29th September 2023 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 SEPTEMBER 2023 • No. 7347
The multi National winning partnership of B Hackland & Son clocked their slatey w/f cock at 12.10.18 (vel 1522.5ypm), to take the red card in both the East Section and Open to add yet another National winner to their portfolio, following on from their Ramsgate National win earlier in the season with old birds. See page 3 WELSH SOUTH EAST NATIONAL FLYING CLUB RAMSGATE YB
British International Championship Club Guernsey (2) YB
National winner YB, Julie Gower of Mr & Mrs M Gower, holding the
winning bird. See page 18
British International Championship Club Guernsey (2) AA
‘NINA’ GB20H03802 1st Section B, 1st Open North Road Championship Club Perth 254 miles 2,179 birds, velocity 1479.072ypm 2023 38th Open North Road Championship Club Dunbar 1,676 birds 2023 15th Open BICC Perth 1,686 birds 2022 84th Open BICC Hexham 2,916 birds; 12th Fed Berwick 415 birds Owned and raced by Luc Urbiniak & Sylvester Kaminsky (UK Team)
1st National Any Age Guernsey (2) Mark Gilbert. See page 20
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THE RACING PIGEON 29 SEPTEMBER 2023
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WITHOUT LIMITS
Lee’s main interest has always been pigeon management, health and well being. Lee has been manufacturing a successful and natural product range since 1999 marketing a range of vitamin products specifically aimed at the racing pigeon fraternity.This range has been developed over the years and was the inspiration and driving force behind Pigeon Health, UK Animal Products Ltd. Global newspaper publishing is another aspect of Lee's enterprise where his operation began in 2007 when he became the owner and chief editor of The Racing Pigeon Weekly, first published in 1898 and also the Pictorial International worldwide specialist racing pigeon magazine. Lee has taken a step back from racing and has found some time to bring some of his diary extracts and his main racing methods for hens in to the book ‘Without Limits – Racing Hens’, and cocks in ‘Without Limits –
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29 SEPTEMBER 2023 Issue No 7347 The Racing Pigeon Co Ltd, PO Box 12760,
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Racing Cocks’. Lee has had some of the best performances in his region with racing hens and has written 'Without Limits’ as an honest in depth account of Lee’s own diaries and practices to race to win.
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THE RACING PIGEON 29 SEPTEMBER 2023
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WELSH SOUTH EAST NATIONAL FLYING CLUB RAMSGATE YOUNG BIRD RACE REPORT
The final race in the Welsh South East National’s 2023 race calendar took place on Friday 15th September when the convoy of all Welsh pigeon organisations was liberated along with the National entries at 8.10am in the Kent seaside town of Ramsgate. As the graphics that accompany this report show, there were patches of early morning mist and fog along the route which was forecast to clear by the time the birds reached those areas. With a light and variable but predominantly easterly influence in the wind direction, another fast race was expected. The leading birds achieved these expected high velocities but
Nigel & Zak Hackland celebrating yet another National win from Ramsgate.
Weather for Ramsgate race.
Dennis Davies, playing a major role in the pedi- gree. The slatey cock and the ‘13893’ hen are the golden couple that appears in both sides of the National winner’s pedigree. Congratulations Nigel and Zak on yet another top class perform- ance. Hopefully, a full loft report on the Hacklands will appear in the coming months. Next to clock at 12.12.21 (vel 1521.8ypm) was the Cynon Valley partnership of J Gunter & Son and this one was good enough to top the list in the Centre Section. The Section winner is a blue hen sent sitting eggs 14 days and is bred down from ‘Mysterio’ x Janssen lines on the dam’s side when crossed with Lambrecht bloodlines on the sire’s side. She has been raced hard all season winning 5th Club (beaten by loft mates) and 12th Fed from Swindon. Exercised twice daily around the loft, she was certainly up for it on a very difficult day. Well done the Gunters on an excellent performance. Moving further west we then have the successful Maesteg partnership of Raymond & Howe clocking at 12.30.14 to head the list in the West Section. Here’s what the partners had to tell me about their Section winner: “Hi Gareth, The hen that topped the West Section for us is a Dirk Van Den Bulck bred by Trevor Raymond J Gunter & Son 1st Centre Section Ramsgate YB National.
many fanciers once again, experienced large gaps between arrivals. Yet another ‘curious’ race to dissect. The first birds were timed after just four hours for the 200+ mile journey and first to clock was the multi National winning partnership of B Hackland & Son who clocked their slatey w/f cock at 12.10.18 (vel 1522.5ypm), to take the red card in both the East Section and Open to add yet another National winner to their port- folio, following on from their Ramsgate National win earlier in the season with old birds. Nigel & Zak Hackland with their Ramsgate National winner.
1st Far West Section Ramsgate YB National for Davies & Janes.
Wind conditions for the Ramsgate race.
his energy reserves and confidence were fully restored to such an extent that he produced a National winning performance at the first time of asking. As with all the other young birds in the Hackland stable the slatey is raced on the Darkness system. Exercised once a day, Nigel likes to get in three 20 mile tosses per week in addition to the home exercise. The National winner is quite closely inbred to a Champion stock pair that is responsible for two National winners and a Combine winner for the Hacklands. These are a mixture of Heremans- Ceusters, Van Dyke and De Klak with the stud sire, a slatey cock originating from good friend
velocity of 1286.3ypm over the 250+ mile course to wild and windy West Wales. Here’s what Marshall had to tell me about their latest Section winner: “Gareth this week’s Section winner has been a phenomenal bird for us this season. He’s had 3x1st Club 2x1st Section in the Fed and 1st Open Fed. Bloodlines are 100% Macaloney through the ‘Double Vision’ and ‘Blue Caviar’ lines. He’s a Darkness young- ster who was sent paired up to the Ramsgate race.” Unfortunately, that’s all the information I have on the successful birds in this, the final race of the 2023 Welsh South East National programme. Gareth Watkins Coburn Davies with the latest Davies & Janes Far West Section winner from Ramsgate.
