Champion handlers and breeders, Tammy Thomas and Yanil Garcia holding the 2018 Challenge Race Winner,

Number 15 AU 18 BIGM Blue Bar Cock

Speed 1727.481 rpm, 585 birds, 42 lofts.

The last three Best in Show winners have a story to tell. When I moved from California to Spring Hill, Florida in late 2015, I got back into birds after a long 8-year hiatus. My friends all helped me out and gave me some birds to start breeding with again. 

One of the friends that stepped up was Oscar DeVries from Canada. He gave me a few birds off his foundation cock, 95 PINE 5129, named Shiver, a Jansen. Oscar named the bird Shiver because he had so much vitality that his wings would literally  shiver all the time. Oscar bred him until he was 18 years old. I now have 3 direct children off of him, two 9-year-olds, a cock and hen, who are nest mates and a 10 year-old hen. I also have 21 grandchildren in my stock loft off of Shiver, this in a stock loft that ranges from 18-22 pair maximum. Some of them also shiver, a trait I certainly look for in that family.

I am lucky enough to not only have bred the last threeBest in Show winners but to also ba able to say they all belong to the same family! These three winners are all grandchildren of Shiver. Each one a direct descendant of each of the children mentiion above. More aspecifically, the 2017 and 2018 winners' lineage is a grandson of Shiver mated to a daughter of Shiver (nephew to aunt). This year's winner was a Shiver child crossed with my old family from California.

The Annual Banquet was held March 7th at R-Beach restaurant in Hernando Beach. Again this year, we had a nice turn out for an evening of good food and good friends. Awards were given to all of the 2017 OB and YB winners. Man of the Year was presented to Sal Lama, for all of his hard work and dedication to the Club.

Congratulations to Brian Baumhor, overall winner of the 2017 Young Bird Show! A really nice guy, originally from California.

The Annual Banquet was held March 22nd, at R Beach restaurant in Hernando Beach. With good food, good friends, and music by Cat Valentine, the night went by too quickly.

The second Young Bird Auction of 2017 was held on Wednesday, March 8th. There were 98 entries, and $4630 was raised. Total for the first two Auctions is 187 entries and $9,120 raised. Thanks to all the breeders and bidders who participated.
The next Young Bird Auction will be Wednesday March 29th.  Viewing from 6 - 7PM. Auction starts at 7PM.

300 Challenge Race winner was Servi Leiva, Rambo Loft, winning 1st and 2nd place. Servi came to Spring Hill from Cuba, and has been a top flyer. Congratulations to this very nice young man who works hard with the birds. The 1st place winner was bred by Juan Rodriguez, Palmetto Bay, FL. The 2nd place winner was bred by Carlos Flores, Cape Coral, FL. A more detailed article featuring winners and breeders will be published in the Racing Pigeon Digest.