Watching the Sport Die?
Change the
Channel!
by Steve Lawler, AU Past President
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| Steve Lawler |
The Grange
Hall meeting room in extreme NW Washington was filled with parents, tweeners,
and teenagers busily setting-up wire cages and filling them up, while others
carried in box after box of drawing prizes and bags and boxes overflowing with
brunch snacks and proper lunch fixin’s. Even though the sun shone brightly
outside on this fine Spring morning, it was no match for the brilliant
enthusiasm exhibited in that hall.
Quicker than
you can say “Jack Robinson,” several youngsters, stationed at two tables, were
being quizzed by two young judges and were providing detailed and impressive
facts in response to some difficult questions. Parents sat up close and hung on
every word that these bright young people expounded. Their poise and subject knowledge
were impressive.
Immediately
afterward, five of the older members made quality presentations accompanied by informative
charts, sharp photos and precise powerpoints.
Who are these
guys?
What is so exciting indoors to keep Northwesterners
INSIDE on a SUNNY day?
They are the
Thunderbirds and SkyPilots of greater Whatcom County and King and Snohomish
counties in western Washington.…they like homing pigeons and they are our
future. AND, they haven’t heard the Pigeon Little cry that “the sky is
falling” from the older generation of pigeon flyers. These youngsters are NOT holding
on for dear life to a dying sport…..dying shmying! That outlook is reserved for
those unwilling to make positive changes and go forth to share the joy and
excitement this hobby brings. They are PROOF POSITIVE that young people are
indeed interested in animals, in general, and pigeons, in particular. They live
in every town, city, county, and state of the country.
Thanks to
the tireless efforts of Jerry and Evelyn Guilmette of Bellingham and Herb
Cartmell of Woodinville, WA and their respective county agents, the 4-H / AU
Junior Flyer program is growing so fast that bigger facilities and more and
more babies are needed to fill the demand of these young flyers eager to
compete with the locals at their own game.
Compare
that exciting scenario to the status of decline in most pigeon clubs around the
area, and in many areas of the country, and the logical conclusion is????
As soon as
the presentations finished, we were off to a scrumdilicious lunch with all the trimmings (procured by Marty
Sullivan) and some bad-boy cupcakes (from Mrs. Strand) for dessert. All part of
the club fundraiser and included in the small price of admission and ably
collected by Evelyn Guilmette and Marlene Cartmell at the front table.
Up next was
a very informative powerpoint presentation by Herb Cartmell on Loft
Construction with some accompanying great pictures Herb’s taken over the years
while serving on the national AU Board.
The absolute
highlight of the event, however, was “blue ticket” drawing: All day long
the 20 or so young fanciers in attendance (please note that this was an all day
Saturday event and many had to schedule around soccer matches, dance recitals,
and baseball games, etc.) had been scoping-out the over 50 squeakers housed in
the show cages. Everyone had their favorites and back-ups listed and were
poised to spring into action as soon as their number was drawn. The drama was
intense as first one baby, and then another found a spot in the dozen or so
crates spread out behind the anxious juniors. The groans were audible as favorites
were selected by “luckier” ticket-holders. Blacks and whites and grizzles and
reds and splashes went first, leaving most of the checks and plain old blue
bars for the final rounds. A check of the race sheets later this year will show
the real value of those later rounds.
By the time
the dust cleared, every junior in the room had 3-4 youngsters to take home for
settling. Chances were that many of those babies would spend at least the first
night in the bedroom!
A big thanks goes out to Dave and Samantha (Sam), Breann, and Cheyenne Long of Spirit Lake, ID and the L and L Breeding Station for supplying the biggest draft of 33 babies brought clear across the state for distribution to the members of the Thunderbirds and SkyPilots. The Long’s are interested in forming a junior club (with AU dues paying parents and AU dues paying mentors) in their north Idaho - Stateline, WA area. A big effort was made to travel all the way to Lynden, WA to see these two growing groups in action.
Sam made the
trip over (father Dave and sisters, Breann and Cheyenne, were in New Orleans
that weekend) escorting the babies and caring for them until they found their
new homes. She also made a couple of donations to the junior club treasuries by
buying the breeding pair donated by Thunderbird leader, Jerry Guilmette, and
one of the pedigreed YB’s donated by Concourse President, Ski Grabanski. Sam
hopes to raise winners out of this new stock.
Thanks also
need to go to Ski and Eileen Grabanski, who made the trip from the Greater
Seattle area, bringing a basketful of babies for the juniors. Ron Pate of the
Pahrump Breeding Station also sent along a big Express Mail box of babies for
distribution. Ron has been supporting this SkyPilot junior club program with babies
from the very beginning. And, thanks to Thunderbird leader, Jerry Guilmette,
for donating some youngsters.
The
wonderful day ended with a “yellow ticket” drawing of donated items from pigeon
supplies from Siegel’s, Jedd’s and Tradewinds Feed to jars of honey to a pair
of pigeon bookends from the legend, Elwin Anderson’s collection.
Bottomline,
of course, is that growth and renewed enthusiasm is contagious. Doing something
positive is always better than whining and complaining about the status quo and
condemning those who are willing to step out, re-invest in the sport and make a
difference. If you find yourself on the wrong side of this equation, please get
out of the way and allow good things to happen in your club and in the sport.
- Steve Lawler
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| Another photo album by Smilebox |
