The Doncaster Show
(Internet Published) Dec 2000
A two day event, first weekend each December. The 21 mile trip from
Sheffield seems to be a yearly pilgrimage. A vast number of show pigeons are
on display. Everything seems to be there except for the true flyers.
There are no classes for actual flying Tipplers, actual flying Rollers or
actual racing pigeons, although the show counterparts are present.
For this reason, I have little interest in this show except to meet a few
people, either by arrangement or chance.
This year I met 3 men from Sheffield who were prominent with flying
Tipplers, who attended the show for no other reason but to meet somebody.
The conversation with the three men was essentially frivolous and cheerful,
but a few sentences where worthy of note.
The senior of the three stated that he would never give a defaulting Tippler
a second chance. For example, one of a kit cuts out and drops without
clearance to do so. One of the kit fails to drop within bounds and spends
the night outside. Said he, "It is no use giving such as these a second
chance, because they will certainly do the same again.
Furthermore, it is not fair on the referee who has been good enough to
attend and yet have his valuable time wasted." Neither I nor the other two
companions had any argument.
Later and by previous arrangement I met two very fine people from
Pembrokeshire, Wales. A young lady of Austrian origin who speaks perfect
English and a young man of Lancashire origin. Both are intensely interested
in pigeons and certainly know what they are doing. The long conversation,
sitting comfortably with some coffee, was wide ranging and very informative,
They are not show people, neither are they yet involved with high flying,
but I think that soon they will become high flying people. The young lady
has done some good work for me interpreting some letters from the German
Tippler bulletin which is called 'Rundblick'. She says that she will help me
out with future letters, so we all may get to see something interesting,
because I know that the Germans and the Dutch have much to offer. The Dutch
Tippler fanciers communicate very well with the Germans so the links are
there.