Keith Mott

Writes about winning fanciers past and present

The very best of the Up North Combine - Part 10

RON EVANS & SON

of Sunderland

Ron Evans & son of Sunderland Ron Evans was born in Sunderland and his father was a successful fancier winning the Federation many years ago. Run senior and Ron junior started racing in partnership in the Castletown HS in 1972. Their loft is sited at the Fulwell Pumping Station in Sunderland. The partnership had a break from pigeons in the early 1980's and say that Tom Laskey put them on the right track when they started to race again in 1988. They obtained Busschaerts from Tom and they hit stra'sght away winning the Young Bird Average in 1989. On their restart in the sport they joined the High Southwick HS and flew to a standard wooden, wire-fronted loft.

The present loft is sited high above a river bank and is made of fibre glass. It has a full-length corridor with open-door trapping and apex roof, with the ventilation in the apex ends. Ron said he liked to see a dry loft with plenty of light, draught proof, with plenty of space for the inmates. The loft houses 20 pairs of stock birds, 44 pairs of racers which are all paired up in early January and they breed an average of 80 young birds each season.

The loft's best performance is 2nd Open Up North Combine with 27,500 birds competing: Some of the loft's best racers are: 'Raggs' (Busschaert) - won 17 cards including five lsts club, three 1 sts Federation and now at stock. 'Deacon's Boy' - won five 1st. club, once 1st Federation, twice 2nd Federation, once 3rd Federation and many, other positions. 'Grumpy' - won five lsts Ciub, three lsts Federation, once 2nd Federation, once 3rd Federation. 'Vauxy' -won three 1sts Federation, won sections with 3,500 birds competing.- The loft houses two Van Loons which have wan 4th Open Up North Combine and also won the sections.

The Evans partners used to race on the Natural system, and fed on the hopper, with training every day. They now race on Widowhood and do not train in the first part of the week, keeping the cocks on depurative morning and evening. They go back on Widowhood mixture from the Tuesday evening. The cocks get a bath on the Friday and are always shown the hen before going-into the basket for the race. The High Southwick HS races on the south route starting at Selby (78 miles) and going through to Bourges {5B8 miles). The loft houses Busschaerts as the main family, with introductions of Janssens, Van Loons and Lefebre­Dhaenens, with the Busschaerts being outstanding up to Provins (483 miles): The old birds and same yearlings are sent through to Provins; and the youngsters are raced through the full programme to 262 miles, with fancied birds being stopped at 170 miles. The partners like a good Wicbwhood mixture and say it is ideal in it's make up for racing pigeons at any distance. The birds are given a seed and Hormoforrn mixture every time they return to the loft from training and exercise, they maintain this keeps the birds in goodfeather. The racers get multi-vit and pigeon tonic in the water during the week. The Widowhood cocks and yearling get eight tosses while sitting their second round of eggs and once racing starts only fly out twice a day for regular exercise. Young birds train up to 30 mites up to the first race, then are exercised around the loft every morning and a 20­mile training toss in the afternoon. Ron said he likes stock birds to have good eyesign.

In club racing the partners have won many averages, trophies and positions. In 1993 - nineteen 1 sts, thirteen 2nds; 1994-thirteen 1sts, eleven 2nds; 1995 - fourteen 1sts, eleven 2nds. Top combine positions won since 1989 have been; 2nd UNC Folkestone, 27,878 birds; 4th UNC Maidstone, 23,338 birds; 4th UNC Lillers, 342 miles, 21,347 birds; 5th UNC Folkestone, 22,375 birds; 6th UNC Provins, 483 miles, 8,576 birds; also winning 1st Section in these five races; 7th UNC, 2nd Section Young Bird National, 23,548 birds; 8th UNC, 3rd Section Provins, 483 miles, 6,520 birds; 21st UNC Folkestone National, 23,740 birds; 22nd UNC Liflers, 342 miles, 19,867 birds.

The partners have won long distance races with hens and cocks on semi-Widowhood, and Natural pigeons sitting eggs and squeakers. Ron tells novices on starting up, to go to a top flyer and purchase latebreds from their best and use them as stock birds. On selecting breeding pigeons the partners like a well-balanced bird with good background and plenty of build up in the eye. Latebreds are favoured for stock and are only taken from the very best racers.

That another ‘ON THE ROAD’ that bites the dust! My telephone number is 01372 463480. See yer!

TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT.