North West Classic Club

The quality of the club is reflected in the result.

As we all know in the North West racing pigeons has been tough for the channel pigeons and this the third race of the season for the club was no different. Last season was plain sailing for all races where members clocked well and had good returns. It is all a case of the weekends falling into place with the weather and that does not always happen. Last year other organisations suffered with bad races whereas the NWCC fell on good weekends, this year it is the opposite, looks like those fanciers in the sky are spreading the weather out so that we all have a good weekend’s racing at some point in the season. In comparison to last year the birdage in the club is doing well and where others have had big drops in the numbers entered the NWCC are up on last year which was a good year. Whether that will happen in the Saintes race I have no idea but by the time we go to print we will because they are being marked as we go to print. Just on the subject of the Saintes race there was a lot of discussion as to whether the club goes to a 500ml race when the pigeons have had a tough season. The programme is out at the beginning of the year and no matter what they are members who set their stall out for certain races and in this case, it is the Saintes race. In the North West there is a shortage of a good 500ml race so the NWCC needs to stick to it. Yes, there are going to be good time sand bad times but as long as we persevere members have the opportunity to compete in a race that suits them. Anyway, that is the next race so let’s get back to the Messac race where the birds had a real challenge on the day but as always, the inform lofts come through with relative ease. 1st 3rd 4th 6th section 1st 4th 5th 9th Open go to Dave Pritchard who is having a good season, not only in this club but also his other local clubs winning £783. Dave had a real good race on what was a tough day and his first 4 vels in this race are 1334/1312/1297/1276ypm. First in the clock is “Welsh Blue” a widowhood cock which is one of ten Dave purchased form a very well-known fancier John (the farm) Roberts from North Wales and are the foundation of Dave’s present-day team. This blue cock is a very well-bred his g-sire the "90 Cock" which that John has raced has to his credit has 4x1st feds 2x2nd 2x3rd 4th feds etc. to his name and many more plus he is also a section a winner in WSENFC in the north section. This race winner has himself won many other prizes in top three. His breeding is of Syndicate Lofts pigeon from the famous “Drum” cock lines and the famous Mike Ganus "Rocket" lines in his genes and is now named "BAZ" and dedicated to my late father in law who sadly passed away 3 weeks ago from Parkinson's aged 81yrs. Next in the clock for Dave is a Mid Cheshire fed B/B pigeon which Dave purchased last season and is from Carl Rowledge being a Van Den Bulk. This cock flew very well as a young bird only competing in 5 races winning 2x1st, 1x2nd, 1x3rd plus fed cards. This season as a celibate cock and not showing any promises he was paired for 10days and put onto the widowhood 2weeks before sending to Carentan 2 in the NWCC and timed in next morning and still full of himself so was sent back to Frome the following week in the prepped for Messac finishing 4th open. Dave’s 5th open is a smokie blue hen (see phot with her cock “700”). This game 2yr double widowhood smokie blue hen has only flown one channel race last season in preparation for this coming season racing and finished a respectable 11th open Fougeres NWCC 2016. She was pulled out of this season’s race at the last minute due to a poor weather report and was then prepped for Messac again with the NWCC. In club racing the "Water Hen" has 4x1st 2x2nd and 3rds to her name also topping the South West Cheshire fed from Bath 1. This hen got her name "Water Hen" in Dave’s first old bird season in 2016 when she was born in my lofts under the drinker. The breeding is the famous M & D Evans Vandenabeeles from the “Champion Shadow” lines and is already proving herself as a breeder with two daughters having 5x1st 3x2nds between them in the 2017/2018 seasons. We now move on to the chequer pied widowhood yearling hen, also sent to Carentan 2 where she was timed next morning for as her first race in preparation for Messac finishing 9th open Messac NWCC 2018. This hen was picked to race this season form a selection of 63 younger's that Dave had left from his young bird team of 2017 and was picked and prepped for channel racing only with her older brother finishing 26th open Messac 2018. There breading is a late bred cock 2016 full brother to the "Water hen" and a gift pigeon from John a Janssen x Hybrecht and have six first 1st fed winners in this pairing form John what an introduction to the stock loft. Thanks for the comprehensive report Dave that’s just what we need.

Dave Pritchard's 1st section B 1st Open NWCC Messac

Dave Pritchard's 3rd Section B 4th Open NWCC Messac

 Dave Pritchard's 4th Section B 5th Open NWCC Messac with the "700 Cock"

 Dave Pritchard's 6th Section B 9th Open NWCC Messac

 Dave Pritchard with his winner

1st section A 2nd Open go to Rick Geary & Son Simon from Macclesfield, this partnership are regulars in the club and this week pick up £678 after a pensioner went through the trap clocking up 1331ypm. I received the following from the partnership on their latest job well done. “Hi Les. Just like to start off with what a great job you and your team have done this year with the Classic club. I thought I would send you a photo taken of the sunrise at 5.30am this morning at are new loft, I had just let the youngster out. The hens are raced on the widowhood system and we paired them up in January to let them rear two youngster then they go on the widowhood. They are Fed on Varmaxi corn which is Versele Laga corn, plus we add a bit of seed every morning, so it puts the fats on a bit. The first pigeon through the trap was “The 47 Hen” who has won two firsts herself, she was are second pigeon the race before this one, so she was bang in form for this race. The second pigeon through the trap was “The 14 Hen” who was our first pigeon in the previous race. Thanks again Les. Simon & Rick Geary”

Rick & Simon Geary

2nd section B 3rd Open sees yet another top prize goes to the Winsford team of Jones Bros & Karen Jones winning £190 after clocking up 1320ypm. In this race they clocked a blue yearling cock who has already had 3rd with another of their Andre Clemens lines and is flown in the widowhood. I have said it before, but these pigeons have done so well for them no wonder they stick to them year after year when others would be changing. Jack said that they are surprised how well they have done in the NWCC because there are some good fanciers competing in the club.

Karen Jones from the Jones Bros & K Jones partnership

5th section B 7th Open is Ron Woodward from Middlewich recording a vel of 1293ypm, a fancier who was taking a break but decided to have a go half way through the old bird season, so the pigeons are just getting going and collects £40. What I do know is this 2yo is being raced on the widowhood and after such a late start is doing well.

3rd section A 8th Open is won by Congleton’s Roger Sutton winning £180 after clocking a yearling cock on 1288ypm.

4th sec A 10th Open sees Dave Benn amongst the winners picking up £85 with a yearling having his second channel race which was a good result on tough day. His grandfather topped the Three Counties Combine from Messac and topped Altrincham fed from Niort.

Dave Benn's 4th section A 10th Open

Dave Benn

1st 2nd 3rd 4th section C see George Pendleton from Ormskirk collect £178 and was easily the longest flying member on the day.

We had a good start with the report on the first race, but most have gone quiet since not wanting you to know who the winners are.

Please note that marking for the Saintes race at Middlewich is not as per advert but is from 6pm to 7pm on Wednesday the 4th July. Contact Ray Bullen for Cheadle times. My apologies I have had two real bad weeks, these things happen, fortunately not too often.

Les J Parkinson. 11 Rushton Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 0NJ.

Tel:  01606836036 Mobile: 07871701585.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

web site www.elimarpigeons.com