“The Original” Around The Up North Combine
Outstanding Bronze Medal Winning Season For Appleton & Longstaff
By Good Corn
Due to unforeseen circumstances the Haverton Hill 2018 presentation evening was cancelled, so the very hard working Club Secretary Tommy Barron who is not racing Pigeons at this present time decided to present the silverware and prize money to the members at the Clubhouse. Myself and Hayden went along to Haverton Hill on the Saturday morning to take a few photos of the winners receiving their prizes. Tommy did ask me to present the prizes but I believed it was only right for Tommy himself to have that honour, simply because by looking at the extra trophies after the 2017 presentation night he has worked really, really hard in bettering the Club. There are other behind the scene thing that have greatly improved in Tommy's time as Club Secretary, proving Tommy is a very good Secretary indeed, only wanting what's best for the Club and let's not forget he is not racing Pigeons at this moment in time. I take my hat off to Tommy for achieving what he has achieved for the Club and the members in a very short time. The Club sent a total of 2,603 birds throughout the 2018 racing season with 1,569 of them being sent to the old bird races and the remaining 1,034 birds being sent to the nine young bird races, with the Club paying out £1,710.68 and a further £480.00 paid out in points money which worked out at £2 a point this year. Tommy gave a short speech where he asked for a minutes silence in respect for my late and greatly missed wife Carole, Tommy also paid thanks to Roy Strange for running the weekly Minute Draw. I know this doesn’t make up for the missed payout night but it does give me the chance to try and give the members some credit for their 2018 racing performances, and it's a lot better than just handing the members their trophies in a box after the very hard work Tommy has put in obtaining the fantastic array of silverware.
Top loft in Haverton Hill for the 2018 racing season was the partnership of Andrew “Jappa” Appleton & Paul “Skunky” Longstaff who enjoyed an outstanding season winning a fantastic 14 x 1st, 11 x 2nd, 12 x 3rd, 4 x 4th Clubs winning a total of 125pts. The two lads won £640.63 in prize money, £50.00 in Noms, and £125.00 out of the Ring Scheme. Jappa & Skunky's were the winners of the “George Gamble Memorial Young Bird National Trophy”, “Bob Harrod Memorial Reims Trophy”, “George Gamble Memorial Best Two Old Bird Nationals Average Trophy”, “Alan Mulloy Memorial Eastbourne Trophy”, “Terry Galasher Memorial Roye Trophy”, the Old Bird Inland Average Trophy”, “Channel Average”, “Old Bird Of The Year Trophy”, “Billy & Sue, Station Hotel Young Bird Average Trophy” and the “Combined Average Trophy”. Andrew & Paul's brilliant season started when they had a couple of birds on the clock at old bird Bubwith where they notched up 5th and 7th spot with their well-fancied second timer winning the £1 Pool netting £7.00. The two lads had three birds on the clock the following week at Newark to score a notable 2nd, 3rd and 5th Club with their blue card potting yearling chequer cock going onto lift 11th Teesside Federation. The lads green card claimer was a 1y blue hen and she was followed by a 2016 bred blue pied cock who won the £1 Nom pocketing £17,75.
Tommy Barron presenting silverware to Paul Longstaff of top prizewinners Andrew Appleton & Paul Longstaff.
The partnership hit winning form from the third race Chelmsford (1) when no less than three of the lads entries were timed to win a cracking 1st, 3rd and 4th Club out of an entry of 252 birds with the pole position winning 2y blue hen that was just under 4 minutes in front of the rest of the field winning the 10p Pools pocketing £39.90 going onto score an outstanding 2nd Fed from a convoy of 926 birds. The green card was awarded to a 3y blue hen that went onto net 20th Fed and she was followed by the yellow card potting yearling blue pied hen. Andrew & Paul recorded their second win on the bounce out of the Eastbourne National when a couple of birds were timed to win a top-notch 1st and 2nd Club when there was 170 birds away. With the duo's red card winner being the 2017 bred chequer cock that took 3rd Club Newark when beaten by a loftmate that netted 2nd Club, 11th Fed, This time the winning hen wins the 25p Pools netting £35.83 and going onto win a notable 4th Fed out of 586 birds winning 1st £5 Fed Pools pocketing £60.00 and 110th Up North Combine from a convoy of 18,545 birds. The blue card was awarded to a 2016 bred chequer hen that chalked up 6th Fed, 169th Combine, they also timed a 1y blue hen to lift 6th spot and a later yearling to lift 2nd Yearling Nom to round off a very good day.
