29th March 2024 The only independent racing pigeon weekly - over 125 years serving the fancier
Racing Pigeon The only independent racing pigeon weekly – Over 125 years serving you the fancier £1.70 29 MARCH 2024 • No. 7373 WINNERS FROM THE PAST Freddie & Keith Dawkins Stratford (East London North Road) and Plaistow
Freddie and Keith Dawkins now. Freddie holding ‘Charlie’ and Keith holding ‘Alfie’. See page 8 JAN HOOYMANS See page 24
‘CHAMPION JACKPOT’ WHU07R06777
1st Penywaun SRFC, 1st Section, 1st Open Welsh North Road Federation 4,799 birds; 1st Section, 1st Open Welsh South East Nationl Flying Club 4,757 birds; 1st Section, 1st Open Welsh South East Combine 11,302 birds Maidstone 178 miles, velocity 1183.15ypm 2007. Voted Champion Young Bird of Wales 2007, winning the coveted J O Davies Cup. Bred and raced by G Williams & Sons.
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9 770033 739024
THE RACING PIGEON 29 MARCH 2024
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British International Championship Club AUCTION SUCCESS AND BREEDER/BUYER SET TO BREAK 250 RINGS!
to purchase pigeons to race. The race will be split into four Sections, West, Central, East and North. There will be a guaranteed 1st prize of £2,000 each to the breeder and buyer. There will be an additional guaranteed £250 breeder and buyer prize to the winners of the other three Sections. So, for example, if the North Section takes the 1st £2,000 prize the 1st Breeder/Buyer pigeon in the other three Sections will win £250 for both the breeder and buyer. The more birds entered the larger the prize pot will be, and the club will only take 10%. The sales will start soon at the following venues. Please note the change to Steventon. April 7th: Sartan Club, Queens Road, Bishopsworth, Bristol. BS13 8LF April 14th: Sundridge Park Working Men’s Club, 134 Burnt Ash Lane, Bromley. BR1 5AF April 21st: Sarisbury Green Social Club, 108 Bridge Road. SO31 7EP April 21st: Drayton Village Hall, Lockway, Drayton, Oxon. OX14 4LG (about 2.5miles from Milton FC) Viewing will be from 12 noon with all sales commencing at 1pm. The minimum opening bid will be £30 per pigeon. Remember you have to be in it to win it, so why not give this exciting new venture a go! Mike Jackson, BICC Press Officer Email: mike.jackson026@hotmail.com Tel: 07964448291
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The annual BICC auction raised close to £17,000, and this money will be used to make the 2024 season a successful one for members. With money tight for many at the moment, the club were delighted to have raised so much and would like to thank Stuart Wilcox and the pigeon chat team for hosting such a successful auction. Special thanks go to all the donors who offered birds of the highest calibre and to all those who bid and spent their hard earn cash. The BICC hopes that these birds will add to the quality of your lofts and bring you success in the future. The Breeder/Buyer sale is also going well with 247 rings sold so far. With rings on sale at the Epsom Show, it is hope that the number will rise even further, with the last date for purchasing rings on the 31st March. The Breeder/Buyer race will be from Fougeres on Saturday 14th September. You don’t have to be a BICC member to buy rings, but you must be a member to enter the race. Breeders can buy up to three rings for the cost of £10 per ring, open to all RPRA members. Buyers must be members of the BICC
29 MARCH 2024 Issue No 7373 The Racing Pigeon Co Ltd, PO Box 12760,
Colchester, CO1 9TZ Phone 01206 250880
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THE RACING PIGEON LOFT MANAGEMENT BOOK
RICH, IVAN – It is with great sadness that I have to report the passing of Ivan on the 23rd March. Ivan was a great distance flyer whom achieved great results in the NRCC having won 1st Open Thurso and his great ambition of also winning 1st Open Lerwick. He will be sadly missed by the pigeon world, our condolences go to his partner Yvonne and his daughter Shana and Ivan's family. Rest in peace old friend, God Bless. – Moore & Ransome and all at the Chatteris & District Pigeon Club OBITUARY
Handy A6 pocket loft book containing: Race Point Distances Birds in Loft –
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Coccidiosis Canker
THE RACING PIGEON 29 MARCH 2024 Surrey Bird
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that our red pied had made the highest bid of the night in the Tividale sale, selling for two hundred pounds! I still think he and his dad may be pulling our legs, but he assures us
caused amusement amongst those there. Mick bought our little grizzle hen, now named ‘Grizelda’ and has promised to keep me updated with the progress of all four babies,
A big thank you to Gregg for all his hard work and for the smooth running of all the Amal sales. Once Matt was home and we’d sorted our
It has been over two weeks since I last wrote and we have been full steam ahead where the pigeons are concerned. The racers have now all laid and are sitting tight, with the first eggs due to hatch this coming weekend. These will all be rearing one young bird, most will have their own, with a few raising chicks floated from the specials loft. We have been busy with the Futurity and Breeder/Buyer races we entered and young birds have been going here, there and every- where! For those that don’t know, the NRCC and North Road Amal sales are conducted on WhatsApp groups, with fanciers letting the admin know when their rings are ready to be auctioned. Once the young birds are purchased the buyer then arranges collec-
that they aren’t. Dan and I had a great plan that we were going to share the winnings from both races, but it wasn’t to be as Dan got outbid. Hopefully he will have better luck tonight and we can still get rich together! The last of our travelling and delivering babies for sales ends today, when we drop our two off to Andri Giedra for the Barnsley South Road Gold Ring race, after that, it will be back to following the WhatsApp groups. I have thoroughly enjoyed the rearing of this round of young birds for all these competitions, and even if we get nothing back from it, I want to do it all over again in 2025! I am hopeful
birds out, we then set off to the Denaby Cadbey Miners Welfare Club in Tickhill to take our four young birds to the sale organised by the Derbyshire Federation. We were the last to arrive with our babies, and there were over sixty lots to be auctioned. There was a good turnout of potential buyers and a buffet was provided for the half time interval, but seeing that Forest would be kicking off at three o’clock, we didn’t stay until the sale had finished. Thanks to Mick Debenham who messaged me later in the day to let us know who had purchased our entrants. Mick told me that due to the auctioneer knowing that each pigeon
Barnsley Blue.
