rollerpigeon
Site Moderator
29 posts
Feb 08, 2004
9:23 AM
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Bill Pensom is regarded by many as a Legend in the Roller sport and is said to have special abilities when it came to the Birmingham Roller.
Can you please share any stories or information you might have that would shed light on this man that has had and still has an impact on the Birmingham Roller?
Can you comment on how his contribution advanced the sport?
FLY ON! Tony Chavarria
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PIGEONBOB
3 posts
Feb 11, 2004
5:25 AM
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-Interesing question. I never met him, but in 1968 I wrote to Mr. Pensom to inquire about getting a couple birds from him. He wrote back to me, and this letter, dated 4.27.68. remains framed and in my pigeon loft. I am proud of it. It rempresents an era, and a man who did something that is still being carried on, and talked about nearly 40 years later. The interesting thing I find in his brief 6 paragraphs is that #1--he differetiates between flying and showing, and he was apparently only interesting in flying, but in his wisdom, puts down neither. Some current folks, who had nothing to do with the development of the Pensom roller, but who still ride on his coat-tail would be well advised to pick up a tad of Mr. Pensoms' humility and wisdom. In his letter he responds to mine, I had just won the 1968 Atlanta City National. I would like to share it with you.
Dear Mr. Faulkner,
"Thanks for your letter. Congratulations upon your successes at the National and I hope you can repeat the performance this coming year.
Flying and showing are as far apart as the poles, there is really no relationship between them. However I have no wish to tell fanciers what they should keep or not keep. I am only interested in flying Rollers and trying to educate those who wish to be educated in the cultivation of the true spining roller pigeon. It is a certain fact that one cannot breed a roller for the show pen and the air at the same time. There are two different purposes. I cannot see why fanciers should want to show anything but the real thing, for an attractive rolling pigeon excells in type and personality.
It is a subject that is not palatable to speak of unless one wants to know everything entailed in the true Birmingham Roller pigeon.
However if I can help you in your desires I will be glad to do so when the time comes.
I am having a good breeding season so far and I am flying a kit of thirty youngsters which are flying good and making full turns as good as any kit of old birds.
I can let you have a pair of youngsters at fifteen dollars a pair.
with all good wishes, sincerely,
(signed) Wm Pensom
I ended up buying a pair, both splashed, both hens both extremely ugly birds, feather-footed. I still have the metal leg bands with his name on them.
While I strictly have show rollers now, I am sure he would share in my enthusiasm, rather than explain how my mongrel pigeons are a travesty. Hope you enjoy his letter as much as I do having it.
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Robert A. Faulkner
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tim_barnwell_1966
30 posts
Feb 11, 2004
11:51 AM
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thanks BOB for shairing the letter i agree just becaws me or you dont like a bird dont make it a mongral if it pleases the person keeping it is all that counts the pepple that put theas birds down and come out and say thear mongrals are just trying to get under youer skin and probly need to wory about thear on stock a little moor instead of trying to tell pepple that thear breeding mongrals mabe we are but thats ouer bizznes after all you are the one feeding theam
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BLUE CORNER BANTAMS
& Pigeons
BIRMINGHAM ROLLERS:
yellow : almond : kites
baldheads : rec red
brown : black : blue bar
allso breeding : CONTINENTAL ROLLERS
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Bill C
40 posts
Nov 22, 2007
10:08 PM
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I have only the Pensom books, by his daughter and one by Tom Monson given to me by Joe Borges. I wrote Tom and he said he was working on another Pensom writtings ( BOOK ).
After reading the above letter, I am thankful you put that letter posted here. It really shows the problem that came about with the duel purpose breeders. I know of a very kind man here, Which I like and respect who bred his pure pPensom rollers for duel purpose ( Duel being rollers that looked good in the air and on the ground for showing) He will tell you the truth. He said, " I lost the roll in these birds. I had a couple of pairs and used them as fosters after only one season of flying the offspring. I have had rollers from 7 guys in 6 years and all of them that have the best birds are mostly checks, blue and red, re-red, black and Dun. I have some grizzle from some Jaconette blood from one of the guys. I'm sure everyone who reads the above letter will understand why some are concered when it looks like we ( collectively ) might be destined to repeat the past, Show birds are not for flying in a kit of performance birds.
I have various color birds that pop up with the Jacs and I understand why guys like pretty birds. But think about it. When those birds hit the roll and I mean really roll. Who is the prettiest in the sky! Many of us want to only breed from that kind of bird, while some prefer to pick the feather pattern and try and make them into good, or better rollers.
