MIDLANDS NATIONAL FLYING CLUB

MIKE LAKIN

Who hold the Aces?

The results of the 2019 MNFC Ace pigeons are now on the Club’s website but for those who aren’t into computers I would like to highlight these birds which after all are the ‘Best of the Best’. Underlining this opinion is the fact that in Belgium and Holland Ace pigeons are considered to be superior to actual National winners and therefore this reflects in their monetary value. This is because a National winner has achieved a top result whereas an Ace pigeon has recorded several fine performances throughout the season.

Shaun McDonough The 1st Middle distance winner

Let’s now take a look at these exceptional performance birds beginning with the Middle Distance Category. Taking 1st place with a co-efficient of 5.96 is a two year old Blue hen belonging to the Pelsall Wizard Shaun McDonough. This little cracker never missed her prize from Carentan 64th, Vire 59th and Tours 103rd. This granddaughter of Shaun’s Fougeres National winner of a couple of years ago and she gave notice of her ability in 2017 when she won 6th Open from Vire in 2017.  In 2nd position is a yearling hen that took 7th Open from Carentan for Liverpool’s Nairn & Brown when they had a wonderful race taking 3rd 6th and 7th open and their Ace pigeon also won 1st prize in the Carentan Yearling Classic. Its co-efficient of 6.18 proves the lads have a very promising young hen on their hands. The 3rd bird on the list is a very consistent 3 year old pigeon flying to its owner the SW section’s John Barry which though never hitting the very top prizes was always on time to collect good pool money and with a co-efficient of 6.25 certainly bears that fact out. Consistent birds like this one are worth their weight in gold. Other prominent pigeons include in 4th spot Derek Rooney’s 2015 bird with a score of 7.27

Moving on to the Long Distance Ace Pigeons in 1st slot is another pigeon belonging to Nairn & Brown who have enjoyed a great season.  This one is once again a hen bird but this time a 2016 bred bird of Leo Hereman’s breeding and was bred by Curtis-Wall-Lunt. This hen showed her class very early in life when she lifted £2,500 in the Pirrie Gold Ring race. In 2018 besides her great West section win from Bordeaux when she took 116th Open she also took 8th section and 43rd open from Tours two fine performances for a co-efficient of 3.13.

2nd Ace pigeon is won by a 4 year old widowerhood cock belonging to my good friends Glyn & Christine Machin of Telford and their bird which is a crossing of Jos Joosen and Luc van  Coppenolle  who are as many will know are amongst the elite Long distance fanciers in Belgium won 35th from Tours and 27th Open from Bordeaux . Glyn told me that his bird was also his first timer from Ancenis a couple of weeks previously with the NFC. The Machins bird had a co-efficient of 4.06.  Worcester’s Lionel Brewer had the 3rd Ace pigeon with a 2 year old Blue cock. Lionel’s bird finished 11th Open from Bordeaux and 94th Open from Tours to achieve a total co-efficient of 4.24.  Rob Glover clocked a G & C Cooper x Hardy Kruger 2 year old hen to lay claim to 4th Ace pigeon. After she won 8th Open from Bordeaux and 129th Open from Tours. It looks like Rob may have found yet another multi performance hen.

For a look at the rest of the fine birds that have taken placings in the Ace pigeon awards take a look at the Midlands National website because all of these birds are worthy of a perch in any loft as their results amply testify.