Silverware won by the outstanding 14 x 1st Clubs partnership of Andrew Appleton & Paul Longstaff
A single bird was on the clock out of Oakham (1) to pot 4th Club with the yellow card scorer being a 2y blue pied hen. Jappa & Skunky returned to the winners' enclosure the following week when the birds were at the first French race Burbure (1) after no fewer than five of the lads channel team were timed to win a notable 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th Club when there was 81 birds away, Jappa & Skunky who have flown a very good channel bird over the years where they have won a number of Club and Federation Channel Averages red card winning yearling blue hen that topped the Club charts by 23 minutes winning the 25p Pools lifting £18.76 going onto win an awesome 1st Fed by 21 minutes out of an entry of 382 birds, 1st £5 Fed Pools banking £55.00, 1st Section 5 winning £177.83, and going on even future to win an earth-shattering 3rd Up North Combine winning a Combine Bronze Medal from a convoy of 10,633 birds. The Bronze Medal winning blue hen also won the UNC “Captain George Trophy” for the first yearling. The green card was chalked up by a 1y blue hen that won the 50p and £1 Pools lifting £14.00 and going onto pot 8th Fed, 44th UNC; and she was followed by a 2017 bred chequer cock who took 14th Fed, 156th UNC. The overjoyed duo's remaining couple of timers notched up 16th and 17th Fed, 197th and 210th Combine to round off a most memorable days racing.
Onto Oakham (2) where a single well-fancied yearling blue cock was timed to lift 3rd Club winning the 25p, 50p and £1 Pools banking £15.25. The following week the birds were back over the pond at the second French race Roye but due to the bad weather the birds were brought back closer to home and liberated at Burbure (2), with this proving another outstanding race for Jappa & Skunky after they had three of their squad on the clock to win a top-notch 1st, 2nd and 5th Club out of 46 birds. The chart-topping and very reliable channel flying 4y chequer cock won the £1 down Club Pools lifting £26.98, 2nd Fed out of 140 birds, 2nd £5 Fed Pools and a well-earned 13th UNC when there were 4,051 birds competing. The blue card was chalked up by a yearling blue hen who went onto lift a notable 4th Fed, 31st UNC; while the boys third timer was a 2017 bred chequer hen that potted a useful 10th Fed, 182nd Combine, and then a fourth bird was clocked to lift 19th Fed. The birds were back on English soil the following week at Chelmsford (2) when Andrew & Paul racked up their second win on the trot after having a trio of their entries on the clock to win a cracking 1st, 3rd and 4th Club with the red card being won by the yearling blue hen that was 2nd Club, 4th Fed, 31st UNC out of Burbure (2) the previous week. This time the hen wins the 25p Pools lifting £26.25 and 5th Fed out of an entry of 425 birds. The green card was netted by a yearling chequer cock who went onto claim 14th Fed and he was followed by another 2017 bred chequer cock to round off another winning performance.
