THE RACING PIGEON 26 APRIL 2024
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the Federation on this, the longest old bird race of the season. I spoke to Anthony after the race and he said, ‘we mostly concentrate on National racing these days, but we have really enjoyed our first Federation win for a few years. Most important it is to say thank you to Adrian Leach Brothers for sending us down six lovely youngsters last year, with two remaining after six or seven old bird races. Both have scored and one, ‘Toey’, so called because she had to have a toe nail removed, scoring 1st, 3rd & 7th Club, as well as 1st Three Borders Federation Okehampton (169 miles). There was no special preparation, just good pigeons, being sent in the club every week. Thank you to
Bob & Anthony Besant’s racing loft.
bred by Keith & Betty Mott of Claygate. She was one of three sisters that I gifted to Bobby and Anthony in 2009 and I donated a full brother to the BHW Blackpool Show Charity auction in 2010, which raised for £740 for charity. The sire of ‘Half Crown’ was my Champion stock cock, ‘Sasha’s Boy’ and he was bred by Brian Denney. He was bred for the stock loft from Brian’s Champion stock pair, ‘Maxi’ and ‘Dark Jan’ and is a full brother to ‘Dark Charm’ winner of 1st Section K, 5th Open NFC Tarbes (750 miles) 2007, ‘John’ winner of 4th Section K, 17th Open NFC Tarbes 2007, ‘Dark Dancer’ winner of 6th Section K, 27th Open NFC Tarbes 2007, 2nd Section K, 4th Open NFC Tarbes (748 miles), 1st Section K, 48th Open NFC Fougeres (394 miles) and half-brother to ‘The Chequer Cock’ winner of 9th Section K, 31st Open NFC Tarbes 2007 and 2nd Section K NFC Bordeaux 2006. The dam of ‘Half Crown’ was my Champion hen, ‘Foxwarren Complete’, who was a great 550 mile racer and has now proved to be a Champion breeder. ‘Foxwarren Complete’ was bred from Eric Cannon and Brian Denney bloodlines and was the winner of: 2003 – 32nd Open L&SECC Dax (530 miles), 2nd East Grinstead CC Dax; 2004 – 29th Open L&SECC San Sebastian (560 miles); 2005 – 116th Open L&SECC Pau (552 miles); 2007 – 109th Open L&SECC Pau. A real class hen! Bob and Anthony have a very smart new 26ft self designed racing loft, which has four spacious sections and ETS clocking, which Bobby enjoys very much. He says the main factor in good loft design is dryness, good ventilation and plenty of light. Deep litter has
been used and Bobby maintains that if it is kept dry there are no problems, but it can be a bit dusty. The old birds were raced on the Roundabout system in the 2009 season, because with new families the partners had to find out how good the hens were. The system is very simple, with the cocks and hens being keep sepa- rate during the week and allowed to run together before going in to the basket for marking. The racers are paired up just after the BHW Blackpool Show in January and after rearing their youngsters are given training off the south coast, before going on regular exercise around the loft. Bobby has been a Postman for 35 years and because of his work has only a limited time with pigeons, so only lets them out for one hour fly each day, but would prefer two one hour stints. The feeding is basic Widowhood, but the Besant partners do use a breakdown mixture when needed and are not shy of training during the season if it was necessary. Bobby says, ‘the birds tell you if they are in good form and as we have one day pigeons we tend to set our loft up for the 450 mile National and Classic races’. During the moult period the birds are given as much variation in the feeding as possible, with plenty of quality seeds. Bobby and Anthony win premier prizes in National races every season, but won the Federation recently. The Three Borders Federation were at Okehampton for their last old bird race of the season and members sent 660 birds, for what turned out to be a fast fly home, being liberated at 06.30hrs into a westerly wind situa- tion. Personally, it was very nice to see my two good mates, Bob & Anthony Besant of the Esher club with
Adrian’. It is great to see the name Besant at the top of the Three Borders Federation result. Well done to Bobby and Anthony! Coming up to date, Bobby now races in partnership with his son, Anthony, to their new loft set up in Worcester Park. They have raced their birds in the old Besant tradition, by winning at the top level, with the highlights being: 1st Open International Agen (10,500 birds) in 2015 and 1st & 2nd Open BICC Cholet National (3,000 birds) in 2019. Brilliant pigeon racing! Well there you have it, Bob & Anthony Besant’s wonderful Champion ‘Noble Dream’, winner of 1st Open International Agen (499 miles) in the 2015 season. I really enjoyed this one. I can be contacted with any pigeon ‘banter’ on tele- phone number: 01372 463480 or email: keithmott1@virginmedia.com TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT (www.keithmott.com)
WITHOUT LIMITS – RACING YOUNG BIRDS Beautifully illustrated hardback book in full colour – 150 pages £22.95 UK including p&p The third book in the Without Limits series written by renowned Champion Flyer, Pigeon Health Specialist and The Racing Pigeon and Racing Pigeon Pictorial International Editor, Lee Fribbins.
This book looks at the system and racing of young birds to win. ***** Best pigeon books I've ever read and I've read a few! ***** ***** Top Read ***** ***** Well pleased...I've started winning! ***** ***** Great books for anyone to understand the feeding of sprint birds *****
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