that someone, somewhere will do well with a pigeon bred here and I’d be thrilled to receive some positive feedback at the end of the year. If we are fortunate enough to win some pennies from it too, then even better. Now we can concentrate on the breeding of our own young bird race team. These will be weaned later than in previous years, but all being well, they will miss all this miserable, damp weather and be born into sunny Spring days where they will have the sun on their
in our lofts has a name, he had named all four before bidding started, which had
good or bad, which I very much appreciate. I apologise for not asking the auctioneers name, as we did have a chat and then saw him the following morning at the Thrybergh Working Mens Club for the sale held by one of the Barnsley Federations, where he was in charge of proceedings once more. Again, there was a good turnout, and we stayed this time to see our two sold. Good luck to all who supported both sales and well done to those that put in the hard work doing the organising and auctioning. The travelling didn’t stop for us once the weekend was over, as we had purchased a ring in each of the Tividale and Hurst Hill sales, one being held on the Monday evening and the other the following night. Thankfully for us, we have a good friend in Dan Gelder who lives up that way and he offered to take these to both sales for us. This meant we could drop the babies off to him at a time that suited us, thank you Dan. I was in a state of disbelief last night when Dan informed me
Highest bid of the night?
tion, so this requires little effort on the breeders part. We were lucky enough to secure rings for each of the three sections in the Amal this year, which obviously means that buyers could be anywhere in the country. The Amal Secretary Gregg Johnson does a grand job in organising the transport of young birds purchased out of the area, to make life easier for the buyers and to save them the courier costs. So early last Saturday morning, Matt drove our five babies bought in the South Section to Gregg before he set off driving and delivering them to their new lofts.
Hurst Hill hopeful.
Barnsley Gold Ring.
backs and not have to worry about Mrs Sparrowhawk, who will be sat firmly on her nest. Now the racers are sitting, and we have more time at home, we hope to start having them out twice a day. I don’t know how the weather will feel about that, but it’s been a good start to this week so far. I have seen some people have been making the most of this milder weather and have started their training. When you think about it, we are in the middle of March already and it won’t be long before our weekends aren’t our own anymore. We wouldn’t have it any other way though would we? I wish you all luck with your racing preparation, I am off to wind Matt up a bit more, as in two short days he will be like me, the grand old age of fifty! I will leave you with a selection of photos, of both old and young, bye for now. Jo Cuthbert
All sitting tight.
Little cuties.
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Lanarkshire Federation News
life in the sport. Everything went well and thanks for the excellent conduct of those in attendance during the question and answer session. It was a very enjoyable night and the committee would like to thank the guests and Margaret & Mary Thomson for their help and all who attended and supported Lanarkshire Federation. John Leggate for his work selling the 2024 young birds for Federation funds. Remember to support such social events as when its gone its gone! I feel Lanarkshire committee are doing an excellent job and looking after the welfare of its membership. Hopefully it will be a Ian Rankin of Airdrie club winner of the Wm Rae Trophy 1st Open Federation Worksop on 27th May with his three year old grizzle hen doing a velocity of 1424 for the 211 miles with 3,440 birds. Polockus & Feelie win the Heart Foundation Trophy for winning Otterburn on the 6th May with their yearling blue cock doing a velocity of 1661 for the 85 mile. They actually recorded 1st & 2nd Open from 5,289 birds. good start to the season! Presentation of Trophies
Lanarkshire 2023 season presentation was held in the Motherwell Miners Lounge on Friday 23rd February. There was a good turn out of members, friends and guest to celebrate this years winners. This years guests were Michael Currie of Moffat, Craig Halbert of Eastriggs, Johnny Mallan of Up North Combine, Jim MacLean of Newmains. Lanarkshire Federation President John Lawrie gave a resume of each guests performances in the pigeon sport, It was great to have such a panel of well known fanciers in the sport with a wealth of knowledge and a cracking pedigree in the sport. Thereafter John and guests got down to presenting the magnificent array of cups and trophies. The night consisted of a question and answer session for the top table, a raffle and sale of young pigeons. A very nice buffet was enjoyed for the excellent cost of £8. I think everyone got time to ask their questions and guests took the time to explain their management systems, feeding, training and health of our feathered friends. With Jim MacLean on the panel you are always got some great stories about his
Walter Boswell winner of Inland Combine Averages, West Section Combine Averages and 3x1st West Sections from Melton Mowbray, Kettering and Wooler.
James Whiteford of J Whiteford & Family of Newmains club, winner of 1st Centre Section 1st Open Thirsk 5,378 birds.
Arthur Morrison winner of 1st Section 1st Open Guernsey.
Billy Gordon winner of 1st West Section Otterburn.
Jimmy McMillan winner of 1st West Section Alnwick.
Craig Halbert (left) presents Ian Rankin winner of 1st Sect 1st Open Worksop.
Robert Cairns winner of first bird into Federation from SNFC Gold Cup race.
Boslem & Gilfillan winner of 2-bird average YB Open pool race.
Andy Eadie of Eadie & Kelly, Federation Champion Loft 2023.
Joe Polockus & Ryan Feelie winners of 1st Section 1st Open Otterburn.
THE RACING PIGEON 29 MARCH 2024
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John Leggate, Peter Anderson, Tom Corrie Snr and Andy Graham enjoying their night.