This is the partners’ sixth National win to add to their five runners up National positions all achieved in recent years. This makes them one of the most successful flying teams in Wales at the present time. Nigel gave me the following information of the National winner. His sex is indeterminate at the moment but Nigel has the feeling that he has both an X and a Y chromosome! Raced weekly through to the tricky Maidstone National, which took place two weeks prior to Ramsgate race, he nighted out there and was subsequently rested for a week. This certainly did the trick as 1st National Ramsgate for B Hackland & Son.
from Maesteg. She’s been raced on the Darkness system and had ten tosses up to twenty miles before racing started. Since then she has flown all young bird races prior to the Ramsgate National.” Finally, over in the Far West Section it’s those men again! Namely Bryce Davies and Marshall Janes with the winner in the Far West Section for the fifth time in six National races in 2023. Bryce and Marshall’s Section winner recorded a Raymond & Howe 1st West Section Ramsgate YB National.
1st Centre Section Ramsgate YB National for J Gunter & Son.
THE RACING PIGEON 29 SEPTEMBER 2023
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eggs for seven to ten days, when he and Ally separated the entire young bird team. She was in really good order, when sent to the National having gone through a total body moult with a full wing and was flying to the perch. The pigeon that was 6th Section is a further blue Vandenabeele hen that was worked on Darkness and managed in a manner similar to the Section winner. Stanley Boyd from Locharbriggs, Dumfries was 2nd Section. Stanley has had an interest in the pigeon hobby from schoolboy years. He originally joined Dumfries Social Circle in 1972, which at the time was a very big Club with almost 100 members. He subsequently joined Dumfries Flying Club and continues as a member of the Flying Club. He has been a long-time supporter of the National and over the years has gained a number of good posi- tions. In 1982 for example, he was 3rd Open Sartilly with a 2yo latebred cock, beaten by two Annan pigeons. He enjoyed a very good season with his old pigeons in 1982, gained 2x1st and 4x2nd in the club and 21st Open from Dorchester with Scotland’s Specialist Midweek Club. In the 80’s and 90’s, the SNFC competed from Niort on a number of occa- sions and over three consecutive years,
chose also to obtain examples of the Willy Jacobs family. He learned that when Gerald Delaney met Willy Jacobs for the first time in 2001 he only raced his pigeons out to 80 miles. Gerald has extended their capability, however, with them now winning out of turn at 300+ miles. They can now rightly be described as sprint/middle distance pigeons. Within the Squills advert we learn that Gerald “first bought these pigeons in 2002 with immediate success, winning Sections and Opens, Classics and several National. They are a super crossing family and fly best in head winds. When Willy Jacobs died in 2015 all his pigeons, 74 in total, came to the O’Roory Hill Stud. ‘The King of Diamonds’, ‘Ace of Diamonds’, ‘Jack of Diamonds’, Rough Diamond’, were all Ace pigeons for Willy Jacobs.” Working with these new introduction Stanley saw an immediate improvement in the performance of his pigeons. In 2015, Stanley won the SNFC Young Bird National from Buckingham with blue hen ‘Annie B’. Notwithstanding the fact that there was only a modest entry at the race from the Region, this game hen pulled out of the convoy and came across country to head the result into Locharbriggs, in the West Section of the Solway Federation. Stanley’s Young Bird National winner was bred by Gerald Delaney in the O’Roory Hill Stud. The sire of the National winner a Willy Jacobs x Jan Grondelaers, dam a Dirk Van Den Bulck x Danny Van Dyck. The pigeon that was 2nd Section from the recent YB National is Willy Jacobs blue chequer cock that was bred by Gerald Delaney in the O’Roory Hill Stud. Worked on the Darkness method, it took and commanded a nest box but wasn’t paired, flying to the box. It went through a total body moult and on basketing, had dropped his first flight. Prior to going to the National he had every race in the Federation programme other than the first race from Shap. Kenny Thomson from Lockerbie was 3rd Section. This was a very good pigeon on the day as Kenny is one of the longest flying competitors in the Solway area, residing in the village of Wamphray, which is situated seven miles south of Moffat. There is little doubt that the fanciers who participate in our hobby in the Moffat and Wamphray community are very brave as the surrounding hills are absolutely infested with predators. Kenny is the son-in- law of the late Stan Scott who previously competed into Wamphray. Stan was a very good fancier who actually won the Young Bird National in 1976 with ‘Wamphray Loner’ and then came out the following year and won the Section from SNFC Rennes. Stan, incidentally was the cousin of Ben Scott from Brydekirk, who was the first fancier in Scotland to win three SNFC Gold Awards. Following Stan’s death, the family continued to race the pigeons in Mrs Scott’s name. Within months Kenny’s twin daughters Laura and Lynne were taking an interest and they participated in our hobby with great enthusiasm. The twins then went to University to study Accountancy and the responsibility of managing the team was passed to Kenny, who had always been in the background assisting to care for the pigeons. Kenny and his family reside in the family home at Wamphray and he continues to race the pigeons into Stan Scott’s original loft. Notwithstanding the loft location, the team raced well and in 2006 and was 1st Section from the YB National. The Section winner was a home bred bronzed dark chequer hen, which was bred from a pair of Barkers that Kenny obtained from Jimmy Pryde from Gorebridge. A hen competing from a National went into Kenny’s loft at Wamphray. On reporting the pigeon he learned that it belonged to Jimmy, who allowed him to keep it and provided Kenny with a cock to pair to the hen. These two pigeons were the parents of the Section winner. They were paired in January and the young Bronze hen was worked on Darkness. The Section winner was appropriately named ‘Pryde of Wamphray’. Kenny was 4th Section 5th Open Marlborough 2011 with a 2007 blue chequer cock which had previously gained three
