Paul Gamino's Parlor Rollers
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Back to Articles This article appeared in the February, 2002, "Pigeon Debut" on page 21.
The Longest Roll
By Paul Gamino
There is nothing like finally having something to write about especially when it falls right in your lap. You see in my efforts to support my good friend Kenny Davis I just couldn’t seem to come up with anything worthy of writing about concerning the almond color. With the exception of my other article appearing in this Almondated issue entitled Parlor Roller World Champion.
When it comes to writing about almonds, Kenny seems to cover it all and he is a hard act to follow as well. Recently, I made the wisest mistake of my life by telling Kenny that I wanted to learn more about breeding better looking almond Parlor Rollers. Nevertheless, shortly after my query was put to Kenneth, I was handed an inch and a half thick stack of articles covering all known scientific facts of breeding better looking almonds and all the other sub varieties needed to breed classic almonds. I like to joke with Kenny and tell him I wanted to learn more about breeding a classic almond not write a dissertation on that subject for my Ph.D.
Just kidding Kenny, I thoroughly enjoyed the inch and a half thick articles and scientific facts you handed me. Of course Brian VanBuskirk, who has the finest collection of pigeon books this author has ever seen, would beg to differ on which way works the best to obtain the goal of breeding a classic almond. Personally, I hold both schools of thought in the highest regard. However, that’s an entirely new can of worms I hope to write about in the near future.
Before I get into why I was so inspired to write an article that is supposed to have something to do with almonds, I need to give credit where credit is definitely due. The American Parlor Roller Association is a specialty club devoted to the promotion of the Parlor Roller. This is a wonderful club and I highly recommend if you breed or are thinking of breeding Parlor Rollers, you join the club. Like all of the people in our club, I’m a proud member of the American Parlor Roller Association and proud to be associated with all its many fine members. I mean this club has the finest bunch of ladies and gentlemen running and supporting the club. They are all devoted to promoting Parlor Rollers. This is my first year being associated with the club, but I’ve been actively breeding Parlor Rollers for over thirty-four years. I would like to briefly cover the 2001 breeding season and what has happened in our Parlor Roller club up to the submission of this article November 5, 2001.
The American Parlor Roller Association started the year off with a bang. The club held regional meets in the following shows: The Baltimore Summer Show (3 lofts and 30 Parlor Rollers entered), White Rose Summer Show (6 lofts and 68 Parlor Rollers entered), Fremont Show (6 lofts and 62 Parlor Rollers entered), Baltimore Hartford Park Show (2 lofts and 38 Parlors Rollers entered), Rochester Summer Show (3 lofts and 26 Parlor Rollers entered), Reading Summer Show (4 lofts and 57 Parlor Rollers entered), N.Y.B.S. in Louisville Kentucky (7 lofts and 72 Parlor Rollers entered), Great Western in Watsonville California (7 lofts and 72 Parlor Rollers entered), and the White Rose Winter Show (9 lofts and 86 Parlor Rollers entered).
The first show had Bill Mustin of Maryland, better know as “The Dominator,” taking top honors with a self white young hen band number 729 that rolled 126’ 11” at the Baltimore Summer Show in Hanford Park July 1, 2001 in Bel Air Maryland. Bill is nicknamed this for good reason (Well, I gave him the nickname). Until the 2001-breeding season, Bill had not been shutout in any contest he entered since 1996. Hence the nickname, “The Dominator.” The next show was held in Pennsylvania at the White Rose Summer Show in Emigsville, August 12, 2001. At this show, Mr. Terry Duez, our beloved publicity director for the American Parlor Roller Association and the man behind the scenes putting together our first class club bulletins, took top honors with a grizzle young hen band number 921, which rolled 82’ 11”. At the next meet, which was held at the Fremont Show in Fremont Ohio on September 15, 2001, Dolly Cramer took top honors with a young dun hen band number 331. Dolly Cramer’s hen had a nice cool roll of 101’ 5”. Now if Kirk Milnor is King of the Parlor World with his record holding almond cock 735 that rolled an unbelievable 191’ 2”, then Dolly Cramer has to be Queen of Parlor Rollers. She always seems to pull out a win even in the face of the stiffest competition the American Parlor Roller Association has to offer. The American Parlor Roller association then shifted its efforts back to Baltimore’s Hartford Park Show in Bel Air Maryland on September 22, 2001 - Where who else but “The Dominator,” Bill Mustin, captured top honors with an opal lace young hen band number 737 that rolled 112’ 4”. That very same weekend on September 23, 2001 there was another meet held in Rochester New York. Terry Duez had top honors with an opal lace young hen band number 940 that rolled 83’ 10”. The next show made history of a sort, well that is it made history for Terry Duez and his Parlor Roller loft. Terry had never had a Parlor Roller go over a hundred feet in competition. Not only did Terry get that monkey off his back so to speak (Well I put the monkey on his back), Terry had three birds go over a hundred feet. Top honors went to Terry’s opal lace young hen band number 950. She rolled a nice long 148’ 4”. Next was the premier that seems to attract the best of the best, as Dusty Cramer stated in one of our fine club bulletins, “If you can win there, you are doing something right,” and that would be at the National Young Bird Show held every year in Louisville Kentucky. Once again, the Queen of Parlor Rollers makes a statement with a sweep of the top three spots. Dolly’s black marked Parlor Roller band number 367 took home the championship trophy, a national title, and a winning roll of 95’ 11”.
