Keith Mott

Visits two Combine-winning lofts

BRIAN & ANGELA GOODWIN OF FELTHAM

I have known Brian and Angela for over 30 years and you couldn't ask to meet two nicer people. The Middlesex couple won 1st Open SMT Combine Bergerac (450 miles) recently and recorded their fourth 1st Open Combine winner in 30 years in the sport. They have won the SMT Combine an incredible four times – from Penzance, Melle and the longest old bird Bergerac race (twice). Brian's latest winner is a little blue Belgian hen raced on the roundabout system having had several good Channel races before winning the very strong SMT Combine from Bergerac. Every now and again he has a trip to Belgium and brings back a few fancied young birds. The blue hen was one of these imports, being purchased at a little loft in Belgium, and he doesn't even know the breeder's name.

Brian first became interested in pigeons at the age of 10, after following his big brother, David, to his friend's house in Isleworth, where they kept pigeons in the back of an old television. Young Brian started catching pigeons under iron railway bridges, with a torch, at night and built up his first flock. Some years later, after upgrading his team, he started racing in the very strong Isleworth Club and won from Exmouth (150 miles) with 196 birds competing. The late Johnny Sampson of Isleworth gave him a lot of good advice and help in those early days. He maintains he owes all his success to Johnny, as he told him how to feed, train and race his birds. Johnny gave him a pair of eggs which produced his winner, with the nest pair recording 1st and 2nd Club Exmouth.

Brian and Angela used to race widowhood but say it is a waste of good hens, so now they race the roundabout system. Brian races only the south route and likes to win every Saturday from the shortest to the longest race. He races Emiel Deweerdt of Kortemark, Belgium, pigeons, which he introduced in 1978, and pigeons from H. Beverdam of Enter, Holland. He tries six youngsters every year from small lofts in Belgium and Holland, which he started to do in the early 1990s. He maintains the Emiel Deweerdts have been fantastic for him through the years, from any distance, easy or hard, and you can count on them when others don't clock in.

The loft has won the Federation countless times through the years, with the highlights being - 1982:1st Open SMT Combine Melle (smash) 363 miles; 1983: 1st Open SMT Combine Penzance 260 miles; 1989: 4th Open SMT Combine Alencon on (young bird smash) 280 miles; 1991: 1st Open SMT Combine Bergerac 454 miles (won the Combine by 43 minutes); 1996: 1st Open SMT Combine Bergerac 456 miles. His biggest thrill in pigeon racing was when he won the Combine from Penzance in 1983 with his Deweerdt blue cheq cock called ‘The Crippled Cock’ that won the Combine after having half its foot bitten off by a dog. ‘The Crippled Cock’ hasn't filled any eggs in recent seasons and won three times 1st Federation in his great racing career. The Middlesex loft still houses three of their four SMT Combine winners.

Brian feeds his birds on a good mixture and pellets and they are never broken down. Birds are rarely trained beyond 30 miles, getting four tosses a week right through the racing season. His birds are housed in three 24ft lofts, with open door trapping, and he maintains a loft must be dry and likes them closed in. He cleans the birds out twice a year, once before pairing up and then again before the young birds go into their sections. He keeps six pairs of stock birds, 12 pairs of racers, which are all paired up on February 14th, and he breeds 50 youngsters each year. He races his old birds up to 450 miles and never races any further, only competing in the Federation and Combine. Yearlings go through to 300 miles but, if he thinks they are right, one or two are sent to the longest old bird race. Young birds are sent through the full programme to 210 miles. Brian used to enjoy showing his birds, winning Best in Show and Best Opposite Sex in the West Middlesex Federation Show in years gone by and he won the club's Show Shield, many times. Brian and Angela Goodwin two great pigeon racers!

KEN WISE

OF ISLEWORTH

We come back to London for our second and last loft visit and feature the Isleworth loft of Ken Wise, which is sited in the shadows of Twickenham Rugby Union Stadium. Ken's pigeon story really started in 1988 when he purchased some Hermans from Mr & Mrs Basil Beebe of Horncastle and bred a family of sprint pigeons. The loft's record in recent seasons is outstanding and since obtaining Hermans from Basil Beebe and Bill Ward, of Ward Brothers from South Elmsall, he has won over 50 x 1sts in sprint racing from 1991 to 1996, lifting many trophies and averages in club and Federation. In 1994 Ken decided to have a go at Channel racing and, on obtaining stock from the very best long distance lofts, has never looked back.

The club's longest old bird. race is from Bergerac (4S0 miles) and the Isleworth loft has recorded: 1994: 1st and 2nd Club, 1st and 6th Federation, 2nd and 15th Open Amal (winning two Royal Pigeon Racing Association awards); 1995: 1st and 5th Club, 1st and 8th Federation, 1st and 9th Open South-East Combine; 1996: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Club, 1st, 4th, 14th and 19th Federation; 1st, I5th and 35th Open South-East Combine (winning a Royal Pigeon Racing Association award); 1997: 1st Club, 4th Federation, 9th Open South-East Combine - a wonderful performance. He has also been very successful in the London & South-East Classic Club, winning 2nd, 6th and 7th Open Alencon, 19th Open La Ferte Bernard, 21st Open Nantes, 26th Open Bordeaux, 12th Open Guernsey, 32nd Open Bordeaux and 27th Open Nantes. In the National Flying Club: 50th Open Nantes (11,412 birds) NFC, I5th Open Vire (old hens) NFC, 50thOpen Sartilly (10,072 birds) NFC, 82nd Open Sartilly NFC, amongst many other premier positions.

Ken feeds De Scheemaecker Bros corn and during racing the birds have 11/2oz each per day. During the winter they have as much as they want, to a certain extent, but he doesn't hopper feed. The birds are flown out all the year round to keep them fit and his 28ft loft is geared for the long-distance natural system. Ken is the son of the former Hounslow racer, Vic Wise, who now races and shows with outstanding success from his home in Wales. The Wise racing pairs are put together in February and all training is from the south coast, with Channel racing in mind.

I hope you have enjoyed this little insight into these Bergerac Combine winning lofts! My phone number is 01372 463480!

TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT.