21 / 69
Breed of the Issue - Helmet
Helmet- Page 21 - Purebred PIGEON
Fast forward to that next Spring, I
was now 14 and I wanted a REAL loft.
Something I could walk into with breeding
boxes, perches etc. I got the okay from my
Dad, but needed moolah! Lots of molah!
I wasn’t old enough to get a real job but
I did do odd jobs and ended up selling
my Walter Payton rookie card (which I
replaced later) to fund enough money to
build a 12’x8’, very modest, chicken wire
wrapped loft. Dirt floor and all. That was
all my budget had to offer at that age. But I
got it done and I was in heaven! I brought
in Bellneck Rollers, colored Homers,
Archangels and just about anything my
lawn-mowing money would get me and I
could find locally. All of these breeds
without thinking about the breeding
situation and not having the means
to divide the loft by breed. I soon
realized I made a mistake! Haha. But
I just liked having the birds around!
Later when I turned 16, driving,
girls and friends became priority!
Although the pigeons stayed fed and
healthy, they were put on the back
burner as far as me getting serious
about showing Helmets and being
more selective on my impulse pur-
chases! When I turned 19…BAM! I
was married. My folks allowed
me to keep my pigeons at their
place until I had a place of my
own. Again, Showing Helmets
would have another delay.
However, that same year, in
1996, the NPA Nationals were in
my home State of Utah! I took
my wife and my always sup-
portive Dad, and we went to the
show. I would later find out that
that particular show had more
Helmets shown than any other
year then and even now! 600+
Helmets! Talk about getting the
pigeon blood flowing again!
I did finally get a house built when I was 24. The first thing
that went up was a pigeon loft. However, I’d lost all the contact
information of my Helmet buddies and I decided to try my hand
at Racing Pigeons (knowing full well I would get back into
Helmets someday). I raced for 10 years and loved it! However, it
was time to transition and get back into Helmets. I had accom-
plished all I wanted in racing.
By this time, I was 34 years old and
the internet is “a thing.” I was able to
quickly get the info I needed to get hold
of James and Steve to, once again, get
a good start in Helmets with the plan to
show. I purchased birds from James and
Steve and also from Dennis Manning. I
purchased some pumpers and I was on my
way! BUT, life had other plans and after a
few successful rounds of some awesome
looking youngsters, my then-wife threw
me a curve ball and before I knew it, I was
single, living in my home by myself, trying
to pay the bills on a single budget. Needless
to say, the pigeons had to take a backseat.
After seven years of being single,
I met my wife. While dating, she
knew I was a bird brain and knew
pigeons would be in my future.
MAYBE not to the extent they
are. Haha! But she has been very
supportive and helps me out a ton!
This June we will have been married
seven years. We found a home and
property where we could be left
alone by pesky neighbors. She can
have her horses and I can enjoy my
pigeons without concern.
We have finally landscaped
our yard how we want it and I have
two pigeon lofts to allow me
some freedom to move birds
around when needed. I started
out showing Show Homers and
Swallows about three years
ago, as they can raise their own
babies. Once I got settled in
with raising, conditioning and
showing pigeons again, Helmets
and pumpers are now back in
the mix! I got an excellent start
with birds from both James
Jensen and Kip Huffman (who
I met at Nationals this year).
Thank you guys!
I’m excited to finally put
some Helmets in a show pen, for the first time! I’m hoping that
continues year after year for many years to come as they are one
of the coolest breeds!. The club also has some great guys in it
and that goes along way with me. If you can’t have fun raising
pigeons, then may I suggest taking up accounting in your spare
time. It’s a much more serious endeavor. Just ask your local IRS
agent! Cheers and happy breedings, Dave Gazaway•
1989 AHA Helmet bulletin
Don Phy (left) and James Jensen (right) receving their Master
Breeder Awards from Larry Dobelbower (center)
Helmets in the author’s loft