“The Original” Around The Up North Combine
By Good Corn
The Up North Combine had to wait a few extra days to stage their second young bird race from Bubwith (2) as we suffered more poor summer weather which has been very unsettled this year. The second race was supposed to go ahead on Saturday 10th August but on the Friday morning the Weather Committee voted to delay basketing 24 hours with a update on Saturday morning, 24 hours later and the weather had not changed so it was a case of another 24 hours delay in basketing.
Sunday morning came and it was voted to delay basketing for another 24 hours but as Monday morning came and the weather forecast was still showing Tuesday being the best day all weekend the Weather Committee voted to basket the birds Monday evening to race the following day. Obversely this did not go down well with the working man and that's understandable as many of the fanciers are unable to book a day’s holiday from work at the drop of the hat. These fanciers have put the hard work into their birds through the week but are unable to compete because of a weekday liberation, but we will never ever beat the British weather.
On Monday 13th August the East Cleveland Federations 65 members convoy of 1,824 birds were liberated at 09.20hrs flying into a light north-west wind which was going to hold the babies a little bit more than the previous race where the vels were almost hitting the 1600. Starting at Skinningrove H/S 9/418 the loft of Tich Richards & Alice Marsay win both Club and Federation for the second race on the bounce after timing a couple of youngsters to win a brilliant 1st and 5th Club, 1st Federation with the pole position winner who recorded a chart-topping vel of 1482 being a chequer hen who is out of a blue cock “3534” gift bird bred by Derek Winspear & son Mark of Skelton Green. While the Dam of the Federation winner is “1134” who is the Daughter of Tich and Granddaughter Alice's chequer cock “3792” the previous winner of 1st Club, 1st Fed Melton Mowbray. With “3792” being out of Tich & Alice's very consistent top racing hen “FUT 90” the winner of the East Cleveland Federation Bird Of The Year in 2014.
Tich Richards & Alice Marsay of Skinningrove H/S holding their 1st Club, 1st East Cleveland
Federation Bubwith (1) 1,354 birds and 1st Club, 1st East Cleveland Federation Bubwith (2)
1,824 birds.
Stafford & Wilson notched up 2nd Club, 12th Fed on 1459 while the loft of Mike Prokopowicz & son Lee chalk up 3rd Club, 13th Fed on 1458. B & K Simpson nets 4th Club, 16th Fed on 1453 with Brian & Keith's yellow card scorer being a chequer pied Louis Cooreman hen who is out of a cock who won 1st Club, 2nd Fed Bubwith in 2018, and 1st Club, 4th Fed Newark this season. The Dam of the chequer pied darkened downed hen was bred by good friend Bob Fenech of Norfolk fame.
Mike Prokopowicz & son Lee of Skinningrove H/S winners of 1st Club, 1st East Cleveland
Federation Newark Showground 2,144 birds.
In was good to see Derek “Golly” Foster winning his first race in his new Club Loftus H/S with his pole position winner going onto win a fantastic 2nd Federation. Golly flew in Boosbeck for a great number of years competing against the top loft of the late Bobby Burton & son John who where a force to be reckoned with winning numerous Club and Federation averages and some very good UNC positions. After moving to Easington Golly joined Staithes H/S but sadly the Club that has so much memorable and successful history in the UNC disbanded at the end of the 2018 racing season due to lack of membership which ended in the remaining members joining the nearest Club Loftus H/S.
The Brotton 6 Bird Club partnership of Mr & Mrs Golly “Graham” & Linda Peirson & Tubby “Graham” Purver wins 1st Club with a blue hen bred out of Golly, Linda & Tubby's “Elton” the winner of 1st Club, 3rd Fed and 4th UNC Burbure 2 (sub Roye) in 2018 out of an entry of 4,051 birds. “Elton” was Golly, Linda & Tubby's second bird on the clock that day when his loftmate won 1st Brotton H/S, 2nd Fed and 2nd UNC winning a Combine Silver Medal, with their average velocity of 1347.9 being enough to win the UNC “Danish Cup” Of Friendship. The partnership also took 4th Club in Brotton H/S from Bubwith (2) with a blue cock through Soderlund & Maddison. I have not seen a Brotton 6 Bird Club or Brotton H/S result, so I don't know any of the other positions and I also don't know the Skelton Green result.
