East Midlands & Yorkshire

With

Gregg Johnson

The final race report to publish now for the organisations 2019 race season this was flown for the young birds from Carentan a north western town in the Normandy providence of France. chief convoyer Willy Ward reports the usual procedures took place with the difference being the birds were fed the countrywide feeds premier mix at the liberation site as it?s not a far period of driving time from the Caen Docks with the birds receiving a long period of rest and water facing time for the birds. I?d just like to state willy keeps and races pigeons himself and his own birds are inside the baskets so you know 100% care and dedication is received to the birds as it?s always a massive goal if your fortunate to have a convoyer who keeps racing pigeons and is extremely interested in racing pigeons like Willy is and the team Steve Teasdale pigeon transport team are. On the day of the race on Saturday the 14th of September 2019 a glorious sunny warm morning was in action and the weather committee did their homework with all looking good for the take off to take place so at 08.00am captain Willy Ward and the gang got the 1,686 birds sent by 14 organisations away into flight into a brisk east north east wind. Now to the top crowned 20 fanciers in the race to report on.

Bill Tonkinson Combine champion

Taking the taste of glory with their champagne on winning the combine race and also achieving 20th combine is William Tonkinson and his silent partner who is a massive help to ?Bill? who is no spring chicken anymore but a wise clever old cock! Is his close friend and partner in the flying world is David Burton David used to race pigeons 30years ago and Bill asked if Dave would like to help out with the birds so Dave took the offer up and the friendship has bonded stronger and Dave has rekindled the racing pigeon bug again and things are looking good for the new partnership so well done to the both of you two great minds working together the loft is situated at Conisbrough Doncaster were the partnership fly with the Derbyshire South Road Federation in their local club Edlington Hilltop FC were both birds achieved 1st and 20th combine 1st and 5th Derbyshire Federation and 1st and 4th Edlington Hilltop FC their first bird is a very small blue White flight hen were she has previously before being sent to Carentan won the club from Buckingham and also a 2nd club from Newbury she is a Granddaughter off Locker and Breckons Up North Combines winner ?Just a kid? which is Soojen based X with a Alywne Paddy of Doncaster purchased bird at an auction their 2nd bird is a blue hen which is a Leon Bores which the line originates back from stock birds purchased from Murray and Mills of Leeds all the partnerships young birds are flown on the Darkness system with both sexes left together flying back to each other or just the perch and are fed only on BJF feeds corn flying 287 miles their velocities are 1506 and 1401 2nd and 10th combine is Mr and Mrs Dave Stone of Ripley Derbyshire were they fly in the North Derbyshire south road Federation in two local clubs Heage FC and Crich HS were these two birds achieved 1st and 4th North Derbyshire Federation and 1st and 2nd duplicating into both clubs Heage and Crich in this Race the partnership also achieved 2nd fed in the Gold ring Race wining a additional £530 Dave works full time and is helped with the pigeons by his son Dathan and his brother in law Jonathan Mee were their help is a great influence on the results and the birds the partnerships first scoring bird is a blue hen called Sweet 66 her Sire is Golden Lad bred off famous birds from the famous Alfie Hawthorn out one of his top performing pairs X with ?Hoss 20? bred by Ian Vernon the nest mate to Golden Lad called Golden Lass has won the Carentan race in 2018 for the partnership achieving 1st club 4th North Derbyshire fed and winning over £400 in the gold ring scheme the grand sire to Golden Lass and Lad called Alfie hence from Alfie Hawthorn is responsible for breeding over 35 x 1st achieving results for the partnership and for birds sold to fanciers from this cock Alfie was a gift cock bird from Alfie Hawthorn to Dave?s young son Dathan. Her dam is a home bred pencil hen that consists of Dave?s old strain that won the MNFC for him back in the early millennium which is of the still speedy Staff Van Reet Family that has achieved great things in the pigeon world for many fanciers this line came from the Shearsby and Watson partnership of Lichfield crossed with Alywne Paddy of Doncaster?s old Hermans family. The second bird is a blue hen this hen topped the North Derbyshire fed the race before Carentan her sire is a bird called Heartbreaker again bred by Alfie Hawthorn which is a half-brother to The Alfie cock her Dam is a home bred hen bred for stock which is a Dirk Barbary which originates from brother in law?s Jonathan Mee stock this scoring hen was flying back to the loft with a chick in the nest this partnership also a week before this race won the north Midlands Continental Clubs Breeder buyer race to claim £1000 all the young bird team are fed on Versele Laga corn mixed with barley and small conditioning seeds with a sprinkle of diet mix. Dave and his wife were away on a cruise holiday in Norway when these birds came to win, they would like to thank Dathan and Jonathan for clocking and caring for the birds. Myself would just like to add that Dave is also a professional pigeon photographer and is very impressive in his work and I know of many fanciers that have won with kits of young birds sold from birds out of the stock loft the 2 birds flew 258 miles doing 1477 and 1424.3rd and 16th combine is Mr and Mrs David Boot of Redgate Mansfield also flying in the Nottingham south road federation achieved 1st and 2nd federation flying 265 miles doing 1466 and 1407.

