EAST CLEVELAND FEDERATION

by Keith Simpson

LILLERS 2 & SELBY

1st Fed Lillers (2) for Mike & Val Crooks

1st Fed Young Bird Selby (1) for Arkless Son & Mead

   The Up North Combines final old bird race of the 2008-racing season was held from Lillers (2) on Sunday 20th July, when the birds were liberated into a light North West wind.  Its congratulations to Mr & Mrs Mike & Val Crooks of Staithes for winning 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th Club, 1st, 16th and 19th Fed out of 1,174 birds and 5th North Yorkshire & East Cleveland Section from a convoy of 1,882 birds. Topping the charts with a vel of 1111 was a cheq pied hen who chalked up 3rd Club and 10th Fed Rivenhall beaten by two loftmates, the hen was unlucky that race for three birds dropped together but she was furthest away when clocking. The blue card was awarded to a blue hen that won 1st Club, 8th Fed Rivenhall and 2nd Club, 33rd Fed Folkestone, this time she record 1081. The yellow was potted by a dark cheq hen doing 1077, the hens sire is bred out of Valerie and the dam is out of Mike & Val’s 2005 Club and Fed Bird of the Year. In cell four came a cheq cock who has minor positions to his credit, and this was followed by a blue pied hen the previous winner of 1st Club and 5th Fed Huntingdon. Dave Simpson stopped the clean sweep by netting 3rd with his 3rd UNC Lillers Bronze Medal winner.

Ian ‘Knocker’ Brown’s fantastic old bird season continues after the in-form lad timed a couple of birds to win 1st and 2nd at Lingdale out of an entry of 118 birds. Leading the way was a well-fancied 2y red Busschaert/Van Reet x Huybregt widowhood hen recording 1102 to win 2nd Fed, 12th Section and 1st £1, £2 and £5 Fed nom banking £217.00. The sire of the red card-winning hen is Clubmate Colin Bainbridge mealy cock the sire of six Section winners for Colin when he flew in Gateshead. The blue card was won by a 2y blue Huybregt x Camphius Janssen widowhood hen doing 1081 to chalk up 17th Fed. The sire of Knockers blue card scorer is an on loan cock from Steve & Sheila Trattles while the dam is a direct Huybregt. Knocker has really gone to town this season with a number of top loft performances at Club, Fed and Combine level. Graham Wattis & Son filled a couple of chambers to pot 3rd and 4th with the green card going to a Billy Heslop bred blue cock who has scored several times. The cock is called “Bloody Nuisance” because of his antics on returning from a race, Watto himself is a bloody nuisance all the time. The yellow card was netted by a yearling Stanghow Stuka cheq cock; the good honest cock is Graham’s bird of the season. Barry ‘Smiler’ Kettlewell banged two birds in the clock to notch up 5th and 6th with the first timer being a 9-day sitting cheq pied bred through Mike & Val Crooks stock. Second in the clock for Barry came a 9-day sitting blue hen that scored 2nd Club the previous week when the birds were at Melton Mowbray (3).

Mr Tony “Simply The Best” Bannister and loft helper Charlie Featherstone once again proved what a force they are after timing no fewer than four birds to win a very impressive 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th at Skelton Green where there were 198 birds competing. Pole position was won by a 3y Staf Van Reet recording 1100 to go onto score 3rd Fed and 14th Section, the chart-topping cock scored 2nd Club, 12th Fed and 29th Section Folkestone (2). The blue card was awarded to a yearling achieving 1097 to net 4th Fed and 16th Section, while the yellow was potted by another yearling making 1093 which was enough to pot 6th Fed and 22nd Section. What a fantastic loft performance this was from Banno & Charlie’s birds, three birds in the first six in the Fed flying against the very best is a outstanding performance by anyone’s standards. Bill Chapman, sons Steve & Colin and the late Tommy Swinburne clocked two birds to lift 3rd and 5th with the green card being netted by a yearling blue flipey Wildemeersch widowhood hen doing 1097 to pocket 5th Fed and 17th Section. The green card scoring hen won 1st Club, 11th Fed and 20th Section Folkestone (2), when beating this weeks winner. In cell two came a 2007-bred blue flipey Wildemeersch cross widowhood hen making 1093 to go onto chalk up 8th Fed and 24th Section. The hen took 3rd Club, 21st Fed and 35th Section out of Folkestone (2).

