Cockfield pigeon federation stalwart steps down after 55 years

A HOMING society federation is at a loss after losing its secretary of 55 years.
Cockfield Federation is struggling to find a replacement for formidable pigeon breeder Trevor Peairs who has called it a day after reaching his 80th birthday.
The problem now is that none of the federation’s 47 members want to take over the reins. Mr Peairs said: “To be honest, I said when I am 80 I would be too old.
“Your faculties aren’t as good as they were. I thought it best to stand aside before the new season starts. Some of them are hoping I will change my mind but having done it all these years I think I deserve a break. Nobody really wants to do these jobs these days. I’ve sent it (a notice) out for nominations but no one is interested, not a soul. Someone must take over.”
Not only is there a worry about finding a new secretary, but someone also needs to take over the running of the Cockfield Nominations, a federation competition, which Mr Peairs has been organising single-handedly.
The Butterknowle resident took up the secretary’s post at age 25 in 1961.
He said: “At that time there was a pigeon club in Butterknowle. Harry Dowson was secretary of the homing society and he taught me all there was to know about how to calculate the results. It was all worked out long hand, there were no computers then.”
While it would take as long as ten minutes to work out just one result, Mr Peairs said it is much easier now with computers working out the results for the secretary. They are also used to clock the pigeons’ times.
He added: “Now it all goes through the computer. When they come back they walk over a pad and it automatically records the time and the pigeon’s ring number. It is a vast improvement on what we had in the old days.”
Mr Peairs was introduced to pigeon racing by his father Harry who died about 30 years ago. His father’s name, however, has been carried through the years by Mr Peairs who continues to fly under the banner of H Peairs and Son.
Now that mantle is being handed over to Mr Peairs’ son Kevin, as he begins to wind down his pigeon racing activities because of health reasons. Together they run two lofts, one a set of 40 which is used for racing, and another set of 40 for breeding.
Over the years they have won the West Durham Amalgamation title on several occasions with their birds Joe's Pride, Stamina Lady and Maureen’s Star.
Mr Peairs said: “I would rate them being equal because they all won top honours.”
Over time H Peairs and Son have lost a number of birds, particularly to predators.
The 80-year-old said: “The biggest problem are hawks.
“Sparrow hawks are taking them. We've had them come down to the loft when we have been exercising the birds. We've lost a terrible lot. The sparrow hawk is a nasty bird that does no good. When a sparrow hawk kills, it doesn’t kill them right out. It nips it at the back of the neck and takes it down. Then they tear a piece of flesh away until it dies. It is a really nasty death but you daren’t shoot them or you will get jail.”
Along with struggling to find a replacement, the federation secretary worries about he future of pigeon racing as membership numbers dwindle.
He said: “Pigeon racing is a dying sport. We have 47 members, when I first took it on we had 90 odd.”