Jimmy Reed hits the winners' enclosure in great style at Marske & New Marske after filling no fewer than three chambers to win a cracking 1st, 2nd and 3rd Club with the red card winner being a red cock out of the late Jack Brown & Tony Hunt stock, with the chart-topper being bred from a son of Tony’s SED Cock who has proved himself time and time again in the breading stakes
The blue card was chalked up by a young chequer flipey Brown & Hunt x Homer & Williams Busschaert cock, while the green card potter was a grizzle of Geoff Kirkland stock to round off a very notable performance. The previous weeks winning loft of Tony Hunt timed a blue Van Osch hen to take 4th Club with the yellow card scoring blue hen who was sent on chipping eggs is netting for the second race running after pocketing 3rd Club Bubwith (2).
David “Ralph” Coates and his right-hand man Craig Clapton had a couple of youngsters on the clock to win 1st and 3rd Club at Boosbeck while Ian “Knocker” Brown nipped one in between the red and green card scorers to lift 2nd Club.
The Teesside Federations entry of 516 birds were liberated from Pontefract (2) at 8.50am and leading the way at Billingham T U H/S was the loft of Colin Atkinson the winner of the Teesside Federation Young Bird Average in 2018. Colin timed six of his squad to win a top-notch 1st Club out of 288 birds, 1st, 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th and 12th Fed on 1478.6, 1465.9, 1465.2, 1458, 1457.5 and 1457.2. Ali “Mac” McLeod had six birds on the clock to lift 2nd and 3rd Club, 2nd, 3rd, 14th, 15th, 18th and 19th Fed on 1478.1, 1471.9, 1446.8, 1446.5, 1434 and 1433.
Colin Atkinson of Billingham T U H/S winner of 1st Club, 1st Teesside Federation Pontefract (2)
With the blue card being awarded to a Clive Lister bred chequer Janssen hen while the green card potter was a chequer hen who is out of a hen that is on loan from Mac's good friends Dave & Paul and his son from the Midlands, the hen has bred a lot of winners for the lads and other fanciers. The partnership of Brian Atkinson & Keith Perkins had five youngsters on the clock to lift 4th, 5th, 6th Club, 4th, 5th, 6th, 16th, 17th Fed with vels of 1471, 1469, 1467, 1439, 1435. Butto Bell the winner of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th Fed Bubwith (1) pockets 13th Fed on 1451 with his well-fancied timer that netted 3rd Club, 3rd Fed, 1st Fed Nom Bubwith wins the Fed Nom for the second race running.
Next stop is Haverton Hill where we see John Pledger having four babies on the clock to win 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Club out of 37 birds with the red card winner being a blue cock and the blue card scorer was a blue pied hen, while the green card was awarded to a blue cock and he was followed by a blue hen. Steven Smith & son Aaron timed a blue cock to pocket 4th Club while Dowson & Grandson notch up 6th spot.
John Pledger of Haverton Hill winner of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Club Pontefract (2).
Young bird race number three took place from the Newark Showground on Saturday 17th August when the East Cleveland Federations 65 members muster of 2,144 birds were up and away at 11.15am flying into a west-south-west wind. The Skinningrove H/S partnership of Club Secretary Mike Prokopowicz & son Lee were the winners of 1st Club out of a 11 members entry of 509 birds with their red card winning youngster recording a top vel of 1685.3 to win a brilliant 1st Federation. This was Mike & Lee's second Federation win of the season after topping the Federation charts out of old bird Huntingdon (2) when there were 1,220 birds competing. The loft of the late Gordon “Shang” Peirson MBE & sons Sack & Jim and loft helpers Trevor McConnell and son Bobby timed a couple of their squad to score a belting 2nd Club, 2nd and 12th Fed with vels of 1685.2 and 1668.
With the blue card being awarded to a blue Heremans Ceuster hen bred from stock obtained from Anthony Thompson of Stockton. The lads second timer was a chequer white flight Dirk Van Den Bulck from Stuart Watson stock. The lads never sent to the Bubwith (2) race because their birds were spooked in their build up to the race, the lads exercised their birds on the afternoon like they do through the week but when they came to land they kept hovering over the loft and then flying up and down the valley. This went on for about 5 hours with the lads getting all their youngsters back in the loft late evening. Sack, Jim, Trevor & Bobby believed a Hawk must have scared the birds by hanging on the aviary mesh.