The inform Jappa & Skunky recorded a hat-trick of wins at Oakham (3) where no fewer than four of their team were timed to win a very nice 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th Club out of 75 birds with the red card being won by the yearling blue cock who took 2nd Club, 11th Fed out of Newark, this time the fancied cock won the 50p Pools lifting £34.15 and going onto score 5th Fed. While the blue card potting 1y blue hen who was five seconds behind the winner and who was 3rd Club behind him from Newark wins the £1 Pools this week pocketing £10.00 and then going onto chalk up 6th Fed. The hen also has a 1st Club, 4th Fed, 110th UNC Eastbourne National to her credit this season. Third on the clock was the yearling chequer cock who potted 4th Club the previous week out of Chelmsford (2), this time the cock claims 12th Fed. Andrew & Paul churned out win number four on the bounce from the Maidstone National where they timed four birds to win an outstanding 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 7th Club, with pole position being won by a well-fancied 2017 blue hen who won the £1 down Pools pocketing £39.13 and the Club Nom that was won for the first time this season to bank another £108.00. The chart-topping hen went onto score a cracking 2nd Fed from 378 birds, 1st Fed Nom, 1st £5 Fed Pools racking up another £60.00 and 35th UNC from a convoy of 11,782 birds. No wonder the winning hen was the lads fancied Pigeon for she was the previous winner of 3rd Club Newark, 1st Club, 4th Fed, 110th UNC Eastbourne National and 2nd Club, 6th Fed Oakham (3) the previous race which was more than enough to win her the Club Old Bird Of The Year title. The blue card was awarded to the fancied yearling blue hen who won 1st Club, 5th Fed Chelmsford (2) who this week pots 3rd Fed, 2nd £5 Fed Pools taking £30.00 and 40th UNC; while the green card potting 1y blue cock went onto lift 4th Fed, 3rd £5 Fed Pools claiming £15.00 and 117th Combine and he was followed by a 1y blue hen taking 17th Fed to see off another brilliant days racing for Andrew & Paul.
The true to form Andrew & Paul recorded their fifth consecutive win at the fourth channel race Reims when they timed three of their six entries to win a belting 1st, 2nd and 4th Club when there was 31 birds away with pole position being won by non-other than the brilliant well-fancied and pooled to the hilt 4y chequer cock. With the top-notch cock winning the £1 down Pools collecting £24.76, the Club Nom netting £15.00, 1st Fed out of 219 birds, 1st Fed Nom, 1st £5 Fed Pools and a very impressive 11th UNC from a convoy of 3,265 birds. The cock has being a good honest Pigeon for Jappa & Skunky for this was his second win of the season after winning 1st Club, 2nd Fed, 13th UNC Burbure 2 (sub Roye), he also won 1st Club, 1st Fed, 1st Section and 6th UNC Eastbourne (1) National from an entry of 7,474 birds and 1st Club, 2nd Fed and 65th UNC Burbure (2) when there were 9,331 birds competing in 2016. Then in 2017 the very impressive cock won 1st Club, 1st Fed, 4th Section and 36th UNC Reims from a convoy of 4,193 birds; the cock who has scored other positions in his time has certainly more than earned his retirement in the stock loft. Back to the Reims result where the blue card was netted by a fancied 2017 bred blue hen who potted an impressive 2nd Fed, 2nd £5 Fed Pools and 14th UNC. While the yellow card claiming 2y chequer hen went onto lift a very nice 7th Fed, 121st Combine.
Three birds were in the clock out of Oakham (5) where Jappa & Skunky chalked up 2nd and 3rd Club with the blue card going to the yearling chequer cock potting 15th Fed who won 2nd Club, 11th Fed Newark and 1st Club, 5th Fed Oakham (3). While the green card was netted by a 2017 bred blue cock, the lads timed a later fancy bird to win the £1 Pools pocketing £5.25. The curtain came down on Andrew & Paul's outstanding old bird season at the Belgian race point Ypres where they recorded their fourth channel win and ninth old bird win of the campaign after timing three of their squad to win a top-notch 1st, 2nd and 5th Club. With the duo's chart-topping making a name for herself yearling blue hen who won the 10p pools pocketing £6.08, 6th Fed out of 215 birds and 85th UNC from a convoy of 8,775 birds. This is the hens fourth chalk in the first two this season after winning 2nd Club, 4th Fed, 31st UNC Burbure (2) when beaten by a loftmate, 1st Club, 5th Fed Chelmsford (2) and 2nd Club, 3rd Fed, 40th UNC Maidstone National which is a fantastic achievement for a yearling. The blue card was netted by a 1y blue cock who went onto lift 8th Fed, 96th UNC with the cock being the previous scorer of 3rd Club Oakham (2), and 3rd Club, 4th Fed, 117th UNC Maidstone National when beaten by two loftmates. The yellow card was awarded to a 2y chequer hen potting 18th Fed; with the hen being the previous claimer of 2nd Club, 6th Fed, 169th UNC Eastbourne National when beaten by a loftmate. Andrew & Paul's string of outstanding channel performances won them the Teesside Federation Channel Average, which is a fantastic achievement.
