Hawaii Performing Roller Club
Kulia I Ka Nu'u - "Strive for the Highest"
"The most important thing no one should forget is that this is a hobby and a hobby should be for fun!" ~ Heine Bijker
2012 NBRC National Championship Fly
20 Bird Winner
Walt Rosehill
-Note-
After winning the 2012 NBRC National Championship, Walt went on to earn the highest score in the 2013 World Cup Roller Fly for a North American flyer.
Interview of Walt Rosehill by NBRC President Don Macauley.
Don Macauley: On behalf of the NBRC, congratulations on being our 2012 National Champion in the 20 bird kit fly! What a great feeling it must be to win this prestigious competition that so many of us dream of winning! We would like to know more about you and your journey to becoming a National Champion.
Don Macauley: Tell us about yourself Walt. Who is Walt Rosehill?
Walt Rosehill: Walt Rosehill is a family guy, a bird guy, and a vintage VW guy. I love the ocean and have body surfed for years. I was born and raised in Kailua, Hawaii. I have had birds since I was five years old starting with chickens then some pigeons as a young teenager. I retired as a C&C of Honolulu Fire Captain a few years ago. Since retiring, I have expanded and have a few more bird species here on the property. I also love old cars and own an original 1957 VW sunroof Bug. I am very fortunate to have a supporting wife that understands and tolerates my obsessions in the yard.
Don Macauley: Tell us about your journey this year from the start of 2012, through your regional fly, and your finals fly?
Walt Rosehill: I picked twenty-four 2012 youngsters to prep for our regional fly in October. While watching the kit on each fly day, I figured out which four I could cut from the team before the competition. They really worked well together and won our region. I rested them for a little while after our regional and put them back up about 18 days out. Weather was a challenge and six days before the finals they flew three hours and I was missing four. Three returned late that day and one never did. I followed my "gut" in dealing with the prep and weather for the finals. I released them for Eldon and they did better than they did a month prior during our Regional Fly. They did work well as a "team" with some big breaks in the finals.
Don Macauley: What was the makeup and background of your winning kit and how did you prepare for your regional and championship fly? Any special feed programs, ect.
Walt Rosehill: My kit consisted of two families, Rick Schoening and Johnny Smith. Ten were Johnny's, seven were Rick's, and three were crosses. The crosses came out of a son of #133 (Smith) onto a daughter of Rick's Champion hen, #646. I fly my young birds daily. As they mature and start to roll well, I back them off to every other day. I really have to watch the weather and that depicts how much is fed to the kit. I want them to fly for 30-50 minutes. My young birds get a mix daily. For competitions I'll feed the grains separate. Milo is my staple grain.
First and foremost, they have to kit well and be a good asset to the team. After that, I love speed! Smooth and fast! Those are the two most important traits that I look for, as nothing can beat a round smooth spinning blur! Teamwork and depth ar the other traits that I look for in my birds.
Don Macauley: Tell us about your breeding program. How many pairs do you work out of and how many birds do you typically breed a year?
Walt Rosehill: My breeding season was a little different this year with birds abandoning their nest when their young had just hatched. Numerous pairs were guilty of kicking eggs and young out of their nests. Other pairs hit round after round without problems, just weird. I've never experienced this before. I breed out of eight pairs, all in individual pens and I raise about 45-60 birds a year.
Don Macauley: What challenges does Mother Nature present to you and other fliers in Hawaii?
Don Macauley: How did you get started in rollers? Is there any particular person or persons who got you started in rollers or you would consider your mentor?
Walt Rosehill: My brother sent me my first rollers about 12 years ago. I joined the NBRC and talked with Dick Stephens on the phone for hours. Dick taught me a lot about raising and caring for my rollers. I then joined the Hawaii Performing Roller Club and have been flying with them ever since. I have made a lot of friends in the hobby and tried many different techniques with these birds. Bottom line is you have to find what works for you and your birds, at your location.
Don Macauley: How long have you been in rollers and what lines of birds have you worked with and currently are working with? Tell us how you got to where you currently at with your birds. What characteristics do you look for in your birds?
Walt Rosehill: As I stated above I received my first rollers from my brother. My first real family of birds came from Dick Stephens, Tom Hatcher's Continental family. I kept them for almost ten years. I also flew some Neibels for a couple of years too. The birds I am working with now are from Rick Schoening and Johnny Smith. I received my first birds from Rick in the summer of 2009 and in 2010 Clayton Leu let me borrow six more he received from Rick. In the fall of 2010, I received my first birds from Johnny Smith. Then in 2011, I got a few more from Johnny and that is what I am breeding and flying now.
Walt's ORIGINAL 1957 VW Ragtop
Walt Rosehill: A lot of my methods in flying rollers were made after years of observations alone in my yard. Trial and error, mostly error, but I learned. My conditions on the side of the island where I live are different than in the next town, just five to ten minutes away. In Honolulu, on the other side of the island, it is very different too. you need to learn and adjust for your birds, your location, and for the conditions in your area. I also have to be careful of approaching weather systems as these conditions are very dangerous to fly in! High pressure is great flying weather here, while low pressure or North Winds are recipes for over-flies! Been there, done that!
Don Macauley: I have to say Walt, that you and the Hawaii Performing Roller Club are a special group and blessed to have each other. My wife, son, and I had the privilege and fun of spending a day with you and others from the Hawaii Performing Roller Club when we took our son over to Hawaii to start his college career. Besides the great food and plenty of it, the friendship and fellowship shared was second to none. Besides being treated with the Ohana (family) spirit and sharing our love for the birds, my wife and I were able to leave our son on the island with a great sense of peace, knowing that he had a great support group and new friends with both rollers and for any challenges he may face. How did the HPRC come along and how does your group keep the Ohana (family) spirit first and foremost in all situations?
Walt Rosehill: Yes, we do have a great bunch of guys here in the HPRC. Some top fliers as well! We do it strictly for fun; no bull or bird politics are involved. Maybe it's the relaxed lifestyle here? Maybe it's the "No biggie, I get 'um next time" attitude? I don't know but it is just relaxed fun with a bunch of cool guys. Oh yeah, and ono (delicious) food at our gatherings, too!
Don Macauley: You are the NBRC Regional Director of Hawaii and we appreciate you volunteering your time and efforts to run such a great region and now with 2 National Champions! The NBRC is a great national club that I give credit for a major part of what the roller hobby has grown to and for many friends we have met in our wonderful hobby.
Based on your experiences as Regional Director and a member of the NBRC , what are some ways we can make our club even better to make the hobby even more enjoyable to our fellow members?
Walt Rosehill: I do read about roller politics and that is just too bad some people have to go down that road. It is supposed to be fun, isn't it? Have fun in your yard, "Ain't no big thing braddah!" Relax (smile). I'll tip my hat to you and the others that worked hard on adjusting the NCF Finals schedule to make it better for more of the regions involved.,, stuff like that makes the NBRC better. Mahalo!
Don Macauley: Anything else you would like to add Walt?
Walt Rosehill: In my opinion, the health of your rollers is also very important. Without being healthy, your birds will not be able to show you their true worth. I watch the birds' nose ceres and their droppings. If something isn't right with them you won't be getting their best on fly day!
In closing, I want to say that I received a lot of congratulations from many people. If I failed to respond to anyone, I apologize and wish to do it here. Thank you! Your congratulations are appreciated! To all, best of luck with your birds in 2013! Aloha!
Don Macauley: Mahalo (thanks) Walt for taking the time to share your story with us. It is a honor to know you and to have you as a friend. Congratulations again for becoming National Champion! And best of fun and success in 2013 and beyond in your quest for a repeat!