The lads managed to settle the birds down over the next couple of days and then started to build the birds confidence up enough to compete in this race. Sayers Bros Dave, the late Kenny & Brian timed a couple of babies within a second of each other to pot 3rd and 4th Club, 9th and 10th Fed on 1671.3 and 1671.1. Tich Richards & Alice Marsay netted 11th Fed on 1669 while Stafford & Wilson notched up 13th and 20th Fed on 1662 and 1647. B & K Simpson timed a chequer Busschaert cock doing 1651 for 19th Fed.
Onto Marske & New Marske where Jimmy Reed is taking some holding at the moment for the lad wins 1st, 2nd and 3rd Club for the second race on the bounce with top spot being won by a chequer Busschaert hen bred out of his own “Lillers Hen”. The blue was chalked up by a chequer Geoff Kirkland x Gaby Vandenabeele cock and he was followed in the green card position by a pencil blue Geoff Kirkland x Gaby Vandenabeele cock who claimed 4th Club out of Bubwith (1). Tony Hunt nets 4th Club again only this time with a dark Van Gompel x Galaxy Lofts hen who had just laid its second egg.
Bowden Brothers Mick & Boss and helper Trevor Mitchell win 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club at Skelton Green. Mr & Mrs Bob & Babs Moore wins 1st Club at Brotton H/S while Mr & Mrs Golly & Linda Peirson & Tubby Purver had a couple of youngsters in the frame to lift 2nd and 3rd Club. With the blue card going to a blue cock bred through Graham “Watto” Wattis x Soderlund & Maddison, off Golly's good blue hen the winner of 4 x 1st Clubs and winner of the Brotton 6 Bird Club Bird of The Year.
The green card potter who was timed one second after the blue card scorer was a Loftus Championship Club Breeder/Buyer chequer pied hen off Mooreland & Elliott of West Durham Amal fame. Frank & Brenda Reilly & son Wayne claimed 4th Club and they were followed by Reg Wilson, Ray Mole & Partners. David “Ralph” Coates and loft helper Craig Clapton win 1st Club again at Boosbeck with Knocker Brown notching up 2nd and 3rd Club.
The Teesside Federation were also at the Newark Showground this week with their entry of 824 birds going up at 10.55am, the Haverton Hill partnership of Paul Gatley, Graham Harrod & son Dale enjoyed a cracking race after timing no fewer than three of their entries to win a top-notch 1st, 4th and 5th Club out of 158 birds, 1st and 4th Federation with vels of 1614, 1577 and 1505. With Paul, Graham & Dale's pole position winner being a chequer hen who wins the Club 10p pool pocketing £25.60.
The lads next two timers were both blue cocks and also the Club £5 Rings which banked them another £80.00. Stuart “Lewie” Lewis, Amber & Coby McCabe had a couple of youngsters on the clock to lift 2nd and 6th Club with the blue card scorer being a well-fancied chequer pied Busschaert cock bred by B & K Simpson of Skinningrove achieving 1609 to win the Club £1 pool netting £12.25 and going onto score 2nd Federation. The young cock is out of a first year pairing with the cock being a new introduction to the loft while the dam of the blue card potter is the “45 Hen” of Mr & Mrs Dave Boxford top lines, the hen is the dam of a number of Club winning including two East Cleveland Federation winners when paired to different cocks.
Second on the clock for Lewie, Amber & Coby was a chequer pied Louis Cooreman cock bred By B & K Simpson out of “The Poorly One” the winner of 11th Fed Bubwith, 1st Club, 2nd Fed Huntingdon, 1st Fed, 1st Section, 4th Up North Combine and 5th North Of England Homing Union Old Bird Folkestone Classic from a convoy of 33,777 birds. The “Poorly One” is also the sire of Club and Federation winners including 4th Up North Combine Young Bird Maidstone National from an entry of 10,841 birds. While the dam of Lewie, Amber & Coby's second timer is direct Louis Cooreman. Andrew “Jappa” Appleton & Paul Longstaff are in 3rd spot with the lads green card potter being a blue hen racking up a vel of 1607 which was enough to net 3rd Federation.
