An Elimar Preferred Supplier An Elimar Preferred Supplier Elimar Pigeon Services Home Page An Elimar Preferred Supplier An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier An Elimar Preferred Supplier Elimar Pigeon Services Home Page
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
Elimar On-Line Shop
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
An Elimar Preferred Supplier
  

BLAIN & KUCHARSKI

of Kingsley

 

by Les Parkinson

 

The partnership's first real major success came in 1975 when they topped the South Lancs Combine from Niort on the 5th July. This was a black pied Kenyon hen Ring No. NU72Z95266 which gained the upper hand against 386 members sending 1,290 birds.

 

 

It is not very often that the opportunity comes along to cover the fanciers from the Cheshire Plains area because they always appear to shy away from publicity perhaps I have been talking to the wrong fanciers. The Plains Federation has seen many top rated fanciers compete over the years who have gone on to achieve many excellent results with the National and two birds races. Charlie Blain is a fancier of long standing and saw his father fly pigeons with his uncle and brother in the very early days, which eventually led to the partnership of W. Blain and Son Charlie, in 1964. This has always kept Charlie in a well-founded team, which then went on to the present partnership of Blain and Kucharski; who have flown a good pigeon for many years. The original partnershipship initially obtained their birds from Harold Hatton of Acton Bridge who is one of the local top fanciers of the day. They also had the old Delmont Jurions of Joe Cheetham from over at Biddulph plus a well-known dark pied Kenyon from Billy Ishmael of Orrell. This team of pigeons were raced with the Acton Bridge club which at that time were racing with the Warrington Federation, in conjunction with the South Lancashire Combine: this was from the currant partnership's address.

 

 

Going on a little further to the mid 70's the original partnership introduced two further strains of the day into their lofts as always, in an attempt to improve their performances. These were the Busschaerts from the famous Deal loft of Tom Larkins. Also the excellent long distance pigeons of the legendary Tom Ryding whose performances need no introduction; as they were much sort after at that time for their top class wins at all levels. It is a fact that there are still fanciers today who are on the look out for these pigeons to improve their chances at the distance events. The partnership's first real major success came in 1975 when they topped the South Lancs Combine from Noirt on the 5th July. This was a black pied Kenyon hen: Ring No. NU72Z95266 which gained the upper against 386 members sending 1290 birds. The very game hen was one of only three to arrive home on the day of toss, putting in some 15hrs 20 mins on the wing. The first National recognition that the p/ship gained was in the early 80s in fact in 1984 they achieved 6th Sect. L. from 1220 birds and 3rd Open 7676 birds in the Nantes event of that year. The bird doing the business on that day was GB82N95860 gaining the honour of 1st Sect.L., 623 birds, 11th Open 4332 birds in the Pau race. What made the Hens performance even better that she flew in the region of 150mls longer, thus further making most of the running on her own.

Also on the same weekend as the Pau race the partnership was also first in both the Acton Bridge club and Frodsham, with separate birds; no duplication; making it two 500mile winners and one 700 mile winner in the same weekend - which is some going to finish off the daytime.The Pau hen won meritorious award from the RPRA. The 1984 Pau performance was no 'flash- in- the- pan' because as with any good pigeon, she proved her worth in 1985 from the same National race point, with 3rd Sect. L. (586 birds) and 43rd Open 4981 birds. This excellent success was gained with a working combination of widowhood and the natural system from their two-story loft.

 

 

As the years went by and Bill found it ever increasingly harder to get about with the birds. In order that they got the best performances out of them, it was at this time when Phil Kucharski started to take an interest in the birds and began to help Charlie out. This was not their first encounter in sport, because they already had a mutual interest with dominoes, Crown Green bowling and horse riding, not forgetting the odd pint or two down at the local. With these interests, a good bond soon built up and a good working relationship with the pigeons. In 1989 Bill passed away and the inevitable happened, with an entire dispersal sale of all racers and stock birds. However as with all strong willed past fanciers, the urge to race pigeons remained and in 1992 the current partnership of Blain and Kucharski was formed, and a new era of racing pigeons began in 1992, with the commencement of racing as this new team. With the old partnership birds, having proved so successful, the new team decided that they would obtain some of the originals for their restart. They looked around for those fanciers who had purchased their pigeon and continued to do well with them. To make sure they got the lines right they went to variety of sources. As with any fanciers they built up a friendship with Roy McKibbin of Analong Co. Down Northern Ireland who sent them to Tom Larkins.

