About Paul

Paul soon joined the Junior Club at Southern Cross and raced as Bryant & Son, until the Juniors folded and they moved into the Senior ranks. It was here that Paul spent time with the late Bill Rutherford who would give him pigeons to race and breed from. Paul would gain his first Fed place in 1981 with a Col Bower BBH taking 22^nd in the VHA race from Hay. Paul’s recollection of that race is still vivid today as he recalled riding his bike up to the Club toss in the rain that week and Club Mate Keith Bainbridge saying how impressed he was that a young man made the effort to toss on such a day. The Fed place gave Paul much pleasure and it would drive him onto many Club and Fed places with the old Southern Cross Edithvale Club and many battles with Keith Bainbridge, Harley Tranter, Bruno Bonassin and Bob Williams to name just a few.

Paul won his first Fed in the VHA from Hillston in 1987 whilst still at home with Mum & Dad. This Hen was bred down from the Wetering Delbars which Paul had received from his Mentor the Late Jack Harrison. Many hours were spent with Old Jack talking and listening to many stories that Jack would tell and learning about feeding and training. This would go onto set Paul up for future success in pigeon racing.

After moving to his first house in Dingley in 1991, then to another property in Dingley it was here that Paul was placed 7^th & 9^th Fed from Collarenbri in an all day fly. Paul was then racing with the Oakleigh Club where he competed with the great Wally Wojak, Bruce Walker & Rashard Effendi. The competition was very tough and Paul was determined to mix it with the best and gained his share of Club wins and Fed places.

After 4 years in Dingley Paul was on the move again building a nice home in Aspendale Gardens closer to the beach and racing to this tough position very successfully. It was here that Paul had John Van Beers build him a nice loft. In February of 2006 Paul moved to the semi rural property on 2 and a half acres at Somerville. It was here that Paul was to really begin to thrive with open space and a lovely aspect for his pigeon kingdom to develop. He joined the Frankston Club within the Victorian Homing Association and is now the Club President.

Paul would find more success with many Federation positions at the new idyllic property finishing in the top 20 in the Fed consistently. It was to be last year on the tough North East line that Paul would really fire taking 16 Fed places and winning the West Wyalong Produce Fed with his triple Fed Hen 15998 named “Paramount Princess” by a staggering 85MPM. This great Hen had won 25^th Fed Hay as a youngster then won 6^th Finley, then the Produce Fed as a 2 year old. This Janssen Hen is a Marilyn/Red Fox a line Paul has been developing for quite some time. Her Sire is the top producing Braveheart Cock that he obtained from Steve Gazzola and mated to the

Blue Bar Janssen Hen they are now responsible for the following:

BBC Melb 07 69 2^nd Fed Birchip Vel 1797
BBH Melb 08 15998 25^th Fed Hay Vel 1388
BBH Melb 08 17812 20^{th Fed} Mt Hope Vel 1800
BBH Melb 08 15998 6^th Fed Finley Vel 1111
BBC Hors Cup 09 5600 8^th Fed Narrandera 1368
BBH Melb 08 15998 1^st Fed West Wyalong Produce Vel 1992
BBC Melb 09 11852 5^th Open Breeders Plate Collecting Prize money of $2,255 Velocity 1175
BBH Horsham Cup 09 5601 11th Open Horsham Cup from Little Topar 770ks Vel: 996, 206 birds
BBH Aust 10-19604, 8^th Adelaide Club Lyndhurst Vel 1622mpm
BBH Melb 10- 1203 , 6^th Adelaide $10,000
BBC Melb 10- 1204 39^th Adelaide $10,000
BBC Melb 10- 1209 6^th Fed Birchip.

Success equals demand and Paul has been selling pigeons from his stock at his boutique stud “Paramount Lofts” A new Website has now been set up which will facilitate the sale of young stock and race teams. www.paramountlofts.com.au

Paul has developed some top families and the bloodlines include:

The Janssen’s (Red Fox, Marilyn and Honeysuckle).
Saggers Jurions obtained from the Late Keith Saggers.
Van Loon’s from the Keith Saggers Silver Shadows, and also the great Scrumpy Van Loon’s down from Des Sippets.
Vandenabeele’s from Keith Saggers.
Goodgers the long distance bloodline from G and S Roberts S.A
Van Wanroys -Euro distance from Ollie Taylor Bendigo.

Today Paul races in both the VHA and GMPF in a newly formed partnership with his old mate in Peter Borradale, who has returned to pigeon racing after a long hiatus racing greyhounds.