Parkinson L.J    

The Elimar Charity sale has now started, and fanciers are starting to send information. We have sent out over 300 emails to fanciers in the UK to see if we can make this a sale to remember. If you have the odd pigeon or two that you can off for this charity sale, send the information to Elimar. We already have some high-quality pigeons donated and expecting a lot more in the coming weeks. Remember the sale will go on until September but we would like to spread them out so that the potential is there to raise money if they are spread out.

Mothballs.

Had a few comments about the moths and use of mothballs in the loft. I think the best way is as you say, take the water out and put mothballs in overnight, that's when they appear to be about the most, we do see them in daylight but not as much.

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The first race of the season for the North West Classic was a bit of a, do I or don’t I race, with fanciers not sure about the weather and with the race a few don’t send there anyway and Guernsey is not the best place to race from but it is the best of a bad situation.  As it turned out it was a steady race with the winning vels being above 1200ypm.

Nigel Shaw relaxing at the NWCC marking while roger sutton inspects

In this race 43 members entered 391 birds from a 10-45 liberation in a strong east wind flying for £1,701 in prizes and pools.

1st Open 1st section A goes to Stephen Turnock picking up £317.32.

Steve Turnock with his winner & Steven Turnock lofts

My first bird from Guernsey with the NWCC is a 2yo gay pied hen and is a previous winner having won 1st club Cheltenham. She is raced on the roundabout system and is exercised once each day for 1hr around home. My birds had one training toss from 14mls and have had none since. Her sire is a chequer w/f who won a couple of prizes, but his sire won 6x1sts along with 3^rd 5^th 8^th 11^th in the North staffs Fed 5/6,000 birds. He is a Flor Engles pigeon paired to a hen from Jimmy Gibbons from the Up North Combine. She won 1^st section L National FC Angers. G-d is a chequer hen bred and raced by Liam Claughan winner of 3x1sts as a yearling and not raced after that. The winner’s dam is a blue w/f winner of 2x1sts club 1^st NS Fed plus several other prizes and again bred by L Claughan. Five brothers to the blue w/f hen won many prizes including 3x1sts Staffs & Moorlands breeder buyer. 1^st Carentan Packmore open raced by Anthony Whieldon (Winkie) from Stoke-on-Trent. 3^rd breeder buyer Staffs Fed raced by Liam. I took the first three in the club Frome 18/6. 1^st & 7^th Fedplus 2^nd and 3^rd in the first 30. Well done to the winners on what was a good racing day. SW Turnock”

2nd open 2nd section A is won by J Wood & Son from Oldham winning £140. They clocked a 2 yr widowhood cock which is a crossing of Lambrecht/Herman/Ceusters that also won 1st club 1st fed 1st Amal 2,035 pigeons. The race team are on the widowhood system until the first channel race and then paired to give more time to spend with the ybs. The ybs are raced on the darkness system right to the last race of the season. They are fed on Versele-laga varimax, Gerry plus, diet 2000 with homoform added. They send their congratulations to the winners and a well done to the race controller Roger, this turned out a good race. 

J Wood & Son 2nd sec 2nd Open

3^rd 5^th 6^th open 1^st 2^nd 3^rd section B, all go to Graham Mackay over at Swinton with £364.87. Graham is probably one of the most consistent winners in this club, have won prizes year after year producing many winners. In this Guernsey race all 3 hens have been racing on the roundabout system and all fed on a basic widowhood mix. Graham went on to say that all the hens were given a 2-mile training toss back to the cock as the race approached. Graham has a very good team that are all based on the Hereman Ceusters bred down from the John Wheatcroft birds that were purchased in 2009.

4^th open 3^rd section A are won by B & G Smith from Congleton with a 3yo hen flown on their own variation of the Roundabout System. She had been to all the inland races in our local club leading up to this race so had been worked well. She is bred from a pair of De Rauw Sablon stock birds we purchased off Roger Lowe and crossed with a gift bird off Rick & Simon Geary of Macclesfield.

B & G Smith 3rd sec A 4th Open

7^th open 4^th section A sees Slawek Tomczak from Macclesfield win £20. “I started racing with the Macclesfield FC in 2016 and it took a few seasons to learn the methods and feeding systems. The base strain of my birds are Leo Hermans from Curtis-Wall-Lunt and local fanciers who kindly gave me birds off their stock pigeons. I race on the roundabout system and keep about 20 pair. I have had a few good performances since starting up including several good positions in the North West Classic Club. This season provisionally 1st Border Amal (awaiting results). In the National Flying Club 1st race gained 6th Section L and in the second National race took 23rd Section L and this week I was 3rd Section L. In the NWCC Guernsey (1st race), I took 4th Section A 7th open with a blue yearling roundabout cock that scored several times in the Macclesfield FC. The sire of the cock is Leo Heremans off stock from Alan Curtis and Gary Wall when paired to a Bosma off Ray Lunt”. 