West Section winners.
Jim MacLean (left) presenting Davie Allison winner of 3x1st West Sections, Billericay, Alnwick and Thirsk.
‘Ann Marie’s Lad’ winner of 1st Section 1st Open, 271 miles, for JJ Gillon & Grandson.
Wilson & Cairns loft 1 of Newmains club. The two Robert’s win the Wm Findlay Mem Trophy for best opposite sex in the young bird pool race from Thirsk 147 miles winning 3rd Open with their blue hen against 1,609 birds. Wilson & Cairns loft 2 of Newmains club. The two Robert’s win the Wm Wilson Memorial Trophy for the pigeon with the highest velocity in the SNFC Gold Cup race from Alencon 538 miles, timing their four year old blue w/f hen at 5.43am on the Tom Corrie Jnr (left), Johnny Mallan and Tom Corrie Snr winners of 1st Open Billericay and North Section Combine Averages.
second morning to win 2nd Section 15th Open, velocity 890. Top performance in a very tough race. Graham Brothers of Carluke club, Andy wins the T Robertson Trophy for winning 1st Open YB Thirsk pool race where his young blue pied cock recorded a velocity of 1108 for the 144 miles. Winners of J Quinn Mem Trophy for winning the longest flown young bird race which was also Thirsk and the Lanarkshire Social Circle Trophy for the lowest winning velocity in the federation Michael Currie presenting Kelly Gillon winner of 1st Open Kettering and 2x1st Sections, Worksop and Kettering races
programme which again was Thirst pool race. Boslem & Gilfillan of Newmains club. They win the Wm O’Neil Trophy for best two bird average in the young bird pool race from Thirsk 147 miles where they won 4th & 5th Open with their chequer hen and blue cock, 1,609 birds competing Eadie & Kelly of Newmains,Federation Champion Loft winner of Hugh McClymont Mem Trophy for Best Combine Average all races Lanarkshire 47,161 birds competing, velocity 1340. Reid Memorial Trophy for best Combine Average over Melton Mowbray, Kettering, Billericay and
Guernsey, 4,479 birds competing over the four races, velocity 1369. J Cowan Memorial Trophy for Best Old Bird Averages with 32,764 birds competing velocity 1387. Arrapine Trophy & Carriage Trophy both for best average average three longest races flown, Kettering, Billericay, Guernsey, velocity 1384 with 2,371 birds ‘Elsa’ winner of 1st Section 1st Open Billericay 345 miles for Tom Corrie, Son & Grandson.
Callum McMillan of Newmains club winner of 1st Centre Section Melton Mowbrary.
Jim Forsyth of Coatbridge SC winner of 1st North Section Wooler.
Marshall Findlay of Carluke club winner of 1st Centre Section 1st Open Otterburn 2,109 birds.
Andy Graham (right) winner of 1st Open YB pool race.
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North Section winners on night.
Centre Section winners.
birds Arthur Morrison of Blantyre club. Arthur wins the Campbell Trophy & GWP Macaloney colour photo for 1st Open Guernsey race with his five year old chequer hen covering the 441 miles in just 8 hours, velocity 1617 against 422 birds. Davie Allison of Greenfield club. Davie wins the Rapploch Trophy for best two bird average in the Billericay race where his three year old chequer cock took 7 hours 45 minutes and his two year old blue cock took 8 hours 2 minutes finishing 2nd & 9th Open 343 miles, velocity 1276. Rodger Trophy for best young bird average in the West Section velocity 1199 over the six races with 2,465 birds competing. JJK Gillon & Grandson of New Stevenson club. The Gillon family win the J Cameron colour photo for winning the
Jim Durning of Sharp, Cummings & Durning of Coatbridge SC club winners of 2x1st North Section from Otterburn and Wooler.
Tony McGinn of Newmains club winning the Section from Wooler.
Kettering race with their two year old grizzle cock, velocity 1606 against 1,218 birds. Walter Boswell of Burnbank club. Walter wins the Sam Anderson Trophy for first yearling in the Billericay race with his blue cock winning 3rd Open, 731 birds covering 346 miles in 7 hours 45 minutes, velocity 1302. T Brown Memorial Trophy for best Inland Old Bird Average with 32,342 birds competing over the 11 races, velocity 1404. Sam Rodger Trophy for best average Billericay and first five YB races flown, 13,509 birds competing, velocity 1268. J Tallis Memorial Trophy for best old bird average in the West Section with 8,841 birds over the 12 races, velocity 1374. G Macaloney Memorial Trophy for best Combine Average Inland over 17 races with
Centre Section Combine Average with 22,418 birds over the 18 races, velocity 1340. Class flying Andy! Tom Corrie, Son & Grandson of Clarkston club. The two Tom’s and Chris win the Newmains SC Trophy and the Jim Hannah colour photo
Johnny Mallan with Davie Allison presenting two bird average Billericay.
46,739 birds competing, velocity 1336. West Section Combine Average with 11,306 birds competing over the 18 races, velocity 1324. Brilliant flying Walter! Thanks to our Federation Secretary Jim Cameron and the committee for all their hard work and dedication to roll. Well that’s it for another year, roll on season 2024 Tom Corrie Jnr Lanarkshire Federation Press Officer corrietom@aol.com
New graphics on Lanarkshire transporter.
