“The Original” Around The Up North Combine
Bowden Bros Return To The Top
By Good Corn
I attended my first prize presentation of 2018 on Friday 2nd November when I took Hayden along to the Skelton Green payout which was held at the North Skelton, formerly known at the North Skelton Working Mens Club. Andrew Wynn took to the floor to welcome the good turn out in the hope it was going to be as good a night as it has been at previous payout nights, and followed up by thanking everyone for making the effort to come and support the Club. Andrew welcomed Hayden and me thanking me for giving the Club good coverage throughout the season through my superb write ups both online and in the British Homing World, and an excellent write up of the presentation night. Adding I do this difficult and sometimes thankless job as a pass time as well of racing Pigeons, Andrew apologised for not been providing me with the Clubs weekly info this year hopefully next season things will get back to a bit of normality and this can change. Andrew also thanked other guests Brotton H/S Secretary Terry Callan and his partner Cath, adding that Terry is a tireless worker in the sport also holding official positions in the East Cleveland Federation and Up North Combine, Terry is also there if Jackie & Andrew have been stuck for an answer about anything to do with the running of the Club, and Andrew thanked him for that.
Andrew then welcomed chief guests Frank Reilly & son Wayne of Brotton the winners of 1st Up North Combine Young Bird Maidstone National in 2018, Frank is Jackie Wynn's father and Wayne been her brother. This long established loft has been around Pigeons for many years, and had more than their fair share of success, with numerous Club and Fed wins while flying in both Brotton H/S and the Brotton Six Bird Club, they must be now close to being one of the oldest partnerships still going in the East Cleveland Federation. This truly is a family affair, with Frank flying with his father for many years, Frank's wife Brenda can be seen scraping out when she's not at bingo, and Wayne despite working hard and having a young family to consider, still has the drive to improve performances year in year out. After close calls including a 2nd Up North Combine from a Maidstone National, this year Frank, Brenda & Wayne managed to reach the holy grail for the first time by topping the UNC out of the young bird Maidstone National from a convoy of 10,914 birds. This was definitely to be classed as a good day at the office as the Gold Medal winning trio won both Brotton Clubs and went onto win the “Terry Craggs Memorial Trophy for the best 2-bird performance. Finally the dreams have been realised for the Pigeon family, the Gold Medal winning hen “Little Elsie” named after Wayne & Gemma's little daughter outstanding performance could not have come as a more appropriate present for Frank & Brenda, in their Golden Wedding Anniversary year. Frank, Brenda & Wayne have been in and around the winners' enclosure for many years now, and sure this will continue for years to come, hoping that their Combine win is the first of many.
Andrew then gave a overview of the 2018 racing season where as per usual a lot of work for all involved, Andrew & Jackie who fly in the partnership of A & J Wynn took a year out from racing this season due to family commitments, so the help given from those members that chip in has been appreciated more than ever, with Andrew & Jackie not been able to have done what they have done without them. Over the season the members sent around 5,600 birds which was down around 900 birds compared to 2017, despite this the members competed for over £2,100 in prize money. Andrew thanked Club Chairman Tony Bannister for his tireless help throughout the year and Alan Beverley the Clubs new basket man in 2018. Thanks also went out to Jackie Williams for the stationary, Mick Bowden for providing the transport at Combine basketing and last but not least Andrew's tireless good lady wife Jackie for all her hard work throughout the season. With that Andrew asked his in-laws Frank & Wayne to come forward to present the silverware to the very worthy winners, with Wayne giving a speech which included the families fantastic Gold Medal winning performance. After the presentation it was the time for Tony Bannister to present the gifts to guests Brenda, Gemma, Cath, Hayden , Tony’s wife Audrey, the helpful Jackie Williams and the very hard working Jackie Wynn. After Banno wiped the smile and lipstick off his face it was time for local solo artist Aidy Rowe to take to the stage to sing a few numbers and as always Aidy provided a fantastic first spot with a string of very popular previous chart-hits from down the years which always gets the crowd going. While Aidy took a breather after his first spot it was followed by the top-class buffet which included curry & rice and hot dog buns which went down very well with the crowd, and then it was time for the very good prize raffle which brought in a few quid for Club funds. With everyone enjoying their food it was time for Aidy to re-take to the stage for his second spot, by this time Hayden was not feeling too well, I can not for the life of me work out how he was not feeling 100% after Julie Matthews had earlier stuck the lips on him after Hayden presented the “B & K Simpson Most Points Without A Win Trophy” to Julie on behalf of Terry Stonehouse. Sadly I had to take Hayden home early, I would like to thank the members for inviting Hayden & myself along, I'm sure the remaining crowd will have enjoyed a great night which they have always done on previous presentation nights. Hayden thanks the members for his gift, he is well and truly over his illness but he has still not washed the right side of his face.