Slawek Tomczak 4th sec 7th open

8^th open 4^th section B goes to M & H Smith in Middlewich £18.22. The bird in question is a red cock that was given as a gift from D&K Harris from Newport, the red cock was part of 4 bird race kit given to try in 2020. I picked the red cock because my mum always like reds, my dad and uncle Tom who used to race as Smith Bros raced a good red cock many years ago in the Middlewich club/Middlewich 2b and Mid Cheshire fed. The cock is the old Busschaert lines and Dave told me these birds would be around the result once the velocity dropped and the day became harder, how right he was. The red cock was lost as a youngster in his first race and was reported in Walsall walking around outside the Matalan store (my mum always like a bargain) so he was named Matalan with the family.

Mark Smith 4th sec 8th open

He didn’t race again that year, but I thought he had potential so decided to keep him until 2021 to try again as a yearling, he proved to be a consistent racer although never found his day. This year he has been in the top 5 returns to the loft on several occasions and was the first bird back in the NWCC very strong North East wind. The racing system for this year has changed a few times until I was happy with it and the below is a breakdown on the system. The birds are given herbs and tonics as prescribed by Gary Spavin, Gary also checks the bird’s health on a regular basis and is always on hand to give advice and criticism plus he’s a Liverpool fan. 

The corn I use has slightly changed but in basis is GEM advised by Gavin and Sue Mr and Mrs Wildemesrsch mixed with a diet mix from Beyers, recently Vanrobueys Plattuwe has been added towards the end of the week. Vitamins are given on a Tuesday and a probiotic is also added onto the corn, garlic oil used to dampen it. I would just like to finish by thanking Dave, Gavin, Sue and Gary who I know, I drive mad at times with some crazy ideas.

9^th Open 5^th section B is won by Eric Taylor the Goostrey £58.23.

10th open 1st section C is won up in Preston by A Jones & Son winning £70 with a 2yo blue cock that is out of an egg from Martin Gorka. There are two photos, one is of Alan Jones who passed away last year, and the other is of son Stephen.

The late Alan Jones relaxing & Stephen Jones 1st sec C

11th 12th 13th open 2nd 3rd 4th section C see Mr & Mrs DW Cox from Warrington had a good race clocking three close together to take 2^nd 3^rd 4^th section C 11^th 12^th 13^th open. Their first and third in the clock are two from Lee Owen that are based on the Syndicate lofts pigeons that are winning all over the place. They are two blue cocks raced on the widowhood and record vels of 1199/1198/1197ypm. The other being the old Tipton Barkers that are meant to be distance pigeons, but they are winning in the land races at this loft. Darren was saying that he could not do the pigeons without his wife Joan who is with the birds from 6.30am exercising them, cleaning out and feeding them. Darren’s work does not allow him the time in the morning so is heavily reliant on Joan who does a good job with the pigeons, and without her he would not be able to competitively race pigeons. Darren went on to say that his dad William was not a pigeon man, but his grandfather was. Not only was grandfather a pigeon man, but he also raced milers and had 6 greyhounds, a busy man indeed.

There were 13 other payments in pool money going down to 101^st open. This is a difficult time for the National and classic races, but it looks as if we are getting there. I find it odd that DEFRA are putting these restrictions on us after all these years and I very much doubt if it is anything to do with Brexit. Somewhere along the line they have picked up some information that they did not have before. The problem is, what is that information and where did it come from, I doubt if it was a racing pigeon fancier.

Results.

