INTERVIEW WITH BOB PRISCO:

HIS INTEREST IN TAIWAN RACING

October 1, 2002 (TAIWAN MAGAZINE)

 QUESTION:     Many of your articles refer to specific racing conditions and the style of racing in Taiwan.  How long have you been involved in racing and dealings with Taiwan?

ANSWER:     I have offered birds to Taiwan for many years.  In that 12 year period, I have made many friends in your country and developed many contacts in the USA and TAIWAN with pigeon flyers that are very successful in Taiwan, both past and present.  They have taught me a great deal through correspondence and occasional visits to my home.  I continue to learn more about your style and conditions of racing everyday.

QUESTION:     You have referred to Taiwan racing as the most prestigious and fairest in the world.  Why?

ANSWER:     There is no other country or area in the world of pigeon racing that has and so strictly enforces the rules and regulations to keep everything fair and equal for each fancier before and during a race series as the clubs and organizations in Taiwan.  These rules are well constructed to give each fancier the same chance to succeed.  All birds start equally before the race.  It is definitely a level playing field for each fancier and his birds.  Taiwan racing represents the highest level of the sport, and the dream of every owner is to win the top prizes.  The magical pursuit of winning has enticed racing pigeon owners for centuries and has made Taiwan racing the leader in the sport.

QUESTION:     Do you like the idea of only young bird racing?

ANSWER:     Yes, it keeps everything fair and does not give any one fancier an unfair advantage due to age, maturity and training experience of the birds.  Also, it is necessary because of the different racing series during the year, and it makes it much easier to organize your loft set-up just for young birds.  However, I think it does hurt a fancier's breeding program, not being able to fly old birds in actual competition.  I personally like to see a potential breeder fly 350-400 miles as a young bird and 500 miles as a yearling before they go into the breeding loft, especially hens.

QUESTION:     The losses are very high during a race series.  Do you feel it is due to birds being so young?

ANSWER:     No, I do not believe age has anything to do with a bird not returning to the loft.  There are many reasons birds get lost, in both young bird or old bird racing, but age should not be a problem.

QUESTION:     What are some of the main reasons for high losses and few birds completing a race series?

ANSWER:     In my opinion, the main reasons are poor health, improper diet, lack of proper educational training experiences, over training before and during the race series and many times not having the correct birds to handle the style of racing.  These are all factors controlled by the owners, trainers or handlers.  It is their direct responsibility to see that their birds are in the best possible condition to compete in the series.  The weather, which we can not control, can be a problem, but it is the same for all of the birds that compete that day.  If a few can home safely under difficult conditions, then the rest should be able to do the same if healthy, properly feed, properly conditioned / trained, properly bred and have the pedigree (bloodlines) to handle the tough weather.

QUESTION:     You seem to place a great deal of responsibility on the trainer or handler of the birds for the success or failure of a loft during a race series.  Why?

ANSWER:     As much as we like to believe this is a hobby, we must admit and understand that it is big business to race pigeons in Taiwan.  It must be run like a business and have the best personnel (trainers) to make a loft successful.  Those fanciers (owners, trainers, handlers) that do not give 100% effort each day to their birds are going to be disappointed at the end of the race series.  You must have individuals that understand medication, motivation, feeding and breeding, as well as how to train and condition the birds.  These are all factors that the birds cannot control.  They are at the mercy of the loft manager to receive the proper care and training.  Winning is a result of breeding, training, nutrition, health, consistency and heart.  You cannot expect the best results until you are committed to giving the birds the best.

QUESTION:     You mentioned having the proper birds to handle the racing conditions and style of racing, can you explain what you mean?