I think the most important thing I've read from Pensom is," I am now convinced you can feed them anything paletable, it is not in the feeding but in the birds them selves". That relates to the article above. Good luck to all. Bill
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ezeedad
52 posts
Nov 23, 2007
9:54 AM
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I visited Pemsom's home twice, and bought birds from him each time. My mother took me out there to Canoga Park. I hesitate to call it buying, because for the small amount of money I spent the quality of the birds was extremely high. All the birds I got from him rolled showing the hole.
The first time I visited him he also gave me a copy of his book. The book did not have a cover, and it wasn't until years later that I found out that the Crystal Palace cock was on the cover. I took the book home and made a leather cover for it. I read it intently over the years.
There was a lot of cage hitters in my neighborhood... Some or all of my birds were stolen about 11 or 12 times in the early days of my raising pigeons.. mostly in the 60s and 70s. So it wasn't long until I needed more pigeons...so back out to Pensom's.
I probably told him that my birds were stolen.. maybe he felt sorry for me, but after putting about 5 or 6 birds in a box, he went back to a cage in the rear of his property, and brought a dun grouse legged bird to me and said, "Take this one. She rolls like a bull"
That bird was one of the best that I have ever seen.. right up until this day...
Pensom was always a gentleman and was generous with his birds and his knowledge. His understanding, transmitted through his writings, has taught countless breeders how to care for the breed, has defined a standard, and has saved us from making many mistakes which would have taken years to recover from.
Paul Gomez
Last Edited by on Nov 23, 2007 10:04 PM
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PR_rollers
104 posts
Nov 23, 2007
9:56 PM
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Paul good to hear that story,from reading all his books he was a good man too, wise.I don't know why people get stir up when someone mention his name saying things like, the man is dead over 30 yrs ago why talk about him..the truth is you learn from these old timers and they pass the torch to you now its up to you to learn ,apply,created your own ideas ,not be a carbon copy.. i always tell this to my daughter.(live your life so that the use of your life
will out live your life,in other words what you going to leave behind legacy or dust... ----------
Your Friend In The Game
Ralph....
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ezeedad
60 posts
Nov 23, 2007
10:10 PM
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Ralph,
It's sad to say, but I think that those who today are trying to tear down or belittle Pensom's accomplishments are suffering from the same Cardinal Sin as those who had that attitude when he was alive....JEALOUSY...!!
Paul G
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Deadendkid
96 posts
Nov 24, 2007
12:58 AM
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hey dad i think its time for you to fly in some comps and show everyone what those birds can do
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gotspin7
578 posts
Nov 24, 2007
6:00 AM
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Good post Paul
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Skylineloft
413 posts
Nov 24, 2007
8:18 AM
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Robert,
Thanks for sharing your letter.
Good stuff!!!!
There is one part of this letter that I thought was interesting. Where Pensom said, Quote:
I am having a good breeding season so far and I am flying a kit of thirty youngsters which are flying good and making full turns as good as any kit of old birds.
I think it is awesome that he was able to get a kit of 30 young birds all spinning in unison. This statement sounds like he was getting full turns out of these young birds, WOW. If thats what he meant by that statement, he truly was the master breeder.
Also knowing that he was breeding for a true spinning roller pigeon, it looks to me that he wanted them to not only be great as individuals, but to also work as a team as he states here. Sounds like that would have been a great young bird team to compete with.
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Ray
Breeding Quality Spinners,
"One Roller At A Time".
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CSRA
527 posts
Nov 24, 2007
8:35 AM
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Very good post
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Skylineloft
414 posts
Nov 24, 2007
10:03 AM
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I guess I should pay closer attention to when these posts are started. It would have been nice to here more of what Robert A. Faulkner had to say but from what I can tell he no longer posts here.
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Ray
Breeding Quality Spinners,
"One Roller At A Time".
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Skylineloft
420 posts
Nov 24, 2007
5:02 PM
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Next question,
Can anyone verify that this letter actually exists ?
I bet He wrote many.
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Ray
Breeding Quality Spinners,
"One Roller At A Time".
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Ballrollers
964 posts
Nov 24, 2007
5:05 PM
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"Flying and showing are as far apart as the poles, there is really no relationship between them."....That is a really interesting statement from Pensom. It seems that we put so much stock in setting type in our birds today, yet he apparrently refutes the relationship.....and this letter was shortly before his demise, I take it.
YITS,
Cliff
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
1914 posts
Nov 24, 2007
6:52 PM
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Hehehehe, Cliff, you're reading allot into that Pensom quote.
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FLY ON! Tony Chavarria
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