Stretton Flying Club 2024 Prize Presentation.

Saturday December 14^th saw the 2024 prize presentation night for Stretton Flying Club, at the club’s HQ Stretton Bowls Club.  

Guest for the night was one of the towns most respected and hard working fanciers Diane Green, wife of Tony who sadly passed away late November 2023.

Tony and Diane raced pigeons at both Burton Town and Stretton Flying club with great success at both club and Federation level.                                                                  

Diane was always willing to help out on marking nights and also took on the job of producing the race result when I wasn’t able to, in fact there wasn’t any jobs Diane couldn’t or wouldn’t do either down the loft or at the club.

The club paid out £31-63 a race in 2024, racing for 5 prizes per race, with each loft only allowed to win one money prize per race.                                                                           

First to be called up was John Genders; John won 1 x 3^rd and 1 x 5^th and £9-59.            

Diane Green with John Genders                       

Next up was Ronnie Dakin; Ron is a great supporter of the club, and 2024 saw him top the fed for the first time ever, out of Marlborough with his YB’s. This was one of the highlights of the season, not just for Ron, but for all the members of Stretton, as Ron is a very popular fancier, and is always willing to help anyone out if he can. Ron won 1 x 1^st; 3 x 4^th and 4 x 5^th and £36-79.

Diane Green with Ron Dakin

Next up was Daniel Kurylo, the highlight of Daniel’s season was taking the first four out of the Frome OB2 race, and he then decided to stop his team of yearling cocks to concentrate on his young birds. Daniel won 1 x 1^st; 1 x 3^rd; 6 x 4^th and 2 x 5^th and £51.18. If Daniel gets going in 2025 with his Old Birds, he could be one to watch out for?

Diane Green with Daniel Kurylo

Next up was one of the towns best ever fanciers Alan Brassington. For many many years Alan was the top fancier without doubt in Burton & South Derbyshire. Nowadays Alan takes a more relaxed outlook on the sport, don’t get me wrong, nobody tries harder than Alan, but he will openly admit that his best days have gone; now he sits back and admires the top performances of other lofts in the club and federation. Alan won 2 x 1^st; 5 x 2^nd; 2 x 3^rd, 1 x 4^th and 3 x 5^th, plus £86.31 prize money. Alan also won the £100 prize money in the clubs YB Gold ring race, taking 1^st; 2^nd and 3^rd prizes in the race out of Salisbury.

Diane Green and Alan Brassington 

Next up was the clubs hard working Chairman Phil Whetton, Phil won 3 x 1^st; 3 x 2^nd; 3 x 3^rd; 2 x 4^th and 4 x 5^th and £94.31. Phil had a wonderful season with his young birds, topping the fed out of Stow on the Wold; in fact Phil took the first 6 in the fed that day. Phil won the clubs YB Average; YB points; and the Penultimate YB race trophies.

Diane Green and Phil Whetton

Runner up for 2024 were Pete & Jackie Cox, still getting established in their new home, Pete & Jackie won 1 x 1^st; 3 x 2^nd; 5 x 3^rd; 5 x 4^th and 2 x 5^th and £95.91.

Diane Green with Pete Cox

Top prize winner in 2024 was Phil Bourke, along with his son Jack and daughter Sophie. Again Phil was the man to beat; he won 8 x 1^st; 5 x 2^nd; 5 x3rd and 1 x 5^th. As you can see, Phil was only out of the top 3 on the one occasion throughout the season. Phil won the following silverware; Combined Average, Inland OB Average; Combined Inland Average; Lowest Winning Velocity;  Old bird Points; Inland Old Bird Points; Yearling with most Points; Combined Points, 2 Bird Points, and joint winner of the Pigeon of the year, shared with Jim Parker & Son. Phil’s was “Kev” the yearling Blue Van den Bulck x Leo Heremans x Jos Cools cock bred by Kev Matthews, and Jim’s was the 3yo Blue WF Leo Hereman Cock “06”; he’s brother to Jim’s best cock “23”. 

Top prize winner 2024 Phil Bourke

Jim wasn’t present on the night; he won 3 x 1^st; 3 x 2^nd; 2 x 3^rd and 2 x 4^th plus £75-12.

After the buffet and the raffle, Sophie and Jack Bourke presented our guest Diane with a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the club members.

Diane with Sophie and Jack

Thanks again Diane for presenting the prizes, it was lovely to see you again.

The Maltster