Alan Beverley & family enjoying a great night.
Top prizewinners for the 2018 racing season was the loft of Bowden Bros Mick & Boss (George) and loft helper Trevor Mitchell, with the partnership who were second highest prizewinners in 2017 winning a brilliant 14 x 1st (1 of which was a joint winner, same velocity), 9 x 2nd, 14 x 3rd, 12 x 4th, 8 x 5th, 10 x 6th Clubs. With Mick, Boss & Trevor winning the Old Bird Inland Average with 129pts, Runners-Up Channel Average on 28pts, winners of the Old Bird Combined Average with 157pts, winners of the Young Bird Average on 95pts and winners of the Overall Combines Average with a massive total of 252pts (120pts more than 2017) winning the “Ron “Bonzo” Bowden Memorial Trophy”. The top loft of Mick, Boss & Trevor who took a total of 68 positions in the first six were also the winners of the Inland Old Bird Of The Year with 20pts, the same bird won the Overall Bird Of The Year with a total of 24pts, the three lads were also the winners of the Young Bird Of The Year with 11pts to round off a fantastic trophy haul. Mick, Boss & Trevor along with Derek & Mark Winspear chalked up 177pts between them with the young birds from the total of 189pts on offer.
Frank & Wayne presenting the “Tommy Swinburne Memorial Trophy” and the “Brian Wattis
Memorial Trophy” to Trevor Mitchell & Boss Bowden of Bowden Bros.
Mick, Boss & Trevor started the 2018 racing season in the winners' enclosure when their old bird Bubwith red card winner went onto chalk up 19th East Cleveland Federation when there were 1,474 birds competing. The lads made it two wins out of two at Newark after timing a couple of their squad to win 1st and 6th Club, 7th and 18th Fed from a convoy of 2,332 birds. The trio were out of the frame at both Chelmsford (1) and the Eastbourne National but they were back in the points at Oakham (1) when a cracking 2nd Club, 2nd Fed was taken. Two birds were on the clock out of the first of five channel races Burbure (1) to net a useful 3rd and 4th Club, 16th and 19th Fed. Mick, Boss & Trevor got back to their winning ways at Worksop where they timed two of their entries to win a very nice 1st and 5th Club with their chart-topper going onto score 16th Fed when there was 987 birds away. Onto Huntingdon where three birds were on the clock to lift 3rd, 5th and 6th Club with the green card potter netting 10th Fed, the lads never competed in the next inland and channel race. The time out proved a point for their first race back saw them recorded win number four of the season at Chelmsford (2) after timing no fewer than five birds to win a top-notch 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th and 7th Club, with the red and blue card winners that were timed two seconds apart going onto chalk up 8th and 9th Fed, while the lads next three timers notched up 18th, 21st and 22nd Fed out of an entry of 1,131 birds.
