lst Bernie Harris (Para) SA 0112967

(SAHPA Bird of the Year)

The win of Welshman Bernie Harris with his champion blue bar hen in this race is a testimony to the uncertainty of pigeons racing. Many flyers spend thousands of dollars on stock and meticulously plan their matings, hoping for that special bird.

Nothing of the sort with Bernie. His little racing machine was bred on the loft floor and had to survive scalping by territorial cock birds, a fact that is still evident today with feathers growing skew whiff on her head.

More about SA. O l 12967 in a moment but lets learn a little about Bernie. Born 75 years ago in South Wales, he got his early pigeon education in partnership with his brother. He doesn't remember a lot about those early days expect that to get food for your pigeon you had to breed eight squeakers a year for the Army in return for a packet of peas and maize.

Bernie came to Australia straight after the war and settled in Murray Bridge where he raced for some years. Circumstances saw him leave the sport for while and he concentrated on riding endurance horses. When he became too old and sore to ride on, he seized he chanced to race pigeons from his address at Willaston where he says he is first drop.

His little star was bred from a cock purchased him as a youngster from Stan Fergurson of Smuts and Van Loon breeding. It's dam was a Goodger hen from stock bought from Ron Hall, of Gawler.

Bernie first recognized his hen's worth when she won Parachilna at the age of 13 weeks (she wears and old ring). This prompted Bernie to send her to the Farina 3 birder where she landed with a loftmate. Bernie's clock was out of paper so he clocked only the one, otherwise he might have been first and second Association. It doesn't end there. Bernie sent her back to The Twins where she finished 5th SAHPA to clinch the Bird of the Year title. Back again she went to Coober Pedy in search of the Vin Blanden trophy and she was first home again, only this time missed the SAHPA result.

At Bernie's age there's not much point holding back, so the blue bar will race on in 2004.

Perhaps a key to her success is her affection for Bernie. She flies to him whenever she sees him and now looks for him instead of a trap.