The Marske & New Marske partnership of John Clayton, Son & Henry Ransome record their second channel win on the bounce after winning a most impressive 1st Club, 4th Fed and 9th Section Andrezel. This weeks winner is a yearling blue cheq De Klak roundabout hen bred by Roach, Bennison & Crame of Skelton Green, with the hen achieving a chart-topping vel of 1093 that was enough to score 7th Fed and 23rd Section. It was at Lillers (2) in 1999 that John & Henry achieved their best performance to date, for the two lads won 1st Club, 2nd Fed, 2nd Section and 2nd UNC winning a UNC Silver Medal from a convoy of 16,175 birds. Back to the present day where the late Jack Brown & Tony Hunt filled no less than three birds to chalk up 2nd, 4th and 5th, with the blue card going to a 2y mealy Peter Van Osch x Ferry Van Loo widowhood cock. The cock is the previous winner of 1st Club, 1st Fed Rivenhall and 1st Club, 9th Fed Huntingdon in 2007. The yellow card was netted by ‘Jack’s Lad’ a 2y mealy Willy Verberck x mixed Belgian blood widowhood cock who has scored 5th Club Folkestone (1) and 1st Club, 3rd Fed Huntingdon. The cock named after Tony’s late partner and lifelong friend won 1st Club, 1st Fed and 3rd UNC Maidstone National and 1st Club, 10th Fed Huntingdon last season. Third in the clock for Tony came a 1y cheq Soontjen x Van Loon widowhood cock who has a 3rd Club, 15th Fed Eastbourne and 2nd Club, 14th Fed Melton Mowbray to his credit. The cock took 3rd Fed nom pocketing £30.00 prize money. Ian Everington & Franky timed a couple of birds to pocket 3rd and 6th with the green card being awarded to a 2y cheq Rietvink widowhood cock. In cell two was a 1y Rietvink cock who has a 3rd Club Folkestone (2) when beaten by 2 loftmates and 5th Club Melton Mowbray when beaten by 4 loftmates to his credit.

Moving onto Brotton H/S where the hard working Club secretary Terry Callan hits the winners’ enclosure from an eleven members entry of 139 birds. The red card was won by a fancied Mike & Val Crooks yearling widowhood cock recording 1089 to lift a useful 10th Fed, 2nd £2 Fed nom banking £45.00 and 31st Section. Mick Smithies filled a couple of chambers to pocket 2nd and 4th with the blue card being awarded to a 2y cheq Gaby Vandenabeele hen achieving 1083 to go onto score 15th Fed. Second in the clock for Mick was a blue Van Loon cock. Bill Heslop and loft helper Les Rigg have a couple in the frame to lift 3rd and 5th, with the green card being netted by a 4y cock that has a 2nd Club Clermont and 1st Club Andrezel to his credit this season. Reg Wilson, Ray Mole & Partners timed a pied Van De Prut hen to lift 6th position.

