Saturday the 8th of August saw the combine holding its third last race of the old bird season from Falaise in France to end the short old bird season, a good support of 4,381 birds was entered by its members. 

Chief convoyer Willy Ward informed me all ran smoothly apart from a hold up at a marking station that could not of been prevented but arrival at Portsmouth Docks was in ample time to apply water to the birds and allow rest before the journey to Falaise.  After the ferry crossing the birds were again fed the combines sponsorships of Countrywide feeds and willy informs us the birds all consumed the corn well and consumed the good clean quality corn and all birds drank after their feed as fresh clean water was applied after feeding took place ensuring all birds drank.

No hold ups took place on the journey to Falaise or on the liberation site.  The morning of the liberation day was greeted with absolutely glorious conditions with full blue skies and sunshine apart from a tough east wind which is out of my hands. Ok thanks Willy, the full line of flights came back clear with also a clear channel check being clear even with the East wind elements the channel was clear with no haze in which east winds can bring from time to time.

So at 08.00am the 4,381 birds were liberated into full sunshine into a tough east wind turning north east on route so a tough race was on the cards as we say when the going gets tough the tough get going!

So let’s take a look at the top 21 tough cookies that stuck it out to do their job and get home. Winning the combine for the second time this season and also taking 2nd and 7th open combine was the in-form loft of Ian Brown of South Kirby Wakefield.  Ian flew 328 miles, not only has Ian won the combine and now for the second consecutive time he has also now won the Northern Classic Specialist Club twice this season with his three top birds duplicated back Ian also achieved 1st, 2nd & 5th Northern Classic Specialist Club and 1st, 2nd & 5th Normanton South Road Federation and his first six birds took 1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th & 6th in South Kirby Miners Welfare flying Club. A great achievement Ian I have booked Tina Turner to attend your back garden and lofts to sing Your Simply The Best ! On that performance congratulations Ian I’m not sure whether Mick Mcrath or Adam Gaunt Will foot the bill In paying Tina I will leave that one to them! Let’s take a look at the birds, the winner is a 2y blue pied hen sent on the Natural system only being paired up for 10days and she was sent sitting nest eggs for 3days she is the full sister to Ian’s previous LeMans Combine winner which is a Jan Hoyman X a Adrian Leech bird of the Leech Brothers she has previously achieved club and federation cards. The 2nd combine bird is a stunning yearling Blood Red Cock he was sent on the widowhood system and he only received one young bird race as a young bird and this is his first channel race from over the water for him his breeding is half bred off the famous Rob Coney Saintes hen of Normanton X with a Van Den Bulk X Les Green bird the 7th combine bird is a 1y chequer widowhood cock that is bred from purchased stock birds from A & S Hughes of Rochdale who are good Midlands National and National Flying Club Flyers Ian’s birds were sent fed on the Beyers corn brand  Ian’s velocities were 1186.53, 1184.06 & 1157.14.

Ian Brown Double champion

The combine winner                                                  2nd combine bird

3rd Combine was Mr & Mrs Dennis Underwood of Castleford were their bird duplicated back also achieved 3rd Northern Classic Specialist Club, 3rd Normanton South Road Federation & 1st Pontefract South Road Flying club they flew 336 miles with a velocity of 1175.56. This is the partnerships same bird that achieved them 15th open combine from LeMans from the previous race she is bred from stock birds obtained from Ronnie Evans of the North East. She was sent fed on Versele Laga Super Star Plus mixed with Marimans Super Widowhood corn.

4th Combine was Dave Boldy with a 2y blue Hen that also achieved duplicated back 4th Northern Classic Specialist Club & 4th Normanton South Road Federation she flew 335 miles with a velocity of 1174.43.

5th combine was C Gibson flying 325 miles doing 1162.19.

6th Combine is Phil Horseman of Chesterfield with a 3y Dark Chequer Cock that also achieved duplicated back 1st North Derbyshire South Road Federation & 1st Spire Flying Club this cock has raced on the Widowhood system all season but  Phil paired him up on the Natural for this race two weeks before being sent he was sent sitting nest eggs tightly this is the cocks third time flying the channel this season as this year for the first time Phil sent him to all three of the Combines channel races. He’s a cock that has been flying consistent and achieved 4th Spire FC from the previous LeMans race. He was bred and gifted to Phil from Mike Chadwick of Chesterfield who is a successful one loft racing fancier and he is a pure Jos Thone were Mike has obtained these directly and he is bred from Mikes famous Frost Lines. Phil sent the cock fed on a Fletchers Corn store of Chesterfield mix of their Gerry Plus Premium Mix.