for 1st Open Federation Billericay with their three year old blue w/f hen taking 7 hours 45 minutes to cover 345 miles, velocity 1308. They also win the United Taxis Trophy for longest flown Inland race. The Duncan Logan Memorial Trophy for first timed hen bird. Winners of North Section Combine Averages with a velocity of 1304 over the 18 race programme against 13,437
competing. J Torrance Memorial Trophy for the best average Billericay and Guernsey velocity 1361 with 1,153 birds. Beattie Trophy for best opposite sex in the Guernsey race where his yearling chequer cock finished 2nd Open flying 440 miles velocity 1570. The Shell & BP Trophy for best two bird average in the Guernsey race winning 2nd & 7th Open velocity 1474. The
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THE RACING PIGEON 29 MARCH 2024
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EXPO HOUTEN
After we left Belgica De Weerd, we went to see Ivan Baeten’s Bricon system. He also was happy to see us and started talking about that morning. When we saw Ivan, it was just 15.00 hours and he said that that morning, it was soo busy, unbelievable. Good for the start off that day. So now he could take a small break. So I asked him, Ivan , may I take a photo off you with me? So I can send it to my friend Glenny, so he can send it to The Racing Pigeon. Of course he said, no problem. Then Ivan asked me, do you know Lee Fribbins, he his the boss of The Racing Pigeon? I was surprised and shocked at the same time. He is sitting here, at the table, so I waved at him and went over. I was nervous, that is normal, I think. After that we went to Vikings Pigeon Race.
Good morning to you all and it was a beautifull morning last Saturday in Expo Houten, Utrecht, Holland. First we had to check at home what we really needed. New feeding trays and always finding something nice with pigeons on it, like t-shirts, a plate? You will never know. The fanciers were all very busy looking for new youngsters, breeding material, products, all kinds off things. This year we have noticed that there were a lot of pigeons to look at. That is the spirit. In the Covid time, a lot didn’t come through but now, a good restart for everybody. And of course when we arrived in Houten, we were looking for our Belgium fanciers and yes we saw quite a few. Like small children happy to see each other! So we kept looking
Me, Domien and Henk De Weerd.
Eric (Loft Manager) and his wife Greet (Administration Pigeons).
De Weerd team, left to right: Elise, Indy, Evi, Domien and Nicole (daughter Henk De Weerd).
Frans Maas, Sales Manager.
Also very lovely people and we asked them all kind off things. They told us that the Vikings Pigeons Race started three years ago and the head is Goran Trailovic. Duvslaget lays in Gotenburg, well known west coast of Sweden. And I think, that the pigeons that fly in England and Scotland, will do very well up there, because off the land- scape, the cold. So if anybody is interested, just look at www.vikingolr.se. When it was time to go home, I spotted a bus from England and asked, may I take the last photo for The Racing Pigeon, and also
and we saw Domien v Acker, he is from our side and club in Belgium. He is a vet and works in Holland at Belgica De Weerd and Belgium in his own practice. We had a very lovely chat with Domien and he introduced us with Henk De Weerd in person. When he starts talking, you can't stop listening. Talking about his father, how he did his study with the pigeons. But he also listened to my story that I had to tell. I wish we could talk longer but many people wanted to say hello. So I promised that I would come to Breda, when he is home. Such a busy man.
Me with Lee Fribbins.
they were very nice. I will keep my promise Malcolm and Ian, next time I will hop on the bus and take a beautiful photo of all the fanciers from Nottingham. They had a perfect day and had to leave for the ferry at 18.00 hours. This was our day, beautiful untill the end. Saw a lot of pigeons, fanciers from a lot of other countries and met such lovely people. Looking forward till next year. My story for you all. Miranda from Belgium Left Malcolm Parry and on the right Ian Haslam (relative Ron Haslam, very famous motocyclist).
Karel Jurissen from Holland who won this race in 2023.
Visiting the Viking Pigeons Race stand.
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LINCOLNSHIRE LONDONER Freddie & Keith Dawkins Stratford (East London North Road) and Plaistow
you had to get the rubber off your bird and run to the club to get it timed in. Back then there were many more fanciers than today and as such, when you left the house you would encounter many other pigeon men all running like the clappers in the same direc- tion. The thought of that made me think that must have all been part of the excitement
Back in 2021 and still living in Chingford, I had the great pleasure of interviewing Freddie and Keith Dawkins and it was very sad to read on the London North Road WhatsApp group that on 19th March, Freddie had passed away. Freddie was a true gentleman and a cockney boy through and through. He welcomed me into his home
A young Keith with dad Freddie from yesteryear.
the garden he did at one time keep Fantails. Freddie tells me that he would come home from work sometimes on a Saturday ready for when the race birds would be due home and Keith’s Fantails would be strutting round the garden. I asked him if he swore and a look out of the corner of his eye at Keith and a wry smile answers that question for me! Freddie and Keith’s successes over the years has not just been consistent, it has been consistently phenomenal. The only place to start unpicking their vast catalogue of results would really have to be with a pigeon that Freddie has pointed out as being his favourite, 1998 Hall of Fame winner, ‘Marathon Lady’. I have included a picture of ‘Marathon Lady’ who not only appeared on the front cover of the Racing Pigeon
the panier. They would then be loaded onto the train and taken out to Bishop Stortford for a training toss. No easy thing for a young lad but clearly, it was in his blood and the commitment to carry on his father’s legacy
The John Bull in Roman Road.