Mike Prokopowicz, son Lee & Ewens who are enjoying a outstanding season timed two quick birds to win 1st and 2nd at Skinningrove where there were 246 birds competing. The red card was won by a yearling blue Graham Purver & Partners Gaby Vandenabeele x Ian Stafford Jos Thorn roundabout hen recording 1090 which was enough to score 9th Fed and 28th Section, the hen is the previous potter of 20th Fed Melton Mowbray. The blue card was chalked up by a 2007-bred Ian Stafford Jos Thorn roundabout cheq hen doing 1089 to net 11th Fed and 34th Section. The hen who is the previous scorer of 4th Club and 5th Fed Rivenhall is the same way bred as Mike & Lee’s 1st Fed and 4th UNC Lillers (1) winner. Brian Sayers & Partner are in 3rd spot after timing a homebred x Ian Harris & Son yearling hen, Brian has flown a notable bird this season after starting up in 2007. Albert Breckon timed a yearling Barry Kettlewell Huybregt x E Goodyear Janssen x Jacobs hen to pot the yellow. White Bros clocked a 3y blue Ferry Van Loo/Busschaert x Soontjen hen to notch up 5th spot, the hen is the previous potter of 7th and 9th Fed. Sayers Bros are in 6th with a yearling blue Janssen hen who has a 2nd Club Lillers (1), 2nd Club Folkestone and 3rd Club young bird Selby to her credit.

Ricky Cush tops the Brotton 6 Bird Club charts out of an entry of 63 birds, with pole position being won by a Rees, Stone & McCormick x Mike & Val Crook Flor Engels x Soontjen blue hen. Its good to see Ricky having a very good season, the lad has had a consistent run win a few races this time around.  Darren J Waters is in 2nd, and Ces Rawson timed a couple of birds to lift 3rd and 4th. First in the clock for Ces came an over sitting yearling blue w/f H Barthwich, Scotland x Alan Kelly, Tynemouth hen. The yellow card was chalked up by a 4y blue hen of Mike Fitzhugh bloodlines; the hen who was sent sitting is scoring for the second time from the channel after winning an impressive 1st Club and 11th Fed Clermont.

Next stop is Boosbeck where we see the newly-formed partnership of Eric ‘Dabbit’ Leach, Mick Passmore & Terry Hopper doing themselves no harm (but sent Ralf to the nut house) by filling no fewer than three thimbles to win 1st, 2nd and 3rd out of an entry of 36 birds. Leading the way for the ‘Three Amigos’ was a Van Loon roundabout cock of Peter & Trevor Mitchell & Dave Drinkhall bloodlines, and the blue card went to a Ron Bowden Busschaert roundabout cock. Third in the clock for the lads came a Janssen x Busschaert natural hen out of Bob & John Burton stock. Don Smith & Dtr potted the yellow. Ralf should be promoting Popeye to number one after failing to score this week.

The inform loft of Kev Locker, Kev Breckon & Chris Vasey enjoyed another one of their notable loft performance by winning 1st and 2nd at Loftus where there was 152 birds competing. Top spot was won by a 2y blue Soontjen x Janssen hen that scored as a young bird, the sire of the red card winning hen is a Son of Darby Bros (Leicester) “Champion 28” and the dam is McKenna & Son, Esh Winning bloodlines. The blue card was awarded to a 3y blue Soontjen hen who has a cart load of prizes to her credit, the hen is a Dtr of ‘Horny’ while the dam is a Dtr of Frank Sheader’s “07” and “787”. Tony Trattles returns to the frame to take 3rd with Tony’s blue card scorer being a 3y blue pied Ferry Van Loo x Bowers, Son & Wilson Marcelis cock that won a very impressive 1st Club and 3rd Fed Clermont. Geoff Bowers, son Nicky & Mark ‘Sparky’ Wilson pot the yellow after timing a previous winning Alwyn Paddy blue cock. Mr & Mrs Alan & Joyce Scott are in the channel points for the fourth time this season after clocking a 3y Tom Dowding Kirkpatrick x Busschaert grizzle cock to lift 5th position. Keith Arkless, son Matthew & John Mead are in 6th with a cheq pied Terry Craggs Van Loon roundabout cock.

