I.F. Profile of a Champion Flyer
1997 OBs. First Champion Loft 100 or more Lofts
Alfred Greenwald of Gilbert, Arizona

by Paul Walsh

Al decided to move to Arizona in 1997 and sell his business in order to live in a better climate for his health. In 1998, Al was diagnosed with cancer and has been going through chemo and radiation treatment. (It is now January) Lets hope it catches his cancer in time. Al is a top flyer, always keeping a low profile. His birds are flying well in Germany as well as winning in New Jersey.

Tell us a little about yourself. Is Anyone in your family involved with your loft ?
I was born in Germany, and came to the United States in 1952. I first Started with Canadian High Flyers at the age of 14. The first racing John Marrusso of Mona Loft gave pigeons to me. In 1959 I Joined the North Hudson Racing Pigeon Club in NJ there were approx. 75 to 80 flying members at that time. In 1969 my brother and I bought Cliffside Body Corp. a truck Equipment company. The business required me to work 10-12 hrs a day 6 days a week. It was hard to race pigeons at this time but with the Help of my best friend, my partner, who is also my wife, Pat, I was able to fly. I moved to Paramus NJ in 1972 and joined the Northern Valley and Bergen County clubs. At this time I won numerous club and average speed races and both 500-mile club races and won 2nd Average overall speed in the C.J.C.

In 1995, I decided to make a change and try the darkening system in March of that year. This was the best move I made because it made me Think about the effects of light and dark on my birds. By flying the Young birds on partial dark in 1995, I won 12 races that year. Winning First and Second CJC 427 lofts 5325 birds on October 14 1995. I won the Big One, the Paterson Air Derby. I won by more than 100 yards against 130 lofts 796 birds with a speed of 2015.544. The same day I also won in Garfield and the North Jersey clubs making three wins on the day. That year I won average speed in the Garfield and North Jersey clubs and won First and Second average speed in the North / Section of the CJC 175 lofts 4th overall in the CJC. I also placed 2 birds in the I.F. Big Honorable Mention for Young Birds. In the North East Union Race I placed 29th and 30th against 6356 birds and 565 lofts 272 miles.

Do you think your position is a good one as far as combine races are concerned ?
Flying in the North end of the CJC and being a long end, with only two flyers north of me was not the best spot to fly, with predominate West to northwest winds.

What type of birds do you now fly ?
I fly Huskin Van Reils, Meulemans and Janssens

Do you race birds bred from imports ?
Yes Janssen and Meuleman

How big is your old bird team ? How big is young bird team ?
On my young bird team I start out with 65 to 70 birds, but I only fly around 48 for the young bird season. Old bird team is 32 birds.

Do you use a system ?
In 1995 young birds I used partial dark, not total darkness. I moved the daylight hours to adjust to my work and training. Light was started at 6 AM to 3PM. Then as the weeks went on I moved the time as my training had to be in late afternoon 5 to 6 PM or weekends as work allowed. I only flew the darkening system for one season, it was not allowed by the CJC combine. Old birds were flown to nest only; my 95 dark birds were my best Old birds in 96 and 97, contrary to what other people say. Half of my Dark birds were placed in lighted loft and the other half in a natural Lighted loft, both lofts of birds were ready to fly and had come through a complete moult.

Do you cut flights, pull tail feathers, or have other methods you can tell us about ?
For a couple of years I cut flights and pulled tail feathers, this damaged too many of my good birds wings so I stopped. Young birds are bred in January and 90% complete the moult. When the races start in August. The Sexes are separated.

Describe you loft ?
My old loft had four sections, plus a feed room the floor was grated Steel throughout. It measured 32'x 8' wide. The new loft in Arizona is 20' x 40 with three young bird sections and Two old birds sections. There is a storeroom and a shop plus 8 separate Compartments 24"x24"x32 for individual breeding.

Describe how you feed ?
I feed in a hopper a commercial mix with peanuts, safflower and corn Added as needed. Birds are placed on a routine of light mix 2 days after Race and slowly increasing the mixture as needed the mix is basically the Same all week. The birds are fed at 8am and 6 PM daily.

How do you train your birds ?
They are started out in a flock, trained as far as 30 to 40 miles. When they are coming good I break them down to a basket at a time. Then When I think the time is right I liberate them 3 at a time. If I use the Training truck I separate them by sex. They are truck trained 4 days a Week and then when ever time allows me to do some more.

Is there any kind of health program you follow regularly ?
One month before training starts I treat for: pox, paramyxo, Respiratory, cocidiosis and canker.

How often do you race your champion bird & How about the rest of the team?
I race a champion pigeon 3 to 4 races a year and fly them till 4 or 5 Years old. The exception being a bird who proves he is worth more as A breeder.

Do you believe in bird entry limits ? Do you believe in clocking limits ?
As to the question of bird entry limits, no, unless it helps the club or Combine. We had a 15-bird limit per club but most of us could Fly another club in our area and fly more than one team of birds. In reference to clocking limit, I would only clock two or three birds as It gives other flyers a chance to see their names on the front of the Sheet. I feel it helps the club.

Have you any advice for advanced Flyers ?
The best advice to an advanced flyer is to help a new flyer, as its no fun to fly alone. Give them some birds and show them the excitement of flying and always give good advice. For the beginner my advice is not to overcrowd your loft with stock birds or prisoners. Flying them around the loft will keep them in better health. Take flyers from your race team and you will find out which birds will become your new breeders. Read as much as you can. You have to stay up to date as this sport changes over the years. get birds from local top lofts and develop birds that will fly for your way of handling.