Yorkshire Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire SR Combine

The YND Combine held its second old bird race of the season from Guernsey in the Channel Islands for its furthest legal channel race of the season, again this was organised and transported by Steve Teasdale pigeon transport with head convoyer William Ward from the Leeds amalgamation after a smooth crossing and dock at Guernsey the regular procedure of feeding and watering the pigeons took place but on Saturday the day of the race planned this was not the ideal weather conditions on site or the channel so a holdover was called and the birds fed and cared for.  Sunday was a completely different day with warm sunshine and clear skies and the sun beaming on the Guernsey beach and clear through to the mainland it was time to start the race off once all the morning channel mist had cleared so on the 4/7/21 on the Sunday at 11am in a south west wind 3,993 birds sent by 15 organisations the birds were released on their way. 


Guernsey beach

The top 22 positions now out of 3,993 were as follows, winning the combine was I & M Spencer, Ian is known all over Derbyshire as (Tiggy) Ian also achieved 1st North Derbyshire SR Federation and 1st Wirksworth HS flying 250 miles with a winning velocity of 1746. The winning bird a 1y light chequer Roundabout flown hen which is bred from a pair of pigeons purchased from Robert Pearson of Kilburn and these originate from Robert’s close friend Anne Smith of Ashbourne this hen for Ian has already achieved minor club cards as a YB and a 1y at Wirksworth HS and now she has entered the winners enclosure with style congratulations to Ian.


Ian Spencer combine winner

Taking 2nd combine & 9th combine plus 2nd & 6th North Derbyshire SR Federation flying 255 miles was Dennis Poole with velocities of 1739 & 1666.

Claiming 3rd & 14th combine plus 3rd & 9th North Derbyshire SR federation plus 1st Heage FC flying 249 miles was D & A Swift & Son with velocities of 1736 & 1619.089.

4th combine was Roger Upton that also achieved 4th North Derbyshire SR Federation & 1st Unstone HS flying 266 miles with a 1y blue chequer cock flown on widowhood this cock was knocking on the door for Roger the week previously showing promising signs around the loft and garden and was Roger’s first bird back from Salisbury the week previously he is a Jansen X Gabby Vandenbeale and his father is a 12y Jansen cock that is Roger’s best stock cock and has bred many winners and being a multiple winner himself on the road before age court him up for retirement in the stock loft his mother is a Gabby Vandenbeale hen that originates from John Kelly of Grassmore Roger’s velocity was 1729.


Roger Upton

5th combine was R Thirkill & Son plus also claiming 1st West Ridding Federation flying 296 miles doing 1708.

6th combine flying 287 miles was M Trinder with a velocity of 1706.

7th & 13th combine was E A & D Gibson plus also achieving 5th & 8th North Derbyshire SR Federation and 2nd & 3rd Heage FC flying 249 miles both their scoring birds are flown on the roundabout system their first bird a 1y chequer cock which is bred out of a pair of retired racers which were regular scoring birds for the partnership the father a Leo Van Rijn and the mother a syndicate loft based bird this 1y cock has already achieved club cards for the partnership their second clocked bird is a 2y chequer hen which is bred from off a Dave Stone of Ripley Alfie Hawthorn hen that was purchased by the partnership many years ago at a north midlands continental club breeder buyer sale and she is now retired after a successful racing career for the partnership her father is an old retired race cock also from out the race team which is of the partnership’s own created strain again this cock has earned his place in the stock loft after being a loyal scoring race bird this hen prior to Guernsey has achieved 2x first clubs and federation cards the partnership’s velocities were 1696 & 1619.228.

8th combine was I Haslem flying 248 miles with a velocity of 1695.

10th combine was Roger Read that also achieved 1st Stocksbridge Federation and 1st Gleadless HS flying 270 miles with a 5y blue widowhood flown cock he is bred off two gift birds to Roger one from Brendon Broughton of the Broughton Brothers of Sheffield and the other from Barry Smith & Son of Heeley this cock has won previously from over the channel for Roger from Falaise and scored many club and federation cards for him his velocity was 1632.

11th combine was Mr & Mrs J Hodgson flying 256 miles doing 1628.

12th combine was Mr & Mrs Darren Johnson also achieving 2nd Derbyshire SR Federation & 1st Selston FC with a 1y widowhood Lambrecht’s cock flying 248 miles doing 1619.640.


Darren Johnson

15th combine was John Castello & Family & Leach brothers flying 290 miles they also achieved 2nd West Ridding federation & 1st Huddersfield Central FC their scoring bird a 2y blue hen flown on the roundabout system she has been a very consistent hen being in the first few of John’s arrivals from every race sent her breeding is of half John’s own successful channel / National flying strain crossed with a Leach Brothers of Hebden Bridge bird their velocity was 1619.00.

16th combine was J M Haigh & Son also achieving 3rd West Ridding Federation & 1st Stainland & District FC & 2nd Huddersfield Central FC flying 287 miles with a 1y chequer widowhood cock that is a Herman Cuesters bred out of stock birds of Paul Carter of Tingley Wakefield this cock is showing promise with already achieving some minor club cards his velocity was 1615.


J M Haigh & Son

17th combine was P Holdsworth & Son which is probably the furthest flying loft at 325 miles they also achieved 1st Barkston Ash federation & 1st Topcliffe FC their achieving bird a 4y blue widowhood system flown cock that was a gift bred bird by Brian Barns & Geoff Warmsley of Lytham Saint Anne’s In Lancashire this cock has well earned his place in the stock loft for the partnership after achieving 6 x 1st prizes 4 being from over the channel & 8 x 2nd prizes and ample Minor cards plus a 1st federation and other federation cards achieved his velocity was 1598.


P Holdsworth & Son

18th combine was A & B Halstead also achieving 2nd Stocksbridge Federation & 1st Holmfirth FC flying 285 miles this was achieved with a 1y blue hen flown on the roundabout system she has carded in the local club and Stocksbridge Federation prior to this race and her breeding is a Hardy Kruger bird being a son of Messie Lines X with a Remain Le Jest Belgium strain the partnership purchased from Belgium directly when on a trip visiting Belgium lofts. Their velocity was 1591.


A & B Halstead

19th combine was J Cartman that also achieved 1st Leeds Amalgamation and 1st Skipton FC flying 308 miles with a natural flown 1y gift bred bird bred by Tony Evans of Skipton with a velocity of 1589.

20th combine was T Smith & Son flying 266 miles to the far tip of Derbyshire on the Yorkshire border with a loyal 4y natural flown bird Rod also achieved 10th North Derbyshire federation his velocity was 1584.


Smith & Son

21st combine was the Fairbanks Brothers flying 290 miles and also achieving 4th West Riding federation with a velocity of 1580. 22nd combine was Frank Armitage that also achieved 1st Little Barnsley Federation & 1st Smithies FC the bird a 3y red cock flown on the natural was sent with his nest eggs chipping out he is a Pearce & Dransfield Bushart X Taylor Brothers of the North East and was bred and gifted to Frank by Malcolm Greenwood near Selby his velocity was 1577.

The Rat Man.