# good sion birds



## TipplerBeni

which loft has good sion birds? if possible post web page


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## Matt D.

Mike Brown has some good on sions. google him. Don't remember what the url is or what he calls his loft. But he is the only one I know of with the old stuff. My suggestion is get out of the 1940's and get some birds that are good. Don't let the Belgians here you ask for sions or any of the old stuff; unless you want them to get a really good laugh.


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## Lovebirds

It was Skylake Sions.....but I can't get the web site to come up.


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## ace in the hole

TipplerBeni said:


> which loft has good sion birds? if possible post web page


Skylake Sions www.skylakesions.com expired 12/14/08 ??????

You could try calling Them. Dr Michael and Jerri Brown 530-893-0249

Ace


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## TipplerBeni

Sion houben crosses what you people think?


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## hillfamilyloft

Glen Glesson out of Grand Junction Club still flies an old family of Sions for long distance. You can look him up in the AU yearbook.

Randy


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## Lovebirds

ace in the hole said:


> Skylake Sions www.skylakesions.com expired 12/14/08 ??????
> 
> You could try calling Them. Dr Michael and Jerri Brown 530-893-0249
> 
> Ace



http://www.skylakesions.com/
Seems that the web site is back up.


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## bbcdon

His site is active. I have spoken to him, and he is what I consider a true fancier. He loves the birds, the sport, and has been successful.


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## Crazy Pete

You want sions he has the best, and at a reasonable price. Go to I pigeon.com


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## Bluecheckard

he has some birds on auction right now at ipigeon. check it out http://www.racingpigeonauction.com/Auction/XcAPViewInCat.asp?ID=12


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## pigeon_racer

*Sions*

Nothing wrong with them.* My A. U. Champion is a Sion, diplomaed and won races from 220 out to 600 miles.* I have an old family blended from Heitzman's Sions with Fennoyer"s Sions and most recently with Skylake Sions.* They are great!* Drives the guys with the "NEW HOT STUFF" crazy!!* I have Houbens also and they are great birds!* Haven't crossed them as yet, but will be trying this year for a few Futurity crosses.* The strain can be anything you choose, it's the care and work that you put into the pigeons that will determine how well you do!* A great handler can take an average bird and win with it where a below average handler will buy the best stuff money can by and still not get it to fly!* Read as much as you can out of recent books on the subject and don't get too many pigeons.* Too many pigeons ruins more teams than anything else!* Good Luck!!

Ralph


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## james fillbrook

well me (jokes)


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## Salty

*Want Some Sions*

I flew Sions when I was younger.Had to quit due to job and family matters.Now have some time and want to get back in.Need some contacts.


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## re lee

There really is not one sion bird left on this planet. As Paul sion passde on LOng ago. NOW birds bred down from that line I am almost 100% sure have had to been outcrossed long ago. Many peopl; still say they have sions After all its just a name Skylake sions i believe are based lined off somew of the old hietzman lines So perhaps a good place to look. BUT as said Not 1 sion bird is left on this planet


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## Lickfork

www.lickforkracingpigeons.com


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## Salty

Would like to talk to you about some Sions.Still have to build my loft


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## SmithFamilyLoft

The book I had as a kid, about Paul Sion has been missing for decades. But we are talking about a guy who started in 1895 and I guess was pretty much finished by WWII ? Not sure what year he died, but his son carried on the pigeon game, but depending on who you talk to, the son was but a shadow compared to his Master Father. I'm sure by the time Charles Heitsman got his hands on those Sions, they were already crossed a few times. Paul Sion himself was not into inbreeding, so many of his birds were various crosses to some great pigeons. 

When I was a kid in 1965....there was much debate back then, as to how a pigeon could be a "Sion" some maybe 25 years or so after the real Master had died. Didn't matter, I still strongly protested that my reds were mostly Sions down from Heitzsman stock. What my mentor Earl would call the "Imported French Stuff" Whatever they really were, in my case, they were all destroyed by fire. See Mister Red story : http://smithfamilyloft.com/MrRed.html

Whatever birds you start with, I hope they bring you much fun and satisfaction. 

http://showtimeloft.jimdo.com/articles/paul-sion-story/

The Paul Sion Strain:The Sion strain of long distance racing pigeons holds a hallowed place in the pantheon of the world's greatest families of the thoroughbreds of the sky. And like much that is good in Europe, came out of the culture of France. Paul Sion, its originator, started in the sport in approximately 1895 and in due course set his mark. In fact what he produced crossed more national boundaries throughout the world and became the source of much joy and reward to countless fanciers. 


To quote one eminent authority, A. H. Osman: 'This man has won more prizes in one season than many fanciers win in a lifetime'. Yes, Paul Sion who was later to be assisted by his son, Robert, truly exceeded (perhaps) his expectations when after becoming a fancier he adopted Luis Salembier as his teacher, the latter being one of the great French distance pigeoneers for over 50 years at that time. Sion admitted in 1935 that he belonged to the Luis Salembier school. 


Upon following the advice of his mentor, Sion obtained the best of distance bloodlines including representatives of the old Verviers strain and for decades cultivated what he referred to as his old Gris (grey) strain, so called because of its origins from a son of a famous French distance racer named Gris Dugniol. Sion had purchased a champion mealy cock from M. Gris Dugniol. On the dam side his family went back to the Vekemans Red of the Wegge strain. The latter pigeon being one of the greatest in the history of the sport in Europe. The Mealy cock was bred with a mealy hen and produced a blue hen with black eyes. This hen proved to be a champion in all of her races. She was later mated to a cock of Pynen /Delathouwer bloodlines. It was from this mating that Rouge Sion, one of Sion's pivotal pigeons, was produced. The Rouge Sion went on to be a great racer and also bred many winners. 


When once asked what were the requirements for success in long distance and marathon racing, Paul Sion replied- strain and constitution. A reply which was in the form of an article in which the author took, as an example, there were horses good in soft and other horses good in hard conditions, opining that there were pigeons or strains good in clear, weather conditions and others good in tough cloudy conditions. The latter strains being the best for the ultra distances. 


Thus according to Sion only those birds whose forebears distinguished themselves in difficult races were in turn capable of doing the same. Whatever is ones response to Sion's position in that article, there is one notable fact and that is- he was not an advocate of inbreeding. Like his master Salembier, Sion participated in out crossing, which was based upon much thought and research into the pedigree and the background of the potential cross, the fruit of which was a strain that was almost identical in appearance. Apparently this great pigeoneer had perfected his out crossing approach to the level of a science. 


Today, there are those who claim to have representatives of the Sion strain especially in the U.S.A., where they impacted upon that fancy. How pure they are, I do not know. But there is a wide agreement that when one sees a Sion one knows that it is a Sion, which is but a reflection of the genius of their founder.


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## IowaFlyer

*Sions*

I have Sions, I will more than likely have some for sale in a couple months, I hope to painfully reduce my breeders then.

[email protected]


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## SmithFamilyLoft

IowaFlyer said:


> I have Sions, I will more than likely have some for sale in a couple months, I hope to painfully reduce my breeders then.
> 
> [email protected]


 If you have good breeders, it should not be all that painful. One should always, IMHO, be reducing their breeders in order to make room for even better breeders. And if one is not producing better then what one already owns, then one must be seeking out better. Show me a loft which is not constantly removing birds, in order to make room for better.....and I will show you a loft which is not progressing or moving forward. 

This has always been at the center of my beef with owners of old strains which claim an unbroken line breeding program for the last 70 + years. They are like genetic time capsules. Sort of breaking out an old Model T and trying to put it in a race with the latest models....gonna get left in the dust. Unless of course, over time, out crosses were introduced over the decades...which means one really never had "pure" line bred Paul Sion birds. At maybe 70 generations long, sure would be some pretty big pedigrees.


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## IowaFlyer

*Sions*

Hey thanks for comment, I am reducing because I am guess kind of attic  My Sions consist most Dr. Gil Rinard, but also John Celia, Jay Holder, Vern Clausen, Garzoli, Heitzman, Wayne Barry, Vincent Janson alittle of many different birds from some of the Old Time Sion breeders, except Jay Holder : )


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## SmithFamilyLoft

IowaFlyer said:


> Hey thanks for comment, I am reducing because I am guess kind of attic  My Sions consist most *Dr. Gil Rinard*, but also *John Celia, Jay Holder, Vern Clausen, Garzoli, Heitzman, Wayne Barry, Vincent Janson* alittle of many different birds from some of the Old Time Sion breeders, except Jay Holder : )



So you really own a varied cross section of birds from many different breeders. Now, after acquiring birds from these 8+ breeders who have produced pigeons based on their selection process, then you have produced birds based on your selection process. So now, my question is, why do you refer to your bird's as Paul Sion's...when he had nothing to do with any of the selections made by any of the above fanciers ? 

Would it be more intelluctually honest to simply refer to your birds as based on birds obtained from Dr. Gil Rinard, John Celia, Jay Holder, Vern Clausen, Garzoli, Heitzman, Wayne Barry, Vincent Janson ? And unless you are pretty old, I suspect that even these birds from the above fanciers, were not obtained directly from all of these fanciers, but perhaps indirectly from other fanciers, who are lesser known, and who obtained birds from some of the above ? Which would add another layer of breeders between your birds and the late great master, Paul Sion. 

And good, bad, or different....the birds are now J. D. Michael's bird's ?  I mean once you start to win races left and right, and when they start to write articles about you and your bird's...won't this whole Sion business fall by the wayside...and your Champs will simply be known as "Michael's" birds ?

Not trying to downplay the fact that 70+ years ago, surviving birds from Paul Sion were bred by other fanciers....but most likely none of the fanciers who came after Paul Sion were selecting or pairing birds just like the great Master would have. It's my understanding that Mr. Sion's son took over the birds for a period of time after Paul Sion's death, and he was not nearly the fancier that his father was. Quite possible and likely, that by the 1st or 2nd generation after Paul's death...that the birds were already changing...based on the new breeders, and by the 1940's at least....anything really resembling what Paul Sion would have bred, was already lost during WWII and to history. 

I am curious as to this phenomena in the United States...where we refer to pigeons as coming from European fanciers who have long since passed from this earth. Best I can figure, European fanciers do not do such things, and they sort of laugh and scoff at Americans for doing such things. If you referred to your birds as Paul Sion strain, they wouldn't even know who or what you are talking about. 

Not saying you don't have a collection of good birds, they could be fantastic. I'm just thinking that from an academic point of view, the birds are more J. D. Michael's, if that is your name, then they are "Dr. Gil Rinard, but also John Celia, Jay Holder, Vern Clausen, Garzoli, Heitzman, Wayne Barry, Vincent Janson " and certainly...most certainly....they are not birds which Paul Sion would recognize as birds which he would have bred.

When I was a kid in the 1960's...I also had birds I referred to as Sion's and they would have been off of imports by way of Charles Heitzman. And how many generations from the actual master, were they then ? I think the term Heitzman Sion would have been more possible, but by the time I was selecting and pairing, they were no longer even Heitzman Sions...they were Warren's based on the Heitzman birds. Just seems that the name of the strain, goes to the strongest fancier who last owned them.

The strain of a bird, will change, once it is owned by a great flier. The bird will become the name of the new owner who is a great fancier. Thus, a stray...for instance...becomes a Ludo Claessen as an example, if Ludo bred from the bird. Regardless if the bird has a 70 generation pedigree, claiming to be an XYZ bird.... purchase offspring from this stray...and it automatically becomes a Ludo instead of an XYZ, and his value increases ten fold. Same with the Sion story.


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## IowaFlyer

*Sions*

Thank you for your input/info, always interesting to hear others opinions. Yes you are right, they are not Paul Sions directly but more like distant descendants of his birds and his son's birds Robert Sion. My intent is not to be miss leading to people about them and what they are. I was merely saying that I am a Sion junky and need to reduce down  Nice chatting with you Mr. Smith! Did produce my 1st 600 mile day bird this past weekend. I bred it and a relative flew it. Have a good one!

Justin Michael
Heaven's Highway Loft
Kellogg, Iowa


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## MaryOfExeter

Sions are probably my favorites now, even though I only have a pair of them. One is a Fennoyer and the other is from Skylake. Two very, very pretty birds. I'm really liking how their babies are flying, but I'll have to see how they do in the races.
I have a book on Sions and another on Stassarts, both by Heitzman. Seeing all the pictures and stories of the birds makes me want them really bad, but of course those birds have been long gone.
Maybe it's not so much the strain I'm wanting so bad, but the distance. I would love it if I could race those 'marathon' races of 500 miles and up, and be successful at it. Maybe one day I'll live in an area where I can do that. Sions appear to have been the kings of 600 mile races. That's why I'm so drawn to them.


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## re lee

Sions stassert, bastins Wegges on and on. they all were at a time Great birds. Can they be that line now NO. wegge birds found there way in many a loft. Some even said the old wegge birds were as bias chickens. every race bird today owes its past to those that developed the racing aspect of the modern race pigeon. There have been a few people her in the U S and europe that stayed with a direct family line of birds. BUT over these long years out cross had to happen. I flew sions stasserts even wegge line birds. Had some of the import stuff back in the day. First its the pigeon that can do it. Sions when I flew them kicked in after the 200 mile races. But the names in the U S sticks like glue. I have known people that can trace history lines of there birds back to near the end of the 1800s. But They also know they put the advanced mark on there birds. I would agree with warren that these old line birds no longer exsist. And just in the U S do you see such names still being sold. Cultivating the birds Takes time. MIXING lines one aspect is the English development of there racing type birds And the Belgium /Antwerp line Which some of lod said does not cross well. Because different base factors Of the development different type birds were used. BUT how many have crossed that line. osman was mentioned. If I remember right he trained many a bird at sea. From a ship the birds were released And had to fly over water. Then a certion person crossed these osman birds with Buitta birds And develped His line KNOWN now as Morris gordans. He to passed away in the 1970s. And many say they have gordans. To bad US bird do not get the strain name known Trenton name has stuck for many years Gordan is sticking around some.


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## SmithFamilyLoft

IowaFlyer said:


> Thank you for your input/info, always interesting to hear others opinions. Yes you are right, they are not Paul Sions directly but more like distant descendants of his birds and his son's birds Robert Sion. My intent is not to be miss leading to people about them and what they are. I was merely saying that I am a Sion junky and need to reduce down  Nice chatting with you Mr. Smith! Did produce my 1st 600 mile day bird this past weekend. I bred it and a relative flew it. Have a good one!
> 
> Justin Michael
> Heaven's Highway Loft
> Kellogg, Iowa


 Keep producing 600 Mile Day birds, and then you can call them anything you like !!  You have apparently some good stock....no question about that. I am/was a fan of the birds that Paul Sion produced, my only point, if there was one, was that all orginal Sions, which were birds that Mr. Paul Sion bred, are long...long....gone. All that remains, are descendents, many generations removed from the orginals, and all those fanciers inbetween, placed their mark on those birds....good, bad, or indifferent. I was just noting, that once a fancier becomes "famous", regardless of where or from whom, the birds descended from...they take the name of the latest fancier.


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## MaryOfExeter

Well if I become famous and my birds take my last name, it's going to sound really funny 
I could see some Smiths flying around though. I'd wonder if they were green and tasted a little sour (but much better with salt), but I could still see it.


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## hilltop

Mr Smith,,please tell me the real story of the ADONIS-SION cock that Mr Sion fled with in a shoebox to keep him alive, during the war....Gegards Harry


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## re lee

hilltop said:


> Mr Smith,,please tell me the real story of the ADONIS-SION cock that Mr Sion fled with in a shoebox to keep him alive, during the war....Gegards Harry


Several people had to hide there birds during the war. Or the gemans would take them over And might even kill a person found hiding there birds. Janssens hid theres in the basement I believe. Preety much race birds had to be rebuilt after the war Some did manage to get a few back. Can you tell the story about this sion bird You spoke of I would like to here it. It is probably interesting As people did have to do several things to keep a few birds.


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## hilltop

Lee, I thought for sure this story was on the internet,,,,,the story as i know it, is Paul Sion had a champion flyer a red chk cock, called Adonis, the germans were comming and would kill all his birds,, he took the bird an fled,,awayfrom the germans he put the bird in a shoebox and hopped a bus or truck out of france,and terribly afraid of being caught , he got out safely returned later and the Adonis Sion was born...Lee I am shure some of the oldtimers should know better than me....Regards....Harry


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## re lee

hilltop said:


> Lee, I thought for sure this story was on the internet,,,,,the story as i know it, is Paul Sion had a champion flyer a red chk cock, called Adonis, the germans were comming and would kill all his birds,, he took the bird an fled,,awayfrom the germans he put the bird in a shoebox and hopped a bus or truck out of france,and terribly afraid of being caught , he got out safely returned later and the Adonis Sion was born...Lee I am shure some of the oldtimers should know better than me....Regards....Harry


I had not read anything On sions birds in some years So was not up on this story. I did read some yesterday. And sion LIKE so many others foundation began with the old wegge birds. Wegges show up in so many old line race bird families.


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## Alamo

RE LEE is so right...The Wegge strain was the foundation for many of the Belgium masters pigeons,dating back way.....If any strain is CLOSE to being 100% of what was imported to the USA,I would ALMOST bet alot of money,that it would be the HAVENITH strain,which was brought into the USA by John Blade,a good friend of my dad,and a great pigeon man...Many lofts in NYC,and elsewhere won alot of races & $$,with the Havenith strain.....I think Walter/Pigeon0446 can probally tell US here,if he personally knows of anyone out in LI,NY,who has kept them straight all these years...As Of 1970/75,I know my dad had only the birds be bought from Bladie,or Bladie gave him as a gift..And they were direct from Havenith`s bloodlines.....There is a guy named Pat Martin,in NC or SC,who advertises "Bladie`s Haveniths",straight or crossed in his ads......Alamo


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## conditionfreak

The long distance bird is not in favor anymore. It is all about young birds sprinting and winning the 300's and 350's or less. Few care anymore about a tough long distance bird that just plows along and comes home. They want the fast middle distance young birds because that is where the money is.

Personally, I enjoy the long distance old bird races so much more. But our club and combine only go to 500, and just once. They used to go 600 and 1,000.

But not anymore, sadly. I guess it is because most birds can't hack it, and because of transportation costs.

I have one pair of Sions (from skylakesions) and one pair of Jan Ardens (imports from Belgium) (another long distance strain), and I am going to cross them and see how they do.

I refer to my birds as Sions and Jan Ardens because it is easier and most have an idea of what type of bird I am referring to.

Along those same lines as has been discussed in former postings, I find it untrustworthy that many sell birds that are "down from Sure Bet" or "-------------", when the father (and sometimes even mother) may or may not be any relation to Sure Bet, except that they are a homing pigeon.

I know the big guys claim they breed in individual cages and such. But how do I know that? How do I know they didn't switch eggs and lose track? I do I know the cock parent or hen parent didn't cheat on their mate? How do I know that a guy didn't sell 88 young birds in one season, allegedly all from Sure Bets direct son?

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. You bid on a bird in an auction and all you get is a bird. Just like humans. Do you have any idea how many fathers are raising kids they think are theirs, and they are not? Millions I am positive.


