NARPC - Dr Colin Walker

The 30th Dixie Southern RPA Anniversary's very special guest speakers,

Dr Colin Walker and Ed Minvielle

Hosted by North Atlanta RPC - October 25, 26 and 27, 2012 at: Embassy Suites Atlanta - Kennesaw Town Center, Kennesaw, GA

Dr Colin Walker was born in 1954 in Melbourne, Australia. He started racing pigeons in 1969 and graduated as a veterinary surgeon in 1979. Through post graduate examination he became a college accredited avian veterinarian in 2003. He operates a bird-only veterinary clinic in the Melbourne municipality of Knox. As well as being an active pigeon racer for over 30 years he also maintains 54 aviaries containing an extensive collection of Australian nature parrots, finches and doves. He races with the local Knox club, affiliated with the Victorian Homing Association, which has approximately 400 members.
	Over the last 10 years, Colin has placed more and more emphasis on obtaining high positions in the Association's distance races. He has won the Association's championship twice (1985, 1995) and has been runner up twice (1990, 1991). He has won a total of 13 open Association races, with between 2000 and 10,000 birds competing. In 1995, he had birds placed in the top 30 in all but two of the Association's Old Bird races and, in fact, had he clocked one more bird in the Association's last five longest races, then fully 10% of all birds placed in the top 30 would have been his. That year, in the Association's 500-mile race, 30 birds homed on the day (all after sunset) out of 2500 sent, with Colin clocking two at 8.10 pm (14 hours 10 minutes on the wing) and a third at 8:12 p.m. to be 18th, 19th and 20th Federation. The next week in the 600-mile race, he was 3rd, 8th and 11th Federation, with approximately 1500 birds competing. In 1992, he was 1st Federation 400 miles (2856 birds), 1st Federation 500 miles (3444 birds), 1st Federation 600 miles (2634 birds), and 4th Federation 700 miles (2090 birds), a result never achieved before in the history of the Victorian Homing Association.
Dr Colin Walker
He is the current holder of the record for the largest number of Association positions (bird placed in top 30) ever gained by a single member in one year (24 positions in 1991). His loft is one of only two in any Victorian federation to have won more than one Open National, winning the 1990 600 miles Collarenebri National (5342 birds) and the 1992 400 miles Langwell National (9300 birds). In the 1992 Langwell National, three birds arrived together to win and the velocity of his sixth bird was equal to the bird that gained 23rd National. In the 1992 VHA 600-mile race (approx. 2000 birds competing), he clocked the Federation winner at 7:36 p.m. (13 hours 6 minutes on the wing), his second bird at 7:51 p.m. (to gain 9th Federation), with further birds arriving at 8:20, 8:30 and 10:45 p.m., to record a total of five on the day when less than a third of competing members were able to produce a clock. In the 1992 700-mile race (approx. 2000 birds competing), he 4th and 20th Federation, and had a further five birds within 2 hours of clocking, with a total of nine on the winning day (34 sent). In the 1991 700-mile race, he was 7th Federation (clocking the only cock in the first 40 birds home) and also had nine on the winning day (23 sent). In 1998 and 1999, the birds continued on their winning way with the loft again having birds placed in the Association's top 30 in the 500-, 600- and 700-mile races. The active competition of racing has lost none of its excitement for Colin, which, together with the fact that much of his professional time is now spent dealing with pigeons, places him in an ideal position to help fanciers with health problems associated with their birds. Similarly his veterinary knowledge and personal experience in caring for his own birds as an aviculturalist enable him to offer veterinary advice from an aviculturalist perceptive to his other avian clients. Dr Walker has established two companies, The Australian Pigeon Company and Aussie Bird Vet Pty Ltd which manufacture medications and health supplements, specifically for pigeons and cage and aviary birds respectively. These companies are dedicated to provide the best quality veterinary supplements at an affordable price to pigeon fanciers and aviculturalists. These products are now widely used in Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA and South Africa with distrubution to further countries a plan for the future. It is hoped that bird keepers find these products of value in managing their birds health.

