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- The
Story -
Let me explain the origin of the name, "Turned Luck". My lifelong trade has been as a farrier, probably better known as a blacksmith or horseshoer. As part of my occupation I am sometimes required to hand forge specialty shoes for horses. The trade term for hand forging a shoe is "turning a shoe", because you turn the steel on your anvil to create the shoe. As we all know horseshoes are a sign of good luck, so I just combined the action and the belief to come up with name "Turned
Luck."
This actually has a little more meaning to me personally as I feel one creates their own luck and it is all in what you make of it. So I keep that in mind as I work with my animals. It is all what I make of it and I leave nothing to luck. |
- The Show Rollers -
NSRA 99 3904 Blue Check Mark Cock 1999 URCA/PRC National Champion 1999 Breeder Cup Classic Champion
My Show Roller family started in 1989 with select breeding stock from nationally recognized URCA / PRC Master Breeder George Petro. A bird each from the lofts of Master Breeders Merle "Ed" Emerson, Roger Besemer and Bob Evertson were also added as outcrosses. I have maintained and improved that stock into a National Champion producing family.
This family has produced 5 URCA/PRC National Champions and 11 Reserve National Champions, plus numerous District Champions and reserves since 1987. **This includes a hiatus from showing on any level during 2003 - 2006 due to my health. 
URC 02 P 265 Dark Tort Mark Hen 2002 URCA/PRC YB National Champion 2002 URCA/PRC/WRC District Champion 2002 Breeder Cup Classic 2nd Reserve In only 4 showings at the NSRA Breeder Cup Classic, they have also produced 2 NSRA Breeder Cup Classic winners, a Reserve Cup Classic winner and a 2nd Reserve Cup Classic winner. The Cup Classic is a futurity show limited to 10 YBs. Once a bird is placed in the top three the rest of the team is eliminated from the competition, therefore only allowing one top 3 placement per year.
I believe this is one of the top families in the country. They win for me wherever shown and when handled properly they win for others. This family has not only won all over the country, but has won under judges from all over the country. Several years ago I made the decision to only enter my family of Show Rollers in National level shows, so I my boast less wins than some but I consider them quality wins. Unfortunately for several personal reasons I decided in the spring of 2007 to give up my family of Show Rollers. The pigeon hobby has closed one chapter for me but opened up to another.
- The Racers -
My adventure into Racing Homers started in the spring of 2005 with the idea of a white dove release business. I didn't want just junk release birds so I went in search of white racers. This in turn lead me to my friend Ron Deisher owner of PDQ Racing Loft in Sandburn, IN. Ron has built his loft around the famous GFL birds of Mike Ganus. Ron and Mike are good friends and visit quite often. My friendship with Ron gave me the opportunity to purchase white grizzles down from the Golden Witten and Silver Boy lines. Well one thing lead to another. 
Birds being released for the 2004 Barcelona National While checking out an online auction in late 2006, Ron had a fabulous young cock up; "Lucky Prince". He was so athletic looking that I had to have him; even if it would take generations to breed pure whites out of him. Well that was just the beginning. I figured in order to keep the quality of my whites up I would compete with the local club in young bird races. Then later in conversation with Ron I came up with the bright idea of competing in one loft races and this idea of racing just kept building on itself. Unfortunately a career ending back injury
in 2006 forced me to make a drastic change in careers. This curtailed my racing here at home, but I continued to work on my stock loft
with a plan to send youngsters out to races. I hope to
build a family around a strong core of GFL based birds that can
successfully compete in the Young Bird One Loft and Futurity
races. And hopefully at some point also race here at home. Time will tell.
I mentioned Ron Deisher earlier; if it weren't for his devoted
friendship and endless generosity I would not have the quality
stock that I have, especially birds based around the GFL
families. I wish that everyone could find such a friend in
the sport!!!
What does a 175,00 bird release look like? This Orleans in 1995
Well the story
continues with a crazy twist. Early 2009 the doctors told me the
birds had to go. I was developing the dreaded Pigeon Breeders
Lung and it was progressing rapidly. I was heartbroken after 30+
years with birds. I had no choice so I started the mass sell
out. All my show birds went quickly. It was a bad time to sell
race birds right after the breeding season with every ones' loft
being full of young birds. I was forced to completely avoid the
birds and my children took care of all the bird chores for me.
Well as time went on I
managed to whittle down the numbers. After moving all the birds
out of my race loft and into my show loft, I only made
occasional visits to the loft - taking pictures of birds, boxing
birds for shipping, etc. After a time I realized that I was
having much less trouble with my lung condition when I visited
the loft. Actually little to no reaction at all. However I
continued to stay away as my children took care of the birds for
me. Well after months of this I came down with a pneumonia and
pleurisy. The last trip to the doctors
revealed that I had a lung infection the whole time and if
finally reared it's head with the pneumonia and pleurisy. After
two 14 day courses of extreme antibiotics and steroids my lungs were much better, almost normal.
The birds were declared innocent of the problem - by me at
least...
After much debate, my
family agreed that I could keep a few pair but at the first sign
of any lung trouble they had to go. So hopefully the trouble
began and ended with an odd lung infection. The race loft was
dismantled though prior to diagnosing the real problem. It was on the second floor
of my garage and much tighter in construction than my show loft.
My show loft is totally set up on wire floors - even the nest
boxes are set up to prevent dander build up. The only wood is
the isle way. I don't know if I will ever be able to race out of
this loft but at least for now I can keep and breed a few
racers.
Stay tuned. Hopefully my
time with pigeons is not over.......
- The
Plan -
The
plan for the future is to concentrate on the Creator and
Black Widow families, while also keeping a group of
Sure Bet and Hollywood/Hofkens
going. The main pairs will be breed in six large individual
breeding pens while the remainder will be in a ten pair
community loft. This will allow me to guarantee the parentage of
future breeders while maximizing the number off my main pairs.
My set up will also allow me to rotate those birds bred in the
individuals.
I know some will think I
am crazy using Hollywoods and Sure Bets as
"fosters" but this is the plan. Keeping the four families will
allow me options for crossing lines for racers. And as I said I
can rotate pairs from these two families into the individuals to
produce future breeders.
I don't think time or
funds will allow me to race locally for awhile. So while I
switch gears in the work environment I will be sending out to
races and partnering up with a few fellows for one loft entries.
i am always open to new partnerships so don't be afraid to
contact me.
Not a single problem
with my lungs. I have not even had a cold since the bout with
pneumonia in January. I am looking forward to 30 more years with
the birds. | 