and fun and even if your bird had arrived home in good time I can only suppose that if you couldn’t run like a greyhound than it didn’t really count for much on the day. Thank god with the radiuses we have now we don’t have to do that as I am definitely no Mo Farah! Sadly, when Freddie was 12 years old, Mr Dawkins senior passed away and the loft management and everything else that goes with sport was handed lock stock and barrel to a young Freddie to look after and take care of. This would have been back around the mid 1940’s when Freddie recalls that he would ride his bike to the overground train station at either Bow or Stratford with a basket of pigeons strapped behind him on
and made me feel incredibly at home on that day not ever having met me previously. My lack of knowledge in many areas of the sport back then did not deter him from openly talking to me, neither did it stop him from sharing with me his most memorable and special achievements in the sport. I was truly privileged and humbled by him and upon hearing the sad news of his passing felt it only fitting to have my interview with Fred and racing partner son Keith told again. To a great man: The father and son Dawkins duo have been described to me by a number of pigeon lovers as the best all round flyers in this region and after speaking with them and going through their history of racing over the years, I can well understand why! The following article will hopefully also give you an insight into why that is and by the end, I think you will pretty much agree that it is a well-deserved reputation. Their remarkable record from club level up to NRCC level is more than worthy of acknowl- edgement and a trophy cabinet that is an enviable one. Born into pigeon racing in London’s East End, Freddie’s dad raced in the Bow club that would meet in the John Bull pub in the Roman Road. Run by the Taylor and Walker Brewery back then it is now described on the web as one of London’s historical public houses and was built around 1848. Sadly, like so many pubs and pigeon clubs now, it has closed its doors and, although the building still stands, no longer serves the ales and beers of yesteryear. Mr Dawkins senior started out with a team of Stassart pigeons that he bought from the late great Alf Baker and as I sit and listen to Freddie talk about the old times, I can’t help but picture the scene. He tells me about there only being one clock that was kept at the club and when your birds arrived home
‘Grange Pride’.
has certainly paid off since then over the years. In 1960, Freddie moved to Plaistow where he continued to race his pigeons. This is the same address he races to today with his son Keith. Keith tells me that even though he, like his dad, was born with racing pigeons in
International Pictorial for the achievements that are listed but she also went on to win the London North Road (LNR) Thurso Combine and the Essex, Kent and London North Road Amalgamation Thurzo Combine. In addition to this, she continued to win multiple club and Federation races. A lovely grizzle hen with the Alf Baker Stassart bloodline running through her incredible veins. Another bird that holds a pride of place position in the Dawkins loft is ‘Alfie’. ‘Alfie’ is a chequer cock which is an (Alf Baker) Stassart cross (Jutler Brothers) Leo Hereman. As a baby he didn’t shine in the results but more than made up for it as a yearling by taking a 6th Open Combine posi- tion from Kelso in 2015 as well as winning the Essex and London Amalgamation out of Freddie sharing his champagne with ‘Grange Pride’ in 1976 to celebrate his LNR Morpeth Combine win from 8,000 birds.
A blast from the past newspaper cutting kept by Freddie and Keith. From left: Peter Robinson, Micky Connolly (4th Combine), Pat Sweeney and the successful partnership of Keith & Freddie Dawkins.
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to the coveted Tommy Long Cup, to which they were also runners up to in 2019. They have also gained 3rd place recognition a few times just to add to the list. Freddie and Keith have also been top prize winners in the LNR Fed seven times with the last three years being consecutive. Top prize winners in 2019 in both the North London and East London feds. Exceptionally good flying I am sure you will agree. I asked Freddie and Keith if there is a particular race or distance that is favoured and if they have ever thought about racing South Road and going across the Channel. Freddie tells me that it hasn’t been some- thing that he has been interested in, location is one reason however, another thing is that I can tell his heart lies well and truly with North Road racing. He enjoys all the races from all the race points with no real bearing on distance whereas Keith, although pretty much of the same mindset, does have a slight favourite in Thurso. Freddie and Keith pair up all their birds towards the end of January and breed from just a select few from the race shed and those that they do not want babies from under-sit; however, the racers rear just one baby. The feeding system is very simple. Tic beans for the stock birds all year round and the race birds have the same throughout the
‘Northern Grange’.
4,100 birds. He has since gone on to have six club wins and six Fed wins and is still being raced to this day. I have included a picture of another pigeon that really has to have a mention and that is ‘Grange Pride’. He’s the lovely dark grizzle cock that Freddie is holding. This picture is from 1976 when ‘Grange Pride’ took 1st place against 8,000 birds in the LNR Morpeth Combine. 1990 saw Freddie and Keith take 1st place again from Morpeth in the LNR Combine with ‘Northern Grange’. This was when a new car used to be part of the prize package and the Dawkins father and son duo claimed a Ford Fiesta as part of the winnings along with the trophy. Freddie tells me that the ‘Northern’ addition to the name was because the bird’s lineage can be accredited to Tot Douglas who Freddie tells me ‘was from that way.’ The last bird that I am going to give a mention to is ‘Charlie’. A chequer cock who as a yearling topped the Fed three times and won the LNR Yearling Combine from Dunbar with a birdage of 378 and who was beaten into 2nd Open position by Les Stock from out Hornchurch way out of 2,041 birds. These particular mentions are only a frac- tion of the birds that have performed consis- tently well over the years for Freddie and Keith, as you can probably well imagine however, by giving just a few examples gives you an idea of the winning consistency of the birds that grace the lofts and so without further ado I will go on and outline just a few of those performances over the years. As well as the many club, Federation and
‘Marathon Lady’ – Freddie’s favourite pigeon.
rain or shine for an hour or so, including during the race season and also on the day of basketing. Race season they go out as early as possible in the morning but once racing is over it is not as regimented and the time fluctuates. The old birds are raced on the Roundabout system and the babies raced on the Darkness system. Remarkably, the Dawkins father and son partnership very rarely train their birds. Freddie used to train from Sawbridgeworth a week or two before the first race however, since he no longer drives, the birds are just let out around home. I ask if they have heavy losses, especially with the babies, as a result of this and am told that there has been no difference from when they were able to train in comparison to the present day. There is no ETS system set up either with a prefer- ence to race to open doors and rubber to clock. Looking at the loft set up I don’t envy Keith going up and down those steps!! The penultimate question I ask is about the bloodlines in the loft. Although at the start of this article I mentioned Alf Baker and the Stassart line there have been other bloodlines introduced here and there however the dominant strain can still go all the way back to the original Stassart family. In 2011 some Leo Hereman pigeons were introduced into the loft that were bought from the Jutler brothers after they, along with Keith, visited the lofts in Belgium and these have proved to cross in well with the original
enough and retired to their respective boxes there isn’t any food left in the loft when the doors are then shut. There are no supple- ments added to the feed mix and the ratio of
Freddie and Keith Dawkins now. Freddie holding ‘Charlie’ and Keith holding ‘Alfie’.