Andrew & Paul had really enjoyed a top class old bird season knocking out a number of outstanding team performance from both inland and from over the channel from both France and Belgium, the lads also went onto fly a fantastic young bird. Jappa & Paul started off by timing a couple of blue hens and a red hen at Worksop (1) to chalk up a notable 2nd, 3rd and 5th Club, with the blue card scorer going onto lift 5th Fed claiming 2nd £5 Fed Ring and £35.00. The green card potter collected 11th Fed while the well-fancied yellow card claimer who won the £1 Pools and £8.75 going onto net 15th Fed and winning the Fed Nom. Andrew & Paul went into over-drive a week later at Pontefract (1) when they timed no fewer than eight youngsters to win an awesome 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Club from an entry of 117 birds, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th. 14Th, 15th, 16th and 17th Fed when there was 542 birds competing, with their first three babies being timed within three seconds of each other. The pole position winning blue hen won the 10p Pools raking in £22.23 while the blue card scoring blue pied cock won 1st £5 Fed Ring banking £55.00, the green card was awarded to a chequer hen and the yellow was potted by a blue pied hen. Win number two on the belt was achieved from Worksop (2) when 1st, 2nd and 4th Club was won, with the chart-topping chequer hen winning the 10p Pools racking up £18.34 and going onto score 5th Fed out of an entry of 576 birds. Both the blue and yellow cards were netted by a couple of blue cocks that took 7th and 17th Fed: the lads also clocked a well-fancied red hen to win the £1 Pools lifting £14.00 and also banking another £55.00 for 1st £5 Fed Ring. The money was still rolling in for the blue pied cock who chalked up 2nd Club, 8th Fed, 1st £5 Fed Ring the previous race was on the clock again to lift 2nd £5 Fed Ring and £35.00 prize money.
Moving onto Worksop (3) where the boys had four babies on the clock to lift 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Club with the green going to a blue cock taking 3rd Fed and the yellow being potted by a blue cock claiming 5th Fed. Third on the clock winning the £1 Pools collecting £21.00, 1st Ring Scheme pocketing £65.00, 6th Fed and 1st £5 Fed Ring banking another £55.00 was the red hen that was 4th Club, 15th Fed Worksop (1). She was followed by a blue hen who won 1st £5 Club Ring, 7th Fed and 2nd £5 Fed Ring raking in £35.00. Onto Oakham where 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th Club was taken, with the blue card scoring blue cock that was 3rd Club, 3rd Fed the previous week winning the £1 Pools netting £19.25 and taking 3rd Fed again. The green card was awarded to a blue pied hen taking 9th Fed; and she was followed by the blue pied hen that took 4th Club, 12th Fed Pontefract (1) when beaten by three loftmates. Jappa & Skunky were in the money again for they also timed a blue hen bred by Ali “Mac” McLeod of Billingham fame for the Tees Valley Federation & Teesside Federation Breeder/Buyer where the hen netted 3rd winning £150.00 prize money each. Andrew & Paul went further by clocking a £5 Club Ring to take 2nd and £30.00, no wonder Skunky has a permanent smile on his face.
The boys were back in Town at Chelmsford when they won 1st, 3rd, 4th and 6th Club from an entry of 95 birds with the red card winning blue cock winning the 50p Pools and £30.43 and 12th Fed when there were 436 birds competing. The green card went to the blue hen who won 1st Club, 7th Fed Pontefract (1) and the yellow was netted by a second blue hen. The money claiming duo cashed in again after timing a young chequer hen bred by McMillan & Grossland for the Tees Valley Federation & Teesside Federation Breeder/Buyer where the chequer hen potted 2nd winning £250.00 prize money for each partnership. The lads won for the second race running out of the Maidstone National when they timed three birds to win 1st, 4th and 5th Club from 72 birds, with the pole position winner being the blue cock who won the previous week. This time the double red card winning cock won the 50p Pools netting £24.53, 1st Fed out of an entry of 305 birds, winning the Fed Nom, 1st £5 Fed Pools banking £60.00 and 91st UNC from a convoy of 10,914 birds. The blue hen that took 4th Club the previous week was 4th Club again only this time she took 6th Fed; and she was followed by a well-fancied blue hen who won the Nom and £48.00 and went onto net 11th Fed. The 2018 race season came to a close at Pontefract (2) where the very hard act to follow Andrew & Paul achieved their fifth young bird win and fourteenth win of the season after timing a grizzle cock to win 1st Club and 1st Fed when there were 251 birds competing to end a brilliant season that is going to take some beating.
