National Flying Club

ALENCON

Report by Cameron Stansfield & Les Parkinson of www.elimarpigeons.com

Following a 1-day holdover the NFC Alencon birds were liberated on Sunday at 6.05am into a light south wind. Sponsored by Chris Gordon, Cropper & Naum Construction and TiPES Electronic Clocking System, the race attracted a field of 6,082 birds from 828 members, another terrific send which emphasises that the club is on the up. The section breakdown was: A - 324 birds sent by 52 members; B - 313/43; C- 214/27; D - 385/76; E - 1,294/138; F - 188/25; G- 487/73; H - 412/61; I- 426/53; J - 628/89; K - 613/79; L -798/112. The success of the race can be gauged by the fact that over 700 birds were verified recording over 1100ypm and most fanciers, of course, only verify their first bird. In the top 100 verifications there were 36 from the biggest-sending section, Section E, 15 from B, 13 from J, 13 from G, 10 from A, 6 from F, 2 from H, 2 from C, 1 from I, 1 from K and 1 from L. The only section to miss out on this occasion so a special mention to Steve Partington of Exeter whose bird was really up against it.

Convoyer’s Report

All birds fed and watered at marking station; birds watered at Portsmouth docks, before moving to join queue for ferry.

Friday: Due to drivers’ regulations, transporters were parked up for two hours at Caern Docks.

Birds rested and water put on before leaving Caern docks at 0820hours, arriving at Lib site at 1030hours. Water was put on immediately; birds fed and re-watered at 1430hours and this task was finished at 1615hours.

Weather on site at that time was very cold westerly wind and raining. Spoke to my race adviser at 1945hours to discuss liberation prospects for Saturday. He said he‘d call me on Saturday at 0630hours. Birds and water were checked at 20 40 and water topped up.

Saturday: Out and about at 0530hours and the weather at that time was raining and very cold and with full cloud cover.

Spoke to race adviser at 0625hours and he told me weather conditions were not too good but he would call back with a further update later. After a further check he called to say conditions were not very good and after a short discussion I decided to call the race off.

Birds were fed and re-watered at 1350hours and this task finished 1550hours. Birds were then left to settle down and they were checked at 1800hours. At 2030hours water was topped up on the last check and they were left to settle for the night.

Sunday: Out and about at 0415hours and the weather was bright sky with sun just starting to rise. The race adviser called at 0530hours and the prospects were good with the decision being left to me.

We moved the one transporter into position and the strings were cut and birds were away at 0605hours into a very light southerly wind. Birds broke into three batches with two clearing within a minute and the other one hanging around for a further five minutes before clearing.

My sincere thanks to my assistants Paul and Ian and fourth man Ian Chapman for their hard work and cooperation; well done lads.

GEOFF ALLEN, Chief Convoyer NFC

ANOTHER NATIONAL WIN FOR FRED HALL AND DAUGHTERS

Fred Hall.

1st Section A, 1st Open are past 1st Open NFC Pau winners Fred Hall & daughters Sarah and Lucy of Worthing on the south coast. They timed a 2y black cock driving to nest. He was bred by Southern & McCrudden of Skemersdale and is a Walter Dockx originating from Terry Kirman. A previous winner of 43rd Section 555th Open NFC Saintes, 3rd St Albans &  277th Open BICC Falaise, this season he has flown BICC Falaise, Guernsey 5-Bird, NFC Fougeres and NFC Cholet. Feed at this loft is Versele Laga Super Widowhood mixed with Champion Plus for five feeds leading up to a race with Dynamik and Energy Oil on the feed with peeled sunflower seeds two days before basketing. Up to this time they feed Super Diat. In the water they use Naturaline Monday and Tuesday, honey and lemon Wednesday and Saturday, and Vanodine on Sundays. On the feed Saturday and Sunday they use Gempthepax and Progem. The Halls, who recorded all four of their rentries on the day, described their winner as being in ‘very good’ condition on arrival and it may now go to NFC Saintes. Fred has been racing since 1968 but has only really raced seriously since 1982, the year he married Jan. In addition to his two NFC wins, he has won 1st & 2nd BICC La Ferte Bernard & 4th & 18th Open LSECC Pau, and his ambition now is to win an international, which is why he has introduced George Carteus, Wim Muller and Dream Breed pigeons of the Witneus lines. He would like to thank Sarah for looking after the birds for the four days leading up to the race as he and Jan were away in Italy for their 25th wedding anniversary, and also Kenny Abbott for taking the birds to the marking station for him.