SOLWAY SOUNDS with Billy Wortley
News, views and results to 37 Hospital Road, Annan, Dumfriesshire, DG12 5JF Email address: wpwortley@btinternet.com
Members of the SNFC competed from the YB National from Upper Heyford on Saturday 9th September, with the convoy being released at 8.15am into a light south wind. The following are details of the leading arrivals into the Solway Federation area. The husband and wife partnership of Les & Ally Mitchell from Annan were 1st & 6th Section. Prior to moving to Annan, they resided in Edinburgh being members of Castlebrae Club in the Craigmillar area of the city and raced their pigeons into a compound of lofts that was owned by the club. At that point Les and Ally competed independently into separate lofts within the compound and shared a stock loft. Importantly at that time also the now partners competed independ- ently, but working with the same bloodlines. They actually resided on a small holding in a different part of Edinburgh where they oper- ated a successful cattery titled ‘Tower Kennels for Cats’ and kept sheep and a horse. Whilst residing in Edinburgh Ally won two Nationals in the same season, the first of which was from Littlehampton with the SNFC, the winning pigeon being 2yo blue cock ‘Castlebrae
from Coatbridge. The Mick McMurchie hen was a Marijke that contained the lines of ‘The Godfather’ on the sire’s side and ‘Zoon Tips’ on the dam’s side. The G W & P McAloney cock was a Vandenabeele that was bred from a son of ‘Joe Jones’ and a daughter of ‘Golden Gabby’. The second National, which Ally won in 2016 was from Billericay with the SNRPC. The winning pigeon on this occasion was yearling blue cock ‘Castlebrae Harry’, which prior to going to the National, won Pentland Federation from Newark. This pigeon also contained superb bloodlines, being a Vandenabeele, bred from stock introduced from G W & P MacAloney. Contained within the lineage is M & D. Evans ‘Jester 74’, that was bred from ‘Jester’ x ‘Carrie’, which were responsible for hundreds of winners. ‘Castlebrae Harry’ went through the programme as a youngster with Pentland Federation and similar to the Littlehampton winner, was managed on the Celibate system described. Les and Ally moved to reside at Annan some three years ago, their new home being a beau- tiful bungalow in an area of the town named ‘Back of the Hill’. The house is located in an idyllic setting, overlooking the Solway Firth and thereafter the Cumbrian Fells and is situated circa three hundred yards from the Solway estuary coastline. Pigeons are housed in an impressive 40 feet long loft behind their home containing six compartments that was built and erected by Tranter Lofts, the loft similarly over- looking the Solway. Les told me that Tranter Lofts personnel arrived at 7am and departed at noon with the shed being erected. Not only does Les race pigeons but he also plays bowls, being a member of the local Bowling Club and during the winter months, he plays indoor at Carlisle. The basic family that he and Ally are working with is Vandenabeele. The two National winners are in their stock shed with their bloodlines running right through the current team, including the two pigeons that featured in the prize list from the recent National. It should be explained that a percentage of the young bird team were worked on the Darkness method with the remaining youngsters being worked on the conventional system. If in good feather all members of the young bird squad continued to race through the programme but were stopped when they broke into the moult and then put by for the following season. The Section winner is a blue Vandenabeele hen that was bred in February and worked on the Darkness method. Prior to going to the National it had all races in the Federation programme to Stafford, with the exception of one early race when the race date was changed. In the early part of the season Les and Ally let the entire team of young pigeons run together until they begin looking at each other, when the partners separate the sexes and then work the respective cock and hen teams on the partners’ well proven Celibate method. In the case of the blue hen, she was one of the first hens in the team to look at a young cock and actually layed. Les told me that he has a sand dressing on the loft floor and the hen actually layed on the sand. He allowed the blue hen and her ‘mate’ to sit the
Stanley timed with the leaders to be 8th Section 25th Open, 8th Section 35th Open and 4th Section 5th Open. When he was 5th Open the pigeon was up on the night from 620 plus miles. It was a chequer w/f hen that was purchased at the Clearance Sale of Sammy Little from Dumfries. It had been one of the stars in Sammy’s loft, having won in the club several times and had also won the West Section of the Fed from Cheltenham. She raced from Sartilly in 1987 and was timed on the second day to be 2nd Section 18th Open from a very difficult event. Having purchased the pigeon and moved it several miles to a different location, Stanley tried her from Rennes in 1990 when she homed in the morning and then doubled her back into Sartilly when she was 54th Section 160th Open. He targeted her for Niort the following season and in preparation she had three Inland races to Mangotsfield. She went to Niort covering a four day old youngster and was up on the night to be 5th Open National. Having explained that the winning pigeon from Niort was a quality pigeon purchased at a Clearance Sale, our readers should under- stand that Stanley has on several occasions purchased superb individual pigeons and ‘got’ races out of them. He, for example purchased a performance pigeon at the Clearance Sale of McKay Brothers from Ecclefechan, which subsequently scored for him on three occa- sions from the channel. In former years he acquired examples of the Grondelaers family from Terry Lodge at Top Lofts and when the Top Lofts pigeons were sold, he made contact with Gerald Delaney at the O’Roory Hill Stud, to obtain further examples of the family and Stanley Boyd photogtrpahed with his 2nd Section YB National.
Les & Allison MItchell.
