Enfield Continental Flying Club

Down at the Cabbage Patch the next UBI Combine race arrived which was due to be flown from Poitiers which the members would fly between 355-370 miles, and these were marked one day earlier on the Wednesday evening. The birdage was well down due to the extreme heat which we were having and the weather that was forecast the same weekend. On the Saturday morning they were liberated at 6.15 in a Light South East wind from Messac, and not Poitiers, which it was decided that due to the excessive heat a shorter race would be better. There were rumours about it online on Facebook etc the previous day, with people saying that the birds were taken off of the lorry at Messac and put on another transporter. It turned out to be a good decision in the end, but it was a extremely hard race. The Distance to be flown from Messac is about 90 miles shorter than Poitiers.

Taking the top Spot was Billy Watkins who was also took 4th Fed, & 5th UBI Combine with a Dark Chequer Van Wanroy Cock whose bloodlines go back to the Black Giant winner of 1st National Bergerac with 40,334 birds competing. G Chalkley of East London bred this Cock for Billy and he has scored several times this season and performs better when facing the Channel. Second Club went to Jim Courtney with a Blue Busschaert Cock. It has been a hard year for Jim as he had a Major operation on his foot and was layed up from the 7th Jan to 24th May. His birds only had 3 short tosses, a Blandford & Le-Mans before this race. Jim said that during the time that he was unable to walk and attend to the birds Club mate Mihai Piper attended to the birds daily and that he should take some of the credit for this performance. Taking the next 3 places is Billy Watkins with a Blue Chequer Cock bred from Stock purchased from the BBC Stud, a Chequer Pied Cock bred from Bills Wells Fargo Family bred thru his Peter Wells stock and a Black Van Wanroy Cock, the Nestmate of the winner. Finally, in 6th place is the partnership of M & R Piper who is made up of Mihai and his wife Roxana with a Blue Chequer Marijke Vink x Brockhamp Hen.

On the same weekend the BICC liberated from Agen, with over 22,000 birds in the International race which pits you against the cream of Europe. One member Billy Watkins sent to that race which was his first try at the International racing and he timed in to Score 95th Open BICC Agen with a Dark Chequer Janssen Cock which contains the best Bloodlines from the Dunstable Ace Peter Wells of Super Lou fame.

Our next race was a comeback race and was flown from Blandford and at the end of Marking 5 Members had sent 98 Birds which were liberated at 6am in a Light North West Wind. Taking the top 3 places was Steve Holloway with “Manuel” a Blue Lambrecht Cock who is always knocking on the door along with his brother “Pedro” who were bred by Geoff Barker., a Blue Lambrecht Cock bred by Steve Sheffield and a Red Chequer Van Reet Cock, whose bloodlines go back to the originals purchased from Louella back in 2015 when Steve restarted back in the sport. Fourth Club was Peter Twyford with a Blue Busschaert Hen who was having her first race of the year. Her racing record so far is 1st Club Carentan & 1st Club, 10th Fed, 32nd UBI Combine Honiton. Her sire is a past winner of 1st Club, 4th Fed, 22nd Combine Berwick. Finally taking 5th & 6th places is Steve Sheffield with a Dark Chequer Busschaert Cock & a Blue Pied Van Lint Cock.

Our next race was another UBI Combine race from Falaise, the second one we have flown from there this year, and at the end of marking 6 Members had sent 73 birds which were liberated at 7.15 in a North West Wind. Taking top spot is Steve Sheffield with a Chequer Pied Van Lint Cock.  Second Club went to Peter Twyford with a Chequer Pied Busschaert Hen who was having her second race of the year having been sent to Blandford the previous week. This Hen is a past winner of 1st Club, 9th Fed, 9th UBI Combine Poitiers. This hen also is a sister to the hen that took 4th Club Blandford the week before and they are related to 1st Open Combine Stonehaven.

That was the end of the Old Bird Season except for the UBI Combine Bordeaux race which is flown with the BBC and you can nominate thru to be in both races. This race normally takes place during the Young Bird Season.