Dave Johnsonof Sholing near Southampton wins 1st Section B. Dave has been in the sport for 14 years and flies the widowhood system, feeding Versele Laga and using Gem products. He timed a Hartog/Lou-Wouter yearling cock bred by Roger Lowe of Reading.Roger kindly donated a pigeon to a charity auction that Dave organised last year and when Dave went to collect it he was impressed byhis pigeons and bought some for himself.This pigeon has had three races this season, returning well but not collecting any prizes. On arriving home it was in very good condition, and Dave’s returns were 8 out of 8 on the day. His ambition is to win a National and he has come close with a 1st Section, 2nd Open in the Nantes National in 2002. Dave has also won the Bergerac Classic in 2004 and 2 RPRA awards plus many other good positions in the classics and nationals.

Dave Johnson and his daughters Katie & Ella.

Stuart Jack of Salisbury wins 1st Section C with a 4y chequer widowhood cock who is mainly of Busschaert lines with the originals coming from Alan Parker of Clitheroe as late-breds many years ago. He was Stuart’s first bird at Bergerac last year, making the result, and has always been a good pigeon, very often being the first pigeon back to the loft. This year he has had two Picauvilles and went to Cholet where he was 10th Section. He was fed on Versele Laga widowhood bumped up with extra maize 2 days before the race. Generally, his birds are given vitamins now and again and the only treatment they have is for canker. Stuart, who had all four of his entries home on the day, said his winner was thirsty on arrival but was quick to go to this hen, and he will now be targeted at NFC Saintes. In fifty years racing to the same address, Stuart has also won the section from Nantes and Saintes and it is his ambition to win a National outright. He really fancied his section winner and had him pooled through to £10.

Next we go to Exteter where we find the winner of 1st Section D. Steve Partington timed a House of Aarden pigeon which is pure bred from Vlekje lines on the sire's side and Invincible Spirit on the dam's side. The bird in question was bred by Steve Wright of Exeter and is a blue chequer pied yearling hen having her fourth race of the year. Her first race was Littlehampton 130 miles, then Fareham 105 miles, Eastbourne 164 miles and then into the National Flying Club's Alencon. Steve only keeps a small team and they are all bred for the long distance as he hopes to win the NFC Tarbes race one day. He is flying a very consistent bird in the club as well as the NFC and all his birds returned in good condition. He would like to thank Steve Wright for breeding the winning bird.Our thanks go to Paul Pym for forwarding the above information and Paul would like to add: ‘Thank you for all your help Steve with the clocks on NFC nights and well done, it just goes to show how good your birds really are.’

Steve Partington’s section winner.

Paul and Helen Arnold of Sutton in Surrey win 1st Section E, 2nd Open with a 3y chequer Van Reet widowhood cock. He is a grandson of the main stock cock at the lofts, known as The Governor, who is responsible for at least 80 big winners around the world from fed and amal to combine winners, indeed Paul has stopped counting the club winners from him. The Governor is a son of Tony Mardon’s Ransom and Resolve. The dam of the 2nd Open comes from Steve Price in the Midlands and is also a Mardon Van Reet. They have been exchanging bloodlines for the last few years. Paul has three cocks the same way bred in his race team, with an elder brother to the section winner being the best in the loft and the other brother being a winner to combine level. The section topper has had minor prizes but it has taken a while for him really to come good. This season he had just two inland races before this race, and Paul said he didn’t look like he’d been anywhere he was so spot on. He will now go to Bergerac with the L&SECC or Saintes with the NFC as it his ambition to win either club. Paul said from basketing on the Thursday he was convinced he was going to win the race and he couldn’t have gone any closer without actually doing so. His second pigeon will probably also finish in the top 10 and he had 22 out of his 24 home by the morning after the race. Paul uses Beyers products but believes in just clean water for the last few days before basketing.

Lloyd, Kelly & Sparkes of Abingdon in Oxfordshire take 1st Section F, and like the open winners Fred Hall & Dtrs, the Lloyd and Kelly part of the partnership are previous winners of the Pau Grand National. Eamon and Frank have now been joined by Graham Sparkes of Premier Stud, the idea being that Graham is going to breed the pigeons while Eamon and Frank race them. On this occasion they clocked a 2y blue hen who was sitting 9 days having previously been on roundabout. She was bred at the Premier Stud off their Janssen family and was a previous winner as a youngster but had not carded as a yearling and nor had she scored in her prep races this season with the BICC and their local club.