Henry’. It flew the young bird programme in 2014 and as a yearling went to the Portsmouth with the SNFC. In 2016 it was coupled at the gateway to the season, reared a pair of young- sters and was then separated from his mate and worked celibate. He thereafter went through the programme on the system with the Pentland Federation. The system was such that the cocks and hens were housed in their respective compart- ments, cocks in the section containing the boxes and hens in the section kitted out with vee-perches. They were loft exercised twice a day and following exercise, re-entered the respective compartment within which they were housed, they only seen their mate for minutes before departure to a race and for minutes again on return. The National winner being ever so well bred from a hen obtained from Mick McMurchie from Fife when paired to a cock obtained from G W & P MacAloney
THE RACING PIGEON 29 SEPTEMBER 2023
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National tickets being 56th Section 124th Open Newbury, 21st Section 367th Open Eastbourne and 304th Open Bovingdon. His sire, which was incidentally the second pigeon to the loft from Marlborough also gained three National positions being 4th Section YB National, 264th Open Eastbourne and 16th Section 27th Open Alencon. The sire and grand sire of these pigeons was a 2001 blue cock that was an exchange youngster from Rab Bunch and Son, Bobby from Strathaven. Kenny raced a 2004 blue cock that was home bred, containing the loft’s established lines and was an absolute topper. It scored six times with the SNFC and won an SNFC Bronze
their eighth arrival on 1286ypm. The following week local fanciers competed from the Federation YB Open Federation race from Stafford and they were one again right at the front, they had four in a drop and were 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th East Section and Open Federation. It must be emphasised that Brenda is most certainly not a partner in name only but actively works with the pigeons. During the season past she has worked the young birds while Johnny was at his place of work, they are responsive to her commands and I was told that she uses a whistle and fantail to trap them. The partners reside in the country, two miles north of Lockerbie and whilst it’s a really nice place to stay it is not the most favourable place to race pigeons to as they have to live with the common raptors including the Sparrowhawk, Goshawk and Peregrine. Having formerly worked with tradi- tional bloodlines on the conventional method, Johnny read about what other fanciers were achieving with modern bloodlines and made contact with a very successful loft in England to purchase stock and and acquired from them examples of the Willy Jacobs, Van den Bulck and Romein Klein families. The Romein Klein lines, being based on the family of Stewart Knowles. Johnny and Brenda initially purchased pigeons or stock and were so pleased with the offspring that they produced that they made further contact with the breeders and purchased further examples of
and describes Alec as his mentor. Having kept birds from the early 1950’s he was invited to Guy Barrett’s loft in 1963 and was gifted a blue and red cock. He thereafter attended any sale that Guy Barrett put pigeons in and bought them and was also gifted occasional pigeons by Alec Mollkin. Whilst in Belgium on an organ- ised trip, he purchased a cock from Pauw Brothers, from their National winner that proved to be a real ‘topper’, it left a number of good pigeons including a particular cock named ‘500’ that won out of turn and impor- tantly produced winners direct and in subse- quent generations. George then purchased another quality pigeon from Jos Deno and when he coupled the Pauw Brothers line into the Jos Deno line he immediately produced pigeons to perform from the channel, indeed the first pigeon bred from this pairing flew the Channel three times as a yearling from 400, 500 and 350 miles. Prior to moving to Scotland he sold the majority of his pigeons but impor- tantly retained examples of the lines mentioned, which formed the base of his ‘new’ team. On moving to Lockerbie he spoke to friend Robert Rome who arranged for local fancier David McDonald to build him an 18 foot loft. George subsequently arranged for fellow Club member, Michael Currie to build him two further sheds, which are set out compactly in the form of a ‘U’. Birds are basically worked on the Natural system, with variation to provide
the recent National. It should be said that George’s YB team, which basically contain the same lines, have flown ever so well this season. From the Federation Open race from Stafford for example, he had seven of a drop and was 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th East Section and Open Federation with his first arrival recording a velocity of 1456.2ypm and his seventh pigeon recording a velocity of 1455.4ypm. The pigeon that was 5th Section from the YB National is a blue hen that was amongst the leading arrivals to the loft from every race. It is a Dirk Van Den Bulck having been home bred from direct stock purchased from P & D Racing and Breeding Stud. It was bred in February and worked on Darkness. It was flying to the perch but showing to young cocks. It was in good feather having gone through a total body moult and went to the race with a full wing. The week previous to the National, members of the Solway Federation competed from the Federation Open race from Stafford, with the convoy being released at 10.45am into a light SE wind. Johnny & Brenda Morgan from Lockerbie had four in a drop to be 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th East Section and Open Federation with the four birds recording velocities of 1462.3, 1462, 1461.7 & 1461.4ypm. Close behind was George Firth, also from Lockerbie who was 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th East Section and Open Federation with his first arrival recording a velocity of 1456.2ypm and his seventh pigeon recording a velocity of 1455.4ypm. Stanley Boyd from Dumfries Flying Club was 1st, 2nd & 7th West Section Fed on 1337, 1334 & 1316ypm. Karl Guenther & Grandson Lewis from Brydekirk West were 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th & 9th West Section Fed, their first arrival on 1317ypm and their fifth arrival on 1249ypm. T Varcoe from Nith Valley was 5th West Section Fed on 1277ypm with Mervyn Halliday, also from Nith Valley, 10th West Section on 1248ypm. The following are the winners in the indi- vidual Clubs. Dennis Anderson Jnr led the way in Annan on 1384ypm with Mr & Mrs Les Mitchell 2nd and 3rd. Scott Irving took the first three positions in Brydekirk , his winner on 1407ypm. Stanley Boyd timed the first three arrivals into Dumfries Flying Club , his winner on 1337ypm. John Hodgson took the first two positions in Eastriggs , his winner on 1400ypm, Gordon Turnbull was 3rd. Alistair Little led the way in Hoddom on 1416ypm, Jimmy Dalgliesh was 2nd & 3rd. Billy Irving headed the result in Langholm on 1374ypm, with Braben and Stewart 2nd & 3rd. Johnny & Brenda Morgan took the first three positions in Lockerbie , his leading arrival on 1462ypm. T Varcoe headed the result in Nith Valley on 1277ypm, Mervyn Halliday was 2nd & 3rd. The pigeon that was 1st East Section, 1st Open Federation from Stafford for Johnny & Brenda Morgan is a Romein Klein blue cock, which is impeccably bred. He was bred from a blue chequer cock that won 2x1st this year as a yearling. This cock is a grandson of ‘Bentley’ and ‘Quick Silver’ on one side and ‘Starboy’ and ‘National Wonder’ on the other side. Dam contains the lines of ‘Quick Silver’ and ‘Super Leeuwinneke’. I was informed that same lines have bred RPRA Hotspot One Loft Race winner in 2022 and 2023. This is obviously a team of real quality pigeons and in the weeks ahead I’ll compile a profile report on Johnny & Brenda Morgan for our Journal with photo- graphs. Nominated pigeons competed from Stafford in the Federation Gold Ring Race, which is organised annually by Stephen Allen. Johnny & Brenda Morgan from Lockerbie HS won the race with Karl Guenther & Grandson from Brydekirk (West) 2nd. This concludes the 2023 race season. I thank all people who have assisted me with information throughout the season, which has enabled me to compile regular articles providing details of local winners. I particularly thank Michael Currie who has provided me with photographs of the local fanciers who have featured in the first three in the Section Prize List from the respective Nationals.