Phil Horseman

On a ending note myself and all members of the Derbyshire North Road Federation would like to congratulate Phil on this achievement as you all probably know I fly the North Road Route and also so dose Phil he sends every week South Road & North Road Phil supports every race in our Federation and enters every championship or Nom we operate and is a well supporting hard working member to us and we all want to congratulate him so well done Phil keep it up we Know you can do it on Both routes now as we always say good pigeons win from anywhere! Phil Flew 306 miles doing 1158.54.

8th Combine is J & S Toon were they also achieved 6th Northern Classic Specialist Club 6th Normanton South Road Federation & 2nd Pontefract SRFC. The bird a 2y chequer hen sent on natural sitting nest eggs this is her first time in scoring and she did it in style she is a De Raw Sablon bred from stock birds from the partnerships friend of Bryan Cunningham she flew 335 miles doing 1156.76.

J & S Toon

9th, 14th & 16th combine was Mr & Mrs Boot flying 298 miles with velocities of 1155.95, 1138.91 & 1132.65.

10th combine was Alywne Paddy flying 321 miles doing 1155.54 that also tops the Derbyshire South Road Federation 

11th combine is L & S Gash flying 301 miles doing 1154.82.

12th Combine is N Barnes & Son of Castleford were they also achieved duplicated back 1st Mid Yorkshire Combine 7th Normanton South Road Federation & 1st Roundhill Flying Club the bird a 1y blue widowhood hen This her first time flying the channel and her breeding is a Simon Toon Peter Van Der Meir hen which the partnership purchased off Simon Toon paired to a Franz Zwols cock bred by Ivan Sterling of Featherstone in which the partnership purchased at a breeder buyer sale. She was sent fed on Louise South Farm corn mixes flying 337 miles doing 1141.99.

13th Combine was P Lee flying 300 miles doing 1141.31

15th combine was Bowskill & Gascoigne flying 298 miles doing 1135.57.

17th combine was Harry Jackson of Selby were he also achieved 1st North East Provincial Club 1st Central Yorkshire South Road Federation 8th Northern Classic Specialist Club & 1st Selby Unicorn Flying Club Harry flew 336 miles doing 1131.42 the scoring bird a 3y blue Roundabout flown hen She is bred out of a pair of birds from Adrian Carr that are Van De Polls this hen has achieved many federation and club cards and also including 5th North Centre Section from Fougeres in the Midlands National club this season she was sent fed on local farm straight cereals mainly of just Barley.

18th & 20th Combine was John Woods of Royston Barnsley were his 1st bird a 4y Blue Roundabout flown Hen also She achieved 1st Little Barnsley South Road Federation & 1st Royston Flying Club she is a very consistent hen already achieving prizes at club and federation levels in 2019 she achieved 1st club 7th Big Barn Federation from Falaise plus this season she has flown 2 National races before being sent to this race she is a John Gerard Manderlartz  johns  second bird a 1y blue roundabout flown hen also achieved 2nd in the big Barnsley South Road Federation she is a Kees Boshua X a Neil Broetkx Belgian Fancier bird johns birds are fed on the Natural corn brand mixes he flew 330 miles with velocities of 1130.34 & 1127.34.

19th Combine was R,A & C Hazelwood flying 306 miles doing 1129.10.

21st combine was Ron & Nigel Dennett of Maiden Vale Mansfield were they also achieved 9th Northern Classic Specialist Club their bird a 7y Dark Chequer widowhood hen that cost them only £20 as a young bird at a breeder buyer sale were she won the breeder buyer race winning £600 she was bred by Bob & Brian Gorton of Black Hill in the North East this hen has won amble amounts of prizes for this partnership in her flying career I can’t write them all for you she’s topped both Nottinghamshire South Road Federation & the Notts & Derby Border South Road Federation plus 2 x 2nd section wins in the Midlands National and 2 x Northern Classic Specialist Club Second open positions achieved plus many other club and fed cards she was sent fed on Louise South Farms corn mixes she flew 302 miles doing 1125.76.

Nigel Dennett

That’s your lot for now folks .

The Rat Man .