Frank Lloyd & Eamon Kelly

They had all 10 of their birds home in good time and said that their winner was in ‘perfect’ condition, with Eamon adding that their NFC birds have come home in excellent condition all year. Feed at this loft is 50% Gerry Plus and 50% Ruby Gold and they use garlic in the water. Frank and Eamon have been racing together for 32 years and have really been firing of late. In addition to this win and their Pau National success, last year they were 1st Section St Nazaire and 2nd Section 28th Open Bordeaux. Obviously they would like to win the Grand National again but they are also hoping to have a real good go at Palamos with the BBC. Eamon was saying that the best pigeons he has raced from the distance have been the Grooters but with their new connection with the Premier Stud they will also be trying alternative distance families. He sends his congratulations to Eric Ilsley who finished 2nd Section and added that Eric deserves it because he puts so much work into the sport. They have not yet decided where their winner will go next but the best option could be NFC Saintes.

Graham Sparkes, Brian Bolton & Eamon Kelly, 1st Section F NFC Alencon.

Nigel Templar of Bristol wins 1st Section G with a yearling widowhood cock. The sire is a Bosua bred from direct imports he purchased off John Gerrard in 2000 and the dam is a Maurice Mattheeuws, a g.dtr of his direct Mattheeuws pair which have bred section winners, combine winners and open race winners for Nigel and many other people in his area. This cock has won a first prize this year from Chale in the Towers club who fly with the West of England South Road Combine. Nigel feeds a diet mix at the beginning of the week until Tuesday evening, one tablespoon in the morning and another in the evening after exercise, then feeds a widowhood mix up until Friday morning. He uses Deweert products every now and then to keep them clear of anything they might pick up in the basket i.e respiratory infections or canker, and also uses Zell Oxygen and Dynamic on their corn Tuesday and Thursday.

1st Section G.

His section winner came with another cock which was actually Nigel’s pool pigeon but went in first. Nigel said he did hesitate for a few seconds waiting for the pool bird but then thought better of it and clocked him in, then timed the pool bird 58 seconds later. His second bird has already been 10th and 6th section in the two previous national races so is some pigeon. All told, he sent 12 birds and had 100% returns on the day. He was very pleased with the condition of them all and would like to thank the convoyer on a job well done. The winner will go to Saintes National if in good condition at the time. A fancier since 1988, Nigel’s birds have been on top form of late. Last season he won 1st Open B.B.C. Carlisle when he was also 2nd and 3rd, and in the Central Southern Classic race from Penkridge he was 1st, 2nd & 6th Open. Nigel concluded by offering his commiserations to Steve Moseley who he beat by decimals for 1st Section.

Nigel Templer.

Barber & Wilkinson of Great Yarmouth are 1st Section H with a 2y widowhood cock. The sire is of Meuleman bloodlines from Mr & Mrs Kirkbride via Brian Bidewell and the dam is a granddaughter of Jim Biss’ Lama, twice 1st BICC Marseilles and an all-time great. Their section winner was lightly raced as a young birdwith the Browston Hall F.C. As a yearling he had inland racing with the East Anglian Federation and one channel race from Beauvais with the East of England Continental Club.This season he has had five inland races and Beauvais with the E.E.C.C. From Alencon this bird was 1 hour and 40 minutes ahead of the next pigeon in the Great Yarmouth clock station, and from an entry of 16 this partnership had 10 home on the day. Barber & Wilkinson have been keen supporters of the National Flying Club for over thirty years winning many top ten section positions but this is the first time that they have won Section H. They have twice been the winners of the B & E Wallman Memorial Trophy, the last time being 2004. Our thanks to Tony Batterbee, I/C Great Yarmouth Clock Station, for providing the above information.

Remarkably, another previous National winner takes top spot a section. This time it is Trevor Durows of Section I, who won the Saintes National in 2006, moreover Trevor has also won 1st Open MCC Saintes and this is about the 8th time he has won Section I. On this occasion he clocked a 3y chequer widowhood cock who has a fabulous track record as he has won 8 x 1st and topped the fed 3 times. He is a Herman Beverdam Janssen. His sire was Trevor’s old 95 cock and his dam is a 2000 Janssen hen that has bred three different section winners. Prior to this he had been raced every week inland and this was his first channel race of the season. Trevor feeds Versele Laga widowhood and adds cod liver oil with yeast once a week. He sent 12 and got 10 in good time and reported them in excellent condition. He added that he did not think the new transporters could be improved upon. His winner won’t go across the water again this year because is such a good inland pigeon and he doesn’t want to send him too far.