Kenny Thomson.
Award. In 2005 it was 30th Section 148th Open Newbury. In 2007 it was 24th Section 34th Open Newbury, 11th Section 32nd Open Maidstone and 203rd Open Eastbourne. In 2008 it was 240th Open Newbury and two weeks later was 4th Section 42nd Open Eastbourne. In 2009 he was 2nd Open SNFC Newbury with the pigeon also securing an SNFC Bronze Award. It was a blue cock and was another fine performer. It was a Soontjens, bred from a stock pair that were received as a gift from Brian Clennon from Staithes, the same way bred as Brian’s 2001 UNC YB National winner ‘Libby’, which headed the convoy from an entry of 16,795 birds. The blue cock went through the programme as a youngster and was 1st Club, 8th Fed from Stafford. As a yearling he was worked on the Widowhood method and raced steady. In 2008 he was 1st Leyland, 1st Lymm and 4th Cheltenham in Lockerbie Club. He then competed from the Inland Nationals with the SNFC and was 49th Section 116th Open Newbury and 307th Open Eastbourne. In 2009 he was 5th Appleby, 2nd Leyland, 1st Lymm, 4th Stafford, 4th Coventry and 1st Windrush. He then went to Newbury and was 2nd Open National. The pigeon that was 3rd Section from the recent National is a red hen that was bred in February and worked on Darkness. It raced through the Federation programme to Stafford and was ‘always there or there about’. It was home bred from two stock birds intro- duced into the shed. Sire is a mealy cock that contains the lines of Alec Allison from Carnwath and was obtained from Alec’s daughter, Kirsty. It should be understood that Alec Allison had a team of quality pigeons, including Kirkpatrick’s and bred meaningful birds for several very prominent Scottish fanciers. Dam of the pigeon that was 3rd Section National was bred by Jim Hannah and contains several noted Dutch long distance pigeons in the pedigree including Dunkere Theelan ‘Dutch Princess’, ‘King’ and ‘Queen’. Johnny & Brenda Morgan from Lockerbie were 4th Section. At the outset I make the point that the partners 2023 team of young- sters have raced ever so well, from a recent race from Lymm they were 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th East Section and Open Federation, their first arrival on 1288ypm and
Johnny & Breda Morgan outside their loft.
the families mentioned to race. Derick, Ian and Dave, their new friends from South of the Border, have been ever so helpful, they have kept in regular contact with Johnny and Brenda and have kindly advised them how to work and importantly how to feed the new acquisitions. The pigeon that was 4th Section YB National a dark chequer Romein Klein cock that was bred in February and was worked on the Darkness method. It went through the Federation programme to Stafford and went to the race in good feather, flying to the perch. Sire is a grandson of ‘Bentley’ when paired to ‘Copy Starlight’. Discerning readers will know that ‘Bentley’ is a grandson of top breeder ‘Zeus’ with the Dam being ‘023’ winner of 1st Creil against 17,256 birds. Dam of the 4th Section YB National is a Romein Klein x Heremans-Ceusters. George Firth from Boreland, north of Lockerbie was 5th Section. Prior to moving to Lockerbie, George lived at Leeds and was involved in the administration side of our hobby. He was Secretary and Delegate of Bramley Club in Leeds, Aire and Wharfdale Combine and Leeds Amal. He was also President of Mid Yorkshire Combine and along with Tony Oates was one of the prime movers in the formation of the Combine. George speaks of his friendship with the late Alec Mollkin who was loft manager to Guy Barrett
motivation. Over the years he has achieved a number of successes including being 1st Open YB National in 2014 and 1st Section 4th Open in 2016. The 2014 YB National winner was a home bred blue hen named ‘My Way’. Dam of the winner was a hen that additionally bred the loft’s Section winner from the 2012 YB National. It was bred by Ronnie Evans from Sunderland out of blue hen ‘Tilly’ when paired to chequer pied cock ‘354’ that gained 3x1st Club, 2x1st Fed and 1st Section against 4,000+ birds. There were a host of winners in the pedigree of ‘354’ including ‘Simply the Best’ and the ‘Amal Hen’. ‘Tilly’ gained 4x1st Club, 2x1st and 1x2nd Fed and 1st Section from an entry of 6,000+ birds. ‘Tilly’ was bred from ‘Frank’ and Miss Partis’, which were both prolific winners. Sire of the 2014 YB National winner was a blue cock that was bred by Wall, Lunt & Green. His sire was obtained direct from Andreas Drapa bred direct from his No. 1 Cock ‘Champ’. Paternal grand dam of the 2014 winner was bred direct from Wall, Lunt & Green’s ‘Adonis’, which was a superb breeder, being sire of two times Provincial winner, ‘The Promise’ and many other winners in the UK. From the foregoing our readers will observe that George goes out of his way to acquire ‘best bloodlines’ and this can be seen in the lineage of the pigeon that was 5th Section from
THE RACING PIGEON 29 SEPTEMBER 2023
6
Around the North East WITH BARRY PEARCE
