David was the Ballarat East Homing Club aggregate winner in the 2002 season. His father Reg introduced him to racing pigeons around 1958 and they raced together as Reg Anwyl a son for a number of years.

David mainly has Goodger’s and Mifsud’s and keeps around 20 pairs of stock birds. He likes to have around 80 race birds each year and 75% are made up of young birds. During the breeding season he feeds peas, peas and straight peas, so he is a believer in protein feeding for the growing youngsters. In the off-season the birds get peas and wheat. He has an already established family of birds created by his uncle Stan Coad since 1958. His birds must perform in the race loft before making their way to the stock loft. He has no dominant pairs, as he values all his stock pairs as equals. He normally pairs down in September and breeds through to January taking 3 rounds from each pair.

In the racing season he mixes is own grain and doesn’t vary the mix during the season. The birds get the same for sprint, middle and distance racing. The grains used in his mix are as follows: peas, wheat, maize, milo and grey sunflower, he has used more carbohydrates this year, previously he had used 50% peas in the mix, so he discussed feeding with his uncle Stan Coad from Adelaide. His performances improved, but he kept experimenting each week always looking for the 1%’s. He put the birds back onto pea’s – Disaster! He feeds 1- 1 ¼ oz per bird and measures this each day. He also feeds twice a day, as he believes that the birds don’t over fill themselves as they would if only fed once in the mornings.

David prefers to wean his birds later rather than younger, as his birds have had time to develop. He uses a wire cage over his landing board, which he uses to train the youngsters back in through the yankee traps. His first 4 training runs are only across the town, within the city limits, just getting the birds educated to the trailer. He starts approx. 6 weeks before the first race and after the initial educational runs the birds are given 10 more from 20 miles. This is all done weather permitting, not wanting to risk birds. Once the birds are racing for the first 4 races he only tosses from Clunes and then goes on the weekly toss from Carisbrook 60 klm. This year he tried single up tosses, which he found very successful, in the quicker races these birds had the experience gained from the single tosses and broke earlier. The birds he selected for the single tosses were his special race birds, this training helped!

He trains his birds with anyone who wants to go, and once racing starts he sticks to a basic program. He likes the 2 yr olds for special limit series races where the experience of these birds is an advantage. All the birds are basically trained together, and he doesn’t have a preference for hens or cocks. David doesn’t use any motivation to race his birds, and likes to select a bird for an upcoming event, making sure it is well rested. He watched Davo's video and watches for the birds resting in the afternoon before basketing. He loft fly’s his birds once in the morning, but is not regimen as to when the birds are let out to work. He may vary some training for special events if he feels the birds need it. He selects his team each week and a pigeon maybe jumped to any distance if he feels it is right to go. E.g. his 300-mile winner was jumped from 60 mile.

During the racing season he uses Turbosule, Doxy-T, with Dr Colin Walker’s advice. He also uses citric acid to help clean the bowel. His lofts are part of his garage, closed-in for the comfort of the birds. Due to the cold environment in Ballarat, since moving the birds into the garage he hasn’t had any fungal problems since doing it and his cages are dryer. The weather in Ballarat is wet and windy for most of the year. He also has a falcon problem, just like most fanciers.

David stated, "we do not do enough for the novice, they should listen to advice and be prepared to take criticism – don’t get upset"! "We also need a national body to help co-ordinate all clubs to formulate race programs. Everybody’s off doing their own thing instead of being unified. A lot of improvement is needed and could be made in regards to transport of our pigeons".

 His performances over the past currents years are as follows:

Colac Cup Winner (300 mile)

Daylesford Opal Winner (400 mile)

4 X 2^nd in Ballarat Breeders Plate.

Ballarat East Club Aggregate in 2002.

Loft report by Barry Trewin