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## hilltop

MR Smith,,& Mary,,Come on now !.. if u had sions ,an done well , when they left u,,and your last name was ....LIP****TS or MUCKENFUSS !" I got 22 MUCKENFUSSES !" I fly...SORRY I wills till call them SIONS....LOL good humor....Harry


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## re lee

I had sions. Also munns sions Erby sions Hietzman sions As they were called back in the 60s and 70s. And believed them to be sion. BUT have learned much from those earlyer years. They were sion based rather then sions. As the birds would have to been from sion to be that. Munns and erby and hietzman were breeders of sions down from sions birds. Where hieztman also kept bastins. Just as in those years stasserts were still being flown well And flew about as well as any other lines. And wegges were still being given the wegge name Some still are. And remember well how thold belgium breeders used to quote that wegges birds seemed as big as chickens But flew well and madeconsistant breeding in the end.


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## spirit wings

re lee said:


> I had sions. Also munns sions Erby sions Hietzman sions As they were called back in the 60s and 70s. And believed them to be sion. BUT have learned much from those earlyer years. They were sion based rather then sions. As the birds would have to been from sion to be that. Munns and erby and hietzman were breeders of sions down from sions birds. Where hieztman also kept bastins. Just as in those years stasserts were still being flown well And flew about as well as any other lines. And wegges were still being given the wegge name Some still are. And remember well how thold belgium breeders used to quote that wegges birds seemed as big as chickens But flew well and madeconsistant breeding in the end.


do you still keep birds re lee?


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## re lee

spirit wings said:


> do you still keep birds re lee?


I thought you knew I had to give up all my birds Just about 2 years ago 3rd heart attack Could not give them good care so chose to get rid of them rather then see them go down hill. But did keep birds for what right at 50 years Racing pigeons Fantails and modenas were my main stay in the hobby had a few other breeds BUT never as interested in them as much as these breeds. Sure met some great people over the years. Then computers came in the homes You visit with people and never know them But get to talk pigeons.


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## Goingatitagain

Hi Re Lee...

I am sorry to hear you had to give up your birds. But maintaining your health is more important.

It's a funny thing about pigeons. Once they get into your blood, they remain there. Back in the 1960's when I started racing pigeons as a kid in Brooklyn NY, I had a small bodied chocolate hen, that was great little pigeon who consisently flew her heart out. Out of all the birds that I have had, I remember her like it was yesterday. The funny thing was she came from parents that were just sitting in a pet store window.. I did'nt have money to buy good birds , so I bought them from local pet stores. They were probably someone's culls.
I remember putting her together with a dark checkered cock, that flew fairly well, I raised one set of young from her, but never had the chance to see what they could do as I was drafted.

I guess the good thing is that you have many great memories of your birds, and we can stay in touch through PT with other people who have a great love for pigeons. Anthony


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## Haemar1

I have tried and showed as below :

www.lickforkracingpigeons.com is UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Contact me at [email protected]


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## NO SWEAT

I have some of the best racing sions to be found; last year they finished in the upper 1 per cent of two of the biggest races in the USA; many go back onto the old Heitzman blood. I have been rearing hundreds of racers the past five years and have narroed all of them down to a few key pair that are red hot. This took a lot of time and money but now is worth it. You can easily locate me on the net by typing in: TCC LOFTS THE OTHER SION SPECIALIST NO SWEAT. I have been raising sions for 55 yerars and have won over 800 firsts places with pigeons. At the present, this week only, there is an auction going on on EBAY. Many of the items that were inside Heitzman's library are being sold; you may want to look. And there are some important old original Sion items in the auction. NO SWEAT / E. Lowell "Robbie" Robbins, Jr. [email protected] 859-624-8113


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## Crazy Pete

I know the guy that bought the show case that has the 3 legs with bands that were his favorite 3 birds ever, he got them off ebay a few years back.
Dave


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## conditionfreak

I have a pair of skylake sions. Their offspring do okay. My best young bird this year, is off of that pair. But their offspring over the previous two years, were just average. That may occur with any pair of breeders though. Law of averages. Not every youngster off of ANY pair of breeders, is a world beater.