 When we first joined the Inter Counties Fed back in 2013 we normally had a 1 week break between the Old Bird season and the Young Bird season, but this year the Fed chose not to have the break.

Our first young bird race arrived and was to be flown from Lyndhurst, which is between 79-87 miles to our members. There was a pretty low turnout with only 5 Members out of a possible 20 Sending 97 Birds, which were Liberated at 6.30am in a Light West Wind. Taking the top spot this week was Doru Burlacu with a Dark Chequer Van Reet Hen. Taking 2nd & 3rd Club was Club Secretary Steve Sheffield with a Dark Pied Cock & a Blue Chequer Hen, which are both Busschaerts. Fourth Club once again is Doru Burlacu with a Blue Chequer Van Reet Hen. Fifth Club was Billy Watkins with a Blue Chequer Cock bred by the Cooper Brothers from Kidderminster. Finally, in 6th place is Doru Burlacu who had an excellent race with a Blue Van Reet Cock.

The BICC also raced from Le-Mans on the same day with some members sending. Taking the top 3 places was Steve Hollloway with a Chequer Van Lint Cock, a Blue Chequer Van Reet Cock & a Blue Van Reet x Billy Watkins Janssen Cock.

The Second Young Bird race then arrived with the racepoint being Blandford. For this race due to the weather forecast these were marked on the Saturday Night for a Sunday race.

At the end of Marking 6 Members had sent 118 birds, and   On the Sunday Morning i received the phone call from Dave Housden to say that the birds had been liberated at 6.30am. The weather forecast might have been Sunny in Blandford, but locally the weather was not to great, with other members from our Fed saying online on Facebook that it was pretty poor where they was, with some even saying that they was expecting to be wiped out due to the weather as it was raining where they were. We were all wrong with some members saying that they had excellent returns with some getting 100% returns and the weather brightened up as the day went on. Our winner this week was Peter Twyford with a Blue Chequer Busschaert Cock. Taking the next two places was Billy Watkins with a Grizzle Cock bred by Steve Holloway & a Red Chequer Van Reet Cock, also bred by Steve Holloway. Fourth & Fifth spots went to Steve Sheffield with a Dark Pied Cock & a Red Pied Cock both Busschaerts. Finally, 6th place was Billy Watkins with a Blue Janssen Hen bred from Peter Wells Stock.

On the Same day The UBI Combine / BBC Bordeaux Liberated at 6.15 in a North West Wind after a one-day holdover. Taking the Winners spot this week is Geoff Barker with a Mealy Maarten Vinkenborg Cock, a past winner of 3rd Club Poitiers & 4th Club Honiton. Second Club was Jim Courtney with a Blue Pied Cock from his Multi winning Combine Busschaert family. Taking 3rd Club was Billy Watkins with a Dark Pied Cock. This is the same pigeon that took 95th Open BICC Agen. Fourth Place was Mihai & Roxana Piper with a Blue Chequer Brockhamp x Leo Heremans Cock. For this race Mihai was away for a few days & Roxana was left in charge of the pigeons and she timed in for him. Finally, in 5th Spot is Geoff Barker with a Red Chequer Maarten Vinkenborg Cock.

Our next Young Bird race is to be flown from Yeovil which will be in the next update.

Before I end these notes i would like to say Congratulations to Johnny “Chipper” Chipperfield for winning 1st Open BICC Barcelona, Lee & Kevin Buddle for another national win, also to Mark Bulled for another excellent performance from the Bordeaux race continuing the excellent form from the last few years from this race point. Mark’s Champion “Legacy” must now be rated as one of the Best Stock Cocks in the Country due to some of the performances each year by some of the best fanciers in the country with birds containing his bloodlines, with Marks 1st pigeon which looks like being 8th Open being a direct daughter of Legacy.

Finally, before i end these notes the Club members would like to wish Steve Sheffield a Get Well Soon and to make a speedy recovery. Steve has gone into Hospital for a Knee replacement operation and will be laid up for a few days.

Until Next Time,

Take Care.

Jamie T...