Mick, Boss & Trevor enjoyed another top-notch team performance a week later out of Oakham (3) when they won a brilliant 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Club with the first three on the clock scoring a notable 5th, 6th and 7th Fed when there were 1,330 birds competing, their next couple of timers that were clocked one second apart netted 10th and 11th Fed while their sixth timer claimed 16th Fed to round off a fantastic days racing. The boys were not letting up for they recorded a hat-trick of wins out of the Maidstone National after timing five birds to win an outstanding 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Club with the red card winner scoring 3rd Fed out of an entry of 1,006 birds and the blue card potter netting 8th Fed and 3rd £2 Fed Nom pocketing £30.40. The green and yellow card scorers that touched down together went onto pot 10th and 11th Fed to see off another top team performance. The inform and very hard to best boys timed two of their Reims entries to pot 2nd and 6th Club, 5th and 13th Fed, 48th and 114th UNC, with their well-fancied second timer winning the £5 Fed Nom banking £65.00. Mick, Boss & Trevor were back up and at them at Oakham (4) when the lads won a belting 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th Club with the red and blue card winners that were clocked 40 seconds apart winning an outstanding 1st and 2nd Fed out of an entry of 660 birds. The inform trio and loving every minute of it achieved a clean sweep from Oakham (5) by winning the first six Club positions and claiming all 21 Club points, with their first two birds that zapped together going onto lift 16th and 17th Fed when there was 865 birds away.
The final race of the 2018 old bird racing season took place from the Belgium race point Ypres (WW1 Memorial Race) and what a memorable race it turned out to be for Mick, Boss & Trevor after timing no fewer than six of their squad to win a brilliant 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th Club, 1st, 6th, 7th, 8th, 17th and 19th Fed out of 751 birds. With the pole position Federation winner going onto win a earth-shattering 1st Section 7 banking £171.45, 1st Up North Combine from a convoy of 8,775 birds winning a Combine Gold Medal. The well-fancied blue card scorer chalked up 2nd £2 Fed Nom pocketing £41.40 and 35th UNC, while the green card lifter netted 75th UNC. The well-fancied fourth timer that claimed 3rd £2 Fed Nom lifting £27.60 went onto net 99th UNC and the lads fifth and sixth timer notched up 149th and 169th Combine to put a tin hat on their outstanding old bird season. Mick has flown a very good Pigeon for a number of years flying in different partnerships, the lad won 1st Up North Combine old bird Folkestone (2) National in 1994 with “Stan's Pride” named after Mick's late brother from a convoy of 20,447 when flying as Bowden Bros (Mick & Stan) & Dave Drinkhall. The partnership won 1st Up North Combine old bird Wednesday Folkestone National in 1996, and the same partnership achieved their second Saturday Combine win in 1997 when they won 1st Up North Combine old bird Folkestone (1) with “Julie” when there was 25,199 birds competing.
Frank & Wayne Reilly presenting the “Ron “Bonzo” Bowden Memorial Trophy” to Mick
Bowden of Bowden Brothers.
Mick, brother Boss and the very helpful Trevor started their young bird campaign by netting 3rd Club out of Bubwith (1), and followed that up a week later by winning 1st Club, 15th Fed when there were 1,575 birds away. Mick, Boss & Trevor racked up their second young bird win on the bounce from Worksop (1) when they timed no fewer than six of their squad to win a top-notch 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Club with the red card winner going onto score 11th Fed, while the lads other five timers that were clocked within 15 seconds of each over netted 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th Fed out of an entry of 1,650 birds. Young bird race number four saw the boys time a couple of babies two seconds apart to pocket 3rd and 4th Club Worksop (2). The following week when the birds were at Oakham a trio of birds were timed to lift a useful 3rd, 4th and 5th Club, and that was followed by chalking up a notable 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th Club Huntingdon with their first three timers claiming 12th, 20th and 21st Fed. Young bird win number three was achieved at Chelmsford when the lads won a cracking 1st, 2nd and 3rd Club with their well out in front pole position winner that topped the Club charts by four minutes going onto score 15th Fed from an entry of 1,177 birds. Mick, Boss & Trevor really had their birds on song again out of the Maidstone National, for after a two-day holdover the lads timed four of their entries to win a brilliant 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club, 4th, 11th, 12th and 15th Fed out of 887 birds, 14th, 37th, 39th and 46th UNC from a convoy of 10,914 birds. The three lads were still reeling after their outstanding Maidstone National performance when they won 1st Club out of Bubwith (3) the final race of the 2018 season to achieve a hat-trick of wins to record their five win from nine young bird races, with their red card winner going onto score 11th Fed when there was 602 birds away. The partnership had scored in all nine young bird races, scoring 24 times to round off a first class racing season.