ANSWER:     This has been the subject of many of my articles and applies to every racing club and organization, trainer, handler and owner around the world, not just Taiwan.  A fancier needs the proper type of birds to compete in the style of racing he has in his area.  Despite what may fanciers believe, not all pigeons are the same in ability and racing style, and not all birds will compete successfully in their area or country, regardless of how good the care and ability of the trainer.  For example, some birds do well in young bird races, others just in old birds.  Some do well in short fast races, others in middle or long distances.  Some like the conditions and the race course to be fast and easy, other birds excel under difficult conditions.  This is the same for human athletes.  Some are excellent sprinters, others are long distance runners.  They are both good athletes, but entirely different.  A bird may be a CHAMPION in his own country, but that does not mean it will produce or breed well in Taiwan.  This champion may not have the right qualities to pass on to his children that successful racing in Taiwan requires.  This champion may be from a country that has short distances races over very easy land courses.  The speeds of the birds that won large prizes were very fast and at short distances.  This bird is a champion, but it has no qualities that will help in the tough races of Taiwan, or a 7 week race series.  How many short, easy races do you have in a normal race series in Taiwan?

It is no secret which birds have had the great success in Taiwan and what qualities they possess.  The overall racing conditions are tough, so do not think you are going to win with any other type of bird except the ones that possess this toughness and endurance, and those that pass those traits to their children.

I know from my own experiences of selling birds in Taiwan that not all birds can handle this style of racing.  When we started offering birds in 1991, we committed ourselves to offer the very best we had available.  We only offered birds that we bred and flew ourselves that had the excellent pedigrees and race records to compete in Taiwan.  I soon found out that although all the birds we sent were tough weather birds that had proven themselves in the USA, some had instant success and others failed miserably.  We found out from the high number of repeat customers, made up of the leading agents, trainers and breeding farms, which birds they continued to request, out of specific pairs and bloodlines.  The requests were mostly the same from all areas of the country.  The H.V.R. straight, the H.V.R. crossed with #259 grizzle blood and Imbrecht all had success over land and sea racing.  The Janssen bloodlines that were very tough birds in the USA did not do well because they could not handle the racing style and conditions from the start.  This indicated that although they flew very well in the USA for us and others, not all birds can make the adjustment here.  We stopped offering these birds and quickly eliminated them from our breeding program and the loft in the USA.

However, there are always exceptions, and the bloodlines of #447 and #3355 crossed with H.V.R., #259 and Imbrecht have had great success.

QUESTION:     How would you select birds to buy if you were flying in Taiwan? Eyesign, muscle, wing conformation, etc.?

ANSWER:     First, I would look for good health.  Second, I want the same bloodlines that are winning in the area in which I will fly.  Give me brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews to the birds that are doing well in my area and finishing the race series.  I am not going to try and invent a replacement for the wheel.  If those birds are winning, then I want them at any cost.  I would try to determine the original breeder and seek out the same bloodlines, as close as possible.  I know that confidentiality is very important, and I have never given anyone the names of buyers or potential buyers, except the agents that have helped with the deals.  Therefore, finding the information about what birds are winning may not be easy, but there is no substitute for success and great race results.  It is always a great deal easier if you have the right birds.  Now, if I do not have the success with these birds, and they are winning for others, I must look at my own loft procedures, medication and feeding program for improvement in my race results.  From previous articles, most individuals know that I do not believe in Eyesign or professional graders and other selection theories.  The only theory I believe in is performance.  Great results and the bloodlines that produce those results along with excellent health are my only criteria.

QUESTION:     You mentioned excellent health several times.  Why is it that hard to keep birds in good health?

ANSWER:     In my opinion, this is the biggest and hardest challenge facing the Taiwan fancier everyday.  Success in racing and breeding starts with good healthy birds.  The style of racing requires a fancier to pay close attention to every aspect of good hygiene, nutrition and a strict medication program for 365 days a year.  The warm humid climate, various breeding and racing seasons, large numbers of imported birds from around the world, including those countries that use performance enhancing drugs, strenuous racing series and the young age at which the birds compete make health problems a daily concern.  Young birds are difficult to keep healthy under these conditions, and it is even harder for the novice and new fanciers coming into the sport.  My advice to every fancier is to read and attend seminars on the lastest methods on how to keep the birds healthy, and to find themselves a good pigeon veterinarian or experienced fancier with knowledge of medications, dosages, treatment and excellent preventive methods.

QUESTION:     You mentioned an important point about secrecy and confidentiality.  How does one find out which birds are doing well?