followed by those two Lilley & Son arrivals followed by another Hartlepool timer, Mr & Mrs Brian Noble and then it was back to Horden EEHS to find that clubs winner at 9th Section, Marl Lauderdale & Partners with Blackhall’s Gorton & Son at 10th. First to 20th section 1461 to 1335ypm. The Redcar HS were part of the last liber- ation, a send of 8/226, and it was Paul Burniston & Family that take their first 1st since moving back to the Warrenby allot- ments, a clear winning Ceusters bred from their stock birds taking 1st Club and 1st North Yorks Fed on 1459ypm from 559 birds. Pleased to see a long time friend of mine Mark Walton going well at this race, 1st Guisborough HS, 2nd Fed, ‘Wally’ as he’s better known when flying on the allotments with his father Jim were great competitors, 1st UNC’s being won, and now as Kate & Mark Walton, Katie being his daughter, still got the know how. Back to Redcar HS, and It was the Withers, Hobson & Gent with the next two, the lads first one on 1403, then it was Hall, Walton & Baldwin at 4th, they won the fiver nom as well, and the winners were back for 5th Club. The Eaglescliffe HS another of the last group with Tees Valley Fed saw just a 3/59 send, and it was Phil Armstrong getting a blue cock quite some way clear of the Alan Armstrong in-form loft, no relation by the way. Alan took the next few places with his Les Killick and Border lofts YB’s, but like a lot he struggled on the day, but thankfully got a few back on the Monday. The first six were on the Fed result sheet, the winner at 5th, 2nd at 6th and Alan had another four on the sheet, but all were well spread out. Middlesbrough HS saw just 40 being sent, but it was quality rather than
Michael and their daughters Alex and Toni we spent in Amble, it really is a magical place to live in and to visit, so bucket list BP! I'm sure Brenda Blethyn who plays DCI Vera Stanhope in the TV series Vera which is filmed all around this area loved the area so much than rather than travel back and forwards to Kent, she rented a place in Northumberland as she was absolutely ‘stunned’ by the beauty of the area, as she had never been there before. Anyway, we loved it! Onto Hartlepool Feds result, the last liber- ation which was at 11.10am and these poor buggers will have been well and truly ‘off their heads’ after hitting the front and side of the barry.pearce230@ntlworld.com 15 Rossett Walk, Park End, M’Bro, Cleveland, TS3 7LX
and the last, a chequer cock. P & M Stout were 2nd at HHS and 2nd Fed on 1372ypm, and the same club had the next three with Edwin Pomfret, Neil Pratt and Blythyn & Cairns getting them. The Wingate HS was won by Chris Robson for 6th Fed then Billy Wilkinson takes 7th Fed with HHS. The Trimdon Grange HS winner was with the John Rayner & Son loft for 8th Fed, and 9th saw the Thompson, Son & Clarke Thornley HS, with Edwin Pomfret getting two more for 10th & 11th Fed. The Thornley HS full result was from a 204 send, Thompson & Partners 1st, Luke & Son 2nd & 4th and Gwen Holden and Bobby Mitchell 3rd and there’s nearly a 40 minutes gap between those four pigeons!
I’m starting this weeks article on September 4th, a Monday morning, 24 hours or so after the UNC flew from Chelmsford, and judging by the results I already have plus the posts on the good old social media, it was a disaster. Before I start with the results, must thank John Wright from Hull for getting one of my awol’s back to me via Guisborough club Secretary Allan Stevenson. Sent on the North Road wagon to Berwick which called into Guisborough to pick the clubs birds up, job done so thank you guys. Happy 65th birthday to a long time friend of mine Steve Wheatley, so mind how you go mate when you go to the post office for your OAP pension, there’s some dodgy charac-
UNC SECTION 4 Grantham YB 4,263 birds
quantity as Keith Hodge and Dennis Potter had a chequer hen away to do 1437ypm which topped the Teesside fed, and they weren’t done there as they had the next two in the club which took 18th & 19th Fed, with Wellburn & Sons 4th for 20th Fed. The GYA were at Huntingdon on the Saturday, and were given the all clear by I/C Harry Wright to liberate at 9.50am, about 35 minutes after The Durham Combine at the same race point. I’ve heard different reports of how the DC faired, so that’s all I’ll say about that, but the Middlesbrough HS with a 5/85 went really well, making good times and with good returns, as I’ll now tell you about. Those ‘Crooks’ lads, Alan and Liam are certainly showing us all how it should be done, for Alan flying to his own place yet again has another top day with the first three, 1441 (2) & 1440, and Liam sending a canny few after he stopped them because of ‘fat eye’, taking the next seven places shown, all more or less together. I sent 13, was expecting them a bit later than when they began arriving, so although I had the ETS set up, I was sat sunbathing, when a blue pied hen shot over my house roof, off the back and then proceeded to ‘dance awhile’. Even when I finally got her to land and trap, I had another one that messed about, so until I got him down, I then had another three going round, and when the second trapped, it was then I checked my clock to find the first one hadn’t registered. So all in all, it was a day to 2143.475 2 Graham, Gilchrist & Brennan 2143.306 3 K & T Seales 2131.372 4 N Davison 2126.30 5 Woodfoffe Bros 2126.189 6 F Yannetta 2126.28 7 Soderlund & Maddison 2126.10 8 Moore & Sword 2124.96 9 N Davison 2124.79 10 T & J Thompson 2123.796 1 Woodfoffe Bros
Steve Wheatley and BP.