Busschaerts that he had previously purchased at the entire clearance sale. Other Busschaert lines were from the 'Firefly lines which when crossed with the George Stubbs lines of Sandbach produced a good dark cock to win 5th Club Frome [2] 1st Club, 20th Fed. Weymouth [1] 3rd Hereford [1] 6th Weymouth [1] 24th Sect. L. NFC., 2nd Chepstow [1] 5th Frome [2] 1st Club, 4th Fed. Sartilly [2] 1st Club, 12th Fed. Niort. The next introductions were purchased at the Tom Ryding dispersal sale where they went for the best of the long distance birds . These were followed by the Billy Ishmael dark pied Keyon's from the very best of his stock birds. They were not going to stand still with the introduction of stock, so they bought in some from Les Kilshaw, who provided them with much sought after Grizzles. One such Grizzle cock from the Kilshaw lines crossed with a Busschaert is winner of 2nd Club Chepstow, beaten by loft mate,.5th Frome, 2nd Sartilly [1] 1st Club, 16th Fed. Niort, 2nd Club, 24th Fed. Nantes beaten by loft mate.

 

 

As you can see these fanciers do not keep one strain in their lofts, as they believe in bringing in the proven pigeons which is exactly what they did when they contacted the Ponderosa Stud down in Weymouth. From there they purchased the very good Janssens and Jan Aardens that have flown so well at this point. They pointed out they would like to thank both Tony and Mary for helping them in selecting the best birds available to meet their requirements. With these birds they are building up a strain of their own which is developing in to a nice channel winning breed of their own. It is the fromdistance that they prefer to test their skills. Channel event appeal to both members of their team. To prove a point after recommencing in the sport : they have been the top prize winners in the Acton Bridge club each year and along the way to prove a point of the distance racing, have won the 500mile Niort race for the last three years. In 1995 competing with separate birds in their two clubs: Acton Bridge and Frodsham Homing Society, they have won 8 out of the 12 Channel races that they have competed in; which went towards making them the highest cash prize winners in the Cheshire Plains Fed. and Championship Club

The present partnership are now beginning to regain their status with the National Flying Club and in 1995; with the y/b race they were 20th and 30th Sect. L. with a pair of youngsters from the Tom Rydings stock. When choosing their racing they take everything into account and consider that racing with the Cheshire plains Fed. provides them with the stiffest challenge; because they race a programme of six consecutive Channel races. They start at Sartilly and finish at Niort. Their biggest disappointment during the 1995 season was after they had taken great care in the preparation of the Pau National pigeons. As is now history : the race turned out to be yet another disaster, with the only consolation being that both the hens that were entered eventually returned to the loft; with the first arrival being one week late, followed a further week later by the other.

Just staying with the birds a little longer we can take a look at a pigeon that is considered by the team to be an outstanding pigeon in the loft. The pigeon in question is a '91 Schallie Janssen cock, bred from the Ponderosa stock and is of '05' and 'James Bond' lines. This is a wonderfully consistent cock with the 1995 season seeing him complete his first set of wins, having 'first carded' from each of the six channel race points. Performances from this cock include 3rd Club, 14 th Fed., from Sartilly [1]. 1st Club, 14th Fed. Sartilly [2]. 1st Club, 7th Fed Rennes [2]. 1st Club, 20th Fed. Hereford, 11th Beaston Castle 2 Bird Nantes, 2nd Chepstow; 1st Club, 8th Fed. Nantes, 1st Club, 17th Fed. Sartilly, 1st Club, 3rd Fed. Niort.

