“The Original” Around The Up North Combine
1st Federation and 1st Roy “Chubby” Brown Show Race, for Golly, Linda, Tubby, Evo & Frankie
By Good Corn
The Up North Combine weather committee put their votes in on Wednesday 22nd May which resulted in 17 Feds 1 voting to basket the Ypres, Belgium birds the following day, but with some not so good weather forecasted for the Saturday there was a possibility the birds could be liberated on Friday 24th May providing the birds got to the race point in time with the ruling being the birds cannot be liberated before 10am to give the working lads and lases to be home in time to see their birds home. News came through around 8am that the transporters reached the liberation site at 6.05am on Friday morning with Chief Convoyer Peter Maw looking to liberate the birds at 10am, with a update accordingly. The second message came through that the birds were liberated at 10.10am flying into a north-west wind, this surprised a lot of fanciers as they believed after travelling some 15 hours the birds deserved a lot longer rest before been liberated, along with them I felt the same and this was talked about as soon as the fanciers received the information the birds were up and not after the race. But not everyone agreed that the four hours rest was not long enough, but I stand by what I first said, and no one will change my mind, we have to think of the welfare of the birds.
The Brotton H/S loft of Mr & Mrs Golly “Graham” & Linda Peirson, Tubby “Graham” Purver, Evo “Ian” Everington & Frankie Rolands timed a couple of their entries to win 1st and 3rd Club with the red card winner being a 2y chequer Rietvink Van Loon Porous Herbots cock of Galaxy Lofts bloodlines recording a chart-topping vel of 1387 to win an outstanding 1st East Cleveland Federation from a 61 members entry of 883 birds. The pole position winning cock won a brilliant 1st Club, 2nd Fed, 14th Up North Combine Ypres last season from a convoy of 8,775 birds. The sire of the cock was an outstanding racer for Evo where he won 1st Club, 1st Fed Burbure, 1st Club, 3rd Fed Lillers, 3rd Fed Lillers, 1st Club, 14th Fed Peterborough, 4th Club Reims, 2nd Roy “Chubby” Brown Show race, then retired from racing due to a Hawk attack. Evo flew a very good channel Pigeon at Skelton Green before he came to help out at Golly, Linda & Tubby's loft, I really highly rate Evo as a channel flyer and his top performance at Club, Fed and Combine level proves that. The green card was netted by a 2018 bred blue hen through “Dino” making 1355 to lift 18th Fed and round off a top-drawer performance. The loft of Reg Wilson, Ray More & Partners had a couple of their entries in the points to lift 2nd and 6th Club with the fancied blue card scoring 5y racking up a vel of 1371 to pot 11th Fed and 2nd £2 Fed Nom claiming £24.40. This has been a good honest Pigeon for Reg & Ray over the years including taking 5th Club, 14th Fed, 2nd £2 Fed Nom Burbure (1) in 2018 when beaten by two loft mates that won 1st and 3rd Club, 4th and 11th Fed, 68th and 245th UNC with the winner also winning 1st £2 Fed Nom. In 2017 3rd Club, 9th Fed, 1st £1, £2 Fed Noms and 101st UNC Eastbourne (1) National was taken when beaten by a loft mate who won 1st Club, 4th Fed 77th UNC. Frank & Brenda Reilly & son Wayne timed a yearling on 1348 to pocket 4th Club, 28th Federation.
It’s good to see Mr & Mrs Bob & Babs Moore win 1st Club at the Brotton 6 Bird Club with Bob & Babs pole position winning home-bred yearling chequer pied Syndicate Lofts lines bred out of Brian Clennan stock recording a chart-topping vel of 1384 which was enough to win a brilliant 2nd Fed. Babs was Club Secretary for a number of years with the lass doing a brilliant job in running the Club, everything had to be right and by hell it was where Babs was concerned. She always put her heart and soul into the Secretary's job and Bob was always there in full support whenever needed. Bob would often be seen doing the odd jobs at the Club headquarters to help save the Club forking out well-earned cash to anyone else doing the job. I have known Bob & Babs for years and I hold the up most respect to them both, in and out of the sport. Mr & Mrs Golly & Linda Peirson, Tubby Purver, Evo & Frankie had no less than three of their six entries in the points to lift 2nd, 3rd and 6th Club with the blue card going to a 2y blue Rietvink Janssen x Van Braune cock on 1346 for 30th Fed; Evo had to get the needle and cotton out to stitch up the cock due to a injury during the race. The green card was awarded to a yearling Evo lines Van Loon cock making 1331 for 38th Fed; and he was followed by a 2y through Evo's 1st Up North Combine Gold Medal winning “Evo's Lad”. The partnership of my old mate Vic Garbutt, the late Brian “Rusty” Stone & Brian “Mac” McCormick netted 4th Club with a yearling and they were followed by Frank & Brenda Reilly & son Wayne's 3y blue Heremans Ceusters blue cock.
