Ken Wallace & John Doyle
 

The partnership of Scotsman en Wallace and John Doyle was in its third year when they took out the Booroorban SA Derby in 2003.

And what a super year the pair had been in 2003 figuring in the first 20 in the State.

The partnership flies in the Elizabeth Club and the sad reality is that in 2004 they wil be flying alone. The other two members are calling it quits.

Ken Wallace (any relation to Brave Heart's William Wallace?) was flying with a silent partner but his mate had to give it away due to shift work. John Doyle, backed up by his wife Sandy, likes breeding so he keeps the stock birds and provides the youngsters.

Ken Wallace flew pigeons back in Edinburgh in Scotland when the sport was popular with miners. In those days it was pigeons or greyhounds. He migrated to Australia 32 years ago and took up pigeons a few years later.

Until the derby, Ken had never won a race in the SAHPA but John Doyle has now won two.

Ken must have had the birds well in the day because he finished 1 st and 4th in the classic. In actual fact his second bird was one of two to land togeter but Johntold him not to clock the third bird. Most likely it would have finished 5th.

Training methods are simple. The birds go on Bob Chalmers' unit twice a week. Pedigree-wise, they are a mix of John's old family with Ken's John Chown pigeons. Normally they like the harder races.

The partnership says its been tough sorting out so many pigeons but now they feel they are getting a better idea of what should stay and what should go.

Expectations are continued for success in 2004.