The South West Cheshire Fed’s latest race was from Newton Abbott when 41 members sent 538 birds to be liberated at 9.30am in a strong west south west wind. The wind was certainly a factor with the winning vels topping the 1800ypm mark. I remember the late George Stubbs from Sandbach telling me that tail winds suited him because the other club members did not have as much overfly time on him, he did add, “But the best races are when the wind is on their nose”. The one thing about racing pigeons is that they all must be won no matter what the conditions are on the day, and no matter what the conditions the pigeons need to be quick thinkers on the day to take the red card. George was a great character especially when we had the lunchtime gatherings at Fodens over in Sandbach where they had their own pigeon club. They were the days to race pigeons when there were 30 plus members in several of the local clubs. Anyway, let’s get back to the latest race in this fed when Marcus Rigney took the top two positions in the Winsford Club and fed recording vels of 1816/1813ypm. Mel Bratt continues to fly a good pigeon in the Winsford club and takes the next two in the club on 1775/1774ypm. 1^st in the Crewe West End and 3^rd fed goes to my RR mate Bob Humphries on 1801ypm and was 4^th club with his next on the clock. The other two top four club positions go to Mr & Mrs Nigel Shaw on 1797ypm 2^nd and Mr & Mrs Richard Young recording a vel of 1783ypm for 3^rd club.  4^th & 10^th Fed racing with the Hanklow club making it a good day, go to Mr & Mrs Nigel Shaw who take 7 of the top 8 in the club. Splitting them is Joe Glover who finished 3^rd club on 1778ypm. W Wilson & Son Billy collect another red card in the Middlewich 5B and 6^th fed on 1793ypm with a 2yo chequer cock. Also, in the 5B are M&H Smith recording vels of 1790/1789ypm after clocking a 2yo blue and a yearling chequer both cocks. 4^th club goes to K Bosson & Son on 1788ypm with a 2yo chequer cock. The first 4 in the M5B also come home with 6^th 7^th 8^th 9^th fed. That leaves the Greenbank club where Charlie Peel continues his good run collecting another red card plus 3^rd on 1760/1755ypm. John Peever is 2^nd clocking up 1755ypm with Mick Stockton 4^th with a vel of 1745ypm. The Mid Cheshire Fed only went as far as Cheltenham because the weather forecast was not brilliant. As it turned out I am told that the returns were better from the birds down out of Newton Abbott 100mls further down the road flying into the area where the winners topped 1800ypm. This is one of those occasions when changes are made on the weather forecast which was nowhere near as bad as initially suggested, a case of whatever is done does not suit everyone. Even so the birds at Cheltenham had a close competitive fought race with vels close on the result. This is a good fed on today’s entries with 123 members sending 1,908 birds that were liberated at 9.60hrs in a south west wind. The ever-present partnership of Curtiss-Wall-Lunt racing with the Acton Bridge club once again take the top four positions with three yearlings and a 2yo recording vels of 1788/1777 (2)/1776ypm. This is not the first time they have topped the fed against over 100 members and good birdage. The next 4 positions go to Mr & Mrs Carl Hickman from the Kingsway club with 3 yearlings and a 3yo recording vels of 1774/1771/1770/1764ypm. I was looking back in the results and see that in an earlier Cheltenham race the positions were reversed with Carl taking the first 4 and CWL the next 4 positions and in that race, they were also clocking up over 1700ypm. 1^st club 9^th open goes to R & D Gaskell racing with the Tyldesley club to record a vel of 1763ypm with a yearning. The top 10 in the fed is completed with Leigh & Atherton winner S Kennedy. Mark Smith from the Middlewich FC is 1^st club 1^st South Section 11thfed. Kingsway see the first 8 from their club in the top 40 of the fed from the 18 member clubs who have entered the race. There are also 7 of the member clubs where the same fanciers have taken the top three positions. The South West Cheshire Fed’s latest race was from Frome when 34 members entered 427 birds that were liberated at 9.15am in a north, north east wind. Mr & Mrs Nigel Shaw from the Hankelow club had a good race taking 1^st 3^rd 4^th 5^th 7^th club 1^st 7^th fed the winning vel was 1272ypm. All in all, they didn’t have a bad weekend with the Nationals as well. Stopping a clean sweep was the evergreen Joe Glover 3^rd club 4^th fed after recording a vel of 1268ypm.  Also having a good race was Charlie Peel with 1^st 2^nd 3^rd 4^th 8^th 9^th club 2^nd 5^th fed, the first being on the same yard as the fed winner. I am told that Charlie is in his late 80’s and has won all but one race in the club to date. 3^rd fed goes to Mike & Keith Hitchin who had four in the first 6 of the club with the first being on 1268ypm. Coming in between are G&A&C Jones 2^nd club 9^th Fed. The Crewe West End winners and also 3^rd are Mr & Mrs Richard Young who are also 6^th fed o 1260/1218ypm. 2^nd in the same club are Mr & Mrs Keith Lovatt on 1223ypm with Bob Humphries 4^th recording a vel of 1213ypm. W Wilson & Son collect another red card in the Middlewich 5B after clocking up 1258ypm with a blue cock. Jones Bros & Karen Jones are 2^nd club 10^th fed on 1253ypm while 3^rd & 4^th go to Dave Pritchard on 1242/1240ypm.  

Les Parkinson. 11 Rushton Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 0NJ. Tel: +44 (0)1606 836036. Mob: +44 (0)7871 701585. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web site: http://www.elimarpigeons.com