Second highest prizewinners was the loft of the late Peter Winspear & son Derek and his son Mark who were the winners of 6 x 1st, 7 x 2nd, 5 x 3rd, 5 x 4th, 8 x 5th, 11 x 6th Clubs, with Derek & Mark being Runners-Up Young Bird Average with 80pts and Runners-Up Overall Combined Average with a total of 133pts and also winning the Show Shield. Derek & Mark's season got under-way after timing three birds in the space of one second at old bird Bubwith to score a notable 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club, with the lads following that up by netting a useful 2nd Club, 8th Fed Newark a week later, and then the following week when the birds were at Chelmsford (1) where a single bird was timed to notch up 3rd Club, 15th Fed. The for ever trying Derek & Mark had a couple of their Eastbourne National entries in the frame to lift 5th and 6th Club, 9th and 15th Fed, 86th and 135th UNC. The two lads recorded their first old bird with of the season a week later at Oakham (1) when two birds were timed to win 1st and 6th Club with the duo's pole position winner going onto win a fantastic 1st Fed from a convoy of 1,606 birds. Derek & Mark followed that up by taking 6th Club from the back-to-back Burbure (1) and Worksop races.
Mark Winspear of the late Peter Winspear & son Derek receiving the “J Williams Memorial Trophy” from Frank & Wayne.
Derek & Mark were in the frame for the eighth consecutive race at Huntingdon to record win number two of the year, with their red card winner going onto chalk up a very nice 5th Fed when there were 1,076 birds competing. Onto Burbure (2) the substitute Roye race which saw the partnership time a couple of their channel entries to lift a useful 3rd and 5th Club, 17th and 21st Fed, 89th and 136th UNC, with their well-fancied second timer winning the £1 and £5 Fed Noms banking £96.00. The boys were in the Club and Fed points again out of Chelmsford (2) where 5th Club, 19th Fed was taken, and then they claimed 6th Club Maidstone National before netting 5th Club Oakham (4) and 12th Fed, 112th UNC Ypres. Derek & Mark had flown a notable old bird this season with them only being out of the points about three times.
Moving onto the young birds where Derek & Mark who won the Club Young Bird Average in 2017 got off to a brilliant start after timing no fewer than four babies to win a top-notch 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th Club Bubwith (1). With the duo's pole position winning youngster going onto win an outstanding 1st Fed from a convoy of 2,092 birds, while their blue card scoring baby chalked up a notable 5th Fed to round off a fantastic start to their young bird season. The following week when the birds were at Bubwith (2) a trio of birds were timed to score a very nice 2nd, 3rd and 6th Club, with the blue and green card scorers that were clocked one second apart going onto net 16th and 17th Fed. Young bird race number three from Worksop (1) saw the lads carding for the third race running after a single bird was timed to lift 2nd Club, 13th Fed. Derek & Mark returned to the winners' enclosure a week later when the birds were at Worksop (2) after they had three birds on the clock to win a cracking 1st, 2nd and 6th Club with the well out in front red and blue card potters that were timed one second apart chalking up a belting 3rd and 4th Fed when there were 1,535 birds competing. Derek & Mark achieved two wins on the trot out of Oakham when a couple of their squad were timed to win 1st and 6th Club with their chart-topper going onto score a well-deserved 3rd Fed out of an entry of 1,526 birds.
Derek & Mark were enjoying another very good young bird season with three Club wins, 13 Club positions and five position in the first five in the Fed so far, the lads extended their win rate at Huntingdon when they recorded a hat-trick of wins after timing two birds to win 1st and 5th Club with their winning youngster going onto pocket a nice 9th Fed out of 1,352 birds. The following week when the birds were at Chelmsford three of their entries were timed to claim 4th, 5th and 6th Club and this was followed up by taking 5th Club, 73rd UNC out of the Maidstone National. Derek & Mark had scored in all eight young bird races so far, so it was no surprise they were in the frame from Bubwith (3) the final race of the season when they timed no less than five of their team to chalk up 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Club with their first three timers going onto pot 12th, 13th and 15th Fed to round off a very good young bird season where they had chalked up 24 positions in the first six in the Club.