Onto Boosbeck where David Coates timed two early birds to win 1st and 2nd Club with the red card winning 2y achieving a top vel of 1382 to go onto score a notable 3rd Fed; while the blue card potting 3y racked up a vel of 1379.953 to chalk up a equally notable 4th Fed to round off a very good day for the lad. Although David flies in a small Club his birds have achieved some very good performances in the Fed from the channel over the years. Ian “Knocker” Brown pockets 3rd Club with a yearling. The late George Skidmore & grand/sons Michael & Liam Jackson leads the way at Lingdale with top spot being won by a yearling making 1351 for 22nd Fed. Leather Brothers timed a 2y to lift 2nd Club.
Moving onto Marske & New Marske where the loft of Paul Longstaff, Jeff Moore & Ronnie Mackay filled a couple of cells to win 1st and 3rd Club to record their second win of the season. With top spot being won by a well-fancied yearling home-bred blue flipey widowhood cock off stock obtained from Anth Moore of Guisborough H/S achieving a winning vel of 1378.951 which was enough to go onto score a cracking 5th Fed winning 1st £1, £2, £5 Fed Noms banking £172.00. The chart-topping cock is winning his second race of the season for he won 1st Club, 22nd Fed out of the Folkestone National. The green card was awarded to a 1y grizzle cock who like the winner was bred from Jeff's son Anth Moore stock.
Ronnie Mackay, Paul Longstaff & Jeff Moore of Marske & New Marske winning 1st Club, 5th East Cleveland Federation Ypres.
Paul Longstaff is a former trawlerman, who for years worked on ships out of Hartlepool. Paul is a Marske lad and has always had a love of pigeons; in between fishing trips he used to help out at the loft of the late Harry Middlemas, but the job meant it was impossible to get into racing as he wanted to. When Harry died, Paul took over the loft and by a happy coincidence met Jeff Moore who had recently moved to Marske from Guisborough and got a nearby allotment.
Jeff is from a well-known Guisborough pigeon family, flying successfully as J. Moore and Sons, one of whom was Anthony, now one of the most successful flyers in the UNC in his own right. Jeff's own dad Bill was also a very successful flyer in Guisborough HS, having won the News of the World trophy in1954 and many other races. I knew Bill and his good lady wife as they used to visit Skinningrove WMC on a regular basis, with them both been very popular with the people of Skinningrove. Jeff and his wife Dawn, although Guisborough born and bred, had decided life by the sea would be a nice change and so moved down a few years ago. Jeff had retired from pigeon racing and had no intention of becoming involved again, but after a lot of ear bending from Paul and lots of beer in the Cricket Club, Jeff agreed to give Pigeons another go. Paul gave up his job on the trawlers and got a shore job five minutes away from the loft and they were up and running.
Ronnie has no background in pigeons, but had a nearby allotment and became interested seeing the birds exercising and returning from races, so joined the partnership and is learning fast,
currently in charge of the young bird loft.
Back to the result where we see the inform loft of Jimmy Reed time a 3y blue Vandenabeele roundabout hen to lift 2nd Club, 13th Fed on 1368. I have known Jimmy who is a lifelong member of the sport a great many years, Jimmy has enjoyed much success in that time with him winning numerous races and averages along the way. Jimmy is also the previous winner of the UNC Danish Cup of Friendship for the best two bird performance from Beauvais in 1981 when he scored 2nd and 3rd Club, 4th and 5th Fed, 8th and 11th Up North Combine from a convoy of 17,305 birds. Clubmates Jack “The Lad” Brown & Tony Hunt were the winners of 1st Club, 3rd Fed and 3rd Up North Combine that day winning a Combine Bronze Medal. 4th Club Ypres went to Tony Hunt with the yellow card being netted by Tony's ultra-consistent 4y red cock who is bred from his “SED Cock”.