The partnership of Stuart Lewis, Coby & Amber McCabe were the Clubs second highest prizewinners winning 5 x 1st, 5 x 2nd, 3 x 3rd, 4 x 4th Clubs and 45pts, they were also winners of the “Matty Gamble Memorial Trophy” for old bird Huntingdon, they were also Runners-Up Old Bird Inland Average and Runners-Up Combined Average. Stuart, Coby & Amber won £94.69 in prize money, £150.00 in Yearling Noms and another £165.00 from the Ring Scheme. Stuart, Coby & Amber's old bird season got off to a flying start after timing no fewer than four of their entries to win an outstanding 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th Club with the red card winning 3y chequer cock and the blue card scoring 3y blue cock that were timed two seconds apart going onto chalk up a notable 5th and 6th Fed from a convoy of 776 birds. The trio's yellow card potter was a yearling Welsh rung chequer that that went onto pot 18th Fed to round off a top team performance. Stuart, Coby & Amber's next points were achieved from the Eastbourne National when they netted 4th Club and 1st Yearling Nom with a blue hen. The partnership recorded their second old bird win of the season in fantastic style out of Oakham (1) when they timed three of their squad to win 1st, 2nd and 3rd Club out of an entry of 158 birds with the red card winning 2y blue hen winning the 25p Pool banking £26.80, the blue card scorer was a yearling chequer hen while the green card potter was the blue hen that took 4th Club and 1st Yearling Nom the previous race from the Eastbourne National.
Stuart Lewis of Lewis, Coby & Amber McCabe receiving the old bird Peterborough Trophy and prize money from Tommy Barron.
Stuart, Coby & Amber racked up their second inland win on the bounce and third inland win in six inland races at Huntingdon when a trio of birds were timed to win a very nice 1st, 3rd and 6th Club from an entry of 94 birds with the chart-topping yearling blue pied hen who won the Club by 2 minutes going onto score 11th Fed when there were 458 birds competing. The green card was chalked up by the 2017 bred blue hen who netted 4th Club Eastbourne and 3rd Club out of Oakham (1), this time the hen went onto claim 20th Fed. The inform Stuart, Coby & Amber recorded their third consecutive inland win from Oakham (2) when three of their team were on the clock to win 1st, 5th and 6th Club with the pole position winning 2y blue cock who won the 10p Pools and £17.29 going onto score a very nice 6th Fed when there were 410 birds away. No points were scored out of Burbure 2 (sub Roye) but a yearling chequer pied hen chalked up 2nd £10 Yearling Nom. Onto Chelmsford (2) where 5th spot was taken by a 3y blue hen while their third well-fancied timer won the £1 Pool pocketing £10.50, and this was followed up by netting 3rd Club, 10th Fed Oakham (3) with the yearling blue pied hen who won 1st Club, 11th Fed Huntingdon. A 2y blue hen and a 3y blue hen were on the clock from the Maidstone National where they netted 5th and 6th Club, 10th and 16th Fed.
Onto Oakham (5) the final old bird inland race of the season where once again the “Oakham Specialists” Stuart, Coby & Amber recorded their fifth win of 2018 when they timed no less than four of their entries to win 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th Club from an entry of 56 birds, with the partnerships red card winner that won the 10p Pools pocketing £9.69 and taking a very nice 4th Fed out of 274 birds being their yearling blue pied hen the previous winner of 1st Club, 11th Fed Huntingdon and 3rd Club, 10th Fed Oakham (3). The yellow card was awarded to the 3y blue cock who chalked up 2nd Club, 6th Fed Bubwith on the opening day of the new season when beaten by 2 seconds by his loftmate that won 1st Club, 5th Fed. Stuart, Coby & Amber's third timer was a 2016 bred blue hen and she saw followed by the 2y blue cock who won 1st Club, 6th Fed Oakham (2).
