Young Malton pigeon fancier is winning prizes at age of 12

“When I was little I would follow my dad around feeding the birds and looking after them,” explains Harry.

The 12-year-old from Malton, North Yorkshire, has become an enthusiastic pigeon fancier, breeding exotic clean-legged tumblers, nuns and trumpeters.

With a father, uncle and grandfather who have all been involved with pigeon keeping it was hardly surprising that Harry would follow in their footsteps.

However, he said it was about three years ago when he started keeping birds himself.

“My loft got put up and my birds got moved in and I started pairing them up,” he says.

His father Stuart says his son’s interest in the birds was not a shock.

“He was always following me around from about the age of five, just trying to copy what I was doing.

“If I went into the birds and fed them then he’d want to go into the other compartment and feed those.”

Harry’s enthusiasm for the hobby has seen him named as a young ambassador for the British Pigeon Show Society and he himself is happy to show his birds and enjoy the prizes.

“I love the anticipation of a judge judging your birds and seeing if it gets first, second or third prize,” he says.

Stuart has a different take on that.

“He likes to come home with more first prizes than I do, so as long as that happens he’s happy.”

Harry says he hopes his passion for his birds and his ambassadorship will help inspire other young people to take an interest.

“I would encourage my friends because it is a really nice hobby to keep animals and birds which fly around and you get to feed them and stuff.”

The next big test for Harry and Stuart will be the the BPSS & NPA National Show at York Auction Centre at Murton in December.