Ray Hulme 1st Fed. Photo taken some years ago when we were up at Amble.
baskets as each of the four liberations before them went up. Drinking will have been far from their minds, just trying to get out tha’s all they will have been thinking about. Now it was 24/388 send figure, distances being 210/215 miles, it was well over a four hour fly and from top to bottom of the 30 positions shows there is nearly a 200ypm drop and well over a hour and a half timing between them, so say no more BP. Bobby Smith’s chequer cock on 1430ypm to win Hartlepool Supporters was to stop two GB rung arrivals of Mick & Michael Lilley Hartlepool HS taking the top two, and they had another similar numbers two GB rung ones at 5th & 9th Fed, and I’m pretty sure I know where these came from, or am I wrong Mick? Mr & Mrs Brian Noble were 2nd Club, 4th Fed with their HSHS timer. The Fed Secretary Dave Geach, brother Tom, Wayne McKenna and Dixie Chapman win at Owton Manor HS for 6th Fed and the Mr & Mrs Duncan HSHS team got three fairly quick ones to take 7th, 8th & 10th Fed. The Bell Vue HS was won by Colin Ashby and Turville with Stranton HS falling to Terry Atkinson, 11th and 22nd Fed for those two. The winner did 1430, the 30th did 1238, ouch! It was a combined total of 1,174 with South East Durham Fed, and although I’m not to sure, the top loft of Jimmy Richardson with Horden HS/SED Fed's 1461yopm winning velocity will be hard to beat anywhere. Mind you when most were struggling Jimmy had further timings at 3rd, 4th, 12th & 16th Section, so apart from his returns which I’m not sure about, that’s a pretty good days work for this former 1st UNC winning loft. Marr Bros with Easington HS are 1st Club, 2nd Fed on 1449ypm, and after the foremen- tion arrivals of JR, it was Bobby Smith with his Hartlepool Fed winner at 5th Section
Group 1 included 395 of Coquetdale Feds finest, up at 9.50am with about 260 to 275 miles in front of them on what by now was a very warm day. The Amble HS loft of Ray & Leslie Hulme have been going well all season with both OB’s and YB’s. This loft that I visited quite some time ago, saw home a blue hen after nearly five and half hours to do 1405ypm which was to win the club and to top the Fed, and they had another two fairly close up which gave them 6th & 7th Fed. At 1st & 2nd Chevington Drift HS we had Simpson & Son, a loft that I’m reasonably sure I visited back in 2000 after the topped the UNC from Beauvais. Anyway, they have been creeping ever closer to the top of this competitive club in recent weeks, so on 1402 & 1379ypm with two young cocks they get the first two and 2nd & 3rd Fed. It was the second decimal place that secured them that 2nd Club spot, for John Mallan and John Mowbray had a chequer cock to take 3rd CDHS and 4th Fed. J Moore, John I believe, has like the winners of CDHS been there- abouts of late, and he’s in again at 5th Fed on 1377ypm. Further up country, in fact the furthest flying member in this Fed, Adam Nichols flying 277 miles with Alnwick HS, he gets two blue cocks together after just over six hours flying time to take 1st & 2nd Club, 8th & 9th Fed with the Murphy & Son team close up 3rd Club, 10th Fed. It more of the same with the above lofts getting further arrivals in the top 20 odd or so of the Fed. Alnmouth HS was represented as well, Trevor Shell winning it from Malcolm Straughan. This area of Northumberland is one of my favourites, as I’ve been there as a guest of clubs and Feds, visited quite a few UNC winning lofts there. Myself and Shirley have also gone their on holiday, our 30th wedding anniversary along with Gina,
ters about in Whinney Banks, don’t get mugged for your pension, lol. Right, Chelmsford results, which was flown on Sunday as a holdover was declared on Saturday due to the weather not improving quick enough on the Saturday to get the five groups away, and five groups at a 200 plus miles race. Mid Tyne, third to go at 10.30am, a light easterly turning to a SW and very warm which will not have helped YB’s sitting in a wagon from Friday until liberation. John Wilkie this Feds excellent Secretary informs me that there was a 7/308 send with Boldon HS a 3/34 send with Hebburn and a 4/24 send with Jarrow HS and when the clocks were struck, there was just 48 back in BHS, two in Hebburn HS and no arrivals at all with Jarrow AHS. Anyway, with a chequer pied hen that was paired to a Fantail and was feeding a newly hatched chick, we have Ian Graham, the late Brian Gilchrist and Willie Brennan winning BHS and topping the Fed on a 1377ypm velocity, and they had others at 7th & 8th Fed but nine minutes after the winner, not what usually happens with this loft, certainly not in a YB race. The nearby Miller Bros & Kyle faired a little bit better getting three hens to take 2nd, 3rd & 4th Club and Fed, the first on 1371 about a minute or so after the winner, but then it was four minutes before they got the next two and they had one at 9th Fed 11 minutes after their first. John Walker & Partners showing up well again takes 5th, 6th & 10th Club and Fed. At Hebburn it was I & D Nelson who got the winner for 12th Fed, nothing to JAHS. Now to Shotton and Trimdon, fourth up at 10.50am and the good Haswell HS partner- ship of Mr & Mrs Davie Baxter has three on the result, 1st, 12th & 20th, 1394ypm, 1272ypm & 1231ypm and there was a 38 minutes gap between the first a blue cock
THE RACING PIGEON 29 SEPTEMBER 2023 forget, although I did win the £5 nom with my 3rd one to trap, a blue cock bred by Alan Armstrong, thank you mate. That’s the Chelmsford result out of the way, and amen to that a lot of UNC members will be glad to see the back of it. Got some news in from a lad called Lewis Foster, ex NEHU Secretary Dave Powers let me know about him prior to it arriving. Good to see a comparative ‘young lad’ flying and enjoying this game, so well done Lewis. I’ll send it down as received by me, so the editors can hopefully print as sent by Lewis. Have to end that due to to those hot temper- atures forecast for the weekend of September 9th & 10th, two days away as this is being sent, some firms have brought races shorter, and the UNC has postponed until the week after, maybe Monday basketing for a Tuesday race, the 12th. Fun isn’t it, Not!