Rob Pearson

4th Combine is Robert Pearson of Kilburn Derbyshire who also achieved 2nd North Derbyshire Federation were Robert only entered his birds in the federation and not in a club this was achieved by a blue Gabby Vandenabeele hen that was a gift egg given to him by his very close friend Anne Smith of Ashbourne were Robert hatched the egg under foster parents this hen flew the channel from Carentan a week before this race with the North Midlands Continental Club where she achieved 13th south section and 20th open she was flown on the Darkness system with sexes being separated in the lofts and left to run together on marking day and race day return Rob said the young birds are fed on Versele Laga corns she flew 255 miles on 1462. 5th combine is the Richardson Bros and Thompson partnership of Thrybergh Rotherham were 1st Barnsley and District Federation (little Barnsley fed) was achieved 1st Mid Yorkshire combine and 1st Thrybergh HS was also achieved with a blue hen on Darkness which is a Stickers Donkers X Tinermans strain from Ian Vernon of Diddington this hen was also pooled in the fed and won over £200 for the partnership the young birds are on the roundabout system and are fed on Beyers corn mixed with Versele Laga corn she flew 285 miles doing 1452 6th combine is Robert Richmond and his partner Lee Beaumont of Manor Farm Lofts of Monk Bretton Barnsley with a blue cock on Darkness he is a Herman Cuesters X Jos Van Olman this cock also achieved 2nd Barnsley and District Federation (little Barnsley fed) and 1st Monk Bretton FC and 2nd Mid Yorkshire combine he has previously before being sent to Carentan acheived 1st club 12th fed and 2nd club 8th fed from Bedhampton Portsmouth at the coast the young birds are left together and fly back to the perch or to each other if paired up they are fed on 50/50 Versele Laga Gerry plus and young bird no maze this partnership have had a fantastic young bird season with plenty of wins fed cards and 2nd in the Big Barnsley federation futurity race winning £4000 for the partnership they flew 293 miles on 1449 7th Combine is Mr and Mrs Dora Andrews of Royston Barnsley were 3rd Barnsley and District Federation (little Barnsley fed) was also achieved and 1st Carlton HS and 3rd Mid Yorkshire combine this was achieved with a chequer cock on the Darkness which was a gift bird from Dave Wilby which is a Delbar he flew back to the perch looking interested in a hen fed on Marimans corn flying 296 miles on 1436.