Moving onto the North Yorkshire Federation where we see the loft of Katie & Mark Walton time two birds at Guisborough to win 1st and 4th with the red card winner being a 2y recording 1124 to win 1st Fed and 1st Section. The yellow card scoring yearling achieved 1105 that was enough to net 7th Fed and 8th Section, Congratulations to Katie & Mark for winning 1st Fed and Section. Jeff Moore & Sons (Anth) timed a yearling on 1119 to score 2nd Club, Fed and Section, while Peter & Trevor Mitchell & Dave Drinkhall clocked a 2y making 1110 to lift 3rd Club, 6th Fed and 7th Section. Steve ‘Tess’ Collinson the Section old bird inland average winner timed a 2y on 1095.7 to take 15th Fed and 20th Section, Barry Wilson was hard behind with a yearling doing 1095.1 to pot 16th Fed and 21st Section. Mr & Mrs Roly & Maureen Seaton & Son clocked a 2y achieving 1092 to notch up 18th Fed and 26th Section to end a good day in the Fed and Section for the Guisborough members. Keith ‘Squeaker’ & Kenny Homer & Davy Williams enjoyed a fantastic race at Grangetown after timing no less than four birds to win a very impressive 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club, 3rd, 5th, 8th and 9th Fed, 3rd, 6th, 9th and 10th Section recording 1113, 1110, 1104 and 1102. The red, green and yellow cards were all won with yearlings while the blue card potter was a 3y. Alan Armstrong & Son timed a yearling making 1101 to net 5th Club, 11th Fed and 13th Section. Tony Cole filled a couple of thimbles at the Rectory Lane to win 1st and 2nd Club, 4th and 19th Fed, 4th and 27th Section on 1113 and 1091; the charts were topped by a 2y and the runners up spot was taken by a yearling. I was informed that as Tony was away on holiday someone else was in charge, in that case Tony had better go away more often. W Bird & Sons clocked two yearlings at South Bank to win 1st and 2nd Club, 10th and 17th Fed, 11th and 25th Fed on 1102 and 1092. Next stop is Dormanstown where the loft of Bob Reed, Geoff & Scott Dexter impressive season continued to win 1st Club, 12th Fed and 15th Section with a yearling chalking up 1099. D & P Lawrie & Ransome timed a yearling doing 1096 to net 2nd Club, 13th Fed and 18th Section, while Mick Calvert & son Kevin lift 3rd Club, 20th Fed and 29th Section with a yearling doing 1090.3. Close behind in the yellow card position came Gent & Picknett to pocket 21st Fed and 30th Section with a yearling making 1090.1. It was all smiles at the Redcar Central for the loft of Mr & Mrs Sue Hampson, for the overjoyed duo timed a yearling recording 1095 to win 1st Club, 14th Fed and 19th Section.

The first of nine young bird races took place from Selby (1) on Saturday 26th July when the East Cleveland Federations 87 members entry of 1,957 birds were liberated at 1055am in a light North West wind. There was hope of an early liberation due to the very hot weather but with heavy fog on the coast the birds were held back a while until the fog had cleared. Dave Drinkhall of Guisborough fame travelled down to see the Selby birds liberated, Dave had said that although the water was on the baskets for the youngsters not many of them took up the offer of a drink. With the youngsters not drinking in the baskets often sees them suffer on their fly home, when this happens the Chief Convoyer often gets the blame for birds returning home with their legs caked with mud. The fog had cleared in many places but this was not the case on the coast for at Skinningrove you could not see the other side of the valley.

Keith Arkless, son Matthew & John Mead got off to a young bird winning start at Loftus after filling a couple of chambers to with 1st and 3rd. With the red card being won by a darkened down Terry Craggs bred cheq Henry Custers x homebred Van Loon widowhood cock recording 1434 to win 1st East Cleveland Federation and 6th North Yorkshire & East Cleveland Section from a convoy of 3,579 birds. The green card was awarded to a blue widowhood cock bred out of Graham, Gilchrist & Brennan stock; with a vel of 1395 the cock flown on the darkness system went onto score 9th Fed and 26th Section. Congratulations to Keith, Matthew & John on their Fed win, as stated many times before these lads fly a awesome young bird and are previous winners of the Fed young bird average. Danny McConnell & Derek ‘Seaweed’ Breckon are in 2nd spot with a cheq cock bred by M Weir of Northern Ireland, the baby achieved 1429 to chalk up a most impressive 2nd Fed and 7th Section. Mr & Mrs Alan & Joyce Scott timed a couple of blue Van Reet x Klak Janssen nestmates to net 4th and 6th, with the yellow card potter doing 1389 which was enough to pocket 11th Fed and 29th Section. Geoff Bowers son Nicky & Sparky Wilson timed a blue Marcelis x Huybregt to take 5th Club and 20th Fed on 1371.

