Haven Lofts

Ernie Goodyear (Staincross , Barnsley)

Sunday 25^th October 10.30am I arrived in Sheffield to meet up with a good friend Steve Birditt of Eccelsfield I’ve mentioned Steve before on my blog, a great guy who I’ve known for over 12 years and one of the best fanciers I know (Steve’s not been well with a short spell in hospital so it was good to see him) We had made arrangements to go over and see Ernie at his home in Staincross which is a very well turned out bungalow with a lovely garden were he houses some of his team. The trip was intended for me to have a look at Ernie’s Koopmans & Van Dyck pigeons which I had on good information were top class but as it turned out it was a very interesting look inside this maestro’s  loft and it was more than even I had expected. After arriving at the house just a short trip up the M1 from Sheffield with Steve we were greeted with an empty house but we were a little early so we had a little chin wag about my new stock hen I had just picked up the day before, It’s a direct Pouw Bros dtr of “de goode broken poot” a old 2000 hen but I know Steve has some great Pouw’s  so it was a bit of a hint (hahaha) ?

Ernie arrived about five minutes after us and as it turned out he had a coach trip leaving that morning so had to make sure everything was in place never leaving anything to chance! Ernie runs a very successful coach company in Barnsley Goodyear Travel covering every kind of trip including some great trip for us pigeon people to Belgium, Holland & Germany doing loft visits, stud tour’s and the big show’s…(Well worth a visit ! can be seen in the B.H.W)

After meeting Ernie and having a quick chat he invited us to pop around the back and have a look at the lofts and his rather large dog that dose a great job of deterring any unwelcome company once the dog was safely locked away we had a look at the fantastic garden and pond which is situated right next to his house and goes into his conservatory so you can see the fish from inside (very swish). The lofts are situated at the bottom of Ernie’s garden and are made up of a few different shed’s the largest being an L shaped pan tiled loft with electric lighting and automatic cleaning belts under the grilled box’s ,with three other sheds housing spare birds and younger stock being matured ready for the show’s.

Ernie started with pigeons after becoming interested as a young man with his farther keeping and racing birds for a long time I asked him how long he’d keep and raced birds and the replay was one I’ve heard many times (to long !) it’s funny most pigeon men have very dry senses of hummer and Ernie is no different. The young bird team had not been raced this year due to work commitments which is a real shame but even with the birds heavy in the moult you could see the class oozing from them which is a credit to Ernie and his husbandry the lofts were spotless and with the quick cleaning process I could see why the grill’s were of great help to someone who works full time and the floors grill’s made this a very good set up. We handled some of the young birds and a few of the Koopmans & Van Dyck’s that I’d hoped to see I wasn’t disappointed my info was correct bred from directs what more could a man ask for?

The other birds that caught my eye were some lovely dark pyds I had a good look at a few and asked Ernie what they were?

Willy Jacobs was the answer what fantastic birds and also from directs and have already bred prize winners. The fact that I had handled two families and both and bred from directs my next question was what other family’s do you keep Ernie the answer shocked me they are as follows ; Janssens , Pouw Bros /Piet Valk , R Van Soset , Dirk & Louis Van Dyck , Koopmans , Jos Thone , Willy Jacobs , Frederick Philippe , Wolter Docx , Jan Huybregts , Brasspennings .

Wow how many world class families in one man’s lofts almost every family bought direct apart from two, all the top lines from these flyers to many to list but I do hope to return and compile more info for you guy’s but be sure the best birds I have ever seen and this is my tip of the year if you’re looking for something new this year this is the guy to call on. Ernie dose sell some of his birds at the show’s and I know he’s going to Telford , Doncaster Dome , South Shields , Blackpool & Doncaster Race Course and before you all say go on how much well get ready his birds start at £35 and go up to £80 working man’s price’s and yes most of  these birds are bred from directs with the birds you will receive a copy of sire and dam’s ped’s , a lot of people look at these birds at show’s and think no way £35 from directs this guy is lying, I can tell you guy’s he’s not!

I’m going to add as many picture’s as I can from every family for you all to judge on the quality and if I can I will try to and see if Ernie wants to sell a few on this site at fixed prices with breeding details if not have a look at the show’s and you won’t be disappointed if anyone needs any more info just drop me a line or if you’re interested in some birds e-mail me and can do my best to put you in contact with Ernie.

Good birds are race from these lofts every year but for some reason people choose not to give credit where its dew? Ernie had a few birds in the Europa one loft this year and and there all still there one having a few good places and prizes someone could grab a bargin have a look ring number end’s 82.

I hope you all enjoyed the report until next time, if you know someone who’s had a great year and deserves a write up in the Yorkshire area let me know.

Lewis (The Haven Lofts blog)

Ernie Goodyear birds

Jos Thone young bird	Head of a young Jos Thone hen
Son of direct Pouw Bros	Willy Jacobs hen from direct's
2009 young cock	Koopmans hen bred from Directs
Jos Thone hen from directs	Willy Jacobs hen from directs
Young Wolter Docx cock	Yellow Janssn hen bred down from directs
Young Koopmans cock from directs	Son of Willy Jacobs car winner
Direct Koopmans stock cock	Direct Van Dyck hen
Janssen stock cock	The Race Lofts
	Fair View Lofts
Direct Pouw Bros cock	It was all to much for Ernie so he had to shut hs eye's for 5 (hahahah)