Now I’ve come to the part that has something to do with this fine Almondated issue Kenny Davis put together for all of us to enjoy. However small of significance it may seem, it did however inspire yours truly to write this article. The last time the author of this article showed was at the Pageant of Pigeons in 1982. Therefore, I hope everyone can imagine how exciting it was after nineteen years of not showing a single bird in a show to show my Parlor Rollers once again in competition. With that said, on October 27th at the Great Western all breed show that was held in Watsonville California, yours truly had an Almond young cock band number 23 roll a nice 155’ 6”. Another bit of trivia behind this nice roll was the fact that the previous record at this show had stood since 1985 and was a former world record of 135’. The record had belonged to the late great Norm McMurray and it just so happen to be an almond Parlor Roller as well. This is one of two Western Regional meets held in California. The other one being at the great Pageant of Pigeons held in Los Angeles California, which at the writing of this article has not yet occurred.
Finally, this brings us to our highly respected President of the American Parlor Roller Association, Mr. Jay Trout, a seasoned veteran and a former world record holder himself (At 178’ 8”). Well our fine President turned in the longest roll of the year. He had an Almond Parlor Roller band number 417 roll a whopping 171’ 6” at White Rose Winter Show. Along with the show results, I received another bit of trivia, via e-mail from Terry Duez and Russ Angulo. Terry wrote, “Jay Trout needed just 1 point to become a Master Breeder and he was not even in the running until his second roll of the day. Everyone was screaming for the bird to continue to roll. It was definitely something special! Jay is absolutely a great guy and I know of no one that has a bad thing to say about him. Yesterday, he brought three birds and two certified. He usually brings that amount.” For those readers who don’t know what it means for a Parlor Roller to become certified. A Parlor Roller must roll beyond 70’ to become certified. There you have it, some fine performances turned in so far this year as every year in the American Parlor Roller Association.
Now keep in mind that the above people I just mentioned don’t go around calling themselves king or queen. This was strictly done for entrainment purposes and to spice up this article. All the above people are down to earth well-rounded individuals and darn good pigeon people. All the Parlor Rollers are given two opportunities to roll on soft grass, which has been done since the inception of this breed being introduced to competitions. No one rolls or trains their birds on hard or inhumane surfaces. In fact, most of the well-established breeders in this club don’t allow a Parlor Roller to roll more than thirty feet before an event. Most wise Parlor Roller breeders will stock a bird that has turned in a long roll and never roll the bird again. So if you are interested in learning more about Parlor Rollers or would like to get into a breed that has more to worry about, for example wind direction or uncut grass, than an out of state judge who happens to be best friends with your chief rival…than Parlor Rollers is the breed for you. It’s competitive but even “The Dominator” will come over and tell you congratulations after kicking your butt…just kidding! He will come over and congratulate you if your lucky enough to beat one of his many fine Parlor Rollers as everyone in this club will try to help you if they can.
For more information on joining the American Parlor Roller Association, please feel free to contact Terry Duez at 1016 Government Road, Irwin, Pennsylvania 15642. I would like to wish everyone good luck in the 2002 breeding season.