Moving onto the young birds where Stuart, Coby & Amber timed a young blue cock out of Workshop (1) to notch up 5th Club, 18th Fed; and this was followed up by timing a couple of babies at Worksop (2) to lift 5th and 6th spot with first on the clock being a chequer cock who won 1st £5 Ring banking £65.00 and he was followed by a blue hen that netted 2nd £5 Ring pocketing £30,00 to round off a profitable day. Two blue cocks were on the clock out of Oakham to claim 4th and 5th Club, 13th and 18th Fed with the second timer being the previous scorer of 5th Club, 16th Fed Worksop (1). A week later when the birds were at Huntingdon a couple of young chequer cocks were timed to chalk up 2nd and 6th Club with the blue card scoring cock who netted 5th Club, 1st £5 Club Ring from Worksop (2) winning his second 1st £5 Club Ring banking another £70.00 before netting a top-notch 2nd Fed. The crew's second timer potted 16th Fed before they timed a later well-fancied youngster to win the £1 Pools pocketing £17.50. Next stop is young bird race number seven that took place from Chelmsford where Stuart, Coby & Amber timed a blue hen to lift a nice 2nd Club, 14th Fed; the same blue hen was in the frame for the second race running out of the Maidstone National where again she netted 2nd Club, Lewie is not one for looking a gift-horse in the mouth that's why the hen was his fancy bird with her winning the £1 Pool pocketing £13.00 and going onto pot a creditable 3rd Fed, 196th UNC.
Third highest prizewinners was the 2017 top loft of Paul Gatley, Bob Harrod & son Dale who were the winners of 1 x 1st, 3 x 2nd, 6 x 3rd, 7 x 4th and 32pts, winning £75.92 in prize money. The lads hit the winners' enclosure at old bird race number two Newark when they timed a couple of birds to win 1st and 4th Club from an entry of 268 birds with the red card winner that won the 10p Pools netting £31.92 going onto score an outstanding 2nd Fed from a convoy of 958 birds. After being just out of the frame from the Eastbourne National where they took 5th and then taking 5th again a week later at Oakham (1) when they timed a later bird to win the £1 Pools pocketing £13.50. The boys followed that up by timing a 2y blue cock out of Burbure (1) to lift 4th Club, 13th Fed, 152nd UNC; the three lads quickly followed that up by timing two birds at Huntingdon to net 2nd and 4th Club with the blue card scoring 3y blue cock winning the 10p Pools lifting £10.92 and going onto claim 15th Fed. The partnership were in the frame at Burbure 2 (sub Roye) when they timed no fewer than five of their channel team to lift 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th Club with the green card scoring 2y blue cock who netted 4th Club, 13th Fed, 152nd UNC Burbure (1) chalking up 5th Fed, 70th UNC this time around. Paul, Bob & Dale's yellow card potting 3y blue cock claimed 8th Fed, 128th UNC while their third timer notched up 15th Fed, 229th Combine, and their remaining two timers claimed 16th and 18th Fed to round off a notable team performance.
Dale Harrod of Gatley, Harrod & Son receiving Plaque and prize money from Tommy Barron.
Moving onto Chelmsford (2) where a couple of birds were on the clock to pot 2nd and 6th Club with the blue card scoring 2017 bred blue hen going onto score a neat 10th Fed. This was followed up a week later by timing a single bird out of Oakham (3) to net 4th Club with Paul, Bob & Dale's yellow card potting 1y blue hen going onto pocket 11th Fed. A yearling blue hen was on the clock at the Maidstone National to chalk up a nice 4th Club, 6th Fed; Paul, Bob & Dale sent the hen straight back to Reims the following week where she netted a notable 3rd Club, 4th Fed, 61st Combine, three later birds were timed to notch up 14th, 18th and 20th Fed to end another notable channel performance. The birds had being coming steady away going into Ypres, this was when the lads had three of their entries on the clock to lift a welcomed 3rd, 5th and 6th Club with their green card scoring 2017 bred blue hen going onto chalk up 16th Fed; while their second timer a 3y blue cock winning the 25p, 50p, £1 Pools pocketing £10.50 and also winning the Beer Nom.