the mix doesn’t change during the seasons race programme. The only addition to the feeding regime is a few peanuts a couple of days leading up to race day. Keith also tells me that unless it is blowing a gale outside, the birds go out every day of the year come
winter months with a switch to Versele-Laga Superstar mixed with a bit of Versele-Laga Best Allrounder during the race season. Keith feeds a handful of food at a time on the loft floor to the appetite of the individual pigeon and once all the birds have had
stock and contributed to the growth and continued success of the loft. I finish with some thank you’s from Freddie and Keith and first on that list is to George Chalkley. Without George’s support we would not be able to send to the NRCC. He drives all the way over to us, picks up our birds, takes them to the marking station and puts them through for us so definitely needs recognition and a thank you for this. We would also like to mention the Jutler Brothers for gifting us birds. Thank you, they have been a great asset to our loft. My last question is the obvious question – what keeps you moti- vated. The answer is a simple one, it’s the love of the birds and sport. Thank you Freddie and Keith, for allowing me into your lofts back then and sharing some of the secrets of your success with me, it has been an absolute pleasure and privilege. You will be greatly missed Freddie. May you rest in peace lovely man, sleep well. Christina
Combine races, Freddie and Keith have won Section H in the NRCC no fewer than an incredible 15 times. The only race point not to have been conquered is Lerwick however, they have placed 23rd and 25th with two hens that were also 3rd and 4th in the LNR Combine on the same day. The have also come very close to topping the NRCC from Perth placing 3rd with a hen that sat out for six minutes. This is the closest anyone in this region has ever come to the coveted top slot and brilliant flying when you consider how much distance there is from the London region to other regions hat enter the NRCC races. This same hen was also 3rd Open LNR Combine from Berwick but was sadly later lost from a Thurso race. From the Whitley Bay Combine last year (2020) they took the prize money for having the first three pigeons in the ring scheme as well as 2nd place Futurity winnings. In 2003 the Dawkins name was added
The Dawkins lofts.
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PHASE TWO ‘ISLAND TRAINING’ COMPLETED IN THE DERBY ARONA TENERIFE OLR WITH ISLAND TRAINING 10 & 11
It’s the start of another week on the sunny island of Tenerife with the Derby Arona One Loft Race, with two more training flights scheduled in the coming days from 60 to 65km north of the northeastern town of Santa Cruz. With 732 birds on board, the liberation for the first trainer went ahead at 11:30 into a light easterly wind coming off the Atlantic, just edging
Toto Buzi, England, 3rd International TR10.0
he sees his pigeon at 12:26:11.95. Team Belgium takes the 4th spot as Team Geusens takes the nation’s honours with pigeon ‘Gwendolyn’ timing in at 12:26:12.20, closely followed by their closest nation of the Netherlands with Team Broekhoff & Van Duyn and pigeon ‘KW38’ taking the 5th spot with an arrival time of 12:26:12.30. It’s back to Belgium for 6th position with new participants Team Pea Cocktails Syndicate and pigeon ‘Erika’ on 12:26:14.95. The winning nation of England claimed 7th place with the arrival of pigeon ‘Bal 2’ for another new participant to the race, Marius Armanu, with a time of 12:26:15.45. Team Van Parys & Debusschere from Belgium makes it three in the top ten with pigeon ‘Alopias’ in the clock on 12:26:19.70, leaving Team England to clear up
the pigeons towards the west and down through the Guimar Valley, along with an average island temperature for this time of year at a moderate 22 degrees with broken blue skies. At the loft with the social media live feeds up and running, both the loft management team and participants sat patiently The town of santa cruz a few miles south of the final island liberations.
International Derby Arona TR10, we see the Tink’s Treasures Syndicate timing in pigeon named ‘Booey Van Boo’ over the line at 12:26:10.95. In 2nd position, we see the Norwegian entry named ‘Kamilo’ for Team Krzysztof Bury on 12:26:11.55. Toto Buzi from England takes the 3rd position as Mark & Sue Ward as Tinks Treasuers 1st england 1st UK 1st Iinternational TR10.
today’s top ten with the Guernsey entry of ‘Suzi’ for Team Sarnia RJ in 9th on 12:27:05.40, and Team Maja UK in 10th with their entry ‘Gabe’ on 12:27:18.50. Once again, the first arrivals made light work of their journey. However, like in previous outings, the returns became staggered as small numbers continued to arrive in the minutes that followed as the numbers went above 200, but thankfully, as the afternoon went on and the sun went down, there was a relieving 654 pigeons from the 732 safely perched. Day 2 and we woke to see from 07:50 pigeons which had taken a wrong turn somewhere en route had started to make their way in, and as such, with a constant flow of returns as we prepared the clock for the next outing, the returns were a realistic 687 / 93.85%. TR11 and this was to be the final island training flight before we head out to the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria for the testing hotspot races, with another 65km liberation. Abel, who is now in control of the liberations, and Goyo at the loft on the whistle, the 687 birds were away at 11:45. With the winds turning to a more helping northerly direction, all we ask at this stage is we have a good run, losses at a minimal, and good returns as we prepare for the first hotspot race as over the past weeks, these brave warriors have overcome what we believe to be several attacks in recent races. They all deserve to have a go from future hotspots. Goyo an assest within the loft team in control of the trapping of the first arrivals in TR11.