Twelve Brotton H/S members entered 333 birds with the loft of Reg Wilson, Ray Mole & Partners coming out on top after timing a Van Ousteryen x Van De Prutt achieving 1401 to score a notable 6th Fed and 21st Section. Frank Reilly & son Wayne timed a Soontjen cheq hen on 1398 to net 2nd Club, 7th Fed and 23rd Section. Mick Smithies lifts 3rd Club, 10th Fed and 28th Section with a Herman x Van Loon doing 1390, and Merv Pearson & Son takes 4th Club, 12th Fed and 30th Section.

Mr & Mrs Bob & Barbara Moore wins the red card at the Brotton 6 Bird Club with the duo’s winner bird being a Soontjen x Pete Van Der Merve bred by Steve Fawcett to record a top vel of 1376 which was enough to pocket 16th Fed and 38th Section. Merv Pearson & Son were in second spot after timing a blue cock bred by Fox Bros of Mansfield, with a vel of 1361 that was enough to win 1st Fed nom and £50.00 prize money. John Atkin comes into the frame in 3rd with John’s green card scorer being a dark Busschaert cock. Les Rees, Brian Stone & Brian McCormick timed two birds to pot 4th and 5th with the yellow going to a youngster bred by Mick & Kevin Calvert, and this was followed by a baby bred by Albert Breckon of Skinningrove. Vic Garbutt takes 6th with a blue Marcelis x Busschaert hen.

Alan & David Wright hit the winners’ enclosure at Skelton Green after timing three birds to win 1st, 2nd and 6th, with the red card being won by a dark cheq Busschaert hen recording 1371 to score 18th Fed. Second in the clock for Alan & David was a dark cheq Busschaert cock and this was followed by a blue Busschaert cock. Renty Shaw, Andy & Jackie ‘ETS’ Wynn zapped a cheq D’Hondt x Huybregt hen to net 2nd and timed a blue pied Van Noort x Busschaert cock to pocket 4th Club. Col Robinson was in 5th spot with a Staf Van Reet gift bird bred by Brian Hinchcliffe of Harrogate.

George Skidmore & g/sons Mick & Liam Jackson kicked off their young bird campaign in great style at Lingdale after timing no fewer than four youngsters to win an impressive 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th to send shivers down the spines of their fellow Clubmates. The sire of George, Mick & Liam’s chart-topper is of John Adams of Great Ayton fame, while the blue card went to a youngster bred by Bam-Bam Watson & son Robert of the Rectory Lane fame. The third timer was through Clubmate Steve & Bunny Skidmore lines and the lads fourth timer was bred out of Graham Wattis stock. You want to be breeding him some back as Watto failed to hold a candle to these lads performance. Steve & Kendra Sanderson timed a darkened down yellow Janssen x Frans Van Wildemeersch hen to pocket 5th position and Terry Treloar notches up 6th place.

David ‘Ralf’ Coates and loft manager Popeye are the clear winners’ at Boosbeck with the duo’s red card winning baby being a Steve ‘Tess’ Collinson Busschaert hen. Dabbit Leach, Mick Passmore & Terry Hopper timed no fewer than three babies to lift 2nd, 3rd and 4th, with the blue card being awarded to a Peter & Trevor Mitchell & Dave Drinkhall Van Loon x Rodney Tomlinson Stanghow Stuka cock. The green card was chalked up by a Bob & John Burton Janssen x Busschaert cock and this was followed into the yellow card position by a Busschaert x Janssen hen.