The inform Skelton Green loft of Bowden Bros Mick & Boss and Trevor Mitchell of Guisborough recorded their seventh consecutive win (I'm sure they never sent to the first race of the season) after timing no fewer than five of their squad to win 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th Club. With the red card winner being a 2y Kavanagh Busschaert knocking out a vel of 1378 which was enough to net 7th Fed. The blue card was chalked up by a yearling widowhood hen making 1373 to lift 10th Fed and the green was taken by the lads good 2y Van Loon cock who won 1st Club, 3rd Fed from the Folkestone National, this time with a vel of 1359 the cock claims 16th Fed and he was followed by a 4y Kavanagh Busschaert. Des Williams and his right-hand man Roger Wall stopped the dry rub after timing a yearling grizzle Busschaert hen doing 1351 for 24th Fed.
The Club has seen two lofts leave the sport since the season started, with Derek Winspear & son Mark calling it a day due to Derek's health after starting to get a good team of Pigeons together. And then Alan Wright who enjoyed much success at Brotton H/S a number of years ago before moving loft to Skelton Green flying as Alan & David Wright, where the lads flew a very good Pigeon winning many Club averages and being highest prize-winners a number of times. I don't think Tony “Banno” Bannister has flown this year and I'm unsure if Terry “Benno” Bennison, Andy Thompson, Andrew & Jackie Wynn or Alan Beverley have sent this year, I was told that Alan Beverley had moved lofts which now houses a few young birds so here's hoping the lad gets the chance to race his babies this year. A depleted Skelton Green H/S which has being dominated by Mick, Boss & Trevor but let’s not forget that the three lads are still very competitive in the Fed; with their 1st, 2nd and 3rd Club Newark Show Ground winning trio scoring 3rd, 5th and 7th Fed when there was 1,767 birds competing. Their Oakham (1) winner chalked up 7th Fed from a convoy of 1,937 birds while their 1st, 2nd and 3rd Club Oakham (2) winners claimed 5th, 6th and 12th Fed out of 1,632 birds. Moving onto Chelmsford (1) where their red card winner potted 7th Fed when there were 1,536 birds away and this was followed up by winning 1st and 2nd Club, 3rd and 8th Fed Folkestone National from 1,041 birds. The Oakham (3) race turned out to be their worst Fed performance of the season and no way am I knocking the lads for winning 1st and 2nd Club 20th and 21st Fed out of 1,350 birds. I take my hat off to Mick, Boss & Trevor for their top performance so far this season and believe me you will hear a lot more about them throughout the season.
Next stop is Skinningrove H/S 12/212 where the partnership of Sayers Bros Dave, the late Kenny & Brian recorded their first win of the season after timing two 2y to win 1st and 3rd Club, 9th and 32nd Fed on 1376 and 1342. Tich Richards & Alice Marsay also had a couple of 2y on the clock to pot 2nd and 4th Club, 31st and 36th Fed on 1345 and 1335.