 

 

Sticking with these Ponderosa '05' lines it is worth mentioning that another from these lines is fast making his presence felt with a yearling cock that has already picked up 1st Club Weymouth, 2nd Club Sartilly [1] beaten by loft mate; 1st Club Sartilly {2}. These '05' lines also cross; which is the case with a yearling cheq pied hen being 2nd Club, 19th Fed. Hereford [2]. 2nd Club Hereford, 6th Club Frome, 3rd Club Weymouth, 6th Club Plymouth, 1st Club, 1st Fed Frome [1]; 4th Club Sartilly, 1st Club, 6th Fed Nantes. These performances are even better when one considers that she was beaten by loft mates on several occasions. The breeding of this hen is again the '05' Ponderosa lines when crossed with the Hercules lines of the De Vadders.

A good winning team are always looking to improve in their search for continued success so, the partnership visited the Oak Villa Lofts of Alan Incleden and Co. who suggested that they try their Holborn, Marseilles and Hybreght lines as a mixed batch. They came away with a mix of 11 youngsters, which were flown in the 1995 season. A testermony to the soundness of these lines is that the partnership still have 10 out of these original 11 youngsters having raced their full programme. Needless to say the lines are now being combined with the partnership's other bloodlines.The partnership say that thanks are extended to the two Alan's who helped them select these birds. They have proven to be two of the straightest gentlemen the partnership have had the pleasure to deal with : this despite the antics of certain so called fanciers.

It's just about time to look at the loft set up starting with the two small lofts approx. 6ft x 8ft these are separate lofts for the widowhood cocks. The main elevated loft is made up of sections firstly for the stock birds, with the young birds and hens for the widowhood cocks also being housed in this loft. They believe in having all their lofts well ventilated although while racing the widowhood cocks are darkened off by means of blinds. From one of the smaller separate lofts they race 10 older widowhood cocks which leaves the other for 12 yearling widowhood. Their preference is always to keep the yearling separate from the older cocks because this allows them to develop the widowhood system on there own without the well established cocks bullying them.

In 1995 they experimented with 10 widowhood hens flying from the main loft. This experiment showed early results; providing them with 1st Club, 1st Fed. Frome and 1st Club, 6th Fed. Nantes, giving them a better insight regarding the two systems and their respective form with in the team. For this widowhood hen experiment they adopted the Geoff Kirkland system and studied his video. Having successfully tested the system, they made a few changes for the 1996 season. The normal widowhood system is now raced with the older cocks which are allowed into their boxes immediately before basketing and only seeing their hens for about half an hour on their return from the race. The yearling widowhood cocks are treated slightly different : they do see their hens prior to basketing by the way of introduction to the widowhood system. The partnership believe by using this method they learn and soon adapt to the system, probably that bit quicker.If there are any yearlings that do not act on the system; then they are soon replaced.

The stock loft houses 10 pairs and the rear around 60 youngsters that are all National rung. All the birds are paired at the same time, which is the weekend following the Blackpool Show. Eggs from the stock are transferred to the race team where the race team are all allowed to rear a youngster before the commencement of the widowhood system. Cleaning and feeding is very regimented with the birds being cleaned out, fed and watered, twice daily. Whilst this involves a lot of effort they believe the results make it all worthwhile. The birds are fed individually and a measured ration is placed on their box fronts : this method had been made easier in 1995 when Charlie decided to retire from his joinery business. The birds are fed with Bamford's Widowhood mix and the depurative is dispensed with once the Channel has been reached. An addition of peanuts is used once they get to the distance and also during the season multivitamins are used on a regular basis.

While the birds exercise exceptionally well around the loft they are still given two 40mile tosses every week. The young birds share a common loft and are fed communally and are raced absolutely in a natural state, the team wants them to develop slowly because the ultimate aim is success from the channel events. These fanciers always welcome approaches from the beginners within the sport and are always willing to help with free young birds and advice. The greatest worry that the partnerhip have is the deceit and jealously that we now see involved with the sport, which resulted in a letter being published by these fanciers in the 1995 press. A finishing thought upon what is required for a successful team by these winning fanciers : 1) obviously good sound stock. 2) clean and stable conditions. 3) an almost military regime. 4) the best of feed. 5) most of all a good sense of humour and sheer enjoyment of the sport.