7
cock, bred by Garry & Wayne Sheilds raced by Lewis Foster of Blyth, thanks to Wayne & Garry sheilds, for gifting me such a beautiful bird to get my race season up and running this year, I have to say nothing but pure class, amazing birds and amazing results! The next one is ‘The Bosses Oscar’ NEHU23NOR118, 1st Club 230 birds 25th Fed Dalton. This beautiful grizzle cock bred by D Powers of Blyth, raced by Lewis Foster. Thank you to D Powers for breeding me my first ever winner, top quality birds at working man’s prices. Davey has to be one of the best lads I’ve met whilst coming into the sport and is willing to help whenever he can, I will 100% be back next year for another kit of youngsters!” Sorry to hear about the sudden passing of Kevin McFarlane of the Boldon HS, and evidently one day before his birthday. I got to chat to Kevin on a few occasions, and we exchanged texts a few times, always friendly like. He was a man who loved the distance races,flying with the local clubs that competed with the NFC, and often got to time with them. To his friends and his family I send sincere condolences. My good friend Tony Wood and his partner Phil Peart are still going ahead with leving this game, this in spite of having yet another good year with the team. I think its 10x1st Newcastle West Fed wins, and plenty of back up positions. I’ll be there at Westerhope Brighton Central and the Horsham so the next in line was Clive Middleton in the Brighton & District and he took the first three which also happened to be the next three in the Federation. Doug Groves was next in this club a grizzle hen that was the result of a Harlequin cock bird paired to a Van Reet hen. It was then back up north, the Reigate Coly had Chris Kavanagh 1st & 2nd on 1721 & 1720 yards per minute, first with a blue pied hen and then a blue cock bird. Behind him in the club was the loft of R & N Steptoe. Although I do not often drop down to 5th position in the clubs I think I should give a heads up to V Tanassa who took that position in the Coly. I do like to mention new names in the column. Finally it is out to the Lewes club
“Hi there, my names Lewis a 24 year old young lad just starting out in the sport racing from Blyth, Northumberland. This is my first proper year of racing and I’m loving it, after the passing of my grandfather and my uncle packing in I knew I had to do something to keep the family legacy going, pigeons have been in my grandfather’s and uncle’s lifes forever and it feels amazing to be continuing it on, hopefully alot more wins and good times ahead. ‘In loving memory of Robert Cochrane, a
Lewis Foster’s ‘Money Bags Miller’.
Lewis Foster’s ‘The Bosses Oscar’.
Excelsior on the 30th to see what will be a top team of OB’s and YB’s being auctioned by First Choice Auctions, and that includes NEHU and UNC BOY’s. Best of luck Tony and Phil, you deserve it. BP the same positions in the Fed. When they have them ready, they have them ready. Fourth & 5th Fed was Chris Kavanagh which was also the first two positions in his club, the Reigate Coly. Chris Neve & Daughter were 6th & 7th Fed with Lee & Kieran Norris of the Brighton Central 8th Fed. I will now skip to the clubs because in 1st position in the Brighton & District and 10th Fed was a new name to me again, Colin Harris. Colin and his wife Teresa live in the Moulscombe area of Brighton. Colin happens to be the nephew of the late Ray Hudson. Colin does not drive and is indebted to Doug Groves for the help
true pigeon man at heart and one amazing grandad’. There are two photos attached, one is of ‘Money Bags Miller’ NEHU23BV1818, 1st Club 204 birds 19th Fed 610 birds; 3rd Club 230 birds 34th Fed Dalton. This chequer
THE SOUTH COAST FEDERATION by Tom Powers
In the last old bird report I made what some would call an error, that is not a word I would use, I think it was just a waker upper. Made up word there. I inserted a picture that I cred- ited to Derek Newton, but it was actually of his partner Jason Brennan. I have remedied
Alan Wickenden, Fed winner.
Brunger & Warner.
after the season has ended. Karen and Alan normally fly the pigeons with the Shoreham club but circumstances meant that they were forced to basket them with their other club, the Brighton Central. The next six positions in the Fed were won by the Horsham partner- ship of Richard Brunger and Ricky Warner who are now warming the young bird team up to hopefully try and replicate the excellent season that they had with the old birds. Judging by the ring numbers this team is all home bred so shows the depth that they have in the lofts. The final top ten positions were then taken by the Brighton Central again, 9th was Dave Norris and 10th Browne and Wickenden. Around the clubs. We have dealt with
Newton & Brennan.
that he gives him. Doug takes Colin’s birds on their training tosses and also takes him down to the club for basket nights etc. This has been a really tough year for Colin as he had a lot of early season losses with his old birds, and this rather restricted his involve- ment early season, but he is now back with his team of youngsters. Clive Middleton then won the next three positions in the Brighton & District. Back at Shoreham, as mentioned earlier Chris Neve was 1st & 2nd with the next two positions being won by Browne and Wickenden. The Lewes club was a clean sweep for A Richardson.
this with a picture of the pair of them, you can guess which one is Newton, the senior partner. No prizes for getting the right answer. The third young bird race saw the Fed down at Blandford where the birds were released at 8am for what was to be a quick fly home. The winners in the Fed were the partnership of Karen Browne and Alan Wickenden with a pair of youngsters that they acquired of their friends the May Family. There are no family details to hand as Darren May does not give them any pedigrees until
Browne & Wickenden’s lofts.
where A Richardson of Swingbridge Lofts was 1st but he was then followed by two pigeons to the lofts of Ian Butler who seems to have hit a little vein of form with his young- sters. The next young bird race had the Fed a bit further down the road at Yeovil. Did I mention earlier the Brunger and Warner lofts and how they seemed to be hitting the form again. Well, this week they were 1st, 2nd & 3rd in the Horsham club which also turned out to be
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