Ged & Susan Hampson of Redcar have successfully run the Roy “Chubby” Brown Show Race over the past few years, which has now been running a great number of years where there has been some very good money flown for. When this event first started it was flown from the Up North Combine first channel race which was Lillers (1) at the time, although the race points have changed over the years the Show Race is still staged from the first channel race wherever it has been from. This year’s event from the Ypres race paid out three cash prizes which was raised from the show entries and five Pigeon product prizes were also on offer which were kindly donated by Mr & Mrs Andrews of Oakham in Rutland and a £50 cash prize kindly sponsored by Bill Heslop of Brotton for the first yearling clocked. 1st prize was won by the 1st Brotton H/S and 1st East Cleveland Federation winning loft of Mr & Mrs Golly “Graham” & Linda Peirson, Tubby “Graham” Purver, Evo “Ian” Everington & Frankie Rolands with a top vel of 1387 to win £435.00 and the Roy “Chubby” Brown Cup which will be presented along with all the other money prize money at the Redcar Central Flying Club presentation evening held at the Redcar Citizens Priory Club on Lord Street Redcar on Saturday 23rd November. The 2nd prize was won by Paul Longstaff, Jeff Moore & Ronnie Mackay of Marske & New Marske with their 1st Club 5th Fed winner recording 1378 to bank £181.25, the cock also wins the £50 prize for the first yearling clocked. Graham Jones & Steven Dewing of Guisborough H/S the 1st Club, 2nd North Yorkshire Federation winners are in 3rd spot on 1362 pocketing £108.75. Bowden Bros Mick & Boss and Trevor Mitchell of Skelton Green take 3rd with their 3rd Club, 16th Fed scorer doing 1359 to win a bag of Natural all seasons corn, a tub of Safflower and a tub of TK Conditioner. Lawrie & Ransome of Dormanstown are in 5th place on 1352 winning a bog of Natural all seasons corn, a tub of Safflower and a bottle of 500ml Bamfords Flax Oil. Bob McGillicuddy of Redcar Central F C takes 6th on 1342 winning a bag of Natural all seasons corn, a tub of TK Conditioner and a pack of Pickstone. Allen Stevenson the Guisborough H/S and North Yorks Federation Secretary claims 7th position on 1338 winning a tub of TK Conditioner and a pack of Pickstone. Paul Burniston & son Danny of Redcar Central F C take 8th on 1331 winning a tub of TK Conditioner and a pack of Pickstone. Ged & Susan would like to thank Mr & Mrs Andrews of Oakham in Rutland for kindly donation the various pigeon product prizes.
Moving onto the Teesside Federation 291 birds the inform Billingham T U H/S 81 birds Ali “Mac” McLeod records his six win of the season after timing four birds to win 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club, 4th, 6th, 13th and 17th Fed on 1351, 1344, 1327 and 1306. With the red card winning 2y blue Vandenabeele hen taking 2nd Fed pools and £30.00, she was inform from the channel last season winning 1st Club, 2nd Fed, 24th UNC Burbure (1) from a convoy of 10,633 birds and then winning 1st Club, 1st Fed, 10th UNC Ypres when there was 8,775 birds competing The hen is half-sister to Ali's 1st UNC Burbure Gold Medal winning “Gaby Lou” sharing the same mother, while the sire of Mac's winner is half-brother to the sire of “Gaby Lou”. A fantastic line coming from Ali's old number one Vandenabeele cock. The blue card was chalked up by a yearling blue hen who is from one of Ali's good racing cock, while the green card was awarded to a 2017 bred blue Vandenabeele hen who is half-sister to “Gaby Lou” sharing the same sire, the hen won 1st Club, 3rd Fed out of the Folkestone National two weeks ago. The yellow card was netted by a 1y blue hen who took 7th Fed the previous week from Oakham (3) when beaten by six loft mates, the hens dam is from “Gaby Lou” paired back to her grand/father and kept for stock while the sire of the blue hen is direct off M & D Evans Koen 7 pair. Brian Atkinson & Keith Perkins the 1st Club, 3rd Fed Chelmsford (1) winners timed a yearling chequer hen to take 19th Fed on 1304 with the young hen being the previous scorer of 5th Club, 6th Fed young bird Worksop (2) when beaten by two loft mates that netted 2nd and 4th Club, 2nd and 4th Federation.
The Haverton Hill partnership of Andrew “Jappa” Appleton & Paul Longstaff who topped the GYA the previous week enjoyed another good week after timing no less than four of their entries in the space of three seconds to win a top-notch 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club 94 birds, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th Fed. With top spot being won by a 2y blue hen on 13.44.2 and winning the 25p Club pools netting £23.24 and she was followed by a yearling blue pied hen on 1344.16. The green card scoring yearling chequer hen and the yellow card potting 2y blue cock touched down together to achieve vels of 1344.10. Jappa & Paul timed a fifth bird their well-fancied yearling blue pied cock who won the Club 50p and £1 pools banking another £22.50.
Well that’s me done and dusted 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.