There is a man named Gary Stone, who is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Racing Pigeon Combine, (Tri-County club), that IMO, has the closest and best Heitzman Sion lines around. But he is a millionaire and will not sell any of his birds. He is very difficult to even talk to. But he got birds originally from Heitzman and has worked with them, to keep the line strong and good.

Good luck getting any birds of any sort from him. Very difficult to deal with. Will say one thing but change his mind the next day.


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## Crazy Pete

Back in 1970 the first 500 mile day bird we ever had was from Ron Lagree from Kansas, and all his birds were from Heitzman. I still have some of that blood in my loft.
Dave


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## sdymacz

I know a guy near by me he only keeps sions and he has raced sions for fifty years. I talk to him couple of times really nice guy. I also talked to his son who is a local club secretary and he told me that in the 90's alot japanese used to visit his fathers loft and buy birds from him.


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## NO SWEAT

Crazy Pete said:


> I know the guy that bought the show case that has the 3 legs with bands that were his favorite 3 birds ever, he got them off ebay a few years back.
> Dave


Dear CP,
Thank you for the response.
Actually, the most important bird ever to leave Stassart's loft and the all time facorite pigeon that Heitzman ever owned was, IBRAHIM. IBRAHIM bred HeadWind. It was Headwind's leg that brought almost 3,000 dollars on ebay. I wrote by far and away more storieds on Heitzman that were published all over the world than anyone. More than all other stories combined several times. In every interview I ever had with him and all the many days that I spent with him taking care of his pigeons he always accredited IBRAHIM as being his greatest pigeon that he ever owned. It is IBRAHIM'S leg that is now for sale on EBAY, and this was HEITZMAN'S favorite racing pigeon that he ever owned. If he were alive he would quickly tell you so. Thank you for your response but you are in error ever believing that Headwind was more important to Heitzman than IBRAHIM. I still own all the original letters that HEITZMAN and STASSART wrote to each other regarding IBRAHIM and you can easily learn from what transpired in their communication and just how much HEITZMAN eventually had to pay just how important IBRAHIM was and continued to be for him as a selling point breeder and as a proven breeder. The birds that breed the winners are always highly cherished. And such became true for IBRAHIM. And at the time you must appreciate that STASSART was recognized world wide to be the best racing pigeon flier in the world.


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## NO SWEAT

conditionfreak said:


> I have a pair of skylake sions. Their offspring do okay. My best young bird this year, is off of that pair. But their offspring over the previous two years, were just average. That may occur with any pair of breeders though. Law of averages. Not every youngster off of ANY pair of breeders, is a world beater.
> 
> There is a man named Gary Stone, who is a member of the Greater Cincinnati Racing Pigeon Combine, (Tri-County club), that IMO, has the closest and best Heitzman Sion lines around. But he is a millionaire and will not sell any of his birds. He is very difficult to even talk to. But he got birds originally from Heitzman and has worked with them, to keep the line strong and good.
> 
> Good luck getting any birds of any sort from him. Very difficult to deal with. Will say one thing but change his mind the next day.


Gary Stone and I grew up together. He and I were on the same basketball and baseball teams. We have been lifelong friends for nearly 60 years. Gary is a self made millionare having worked hard in nthe trucking bsiness; he grw up very poor and has earned every dime he has. He has always loved pigeons as I have as we flew them together wqhen we were small boys. Gary does have some of the best racing pigeons that can be found. And his Heitzman Sions did all come straight from Heitzman via me. I was the person that bought all the Heitzman birds that Gary once owned, but no longer does. I still have some of the original Heitzman bloodlines. If you are interested inthem, [email protected] "NO SWEAT LOFTS." 859-624-8113


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## NO SWEAT

THE NO SWEAT LOFTS operated by John Hayes and Robbie Robbins have some of the best Sions. You can locate Robbins by going to: TCC LOFTS THE OTHER SION SPERCIALIST or THESE PRECIOUS DAYS BY NO SWEAT or ITOH PRESS NO SWEAT. You can contact them at: [email protected] The NO SWEAT LOFTS specialize in long distance racers.


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