My name is Darran and I fly in partnership with my dad Des. Back around 1983 my dad flew pigeons for a couple of seasons but due to working lots of shifts in the Police Force he found that he could not give the birds the time that they deserved. I was only 11 so could not race on my own but even when the birds went I would still go over to Godalming DFC with my uncle Pat Mcfadden who was the secretary at the time. There were loads of great fanciers at that club not that I knew just how good they were at 11 years old. People like Eric Cannon, Arthur and Paul Bridgewater, Stan Edginton, Alec Martin and Ron Cox. Even then though listening to all the pigeon banter on a Saturday night I reckon I had the bug.

In 1999 my mum and dad bought the pet shop (Pets Pantry) in Cranleigh from another pigeon fancier called Ron Dodd, from where many fanciers in the area still bought there corn. Eric Cannon was one of these fanciers - any time he visited when I was there he would ask if I had convinced the old fella to start again. My reply always being not yet, but soon I hope. I had always had the intention of starting again but I was not quite sure when that was gonna be.

Anyway in the year 2000 I moved into the house next door to mum and dads as it was closer to my wifes work, me still having to drive over to Camberley every day to HSBC bank  where I worked as a computer systems administrator. One day in 2001  I came home from work to be greeted by my dad asking what I thought about racing again, why not I thought we had a nice big garden out the back. There have always been pigeons at Pets Pantry for many a year. Ron Dodd flew pigeons here for 20 years, and previous to that Ron Cox flew them when he owned the shop as a butchers.

After I told my dad I thought it was a good idea he then informed me that we had 5 pairs of stock birds (mainly Marcellis) up the garden in an old loft that Ron Dodd had left behind. Dad obtained these from Fred Skull of Hersham from someone packing up the sport, and that was that. A week or so went by and dad told me a customer of his had offered us more stock birds and would I like to go and get them. Little did I know the friendship I was about to make would not only give us some good birds, but with his help I would get my first taste of winning races. The man in question was Wally Cable of Northchapel.

Wally started us off with 5 pairs of Van Den Bosche stock to breed from and plenty of youngbirds to supplement our first team. One of the best birds he gave me was a Meuleman cock which not only won races but bred winners too. I retired him to stock at 3 years old as he is breeding more good pigeons than he can win races, and if I lose him that's it. He usually gets cards in the eyesign shows aswell. In 2003 wally bred me a half sister to this meuleman to win 2 firsts this year, one of them 1st Club, 2nd Fed and 7th SMT Combine Fougeres. Another very special cock he bred me was a van reet cock from Dean Pallett lines which has not only won on the road but also breeds winners. One of this cocks sons this year was 9th Open BICC Alencon 3000+birds and 12th Open BICC Saran 2700birds+. Another son from him (yearling) this year picked up 8 cards , 2 of them being 1st. Incidentally his nest mate also picked up a red card this year.

Every year wally and I swap birds of our best, and as you can see by these he never holds back with what he gives me. He also gave me lots of advice on feeding and care etc when  I started but it didn't stop there. When racing commenced the 1st race came and went, I was full of excitement and anticipation then I went to the club to find I was miles behind. Back to the drawing board for next week. Another race gone and probably looking like needing help now. Wally to the rescue - with some tips on feed training and preparation (BINGO!!!!) my first win. That felt magic. Anyway Wally who was leading the YB averages suddenly found himself beaten to them on the last race by his new novice friend. Success in the first season , well that's it keen as mustard now. For this I say Thanks to Wally as I didn't look back after this. If more novices got help like I did when I started I am sure we could attract more to the sport.

I also got some good cannon birds from Les Swann of Reigate one of which turned out to be Megan's Lad the cock I clocked from the NFC Pau 2005, my most memorable moment to date.The feeling I got when that cock bird swung round the loft at 20.45pm after flying 15+hours was amazing. The original Marcellis we got from Fred Skull are still in the stock loft and have bred numerous prize winners, the best one being Chloe's girl a winner on the road and in the show pen. She herself now resides in the stock loft again retired at 3 years old to continue breeding future winners.

The other major additions were from a fancier packing up called Keith Edwards who had some Van Berkels that he had paid some serious money for from places like Ponderosa. These have bred me some marvellous pigeons with results like 15th SW Sect, 35th Open London and Southeast Classic Club Pau and 300th Open NFC Pau to name a couple. With additions from friends like the 3 times London and Southeast Classic winner Ray Hammond,  Paul Bridgewater the 1961 Nantes National Flying Club winner and select birds from places like Louella Pigeon world. I am not trying to hang on to strain names or keeping so called pure lines, but trying to create a loft full of birds that can fly 50 - 600miles.

I like to race birds well before being put to stock but once I find one that does breed good ones it comes off the road straight away. I don't believe you should rely on good racers but always be looking to breed the next good one. I have heard it said many times from some of the top fanciers in interviews and I really do agree with the statement that Racing is Silver but Breeding is Gold.

Another good friend I have made since joining the sport is Micheal Tuck from Witley. He is in my mind one of the finest small team channel flyers I know and has some superb results over the water with what can only be described as simple pigeon racing. Mick flies Natural only with a team of about 14 pairs, and his main goal each season is the National Flying Club Pau. 

In 2004 mick was 9th Open Pau with his 8 year old Cannon hen clocking her on the day, but due to him being completely over the moon at clocking her (as you would) he never checked the loft again. Mick had the clock read and by the time he got in it was dark, on checking the loft at 5.00am he found his first arrivals daughter asleep on the loft next to a load of droppings. So from that it was pretty clear that he had 2 of his 3 entries on the day.

Then in 2005 mick clocked this same hen on the day of liberation aswell as her sister to take 41st Open and 102nd Open NFC Tarbes, again 2 out of 3 entries sent clocked.

Mick and I regularly train together off Hayling Island on sunday mornings for the channel racers, which after quizzing him on how he is preparing for the next race and thoroughly going through each others birds this can take a blooming long time I can tell you. Since I have started though he has given me plenty of sound advice on training and feeding for the long events, and if things are not going quite right he is a great sounding board on the phone. Just ask our two wives, as we spend far too much time on the phone to each other apparently. Mick is also a dab hand with a needle and thread, not sure where he picked that up but if you ever have a sick bird with broken limbs or wounds etc he is the man to see.

My biggest ambition is to win the Pau National and I admire those that have won it or that are up there year in year out. The likes of John Puddyphatt, Jimmy Shepperd, John and Rose Wills, Gary Inkley, Mark Gilbert and J Nicholson and sons. Too be honest there are too many to list but I want to be on that list eventually.

Well thats it from me - I hope you enjoy my website!!