ANSWER:     It is understandable that fanciers are very secretive about their source of birds, after all the fame and fortune for which they compete is tremendous.  A fancier can be very observant and pay close attention to the birds that are winning in his area.  Every family or fancier's birds have certain physical characteristics that make them distinguishable and very noticeable.  For example, if a certain fancier is winning with birds of grizzle color, and most of his birds in the series are grizzle, then one must look at families that carry that color.  Not all families carry that color, so this is a start.  Look at the color of the eyes, the shape of the body, the size of bird.  Also, look at the fanciers that are advertising birds for sale in the local magazines.  If a seller has continued to spend money on advertising for several months and years, they must have had some success.  Look at the sellers and agents that have been around for some years, there is a reason why they have stayed in business and are still doing business in Taiwan.  If they are just selling feathers, then they are gone in a short time, but if they are selling quality birds and have results, then they will survive for a long time.  Also, look at the import companies, and you may find out from what country they are receiving their birds.  It will not be easy, but it is worth the trouble to find the correct birds.  Once you are sure of your choice, always go to the original source / breeder.  If he cares about his reputation and his birds' reputation, then he will offer you the best he has for sale.

QUESTION:     Why do you have such an interest in Taiwan racing?

ANSWER:     I believe that racing here is the best in the world.  Ever fancier wants to be associated with the best in his hobby or profession.  Our birds have had excellent success here for last 12 years.  I am very proud of the birds success and the many friends and contacts that I have made.  For most owners and fanciers large prizes and success is just a dream, but our clients have come to expect it.  We built one client at a time with the underlying notion that the buyer is king.  One of the primary objectives is to provide such extraordinary customer service and the best birds available that the buyer or agent will become the loft's best salesmen.  The word spreads fast when flyers witness the great performance and results which come from a successfully run loft that offers quality birds at a fair price.  One of the lofts beliefs has always been to do what is right for the buyer, and to offer him the best.  The rest will take care of itself.

QUESTION:     What do you like about our style of racing? And why?

ANSWER:     I like the idea that the clubs and organizations continue to work to improve the sport and to make it as fair as possible for all who participate.  This is not always true in other countries, and the sport has suffered for it, especially in the USA.  Fighting, jealousy and egos have caused many to leave the sport because of the lack of proper leadership at the national level.  The leaders must improve the sport and promote it to attract new fanciers. 

I especially like the racing series concept.  Fanciers must devote a great deal of thought to breeding at the proper time, selecting the best breeders to pair for the series and training.  The racing schedules are set well before the races.  This enables a good trainer to plan his strategy.  The 3 race series keeps everyone interested and motivated throughout the year.  I believe this encourages more selective breeding, improves the birds and makes for better trainers and handlers.  In most all other countries, the fanciers breed hundreds of birds of all ages.  They have various systems for both young birds and old birds.  They send hundreds of birds to the races each week hoping to get a good one.  They are flying the numbers game.  If they get that one good bird out of 100-300 birds that they bred for the year, then they become famous.  Many are not good breeders or trainers, but have the money to keep several 100 birds, hoping for that one special bird.  The remaining birds that did not do well are usually sold for big money because they are from this famous loft.  In most cases the birds sold are culls of poor bloodlines and not related to the famous birds of the loft.

At the end of a race series in Taiwan, there is no doubt which birds are the best, what trainers did the great job for that series and who will receive the prizes.  This is not true in other countries.  If a fancier did not do well in a series, he starts off equal in the next one and attempts to improve.  This is great motivation for the sport and the owners and trainers.

QUESTION:     Do you like racing over water or land?

ANSWER:     We all know why the switch was made from land to sea racing.  I personally would not care which I flew, as long as we all flew the same course and everything is fair.  I do believe pigeons are a lot like race horses, some race well on dirt, others just on grass or turf, and some race well on both dirt and grass.  It is the same with pigeons, some will fly well over land and not handle sea racing, some fly great over water and have little success over land.  The good pigeons will fly well over both, if properly trained.  There is a old saying among horse people: "There are horses for courses". This means that some horses prefer certain types of conditions and only run well when the conditions are in their favor.  We cannot count on favorable conditions in Taiwan for our birds for a entire race series.  Therefore, give me the good pigeons that will fly in all conditions and distances, and I have no preference for land or sea racing.

QUESTION:     Do you prefer to fly hens or cocks?