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- Master Breeder of Winning Pigeons
- Martyn & Jayne
- Martyn’s pigeon loft
- Inside the pigeon loft
- Martyn with young birds
- National winner
Master Breeder of Winning Pigeons
Martyn Mitchell is well known to the pigeon world in the United Kingdom, and more recently in Belgium. He has, over the years, gained respect throughout the world as one of the top breeders and selectors of racing pigeons. He is particularly respected in the hotbed of racing in Belgium by some of the top racing men of the world. Having won prize after prize at National level in the United Kingdom, he has since 2004 raced in Belgium, and has so far had fantastic results in the Regional, Provincial and National races.
For those who are unaware of his background in pigeon racing, he started in pigeon racing more than 35 years ago, and his success is well recorded from the winner of 3 x Queen's Cup from Lerwick in the 1970s (800 km including 300 km over water) to his phenomenal results in short and middle distance flying in the 1980s - in most seasons during that period winning over 50 x 1st prizes per year. His Janssen-based family during that period was quite remarkable, not only for himself, but also for others, winning up to National level. His young bird results were quite extraordinary. He started flying on the Darkness System some 20 years ago.
He has always been noted as not only a fancier who has great experience in breeding and racing, but also one who is seen as being well in front of his time. In the 1990s he moved his attentions solely to long distance racing and continued his amazing success by the formation of the now world ¬renowned 'Targa' family. The success which this family has had in such a short space of time in 800 km plus racing is well recorded, and it is well deserved that his pigeon 'Targa Classique' was honoured with the category of Best Long Distance Pigeon in the United Kingdom at the age of three in 1996 by the Royal Pigeon Racing Association, also winning 1st Ace Pigeon Northern Classic and Queen's Coronation Cup for 1st Long Distance Ace Pigeon UK.
In 1997, after a history of some of the most acclaimed results in his area, Martyn and his partner, Jayne, who is also involved in the managing of the pigeons, decided that they wished to build new housing for the breeding birds, as they had many new ideas which they had developed for the racing and breeding of the pigeons. I must say that this seemed quite surprising to others as they had already bred over 100 1st National, Classic, Amalgamations, and Open winners. Their ideas though were not compatible with the house in which they lived, both for weather conditions and climate, and would have required extensive demolition of existing buildings to restart their vision. They therefore decided to move to a property where they could build the housing for the pigeons completely from scratch. They decided to moved to a village in the North East of England, and to concentrate solely on National racing, at middle and long distance.
Martyn & Jayne
The loft which they built was a loft which fanciers may only dream about, but which Martyn always promoted in the hope that some of the ideas and innovations may be taken up by even the smallest fancier.
Martyn’s pigeon loft
Of course having moved some 50 km from his old home, Martyn had to start again with the pigeons – and raced a successful first year in 1997 with young birds. He raced from that loft for the next six years, during which time his results were astounding, competing only at National level. From 1997 to 2003 he raced and won prize after prize and, in addition, bred young birds for racing by other fanciers within the United Kingdom resulting in a truly amazing achievement – 10 x winners of 1st National, 6 x winners of 1st Semi-National, 40 x winners of 1st Provincial, 130 x in the top 100 National and Semi-National, 180 x in the top 10 Provincial.
It would be true to say that Martyn began to feel that he had achieved as much as he could in pigeon racing in England. He had been a regular visitor to Belgium for some 30 years prior, and had formed strong friendships in that time, so much so that he started racing pigeons in Belgium in 2004.
Inside the pigeon loft
In addition to the Belgium Sport of Racing Pigeons, of course, there is the lifestyle. Another great love of Martyn’s is traveling, including visiting what are considered as some of the most exclusive restaurants in the world. As a “young” entrepreneur in his twenties, he would travel the world for business, and would always make time to savour the delights at whichever destination he found himself. The Belgians must be considered the best in the world for their culinary skills – boasting some of the best restaurants in the world. This was another important factor in Martyn and Jayne’s decision to set up in Belgium.
The Belgian pigeon fanciers are wondering at this time whether Martyn Mitchell is going to be “the fear of West-Flanders pigeon fanciers”. Martyn has “nestled” himself especially in Belgium with one goal - reaching the top. He is friendly and modest, but he certainly has ambition and, according to his friends who he has made in the region, it will not take long before he makes a noise in the world in the country’s national distance flights. Although Martyn doesn’t want to make comment about himself, other fanciers are already saying it.
Martyn with young birds
After just 2 years, Martyn has proved himself to be a major competitor within the Belgian Pigeon Sport, competing in the first year with just young birds and entering only 6 National and Provincial races, he won 5 x 1st Regional; 2nd Provincial Bourges 6,298 birds; 4th Provincial Vichy 1,658 birds; 5th Provincial Blois 7,485 birds;10th Provincial Blois 6,973 birds; 11th Provincial Argenton 2,637 birds; 18th Provincial La Souterraine 1,926 birds. This was a fantastic start.
National winner
Success has followed him this year also, with a team of yearling cocks and hens, he scored 25 times in the top 10 Regional, together with one of the most impressive Yearling Provincial records including 4th Provincial Tours 3,079 birds; 7th Provincial Bourges 2,043 birds; 11th Provincial Argenton 2,226 birds; 20th Provincial Chateauroux 7,206 birds; 36th Provincial Argenton 5,458 birds. Forever refreshing and investing in new stock, Martyn continued in his quest to succeed in becoming one of the champion pigeon flyers in Belgium, and again had a superb year of racing in 2006, winning 19 x Top 10 Regional, 6 x Top 10 Provincial, 5 x Top 10 Inter Provincial, 3 x Top 10 National Z, 3 x Top 10 National. This included 1st & 3rd Provincial Brive 1,479 birds and 2nd & 8th National Brive 9,466 birds; 1st Regional, 2nd Provincial, 3rd National Z, 4th National Souillac 6,475 birds.
With his still relatively new team of racers, the oldest being only 3 years old, the loft went from strength to strength in 2007, scoring 18 x 1st Regional, 3 x 1st Provincial, 2 x 1st Inter Provincial, 1st National Z, and 3rd National; 93 x Top 10 Regional, 15 x Top 10 Provincial, 8 x Top 10 Inter Provincial.
The stars of the year were “GOTCHA” 1st Regional, 1st Provincial, 2nd Inter Provincial Bourges; and “REVO” 1st Regional, 1st Provincial, 1st Inter Provincial, 1st National Z, 3rd National Argenton 5,001 birds; and two weeks later won 1st Regional, 1st Provincial, 1st Inter Provincial, 2nd National Z La Souterraine.
Ask Martyn if he is happy living and racing in Belgium, and the answer is a resounding YES! In his own words, “West Flanders is the Mecca of the pigeon sport in Belgium”. At his luxury loft in Belgium, he can boast of descendants from countless 1st National winners, and Ace Pigeons, all of which he intends to test to the utmost, with the sole ambition – of winning a Belgium National. We will have to wait and see!