THE RACING PIGEON 19 APRIL 2024
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Essex Central Federation
full of good looking pigeons kept by Neal Martin who once again leads the way, taking home a further £55 to put towards the upcoming sales. Laindon’s Deputy Marcin Grzedowicz takes runner up. Gas Fitter Marcin doesn’t really need it but would appreciate the £32 towards the corn with four places in the money. Mark Cooper appears again for a third time taking bronze in class today. Another £10 goes to Mark. 37 hens on show next and Leigh on Sea fancier Ray Cole flying with Hadleigh club comes out on top with the fairer sex. His attractive blue pied hen in receipt of 1st prize of £20 and wins the £25 nom. Neal Martin, victorious in the Young Hens and Any Age cocks, settles for silver in the Any Age females category, £15 for runner up, and completing the podium is Laindon fancier Russ O’Cuneff who happy with the addition of 4th is £17 better off. A great show writes Steve and a good bit of PR with Barleylands Landlady, the ever welcoming Anne taking home the superb Turkey raffle prize.
Laindon Pre-Season Special
with his stunning dark chequer white flight earning £30 prize money together with the £25 nom, can’t be bad, well done, Mark. Second and £20 goes to four of eight on the day from a very tough Thurso, Alan Scarborough and 3rd but certainly not least Stocks finest Studman Fred Harnett. Moving on to the following Sunday we have the best of the Young Hens on show,
Morning all. Back to it this week but things have never stopped down at Laindon with Steve Smith and his club busy throughout the off season and with that I thought I would get to know the club a little better and document their efforts before racing begins Saturday. Formed in 1960 the club has 38 members for what is expected to be an ultra-competitive 2024 season. New members Vasil Balanuca, Charlie Simmons, Mark Cooper, Robbie & Andrew Wilton (D Wilton & Son) together with the incorporated Hutton lads, add even more weight to this mighty outfit, the Laindon Racing Pigeon Club. Looking for a suitable Transporter for their forthcoming midweek racing and
Three time club winner Gary Watts.
series. Beginning with old cocks through the wires and a substantial entry of 56 birds in class going under the expert eye of Hadleigh’s John & Gaynor Ashenden who together selected a handsome blue pied owned and raced by Brian Robinson who collects a nice winning card, £28 in prize money and to round off a lovely Sunday afternoon for Brian, the £35 on offer in the nom. Runner up was Russ O’Cuneff picking up £19 with the Thurso supremo Alan Scarborough 3rd and a tenner better off. Barleylands Social Club welcomes the club for the second of the contests a week later on the first Sunday in December. This time the turn of old hens, under the scrutiny of judge Andy
Three wins racing youngsters, David Coward- Talbot.
judging on this occasion was the respon- sibility of top fancier Patrick Mahoney ably assisted by Channel racing enthusiast Charlie Simmons. The coveted pair singled out an immaculate light chequer in the care of owner Neal Martin and he takes home the £25 1st prize and doubles up with the winner takes all nomination. Runner up is last Sunday’s Young Cocks winning fancier Mark Cooper who adds £15 to the kitty. Ten pounds and 3rd in show goes to the Old Cocks judges, John & Gaynor Ashenden. A fantastic 82 pigeons were presented to the fancy in the fifth event, an Any Age entry for both sexes. First up 50 male specimens for a superstar line up of judges to peruse. The
The Laindon lads kicked off early again this year with the opening Breeder/Buyer sale on the last Sunday in February. The first of four located as always at the home of the Hammers, Barleylands Social Club. With an early afternoon start an impres- sive 41 pigeons were penned and sold by auctioneer Bernie McDermott to a healthy sized audience of eager local fanciers keen to get a slice of the Bank Holiday prize money. Mother’s Day would be the date for the second opportunity to intro- duce new blood or enhance our entries in the Darlington Showpiece and fanciers from far and wide begin to emerge with Steve’s generous offer of no radius as long as you fly a minimum distance of 195 miles from the Durham Racepoint (4242) proving ever popular with the fraternity. 31 well-bred and lovely pigeons were added to the roster today by a notable list of our local and national winning lofts. Not a fortnight later, we have the long awaited Laindon presentation night, ever- more scarce compared to the old days when we all had an annual knees up, but they keep the fire burning down the south of the county with an excellent night of entertainment courtesy of The Foreverly Brothers starring the former Rockin’ Berries frontman and No 1 with Jive Club i/c Marcin Grzedowicz celebrates the new arrival.
Darlington winner and family man Anvi Januzi..
some improvements required at the club house to pay for, the club began with an auction with an assortment of pigeons coming from top lofts from throughout the country and over the water in Ireland. Bernie McDermott got busy with sourcing some desirable stock from the fancy to auction off and after a very successful outcome the club would like to thank Lenny Jenkins, David Coward-Talbot, the Ace Micky Harvey, Eddie and wife Sara at Central Lofts, Simon Shearsby from Dandelion Lofts, Duncan Goodchild, Kevin Foster, Deputy Marcin Grzedowicz, John Chipperfield, John Purton, John Gladwin and John Cowlin formerly Formula 1 Lofts, Dave & Gary Heywood, Micky Pawsey from Dagenham, Tidbury & Garrett, Anton Astore, Brighton’s Lee & Ian Sullivan, D Wilton & Son, Mark Bulled, Damian Szpak and Waterford global supplier Derek Walsh for their generous donations of the best quality pigeons that would grace any loft. With such a line up of contributors the target for the trailer and repairs was readily met and the club took possession of a brand new Geraldy in January. Well done Bernie. November and the club host the first of their popular post season Sunday show
Cousins who chose a lovely chequer pied well kept at the lofts of owner Selwyn Abraham and bred by good friend, family man Anvi Januzi. Selwyn bags £35 and the 1st prize winning card. Second & 3rd would be claimed by Russ O’Cuneff who takes home £17 winnings. Week 3 is Young Cocks and another outstanding meat raffle prize on offer as always to visi- tors including judges Lenny Jenkins and Andrew Foster who cast their knowledge- able eyes over an entry of 59 pigeons. Top of the pile in this class, Mark Cooper Two red cards for Central Lofts Eddie Butcher and wife Sara.
1st in show Old Cocks for Brian Robinson.
difficult task falls to a collaboration of sprint kings SIS Wallis, Basildon’s National winning Pat Mahoney, the pigeon legend that is Lenny Jenkins, RPRA award winning John & Gaynor Ashenden with another South Road Champion, Andy Cousins back again with his respected opinion. The All-stars settled on a pigeon from a loft obviously
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