked back. David wanted me to mention and thank Mark and Uncle Raymond for their help and friendship over the years. They have taken the Show and Exhibition Homer to new heights and David along with many others have benefitted from their dedication. (I am sure that there’s another good story to be had from those two!)
In the mid 80’s David son Steven started to keep and show Genuine Homers which came from Ernest Pearson and Mike Purham who has been and still is the person to go to for help and advice. 1987 at York the Bramley’s won Best In Show with a Carrier and as you can see from the photo the rosette was HUGE, almost a meter in diameter or in old money about 3ft!
I never did ask David if he still had it?
That day they came home with the prizes not only the £1000 for BIS but also £100 for a win with a Show Homer – another successful day at the show!
Over the next few years the breeds came and went as family life changed but David’s love of the 3 white eyed Homer breeds and the big wattled pigeons remained strong.
David feels breed clubs are an important part if the Fancy for helping and encouraging new fanciers and has been lucky to be involved with the Homer Club and the Bard, Carrier and Scandaroon Club with the dedication of secretaries Ernest Pearson, Mike Purdam, Mike Bradford and David White.
D E & S Bramley have now gained Master Breeder of all four breeds they keep to this day, in order, Carrier, Show Homer, Exhibition Homer and most recently for the Genuine Homer, a fantastic achievement.
It is only over the past couple of years that the Carrier has returned to the Valley View lofts but proving to them all at the Barb, Carrier and Scandaroon Club that he’s still got it, David took Best Young Bird only to be teased ‘we thought you were retiring!’ Far from retiring be rest assured especially after a superb win in January 2013 at Blackpool where Valley View Crixus took Champion of Champions. This bird was named Crixus by David’s wife Janet, they don’t all have names but as a youngster Janet picked this one out, as being special!
I must thank both David and Janet for their hospitality and time that very snowy Saturday afternoon, for allowing me to look around your lofts and giving me an insight into the Homer World from the Arab to the Thoroughbred to the Grand Shire Horse. The over whelming feeling for love for both the birds and our hobby was very clear to see and hear. Oh and for digging my car out of the snow that had fallen whilst we sat chatting pigeons!
David treasures the time and memories he shared with his father, the wins as a Juvenile in 1962 to taking Champion of Champions only a few months ago, as David said it has been a long and winding road. He has been very lucky to have his family behind him and a lot of help from many a good friends, too many to mention but he thanks each and every one of them. But the most important part for David is to have collected those good friends over any red card!
“Never stop learning and enjoy your Pigeons!”
I hope you enjoyed reading David’s story, Helen.
"Quite Challenging ......... but well worth the effort!"