Onto the young birds where Paul, Bob & Dale were out of the points from Worksop (1) and again a week later from Pontefract (1) but they did time their well-fancied blue hen to win the £1 Pools pocketing £8.75. Next stop is Worksop (2) where a young blue cock was timed to lift 3rd Club, 15th Fed; and this was followed up by scoring 2nd Club Worksop (3) a week later when their blue card potting chequer cock took a cracking 2nd Fed; the lads also had a blue cock on the clock to notch up 18th Fed. Paul, Bob & Dale were back in the points out of Huntingdon after timing a couple of youngsters to net 3rd and 4th Club with the green card scoring blue cock going onto pot a very nice 3rd Fed, while the yellow card claiming chequer cock took 11th Fed. After taking 5th spot out of Chelmsford the lads then clocked a blue cock from the Maidstone National to lift a useful 3rd Club, 5th Fed.
The new kid on the block Nathan Bonar enjoyed a brilliant young bird season winning 3 x 1st, 1 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd, 1 x 4th Clubs and 22pts winning the “Young Bird Peterborough Trophy”, the “Carole Simpson Young Bird Of The Year Trophy” with 10pts and Runner-Up Young Bird Average. Nathan won £105.82 in prize money and another £35.00 out of the Ring Scheme. Nathan the son of Paul Longstaff got off to a young bird winning start after timing a couple of youngsters to win a cracking 1st and 6th Club out of any entry of 188 birds, with the red card winning chequer cock who topped the Club charts by 30 minutes winning the 10p Pools and £34.00 going onto score a brilliant 2nd Fed when there was 595 birds competing. Nathan's second timer that was over an hour behind the winner notched up 19th Fed; this win was a dream start for Nathan but it came with a heavy price for the lad so much like his fellow Federation members suffered big losses from this first young bird race of the season. With some members not getting over this disaster race from the distance of 87 miles, the sad thing is after losing so many young birds the members will take a knock-on effect as yearlings. It was a mystery what happened to the Worksop race that day as other Federations at different race points had better racing and returns, although the members suffered big losses only a handful of youngsters were reported. Nathan just missed out on the points at Pontefract (1) a week later but still notched up 13th Fed with a chequer cock.
Nathan Bonar winner of 4 x 1st Clubs, winning the Carole Simpson Memorial Young Bird Of The Year Trophy, Young Bird Peterborough Trophy and a Plaque.
Nathan returned to the winners' enclosure at race number four from Worksop (2), when his pole position winning blue cock who saw off a Club entry of 106 birds to win the 10p Pools and £18.24 went onto win an outstanding 1st Federation when there was 666 birds competing. Nathan didn't have to wait long for his third win for the lad achieved his second win on the bounce the following race out of Oakham when his chart-topping blue hen that was 2 minutes in front of the rest of the field winning the 10p Pools and £21,19 went onto win a fantastic 1st Federation from a convoy of 689 birds. The inform and now much-talked about Nathan because of top winning performances recorded his third consecutive win and fourth young bird win from six starts out of Huntingdon after timing three of his small squad to win 1st, 5th and 7th Club with the red card winning blue hen that won the 10p Pools and £19.38 going onto win a top-notch 1st Federation when there was 520 birds away. Second on the clock was another blue hen who chalked up 15th Fed and she was followed by a blue cock that took 2nd £5 Ring pocketing £35.00 and 17th Fed to round off a very good day for the lad. Onto Chelmsford where Nathan was just out of the points but he did time his well-fancied 1st Club, 1st Oakham winning blue hen to win the Club £1 Pools netting £13.00. The foot was off the pedal a little bit from the Maidstone National where the lad timed a couple of birds to claim 12th and 13th Fed; I'm not sure if panic set in knowing Nathan's father Paul is a dab-hand when it comes to winning the big races lol. Nathan was back on track the following week from Pontefract (2) where the lad timed no fewer than three of his inform youngsters to score a cracking 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Club with the blue card being awarded to his blue hen that won 1st Club, 1st Fed Huntingdon, this time she went onto net 7th Fed. The green card potting chequer hen chalked up 8th Fed while the yellow card claiming blue cock who notched up 17th Fed and 2nd £5 Club Ring out of Huntingdon took 9th Fed to round off a brilliant young bird season at Club and Federation level.