Dean McKee and Chris De Costa

8th and 15th combine was Dean McKee of Doncaster were duplicated he won the northern classic open and 4th Northern Classic and 2nd and 4th Derbyshire federation and 2nd and 3rd Edlington Hilltop FC the both scoring birds are Gabby Vandenabeele hens from Chris De Costa birds of Scunthorpe flown on the Darkness system paired up the first hen that also won the northern classic open was racing back to a big youngster in the nest were she has previously won 2 x 1st clubs for Dean from Bedhampton Portsmouth and Newbury the young bird team are fed on Vanrobaeys young bird corn flying 287 miles on 1435 and 1408 9th combine is Mr and Mrs John Hodgson of Stretton village were 3rd North Derbyshire Federation and 1st Shirland HS was achieved with a blue White flight hen which is a Curtis wall and Lunt strain bird flying on natural back to the perch fed on johns own mix of corn flying 264 miles on 1427 11th combine and 4th Barnsley and District Federation (little Barnsley fed) and 2nd Thrybergh FC is Atkinson and Grayson of Herringthorpe Rotherham their scoring bird being a blue hen flown on the Darkness round about system she is a the Late Alan Douglas of Rotherham Rene Van De Weyer strain X with a Darren Peters of Sleaford bird the young bird team are fed on a basic priced BJF feeds corn she flew 284 miles doing 1423.

Mark & Albert Bainbridge

12th combine is A Bainbridge and Son and also achieving 1st Central Yorkshire Federation 2nd Northern Classic and 1st Knottingley FC the bird is a chequer hen which is Belgium rung and was purchased for the central Yorkshire feds young bird annual auction sale in a kit of young birds purchased from a Belgium club sale in East Flanders this bird was bred by Chris Raes a famous flyer of the area the hen was flown paired up on the Darkness system fed on Vanrobaeys young bird corn flying 303 miles on 1423.

Wright & Lock

13th combine is Wright and Lock of Selby were also 2nd central Yorkshire federation 1st Selby unicorn FC and 3rd Northern Classic was achieved the bird is a large black cock which is a Nick Adshed of Selby Peter Van De Meyer X with one of the partnerships faithful Busschaert family he was sent on the Darkness feeding a big youngster in the nest fed on BJF feeds corn his grandmother in 2013 achieved 3rd in the same race in the Northern Classic the partnership flew 309 miles on 1416 14th combine is Alywne Paddy of Balby Doncaster were 4th Derbyshire Federation was also achieved with his famous decades of winning Hermans family flying 289 miles on 1409 17th combine is E Guirdham and Son of Worksop North Nottinghamshire were 3rd Nottingham SR Fed and 1st Worksop Greyhound FC was achieved with a chequer hen flown on Darkness flying back to bowl sitting eggs. She is a Gabby Vandenabeele X Frank Bristow?s strain this hen previously achieved a 1st club from Salisbury the young bird team are fed on South Feeds widowhood mix corn she flew 275 miles on 1406 18th combine is Mr and Mrs Pitman of Conisbrough Doncaster were 5th Derbyshire federation and 1st Conisbrough HS was achieved with a chequer hen flown on natural paired up consisting of their own strain of birds flown on their own combination of BJF feeds combined together flying 287 miles on 1405.

The Gibson Hen

19th combine is E and A and D Gibson of Heage Derbyshire were 5th North Derbyshire Federation and 3rd Heage FC was achieved with a chequer hen that also in this race won the North Derbyshire federations Breeder Buyer race final bagging them a nice £1,018 this hen even flew this race point Carentan a week prior with the North Midlands Continental Club she is bred of stock birds from Mr and Mrs Dave Stone of Ripley X with their own family strain she flew 257 miles doing 1404 the young birds are Fed on Versele Laga Olympia 49 mix.

Dave Stone holding "Sweet 66"

So folks there you have to top 20 in a massive three counties combine for the last 2019 race report I would just like to thank a few people who help make these articles happen for you all with providing me details and contacts so here they are the secret behind the scenes stars are Dave Thompson (Barnsley )Steve Cooper( Sheffield ) Mick McGrath (Leeds) John Booth (Castleford) Steve Reed (North Derbyshire) John Wheatcroft and Richard Turner (Notts Areas) Steve Hallam (Mansfield) and John Woof (Derbyshire Fed) plus the BHW team for publishing all these reports for a very elite organisation thanks all and all the best for 2020.