| WFC MEMBER |
| Dave Gazaway |
1864 N 2060 W
LEHI, UT 84043
PHONE: 801-768-0903
E-MAIL: dkdgaz@aol.com
Website : www.gazawaylofts.net
LEHI, UT 84043
PHONE: 801-768-0903
E-MAIL: dkdgaz@aol.com
Website : www.gazawaylofts.net
One of the most common questions I get from people who have seen my pigeons ask "How
did you get started in pigeons?" Well....like most of us who now raise them, I answer.
"I've had them ever since I was a little kid."
So here is my story (in a nut shell) and it may have alot of similarities to yours!
I have always enjoyed birds. I had caged parakeets growing up and a pet duck. But I
could do without the noise and biting associated with both birds.
It was in the 5th grade when I met a kid through a mutual friend who had roller pigeons.
He told me they didn't bite, they weren't very loud and he could let them out to fly and
they would come back! "Holy Crap" I thought! That would be awesome! So...More sooner
than later I went to his house to see them fly and that was it! The pigeon bug was born!
Like a bad case of winged chicken pox it spread quickly from a pair of $3 dollar "mutts" in
an old rabbit hutch to a 12x8 walk in loft all within one summers time! (thanks to the sell
of my Walter Payton rookie card)
I started with a few rollers then found a local breeder who had helmets. So I got some
of those. Soon after, I found and had to have every breed I could get my hands on! Back
then it seemed every backyard had pigeons and you could buy them for $5 each. So why
not right?!
Well, I started raising racing pigeons and slowly wound down to just them and a few pet
birds. I wanted to race but never had the time or money (or was it girls that distracted
me?) In any case, I eventually married and in 2000 I bought my first home and built a
loft to race from. I have been doing that ever since.
However, raising show pigeons was always in the back of my mind and after accomplishing
what I wanted with my racers, I thought it was time to start building a show loft and
getting a breed or two to begin that adventure. So in 2007 I decided on American
Fantails as a main concentration and figured I would always have a "back-up" breed.
I got my fantail start from Kyle Christensen and Greg Pola. I have since added breeders
from Lance Christensen, Ben Ferber, Amir Turkanovic, and a few others.
My first full year breeding was 2009 and I had a good start at the Nationals here in Salt
Lake City. Winning best checker out of 19 entries!
So needless to say I am deeply motivated to try even harder this year at meeting the
Fantail Breeding Standard Challenge!
I must say pigeons have done a lot for me over the years (besides pull money out of my
wallet!). I've stayed out of trouble, I stayed away from the computer games, my wife
always knows where I am and most importantly, I have met a lot of great people!
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE!!
Dave Gazaway ~ Showing' Tail Lofts
did you get started in pigeons?" Well....like most of us who now raise them, I answer.
"I've had them ever since I was a little kid."
So here is my story (in a nut shell) and it may have alot of similarities to yours!
I have always enjoyed birds. I had caged parakeets growing up and a pet duck. But I
could do without the noise and biting associated with both birds.
It was in the 5th grade when I met a kid through a mutual friend who had roller pigeons.
He told me they didn't bite, they weren't very loud and he could let them out to fly and
they would come back! "Holy Crap" I thought! That would be awesome! So...More sooner
than later I went to his house to see them fly and that was it! The pigeon bug was born!
Like a bad case of winged chicken pox it spread quickly from a pair of $3 dollar "mutts" in
an old rabbit hutch to a 12x8 walk in loft all within one summers time! (thanks to the sell
of my Walter Payton rookie card)
I started with a few rollers then found a local breeder who had helmets. So I got some
of those. Soon after, I found and had to have every breed I could get my hands on! Back
then it seemed every backyard had pigeons and you could buy them for $5 each. So why
not right?!
Well, I started raising racing pigeons and slowly wound down to just them and a few pet
birds. I wanted to race but never had the time or money (or was it girls that distracted
me?) In any case, I eventually married and in 2000 I bought my first home and built a
loft to race from. I have been doing that ever since.
However, raising show pigeons was always in the back of my mind and after accomplishing
what I wanted with my racers, I thought it was time to start building a show loft and
getting a breed or two to begin that adventure. So in 2007 I decided on American
Fantails as a main concentration and figured I would always have a "back-up" breed.
I got my fantail start from Kyle Christensen and Greg Pola. I have since added breeders
from Lance Christensen, Ben Ferber, Amir Turkanovic, and a few others.
My first full year breeding was 2009 and I had a good start at the Nationals here in Salt
Lake City. Winning best checker out of 19 entries!
So needless to say I am deeply motivated to try even harder this year at meeting the
Fantail Breeding Standard Challenge!
I must say pigeons have done a lot for me over the years (besides pull money out of my
wallet!). I've stayed out of trouble, I stayed away from the computer games, my wife
always knows where I am and most importantly, I have met a lot of great people!
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE!!
Dave Gazaway ~ Showing' Tail Lofts