Nathan relied on other fanciers to provide him with his young birds with them coming from his father from the partnership of Jappa Appleton & Paul Longstaff and Clubmates Paul Gatley, Bob Harrod & son Dale. Which I believe were third round bred youngsters which puts a question mark over December bred youngsters, for Nathan's young bird team were only on the dark a few weeks but still went onto achieve 4 x 1st Club and 3 x 1st Federation wins which is an outstanding achievement by anyone's standards. The lad knows as well as anyone else that it will be a different ball game next old bird season when his yearling team will be up against older and more experienced pigeons flying different systems, but no doubt Nathan will be up for it with no one knowing what the outcome will be. I have never met up with Nathan yet but hope to change that next racing season but before that I wish the lad every success in his future racing.
Tommy Barron, Hayden holding the Carole Simpson Memorial Young Bird Of The Year Trophy and Paul Longstaff holding the Matty Gamble Memorial Trophy.
Robert “The Galloping Gourmet” Barron of Barron Bros was the scorer of 1 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd Clubs and 6pts, winning £51.00 in Pools and £100.00 from the Yearling Nom. Robert was just out of the points at old bird Newark when he notched up 6th spot and quickly followed that up a week later by taking 5th and 6th out of Chelmsford, where Robert timed a well-fancied thirds bird to win the 50p and £1 Pools pocketing £17.50. Robert netted his first points of 2018 at the Eastbourne National the following week when he clocked a well-fancied 2y chequer cock to lift 3rd Club winning the 50p and £1 Pools netting £19.50 and 16th Fed. Two weeks later at Burbure (1) The Master Chef Robert achieved his second and his well-fancied 2y chequer cocks second blue card when the cock scored a notable 2nd Club winning the 50p and £1 Pools banking £14.00, 7th Fed winning the Fed Nom and 42nd UNC. Robert was back in the frame at Oakham (2) when his yearling blue cock claimed 4th Club, the lad was out of the frame at Burbure 2 (sub Roye) but he managed to mix the right ingredients to win 1st £10 Yearling Nom with a dark cock banking £100.00. Onto the young birds where I'm sure Robert only competed in the last race when he timed a blue cock to lift 5th Club, 10th Fed Pontefract (2).
Robert Barron receiving his Plaque and prize money from brother Tommy.
The loft of Jimmy Stewart & Steven Barron netted 1 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd Clubs, 5pts and £15.48 in Pools with that being achieved out of old bird Bubwith when their yearling blue cock scored a nice 3rd Club, 17th Fed. Two weeks later when the birds were at Chelmsford (1) 2nd Club, 19th Fed was netted by a 2y chequer hen. Stephen Smith & son Aaron were the scorers of 1 x 2nd Club and 3pts, Stephen who was in hospital for a number of weeks through the season and young son Aaron had a couple of birds on the clock out of old bird Huntingdon to notch up 5th and 7th spot with their first timer being a yearling dark pied hen and their well-fancied second timer winning the Fed Nom. The following week when the birds were at Oakham (2) the father and son partnership chalked up a well-deserved 2nd Club, 18th Fed, the same dark cock was on the clock again from Chelmsford (2) to win the Fed Nom. The Haverton Hill members were well pleased to see Stephen back at the loft and at the Clubhouse after his stray in hospital, I hope Stephen's better health stays with him. Jimmy Appleton was the winner of £65.00 which was achieved from the Oakham Ring Scheme.
Tommy Barron presenting Plaque and prize money to Jimmy Stewart of Stewart & Barron.
Stephen Smith of Smith & Son receiving their Plaque from Tommy Barron.
That’s The Haverton Hill boys done and dusted, I wish them all the best for 2019. Before I close I'd like to wish my good mate Jim Peirson of Skinningrove a speedy and full recovery after his recent operation. With that I will stand 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.