The loft of Alan & David Wright who have enjoyed some outstanding seasons since teaming up at Skelton Green after both flying in different partnerships at Brotton a number of years ago, were the winners of 4 x 1st, 6 x 2nd, 6 x 3rd, 6 x 4th, 7 x 5th, 3 x 6th Clubs being Runners-Up Old Bird Inland Average with 74pts, winners of the Channel Average with 37pts and Channel Bird Of The Year with a 2y with 10pts, Runners-Up Old Bird Combined Average on 111pts and third highest prize winners with a total of 113pts. Alan & David were in the old bird points from day one after timing a couple of birds out of Bubwith to net 5th and 6th Club, and this was followed up a week later by timing three birds in the space of 16 seconds to take 3rd, 4th and 5th Club, 9th, 10th and 11th Fed Newark. The following week with the birds at Chelmsford (1) no less than four birds were timed to pocket 2nd, 5th, 6th and 7th Club with the blue card scorer going onto chalk up 14th Fed while their next two timers who hit the pad together went onto net 17th and 18th Fed and their fourth bird on the clock took 20th Fed. Alan & David enjoyed a brilliant race out of the Eastbourne National after timing no fewer than six of their team to win an outstanding 1st, 3rd and 4th Club, 1st, 4th, 7th, 16th, 18th and 21st Fed out of 1,429 birds, with the pole position winner going onto win a fantastic 1st Section 7 winning £144.49 and 5th Up North Combine from a convoy of 18,454 birds. The duo's blue card potter that went onto score 24th UNC helped to win the “Ian McDonald Memorial Trophy” for the best two-bird performance, while yellow card lifter netted 56th UNC and their remaining three timers took 143rd, 177th and 185th Combine to round off a top-notch team performance.
Frank & Wayne presenting the Channel Average to Terry Simpson on behalf of Alan & David Wright.
Alan & David would have being still reeling the following week at Oakham (1) when a couple of their squad were on the clock to lift a useful 3rd and 4th Club with the green card scorer going onto chalk up a notable 3rd Fed. Onto the French channel race Burbure (1) where two birds were timed to lift 2nd and 5th Club, 15th and 22nd Fed with the duo's well-fancied second timer taking 3rd £2 Fed Nom netting £20.40. A single bird was on the clock a week later at Worksop when 2nd Club, 18th Fed was taken and then two birds were in the frame out of Huntingdon to claim 2nd and 4th Club, 9th and 16th Fed. The very consistent Alan & David who had scored in all eight races so far recorded their second old bird win a week later when the birds were at Oakham (2) when two of their entries were timed to win 1st and 2nd Club, sorry I don't have the rest of the Oakham (2) positions at hand. Alan & David have flown a very good channel Pigeon in their time in the Club with them winning many races and also winning a number of Club Channel Averages along the way, so it was no surprise they came up trumps at the Roye substitute race Burbure (2) where no fewer than three of their team were on the clock to win a top-notch 1st, 2nd and 4th Club, 15th, 16th and 20th Fed out of an entry of 253 birds. With the duo's red and blue card winners that were timed within 15 seconds of each other going onto score 79th and 84th UNC from a convoy of 4,051 birds, while the lads yellow card potter went onto chalk up 111th Combine to round off a very good day.
Alan & David who were the Clubs top loft in 2017 had a bird in the points from Chelmsford (2) when they chalked up 3rd Club, 12th Fed, the lads had now scored in all eleven races so far but were out of the Club points for the first time at Oakham (3) but still managed to notch up 17th Fed. Alan & David were out of the frame for the second race running at the Maidstone National but they hit back in fantastic style out of the fourth channel race Reims when they timed an awesome five birds to win a top-notch 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th Club, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 10th and 14th Fed out of 304 birds, 10th, 55th, 65th, 83rd and 129th UNC when there were 3,265 birds. Alan & David were out of the points at both Oakham (4) and Oakham (5) but came back to notch up 6th Club, 10th Fed, 109th UNC Ypres.