Sayers Bros filled three chambers at Skinningrove to win 1st, 4th and 5th from a seven members entry of 193 birds, with the red card being won by a homebred darkened down Janssen cock. Dave, Brian, Kenny & Richard’s other two timers were both Smit Van Winckels. B & K Simpson & loft helper Gor-Gor zapped two flying to the perch birds to lift 2nd and 3rd with the blue card going to a cheq Karel Boeckx out of Steve Fenech of Epping fame. The sire of the hen is ‘Epping Lad’ and the dam is the mother of Brian & Keith’s ‘£5,000 Hen’ the Silksworth breeder/buyer winner. The green card went to a young cheq Louis Cooremans hen bred out of a pair of gift birds bred by good friend Bob Fenech of Epping fame, the dam ‘Danille’ is the previous scorer of 2x2nd and 2x3rd Clubs, 2, 4th, 5th, 2x14th, 17th and 20th Fed, 12th, 138th and 177th UNC. White Bros are in 6th place after timing a Van Elsacker x Jos Thone bred by Longstaff & James of Stanley County Durham.

Just to round off the Fed top 20, Mick Smithies timed a Van Loon on 1385 to chalk up 13th Fed and 32nd Fed, the lad timed a later bird doing 1351 to take 2nd Fed nom to net £14.50. Frank & Wayne Reilly zapped two birds together to lift 14th and 15th Fed, 33rd and 34th Section on 1384, while Bob & Barbara Moore took 17th Fed on 1372 and Merv Pearson & Son pocketed 19th Fed on 1371 to round off an outstanding performance for Brotton H/S.

P Whyte & Son got their youngsters off to a dream start at Guisborough after timing a couple of babies to win a most impressive 1st and 2nd Club, 1st and 4th North Yorks Fed, 1st and 4th Section with vels of 1445 and 1436. Congratulations lads on a fantastic performance, this will have done the young lad a world of good. Jas Hall & Son lifts a notable 3rd Club, 4th Fed, and 4th Section on 1435; a second baby was timed to pocket 16th Fed and 22nd Section on 1399. Big Fred & Margaret Suckling & dtr Karen potted a well-earned 4th and 5th Club, 6th and 8th Fed, 9th and 11th Fed on 1427 and 1423; a third youngster was clocked to notch up 14th Fed and 18th Section doing 1411. Mr & Mrs Roly & Maureen Seaton & Son net 9th Fed and 13th Section on 1419, while Clubmates W Wood & Son achieved 1415 to take 11th Fed and 15th Section. J. A. Stevenson was in the clock to lift 18th Fed and 27th Section on 1391 to round off a great days racing in both Fed and Section for the Guisborough members. Jones & Bailey tops the Rectory Lane charts with the lads red card-winning baby achieving 1444 to score a very impressive 2nd Fed and 2nd Section. Allan Hall who flew a very impressive young bird in 2007 filled a couple of chambers to win 1st and 3rd at the Redcar Central, with vels of 1440 and 1408 the Red and green card winners went onto chalk up 3rd and 15th Fed, 3rd and 20th Section. Kirkham & Kirkham are in 2nd spot with Dennis & Graham’s blue card potter going 1427 which was enough to pot 7th Fed and 10th Section, Clubmate J Copper takes 4th Club, 19th Fed and 31st Section on 1387. Moving onto Dormanstown where we see the loft of Gent & Picknett fill two cells to win 1st and 3rd Club, 10th and 17th Fed, 14th and 25th Section on 1416 and 1395. J Bainbridge & Sons youngster achieved 1413 to chalk up 2nd Club, 12th Fed and 16th Section, while Mick Calvert & son Kevin’s baby lifts 4th Club on 1384 to go onto net 20th Fed and 35th Section. D Stubbs wins pole position at the St Marys recording 1375 to take 39th Section, and Charlie Hutchinson notches up 2nd Club and 40th Section on 1374.

Once again with time running out, that’s all until next time. Any news to Good Corn at 139 Zetland Rowe Skinningrove Saltburn Cleveland TS13 4BN. Tel; 01287 643624.