The leading birds landing and trapping from TR10.
for the first sightings of pigeons as they made their approach. With just under an hour of flying time, the first sighting was spotted as a bunch of ten or so pigeons dipped into the valley and reappeared over the trees, racing for the loft. With a few turns to reduce height, the leaders landed and trapped. Taking top honours of 1st England, 1st UK, 1st
Krzysztof Bury, Norway 2nd TR10 and 1st International TR11.
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‘Downtown Milly’ on 12:43:32.20 closely followed by Team Emperors of Sussex with pigeon ‘Arrecife’ over the line on 12:43:32.90 for 5th. William Donachie from Scotland takes 6th with pigeon ‘Bold Blue’ at 12:43:34.25, whilst two more arrivals for Team England sees Team Keith Warnes & Mick Bray taking 7th with pigeon ‘She’s A Goodun’ on 12:43:35.10 and Team Maja UK in 8th on 12:43:25.25 with pigeon ‘Gabe’. Taking 9th, we see today’s winner Krzysztof Bury from Norway timing in his second arrival named ‘Kamilo’ on 12:43:37.45, resulting in leaving Team England to take 10th international position with Team Murray and Mills and pigeon ‘Rude Awakening’ on 12:43:38.30. With the top ten concluded and congratulated, we can see once again that the pigeons worked hard to hold their line of flight as they all came from the same direction today at regular intervals, and as we check the returns later in the
Hotspot Race 1, the survival race where the pigeons are required to leave land below and face the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Anyway, that’ll be a story for another day. Before we finish, we will again take a look at the King of Sprint Averages, and as we end another week, we see the Welsh team of Ryle Rockets holding pole position with pigeon Deirdre on 9.068pts. In 2nd place, we have the Belgium team of Jaak, Maseo & Dirk with pigeon ‘Millaca’ on 8,643pts, and in 3rd, following a few good results in recent trainers, we have the Tink’s Treasures with pigeon ‘Happy Tink’ on 8,538pts. So that’s it for another week on the island of Tenerife. As we hear of the 1st hotspot on Monday, good luck to each participant and the Arona management team in the coming weeks, not forgetting the final on March 23rd. Tom Harris Team Ryle Rockets, Wales, holding pole position in the King of Sprint with pigeon ‘Dierdre’.
Anita & Tage Grevesen, Denmark, 2nd International TR11.
With a few visitors at the loft once again to witness the returns, we could see that there was no calima to cause any concerns and with clear blue skies, we awaited the first sight- ings. Taking top position of 1st International TR11, we see the TR10 runner up Krzysztof Bury from Norway today with another of his entries, ‘Black GT’, on 12:43:25.95. In 2nd place, we see the Denmark team of Anita & Tage Graversen with their entry ‘Ruban’ with a time of 12:43:30.60. Team Taxi Musch from Ireland claims 3rd International and the 1st UK pigeon’s glory as their pigeon ‘Taxi Musch 897’ on 12:43:31.10. Team GB takes the next few positions with
More arrivald from TR11.
evening, we could see that 659 pigeons were recorded, with a few more coming in on days 2 & 3. This brought training race 11 to a respectable 672 birds home and 97.81%. Well, that seems to be phase 2 of the training programme after completing the pre-selection training in phase 1, island training in phase 2, these brave warriors will now go forward in the coming days to take on the final stages of this year’s campaign, being the island-to-island hotspot races where cash prizes and trophies are up for grabs. The first of such is
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Winning Naturally by Alf Baker WINNING THE NATURAL WAY Chapter 13 Waiting and Watching
birds fret through mental strain, even from the short races; those that have got off their line and have been lost for several hours and have worked back to get home. I am sure that’s why a lot of birds fail at the distance, not through physical fitness but mental strain which saps up energy far more than flying. This weakens the homing instinct and they are lost, and those that don’t regain it are never seen again unless reported. With those that home under these circumstances after several weeks, it is because something has clicked in the brain and they are straight home. As I have said, these will often pay the corn bill and may never suffer from this form of amnesia again. Some of the unfortunate feeble-minded people are as strong as an ox, but when it comes to using their brain they show their weakness; the same applies to the racing pigeon. Don’t think those frets will lessen the birds’ chances for next year. I have heard fanciers say they won’t do any good till they have moulted them out. I was beaten once by a pigeon that had the worst fret marks I have ever seen across the flights. It had been out for several weeks as a young bird and learnt from its mistakes. Those that are fretted on the third flight will have to go to the long race with it. I would sooner mine go with the fretted third flight than moulted out and on its fourth. We all have our likes and dislikes with regard to colour. I have never known a fancier who does not like blues or blue chequers. Something like 80%, the majority that go to the race are of such colour. The other colours are in the minority of winning. I have always said a good pigeon cannot be a bad colour. From my own family I bred two white cocks; they all knew in London of their performances from the long races. I could name several others that were the fancier’s best pigeon over several years. I remember in the bad winter of 1962-3 seeing a white sparrow in my garden and I don’t remember seeing it show any effects to the hard times they were having. In fact, when it came to the grub-stakes it was most aggressive and always had its fill before the others could get near it. If whites were in the majority to the blues and blue chequers sent to the races those who think the colour is a sign of weakness would think differently. Keeping the loft clean Why some fanciers want to use V-perches or saddle perches instead of a nice row of box squares I will never know. To me pigeons don’t look right on them and I am sure they are much easier to catch or pick up from a box square than the others. How nice, too, the birds look when the boxes have been whitened. Perhaps it is to save scraping the droppings from them each morning, as we know if you powder the saddle perches with limestone powder the droppings will fall off. Scraping out the loft is something I have never tried to shirk, and at each weekend when I do my floor and shake a handful of lime over it, I always look back and admire how nice it looks. Some fanciers put two or three inches of sand down and sieve it each week. This a friend used to do till I told him the birds would pick and eat it because of the salt from their droppings. He stopped it straightaway and was soon doing much better with his birds. When the time comes that I cannot scrape my perches every morning and the floors at the weekend I will pack up. I can hear someone say what about old so-and-so, he does not scrape out for weeks, or they are on deep litter. Yes, I know and have seen it, but I could not keep my pigeons under these condi- tions. I often wonder how they win and find their pool pigeons. Birds look better in a nice clean loft and I can assure you while I have been scraping out I have often noticed something to my advantage for the following week’s race. Earlier on I said I would write about my visits to Belgium and the lofts I have visited. I was more than pleased to see in the Pictorial the lofts of George Goossens in an issue some time back. I don’t know what it is but when you have lived pigeons as long as I have, there is something about a good fancier as soon as you see them, and G Goossens gave me that impression straightaway. When he picked up his pigeons to show me I knew he was a born fancier. Although he kept many colours, they looked as though they had come from the same mould, not too big, just the right size. No wonder the pigeon that put up such a good perform- ance in South Africa was a Goossens-Baker, as they are an identical type with my own. They are housed in perfect surroundings well above the ground. Like most of the lofts in Belgium, even the backyard lofts are well away from rising damp, and most of them that are able to do so have some form of heating under the loft, proving what I have written about pigeon lofts. They must be kept dry to keep them fit. You could travel for miles around Belgium without noticing pigeon lofts unless the birds were out. They are not built like the English with a wire or dowel front, the backyard lofts are completely boxed in. Only on the front will you see several panes of glass and a drop board where the birds enter. Some Belgians Visited In Maurice Delbar’s loft there were radiators on either side, also some form of heating directly under the loft which is in use during the winter months. What a wonderful fancier! The birds were a shade bigger than the Goossens and of only two or three colours, mostly blues or blue chequers with the occasional white flight, built more for the distance. Although my Flemish is not all that good, with the bit I picked up during the war I always got through to them, and the hospitality of the Belgians is out of this world. I am sure there is a bond among pigeon fanciers second to none, no matter what language you speak. That’s why it is such a wonderful sport. The amount of good friends I have made over the years makes me proud I am a pigeon man. Like the unforgettable visit we made on the De Baere Bros of Nokere.
“Keep your eyes and ears open, your tongue still and you will go through life the right way”. These were the words my mother used to say when I was a boy. How right she was, especially when I became a pigeon fancier, and where there were pigeons I was not far away. What a treat it was when some of the fanciers used to let me see and handle their pigeons! Some were as big as ducks and some just the opposite in another fancier’s loft. But they all had their share of winning. I knew then that as long as the heart was in the right place the size made no difference to the art of winning races. In those days they all fed and raced their pigeons differ- ently with an equal amount of success. That’s why I’ve said many times there is no book of rules to the pigeon game. I am sure they would not have changed their winning ways just because someone was doing better. Several members of my club have built their lofts identical to my own, they use the same training points. They are only doing what I did many years ago. If you do get the opportunity to see a good fancier time in, don’t ask too many questions while he is waiting for his birds, as his mind is on one thing – the pigeons that he is waiting for. It’s surprising what runs through your mind while waiting for your birds; who will be the first or from which way will they come. Much can be learned on the arrival, even from the short races, the way they trap on the conditions you have sent them. Look always for those that show signs of distress. My late arrivals get the same treatment as the early ones, as the next week they could be my first pigeon. Nothing is more disturbing than for someone to keep asking questions when you are expecting them; that’s why when I was a boy and kept quiet I was always invited a second time to see a good fancier time in. The off season is the time to get all the necessary jobs done to the loft, never leave until tomorrow what can be done today. I’m sure this phrase could have been meant for pigeon fanciers. First a coat of paint on the outside. When I built my old loft the back was lined with hardboard. At the back of the nest boxes I fixed it rough side out to soak up the creosote. The young bird loft I fixed it smooth side out which gives it a good finish with the white emulsion which I’ve always used since it first came on the market. I always pick a good drying day for the job. After letting the birds out, I wash it down with boiling water and it is completely dry within the hour ready for the birds to come back in. I’ve never painted the inside of my loft, solely because I have not got another compartment to put them in for two or three days while the paint is drying. I find emulsion is quite adequate for making the loft clean and keeping them free from lice and red mite, especially if you add half a bottle of Duramitex and it is done two or three times a year. That’s why I have never had to dust my pigeons with insecticide after they have been weaned. Don’t leave your nest bowls outside so that the snow and frost will crack them. I remember up to a few years ago when we could go to our local potteries and pick out the misfits for a few pence each. Today they are many times that price but I am sure there is no substitute for earthenware nest bowls, unless you have time to make boxes lOin square by 4in deep, then creosoted and left to dry before using. These have made excellent substitutes when I have run short of nest bowls. Nest Box Fighting Transferring the young cocks over to the old bird loft can sometimes be a problem unless this is done as soon as the young bird season ends, as I like to get them well acquainted to their nest box before the breeding starts. This all helps to stop fighting at the wrong time. I make a habit of going up to the loft late at night and putting them in the empty box I have chosen for them. After several nights of this practice I find I have no more trouble. When you keep pigeons you never seem to have enough lofts for your requirements. I always wish I had had three compart- ments, one especially for the young cocks to race to as yearlings and then when they are two years old transfer them over to the old bird racing loft. This would not only solve the problem but the headache it can cause with some old cocks that have decided they want two or three boxes but I have always managed, with a little patience. I cannot remember the last time I went through my pigeons without finding one or two with fret marks across the flights. I’ve heard fanciers say it’s a sign of weak- ness. What a lot of poppycock! It all depends on the state of the flight when sent to a race. If the flight had been more up in the wing with the hard fly or a night out it would not be visible. You will notice the majority of the frets are within one inch up the wing, proving my point – the flight had not completely broken through. Some
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