Onto the young birds where a single bay was on the clock at Bubwith (1) to notch up 5th Club. I'm unsure if Alan & David sent to any more young bird races after this one.
The long established partnership of Bill Chapman, sons Steve & Colin and the late Tommy Swinburne have enjoyed a great number of outstanding years, winning numerous Club and Federation Averages along the way including 2 x 1st Up North Combines. The 2018 racing season saw Bill, Colin & Steve win 1 x 1st, 2 x 2nd, 1 x 4th, 1 x 6th with the old birds scoring 20pts with the lads first chalking from the third race Chelmsford (1) when they won a top-notch 1st Club, 12th Fed from a convoy of 2,189 birds. Bill, Steve & Colin were in the points for the second race running out of the Eastbourne National to score a notable 2nd Club, 3rd Fed and 15th UNC; and then 4th Club was netted at Worksop. The boys second blue card of the season was achieved at Ypres when a couple of birds were timed to chalk up a useful 2nd and 7th Club, 3rd and 11th Fed, 17th and 110th Combine.
Colin Chapman of Chapman, sons & Swinburne receiving the “Joe Winspear Memorial Trophy” from Frank & Wayne.
Former Lingdale member Terry Stonehouse was the scorer of 1 x 2nd, 1 x 4th, 2 x 5th Clubs and 12pts with the young birds, winning the “B & K Simpson Most Points Without A Win Trophy”, with the trophy being received by Julie Matthews. Terry's first points were netted at the second young bird race Bubwith (2) when he timed two birds in one second to pocket 4th and 5th Club, 31st & 32nd Fed; although Terry was out of the Club points at Worksop (1) we managed to take 32nd Fed and timed another four babies in the space of two seconds to claim 37th, 38th, 39th, 40th Fed. Two weeks later he notched up 5th Club, 26th Fed Worksop (2) and clocked three later birds to claim 31st, 39th, 40th Fed; then the forever trying Terry followed that up a week later by chalking up a notable 2nd Club, 12th Fed Oakham.
Hayden presenting the “B & K Simpson Most Points Without A Win Trophy” to the lip-smacking Julie Matthews on behalf of Terry Stonehouse.
Des Williams and loft helper Roger Wall were the scorers of 1 x 1st, 1 x 4th, 1 x 6th Clubs and 10pts, with the lads first points being scored out of old bird Chelmsford (1) when 4th Club, 16th Fed was chalked up. Des & Roger timed a early bird from the first French race Burbure (1) to win an outstanding 1st Club with the duo's pole position winner that topped the Club charts by 15 minutes going onto score a cracking 6th Fed from an entry of 726 birds and 90th Up North Combine from a convoy of 10,633 birds. The lads were next in the frame from Burbure (2) the sub Roye race where they notched up 6th Club, 214th UNC. The loft of Roche, Bennison & Crame that has being run by Terry “Benno” & Daniel Bennison for a number of years now were the potters of 1 x 3rd Club and 4pts. With Benno & Daniel's green card scoring 2y netting 19th Fed old bird Worksop. The very popular and very hard working Tony “Simply The Best” Bannister was the scorer of 1 x 1st Club and 2pts. With Banno's points being chalked up out of old bird Oakham (1) when his yearling went onto score 30th Fed.
Frank & Wayne presenting the Burbure (1) Trophy to Des Williams.
Terry “Benno” of Roche, Bennison & Crame receiving his prize-card from Frank & Wayne.
Terry “Banno” Bannister receiving his prize-card from Wayne.
That is what I have on the Skelton Green presentation evening, once again I thank the Club members for inviting Hayden and myself along and wish them every success in 2019. With that I will close down for another week. 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.