Trevor Durows.

There is no one in better form than Keith Rhodes of Telford who wins Section J for the second race running. This time Keith clocked a 2y chequer widowhood cock who is a full brother to the cock that was 3rd Open in the Midland Classic, the lines being Busschaert x Matthys. He sent 10 and had them all in good time, and his winner came across the field in front of his loft like a bullet and went straight into the loft. Keith said there was not much he could add to what we reported on him in the last race but did emphasise that if you want to remain successful you must work around winning lines.

Brother to 3rd Open MCC Picauville. His brother won £2,000 in national and classic races and an RPRA award. G.sire won £5,500 and 2 RPRA awards. Scored as a YB and yearling inland and as a yearling was 6th bird to the loft from NFC St Malo winning 20th Section J, 79th Open. Had 3 inland races this year where he was 4th club, 8th Shropshire fed Portsmouth 2,101 birds, then from NFC Fougeres he was 4th bird to the loft winning 65th Section J, 426th Open.

Fred Ellis of Worksop wins 1st Section K. Fred had this to say: ‘The pigeon is a 2y red cheq pied hen flown on the natural system that was over sitting 22 days on the day of the race. I actually did not see the bird arrive as I was looking towards the east and the bird arrived from the west. My partner, Margaret, said that on arrival the bird performed a little flick of the wing before landing like a young bird, and as there were 6 young birds missing from the early morning, she thought it was a young bird returning. She was paired in late February and has reared 4 young birds this season. It was her first ever Channel race and this season she had competed in 3 inland races with the Derbyshire Federation. She would have taken a club prize at Salisbury this season as she arrived with my bird that was 4th Club, however I did not put her in the clock as I usually only clock one bird in inland races. I actually made the comment at the time to Margaret that I would need to handle the bird later in the season. In 2006 she was entered in 4 races as an unpaired hen and showed potential by winning 2nd Club Poole 180 miles and 3rd club Salisbury 153 miles. The dam side originates from Steve Marsh of Dinnington who gifted me 6 eggs in 2002 and 6 partially reared young birds in 2003 and I believe they were Staf Van Reets. The sire originates from a gift bird from Paul West of Treswell with stock from Mr & Mrs Hazel. All my birds are raced on the natural system and I always let all the pairs sit as long as they like until they run the eggs. Normally the hens lay on the same date each month. Any spare cocks or hen birds are also raced unpaired and I usually pair my older birds before any yearlings, that is why my winning bird was unpaired in 2006 as I had 6 spare yearling hens.I prefer 500-mile plus races, however as I let my birds moult naturally they are usually past their best in the wing condition by mid-July and normally perform better at 400-mile plus races in June. I always support the Derbyshire Federation Championship races and use the inland race programme for training purposes, winning the occasional prize. My birds are not the best at trapping and either waste time flying round from inland races - sometimes up to 5 minutes- or refuse to enter the sputnik and open door alternative when they eventually land. Finally, I entered 10 pigeons and all were home by 16.00hrs. They were all in superb condition when they returned and that was probably due to the new transporter that has excellent watering facilities and grill bottoms. What has helped me this year is the decision to allow entries 3 days prior to the race as I never enter any birds that have run their eggs.’

Malcolm Tweats of Congleton, who now flies on his own but enjoyed considerable success when flying alongside his father Tommy, wins 1st Section L with a yearling roundabout hen bred by Jimmy Gibbon of Sunderland. She has had 5 inland races this year and was 172nd Section L NFC Fougeres. When we spoke to him at teatime on race day he had 3 of his 6 home and he said his winner was in perfect condition. She will not, however, be going anywhere else this season as he is trying to build a team for National racing as it is his ambition to win 1st Open. Malcolm uses an Economy mix from Roger Sutton’s. He added that Roger has been his inspiration because he is one of the top flyers in the National, section and open, and to beat him you have to have good pigeons.

Malcolm Tweats.

The next one is the greatest race on the calendar, the Tarbes Grand National. You can follow the progress of this and every National ‘as they happen’ by going onto the NFC website and clicking on Race Results on the left-hand side of the home page. A full report on every National race will appear on www.elimarpigeons.com on the Monday/Tuesday following each race.

18/6/07