Ed Minvielle writes: About all I can say on this is that Colin Walker is one of the very few pigeon veterinarians in the world that has taken extra curricula hours specific to pigeons. In other words he has an advanced degree above what a normal pigeon veterinarian would have. Thus, he is extraordinarily advanced in his field and because he is a practicing vet, he has an intimate knowledge of current pigeon diseases as he deals with them on a daily basis. He is also one of the very few pigeon vets who actually races pigeons himself, and Colin doesn't just compete, he wins. Because of this he has a very unique perspective on our sport. He KNOWS HOW TO WIN. He is extremely well versed in products, as he has developed his own line of pigeon supplements and medications. So, he knows how to medicate and supplement to bring about top condition, but he also knows how to keep the birds in such top condition with prevention, something we never can never know enough about. Colin competes in huge competition, with up to 5,000 birds in some races. He competes in long distance events, up to 700 miles quite regularly, something not many American fanciers ever do.
Ed Minvielle and Dr Colin Walker
He's a true pigeon fancier. He has extremely good birds as well. He knows how to select them, and he knows how to breed them, and he is owner of some of the finest, most proven Janssen pigeons anywhere in the world. In my opinion, he is one of, if not THE foremost authority on racing pigeons in the world today. About myself. I've owned and operated the Charles Siegel Company for 21 years now. In that period I have taken it upon myself to become knowledgeable in all aspects of our sport, from the medications, supplements and loft products, to the Benzing clocking systems that we sell. I've spent countless hours studying diseases, medications, and supplements and many more hours studying the electronic clocking systems. I also have developed several products for our sport. That, in itself, is a huge undertaking and great learning experience, with months of research involved. These products are proving themselves in the field, weathering the test of time, so I know that the hard work is paying off with outstanding products for my customers, the everyday fancier. Racing pigeons have been my passion since I was 5 years old and I am still today an avid fancier, having participated in this sport first as a child with my uncle and grandfather, and now on my own for almost 50 years. I've traveled the world on behalf of my company, been to Europe at least 22 times, and have visited and count as friend some of the world's most famous fanciers and handled some of the world's most famous and influential pigeons. I now have many friends in the sport all over the world, including places like China, Japan, Taiwan, and many other countries around the globe. I advise fanciers on how to race and breed their birds every year, from every state in the United States, to many foreign countries. In a huge majority of the cases, the feedback I get on my advice is very positive. I am proud to know that I've helped fanciers in Belgium win 1st Provincial races, fanciers in England win Gold Cup events, and even been fortunate to enough to advise the ruling leader of Dubai on his birds.

Ed Minvielle writes: About all I can say on this is that Colin Walker is one of the very few pigeon veterinarians in the world that has taken extra curricula hours specific to pigeons. In other words he has an advanced degree above what a normal pigeon veterinarian would have. Thus, he is extraordinarily advanced in his field and because he is a practicing vet, he has an intimate knowledge of current pigeon diseases as he deals with them on a daily basis. He is also one of the very few pigeon vets who actually races pigeons himself, and Colin doesn't just compete, he wins. Because of this he has a very unique perspective on our sport. He KNOWS HOW TO WIN. He is extremely well versed in products, as he has developed his own line of pigeon supplements and medications. So, he knows how to medicate and supplement to bring about top condition, but he also knows how to keep the birds in such top condition with prevention, something we never can never know enough about. Colin competes in huge competition, with up to 5,000 birds in some races. He competes in long distance events, up to 700 miles quite regularly, something not many American fanciers ever do.

Ed Minvielle and Dr Colin Walker

He's a true pigeon fancier. He has extremely good birds as well. He knows how to select them, and he knows how to breed them, and he is owner of some of the finest, most proven Janssen pigeons anywhere in the world. In my opinion, he is one of, if not THE foremost authority on racing pigeons in the world today.

About myself. I've owned and operated the Charles Siegel Company for 21 years now. In that period I have taken it upon myself to become knowledgeable in all aspects of our sport, from the medications, supplements and loft products, to the Benzing clocking systems that we sell. I've spent countless hours studying diseases, medications, and supplements and many more hours studying the electronic clocking systems. I also have developed several products for our sport. That, in itself, is a huge undertaking and great learning experience, with months of research involved. These products are proving themselves in the field, weathering the test of time, so I know that the hard work is paying off with outstanding products for my customers, the everyday fancier. Racing pigeons have been my passion since I was 5 years old and I am still today an avid fancier, having participated in this sport first as a child with my uncle and grandfather, and now on my own for almost 50 years. I've traveled the world on behalf of my company, been to Europe at least 22 times, and have visited and count as friend some of the world's most famous fanciers and handled some of the world's most famous and influential pigeons. I now have many friends in the sport all over the world, including places like China, Japan, Taiwan, and many other countries around the globe. I advise fanciers on how to race and breed their birds every year, from every state in the United States, to many foreign countries. In a huge majority of the cases, the feedback I get on my advice is very positive. I am proud to know that I've helped fanciers in Belgium win 1st Provincial races, fanciers in England win Gold Cup events, and even been fortunate to enough to advise the ruling leader of Dubai on his birds.

	My "true" passion and "hobby" is the formation of several high class families of racing birds. I studied genetics in college and have been applying that knowledge to the supreme challenge of creating top class families of birds. This has been a work in progress for over 30 years and now my results are getting better with each successive generation. I am now in my 6th and 7th generation with some of these families and the results are encouraging. A recent result of my efforts can be seen from this past young bird season when my "A" banded birds took 5 of the top 20 IF Hall of Fame awards. "A" banded birds also won 2nd and 11th best overall champion birds in the highly competitive Gulf Coast Club, in Springhill, Florida, largest club in America. "A" banded birds and their children also produced top champion birds in the Greater New Orleans Combine and numerous other smaller clubs and combines around the country in 2011. We have an enviable futurity record, which we continue to improve upon each year. In 2010, Colin Walker and I entered two youngsters in the World Ace Challenge which is one of the largest and most prestigious average speed futurities in the country.
Ed Minvielle
I bred the birds in Louisiana, pairing a Janssen hen from Colin to one of my top breeder cocks. I like this event because the award is comprised of an average of 6 different races, 150mi, 200mi, 250mi, 300mi, 350mi, and 400 mi. The birds must fly this 1650 mile event in less than one month, and it is contested in December and January, so it is truly a challenging event, as the days are short, and the weather can be unforgiving. After the 350 mile race last year both of our entries were in the top 10 bird averages from an event with over 600 original entries. After the final 400 we finished the series with the 3rd overall and 2nd place in the $1,000 loft category, taking home almost $20,000. Our bird sold at auction afterward for $3600.00. Several of the families I have been developing have recently won top awards like this, and some of them on the world's biggest stages, such as in the Million Dollar Race in Sun City, South Africa. Within the past 6 years "A" banded birds have been responsible for a 1st Overall, 8th Overall, and two other top 10 finishes. We know that the best of the best in the entire world send their birds to this event, so it is a huge honor to have such success in such a prestigious event. One of our "A" banded birds bred the 1st place winner in the Gulf Coast Classic in 2009, and that bird has gone on to breed the best overall average speed bird in the Canadian International Challenge One Loft race. We had another of our birds breed 3rd in the Plymouth Peak Pro Challenge 300 mile race just this past season. I have stacks of letters from fanciers across the country who have won and are continuing to win with my birds all across the mainland, and in Hawaii and Puerto Rico as well, so I take great pride in the breeding of these families and work very hard at it. As a member of the AU Speakers Board, I have often given seminars on my breeding program but I also give seminars on health, clocking systems, racing systems and feeds and feeding.

My "true" passion and "hobby" is the formation of several high class families of racing birds. I studied genetics in college and have been applying that knowledge to the supreme challenge of creating top class families of birds. This has been a work in progress for over 30 years and now my results are getting better with each successive generation. I am now in my 6th and 7th generation with some of these families and the results are encouraging. A recent result of my efforts can be seen from this past young bird season when my "A" banded birds took 5 of the top 20 IF Hall of Fame awards. "A" banded birds also won 2nd and 11th best overall champion birds in the highly competitive Gulf Coast Club, in Springhill, Florida, largest club in America. "A" banded birds and their children also produced top champion birds in the Greater New Orleans Combine and numerous other smaller clubs and combines around the country in 2011. We have an enviable futurity record, which we continue to improve upon each year. In 2010, Colin Walker and I entered two youngsters in the World Ace Challenge which is one of the largest and most prestigious average speed futurities in the country.

Ed Minvielle

I bred the birds in Louisiana, pairing a Janssen hen from Colin to one of my top breeder cocks. I like this event because the award is comprised of an average of 6 different races, 150mi, 200mi, 250mi, 300mi, 350mi, and 400 mi. The birds must fly this 1650 mile event in less than one month, and it is contested in December and January, so it is truly a challenging event, as the days are short, and the weather can be unforgiving. After the 350 mile race last year both of our entries were in the top 10 bird averages from an event with over 600 original entries. After the final 400 we finished the series with the 3rd overall and 2nd place in the $1,000 loft category, taking home almost $20,000. Our bird sold at auction afterward for $3600.00. Several of the families I have been developing have recently won top awards like this, and some of them on the world's biggest stages, such as in the Million Dollar Race in Sun City, South Africa. Within the past 6 years "A" banded birds have been responsible for a 1st Overall, 8th Overall, and two other top 10 finishes. We know that the best of the best in the entire world send their birds to this event, so it is a huge honor to have such success in such a prestigious event. One of our "A" banded birds bred the 1st place winner in the Gulf Coast Classic in 2009, and that bird has gone on to breed the best overall average speed bird in the Canadian International Challenge One Loft race. We had another of our birds breed 3rd in the Plymouth Peak Pro Challenge 300 mile race just this past season. I have stacks of letters from fanciers across the country who have won and are continuing to win with my birds all across the mainland, and in Hawaii and Puerto Rico as well, so I take great pride in the breeding of these families and work very hard at it. As a member of the AU Speakers Board, I have often given seminars on my breeding program but I also give seminars on health, clocking systems, racing systems and feeds and feeding.

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