Moving onto Billingham T U H/S where Tommy Clark & son Gary leads the way after timing a couple of birds to win 1st Club out of 294 birds, 5th and 14th Fed with the red card winning chequer hen recording a top vel of 1567 while Tommy & Gary's second timer a blue cock doing 1547. Ali McLeod has five birds on the clock to lift 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th and 17th Fed on 1565. 1564, 1562, 1552 and 1539 with the blue card being awarded to a young blue Vandenabeele hen who carries the same dam as Ali's 1st UNC Gold Medal winning “Gaby Lou”, while the sire of the blue hen is direct of Ali's no1 Koen Minderhoud hen when paired to a good racing cock that was 16th UNC Folkestone National.
The green card was netted by a blue pied Louis Cooreman hen bred by B & K Simpson for the Tees Valley Breeder/Buyer. The hen is out of a cock who won 1st Club, 2nd East Cleveland Federation Bubwith in 2018 and 1st Club, 4th Fed Newark in 2019, while the dam of the blue pied hen is direct Bob Fenech. I was hoping to have got the results back on the VAR as I'm sure Ali was stood on the pad stopping Simo's blue pied hen from timing first. The yellow card was netted by a blue Vandenabeele hen who is out of a yearling cock that won 1st Club, 1st Federation Oakham (1) this season, while the dam of the blue hen is direct off “Gaby Lou”.
B & K Simpson of Skinningrove H/S “Live Wire winner of 1st Club, 1st East Cleveland
Federation Oakham (1) 1,304 birds.
The partnership of Brian Atkinson & Keith Perkins clocked four babies to notch up 5th and 6th Club, 9th, 10th, 19th and 20th Fed with the lads first couple of timers a blue hen and a blue cock touched down together to achieve vels of 1557 and win 1st Fed Nom. Third on the clock was a blue cock doing 1537 with the cock being the previous potter of 17th Fed Pontefract (2) when beaten by four loftmates that took 4th, 5th, 6th and 16th Fed. Brian & Keith's fourth timer a Hartlepool rung blue cock that was clocked 30 seconds after their previous timer had a vel of 1530. Colin Atkinson pockets 16th Fed with a chequer hen doing 1543.
Most fanciers suffered losses this week for some reason with many of the lofts suffering very big losses with a number of them lofts being top flyers. There were birds reported in Hull and the surrounding areas very flown out not many miles from the liberation site and quite a few of the birds being reported by no fanciers.
The East Cleveland Federations 55 members convoy of 1,304 birds were liberated in a variable wind from Oakham (1) at 9.50hrs on Saturday 24th August, there was a lot of south-east in the wind and it started to blow more as the morning moved on resulting in the birds doing much faster times than most fanciers thought. Starting at Skinningrove H/S where B & K Simpson wins 1st Club out of a ten members entry of 376 birds with brothers Brian & Keith's winner being a darkness red Dirk Van Den Bulck cock recording a chart-topping vel of 1808 which was enough to win 1st East Cleveland Federation. The pole position winner was bred by Clubmates the late Gordon “Shang” Peirson MBE & sons Sack & Jim and purchased by Brian & Keith at the Silksworth Breeder/Buyer.
Stafford & Wilson notched up 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Club, 3rd, 4th, 11th, 13th Fed on 1798 (2), 1744, 1743. While White Bros Malc & Stuart took 14th Fed on 1742 with a blue hen who is out of a yearling cock bred by W Gates & Son of Boldon for the Loftus Championship Club Breeder/Buyer when paired to a homebred Soontjen x Homer & Williams Busschaert hen. Mr & Mrs I & E Purver potted 16th Fed on 1734.6.
Marske & New Marske Club Secretary Martin Hoggarth hits the winners' enclosure with a young sent driving mealy cock out of Martin's own family. Geoff Bavin is in 2nd position with a blue cock that was part of a swap with a Hartlepool fancier that Geoff's son knows from working on the rigs. Tony Hunt filled a couple of chambers to lift 3rd and 4th Club with the green card being awarded to a blue Van Gompel hen while the yellow was potted by a chequer hen of Van Gompel x Galaxy Lofts stock.
Onto Skelton Green where Bowden Bros Mick & Boss and loft helper Trevor Mitchell timed four birds to win 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th Club, 9th, 10th, 12th Fed on 1759.3, 1758, 1744; while Bill Chapman, son Steve & Colin and the late Tommy Swinburne notched up 4th and 6th Club with their yellow card potter making 1734 for 17th Federation.
