Merv Hatch - Folding His Wings after 62 Years

Merv Hatch will be auctioning his stock birds, his race birds and all hampers etc including his loft on 17 August 2007 at the SAHPA headquarters, Baulderstone Rd Gepps Cross SA.

Merv has been racing pigeons since he was de-mobbed from the Army in 1946 and is now in his 89^th year. Pigeons have been his passion since before WW2, and still are today.

He has been a very successful flyer in Adelaide and in the Adelaide Hills where he has flown racing pigeons since 1980. His career performance highlights include winning four SAHPA Young Bird Derbies and another 10 SAHPA races. In 2007 he flew the Warracknabeal SAD and recorded his 14^th SAHPA race win. His other Adelaide Hills SAD wins include two from Maryborough and one from Little Topar.

The Palmer Busschaert’s, the Rob Wilson Busschaert’s, and Dordin’s from Ray McDonald of Pt Augusta make up the backbone of Merv’s loft, but Merv also has some Rob Wilson Delbar’s. He still has four SAHPA winners in his loft – Rob Wilson’s Marla winner (Merv bred the bird), the Hay winner, the Maryborough winner and the 2007 Warracknabeal winner. The Warracknabeal hen was bred from the Marla hen.

Since living in the Adelaide Hills he has gained 7th and 26th SAHPA Aggregate points, won 8 SAHPA races, and been placed 34 times.

Merv was intending to fly the 2008 season, but has succumbed to illness and has reluctantly decided he must give up his lifelong passion.

Merv offers the birds for sale with his best wishes and hopes the new owners reap the satisfaction and rewards Merv has enjoyed in past years.

Catalogues available from: www.sahpa.asn.au OR www.pigeonjournal.com

Also available from Merv Hatch (08) 8536 2638 OR David Walker (08) 8391 6882

Merv Hatch in 2008

25932 SA06 BCH – Warracknabeal 2007 SAD winner – Daughter of 1st SAHPA Marla