Dave Storr wins 1st Club, 8th Fed on 1759.5 at Brotton H/S while Mr & Mrs Bob & Babs Moore chalked up 2nd and 3rd Club with their blue card scoring youngster achieving a vel of 1733 for 18th Federation. Frank & Brenda Reilly & son Wayne pocket 4th Club while Mr & Mrs Golly & Linda Peirson & Tubby Purver lift 5th Club and 2pts with a blue Don Gudgeon x Evo Van Loon cock.
It’s a big well done to new starters in the sport the Newton Family who tops the Brotton 6 Bird Club charts. Mr & Mrs Bob & Babs Moore are in 2nd, Andrew & Gavin Doe, John Swales and the late Sandy Sanderson takes 3rd Club, W & S Ward are 4th with Frank & Brenda Reilly & son Wayne 5th Club and Ricky Cush 6th Club and claiming 1pt.
Onto the Teesside Federation who were up and away at 8.15. The Haverton Hill loft of Jappa Appleton & Paul Longstaff recorded their second young bird win in four races after timing a trio of youngsters to win 1st, 5th and 6th Club out of 126 birds, with top spot being won by a blue cock racking up a vel of 1738 to win a belting 10p Club pool netting £22.61, 1st £5 Club Ring banking another £55.00 and 1st Teesside Federation from an entry of 515 birds. Second on the clock came another blue cock doing 1706 for 10th Fed and she was followed by a blue pied hen making 1692 to claim 12th Federation.
Paul Longstaff of Appleton & Longstaff Haverton Hill winners of 1st Club, 1st Teesside
Federation Oakham (1).
Jappa & Paul whose first young bird win came at Pontefract (1) when they won 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club, 7th, 8th and 9th Fed; timed a fourth baby, a blue cock to lift 20th Fed on 1658 and then they timed a later well-fancied youngster to win the 25p Club pool netting £3.00. Nathan Bonar who flew a very notable youngster in his first season racing in 2018 had three of his team on the clock to chalk up 2nd, 4th and 6th Club, 3rd, 9th and 17th Fed on 1734, 1707 and 1676.
With the blue card being awarded to a blue cock who wins 2nd £5 Club Ring pocketing £25.00 while the yellow card was netted by a chequer cock and he was followed by a chequer pied cock. Nathan never stopped they’re for the lad timed a later well-fancied youngster to win the 50p and £1 Club pools lifting another £14.00. Stuart “Lewie” Lewis, Amber & Coby McCabe are in 3rd spot with the green card scorer being a blue cock doing 1711 for 7th Federation.
Colin Atkinson achieves his second young bird of the season at Billingham T U H/S with the chart-topping chequer pied hen recording a winning vel of 1735 which was enough to score 2nd Federation. Tommy Clark & son Gary enjoyed a cracking clocking day after timing no less than five of their team to lift 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Club with the blue card going to a blue cock doing 1732.6 to pot 4th Fed; and three seconds later came the green card scoring chequer hen on 1732.0 to claim 5th Fed.
The yellow card was awarded to a chequer hen making 1704 for 11th Fed and she was followed by a chequer cock on 1683, six seconds later came a blue hen on 1682 to notch up 14th Federation. Mr & Mrs Goodison & Daughter of Middlesbrough H/S wins the Fed Nom.
For the second race running a number of young birds were lost and again with some returning to the lofts three and four days after the race very flown down.
Dale Harrod of Gatley, Harrod & Son of Haverton Hill winners of 1st Club, 1st Teesside
Federation Newark Showground.
It was very sad to hear of the passing of Geoff “Bubbles” Winspear of Liverton Mines. East Cleveland Federation. Bubbles was a very popular lad in our area and one of the nicest lads you could ever wish to meet. He was a lifelong member of the sport flying in Liverton Mines with Loftus H/S a great number of years ago, Liverton Mines later pulled away from Loftus to form their own Club with Bubbles being Club Chairman for a number of years. Bubbles always loved the longest race Bourges with him winning his favourite race a number of times over the years. Rest In Peace Bubbles you’re going to be greatly missed in and around the Liverton Mines area.
The late Geoff “Bubbles” Winspear of Liverton Mines, East Cleveland Federation.
Any news to Good Corn 6 Boulby Drive Loftus Saltburn Cleveland TS13 4JN. Tel: 01287 643624 or Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.