MIDLANDS NATIONAL FLYING CLUB

MIKE LAKIN

Midlands National Young Bird Chale

Turns out to be a ‘Good Game’ for Bruce

Yes just like Bruce Forsyth who became well known for the above catch phrase Bruce McAllister too enjoyed a ‘good game’ when he took 1st South East section and 1st Open from Chale the race point situated on the Isle of Wight from a healthy looking entry of 5,311 birds sent primarily by the Eastern side of the country due in no small measure I’m sure by the correctly predicted West South West wind which was blowing when the birds were released at 10.15am by convoyer Darren Barton on the Sunday after yet another holdover.

Bruce Mc Allister with his National winner

All credit though must go to Bruce’s bird which won by a good margin as the Blue Pied hen’s velocity of 1651 was nearly 30 ypm in front of the second placed bird.

The winner is a crossing of the Bob Fenech  Cooreman  blood with a hen purchased directly off Dennis Sapin. Bruce tells me that there is a story behind the cock that bred the National winner as originally the famed Cooreman cock ‘Michael’ was bought off Bob Fenech but unfortunately the old guy was no longer fertile. So Bob offered to give Bruce his money back or a principle son off the cock and the latter option was taken and he has rewarded on his decision by breeding the hen that upheld Bob Fenech’s claim regarding the ‘Lightning fast’ Louis Cooremans. Additionally a second arrival for Bruce wins 7th Open and this Chequer hen highlights the performance of the race winner as she 98 ypm behind the winning bird.

John Pether looks delighted with his 2nd open winner

In 2nd Open and winning 1st East South East section is John Pether a man who earlier in the season won 1st Open. John’s latest star is Chequer cock that is bred from pigeons supplied from Davey Barron & Son from Northumberland. The bird was motivated to complete his task sent sitting 14 day old eggs. So I am pretty sure it will be a man wearing a massive smile when he collects his awards for a great season.

3rd Open for Rodney Cochrane

3rd position was lifted by Rodney Cochrane on 1572. Rodney tells me that the bird which has been his most consistent performer this year and is a granddaughter of ‘Ultra Boy’ which won 2nd national from Poitiers 13,813 birds and several other excellent results and belonging to Rodney’s Belgian friend Chris Debacker. The mother of the 3rd Open winner is also 50% Debacker blood being bred from a hen being off ‘Lieve’ which won 1st Provincial from Argenton and she was paired to ‘Snelle’ Rodney’s 1st Open London North Road Combine winners he is of Freddy Vandenheede breeding and this line has bred loads of winners for him and his friend roger Lowe of Caversham.

Chris Gadsden winner of 4th and 5th Open with his first timer

4th and 5th Open is filled by the Dunstable loft of Chris Gadsden. The first timer on 1571 is a Gay Pied hen and yet another Cooreman crossed bird when coupled to a Walter Docx. Chris’ second timer just over 8 yards behind is a Van Lint pigeon bred from Dean Pallatt stock that had already topped the Mid Shires Fed from Lyndhurst earlier in the season. Chris expressed a wish to thank the Club and the convoying team for looking after the pigeons so well and providing a good race on a very tricky weekend. The club will appreciate your comments Chris.

 

David Paine following last year's win with 6th Open this time    -   Stewart McCurry who had a good race with a multi bird performance

In 6th Open we see another previous National winner this time in the guise of David Paine of Eynesbury who clocked a young Blue cock to record a velocity of 1554. S & T McCurry who has also won two previous National races timed in a plethora of pigeons to finish in 8th 9th 13th 14th 15th 16th 34th 35th 36th and 37th Open. Cynics wouls say yes but he sent a lot which I would counter by saying ‘’Yes and he clocks a lot also’’. The 8th Open and 3rd ESE section winner is a hen bred from Paul Stobbs blood being from an inbred bird down from ‘The Gypsy’. The 9th Open winner is a Soontjen x Eric Cueleman Dark hen that topped the federation earlier in the season.

Steve Surrey another Wisbech fancier who enjoyed a good day

It appears that the Wisbech area had a real ‘field day’ and Steve Surrey confirms this fact by clocking the next three birds all on 1550 to finish in 10th 11th and 12th Open.

Right now having covered the leading pigeons I’m going to do something different now and that is highlight the sections that to put it in plain English hadn’t a ‘dog’s chance’ on the day due to the wind and the drag.

1st NNW section for Maurice McCartney who is relaxing with his dog

They do say the bigger the mountain the bigger the conquest. So let’s look at these ‘mountaineers’. High up in the North North West we see the winning bird belongs to Maurice McCartney & Son who saw home a ¾ bred Gaby Vandenabeele blue cock on 1231 and being bred off a cock supplied by Tony Bates when coupled to a hen that is a granddaughter of the world famous ‘Drum’ off Peter & Nigel Moss. Hid dam was bred from a cock containing the Vandenabeele blood from Martin & Jayne Mitchell x a hen containing the famous ‘666’ lines off Clive Lister. The bird showed his potential the previous week from Bath when he won 1st North West Lancs Fed and 18th Lancs Combine from 3326 birds and a brother has also won 1st club and 20th fed from Shrewsbury when over 2,000 birds were competing. So it looks like Maurice have unveiled a good breeding pair here and I am delighted for a fine unassuming chap.

In 2nd section we have Hesketh Bank fanciers A Jones and son on 1225 who clocked a Red cock bird which unfortunately I have no further details of which is a pity because like all of the early western side birds must have a good brain inside their ‘noddle’.

        

Kendal fancier Jim Sephton with his bird that took 2nd NNW section          -        4th NNW section for Joe 'Van' Dorning

In 3rd place in the NNW on 1202 are M & J Sephton of Kendal which is a distance of 264 miles from Chale which was the longest flying bird in the race that was clocked on the day. The Chequer Pied cock that they timed is of Lambrecht and Karel Boeckx lines. The bird was sent covering an 8 day old baby which obviously did the trick. In 4th section we have another Pied cock belonging to Joe Dorning of Fulwood . Joe tells me that his timer which recorded 1178 is a grandson of his Combine and RPRA award winners ‘More than Just Lucky’ and the ‘Postal Strike Cock’.

   

Prince Brothers who enjoyed a super race show off their NW section winner - Mitch & Ryan Denson 4th NW section -  Joe Booth with 'Eva B'

Slipping down into the North West section where we see the men of the moment Cheadle’s Prince Brothers do a good clean up job with 1st 2nd and 3rd section with all three birds clocking 1282. Their first bird a cock sitting 4 day old eggs is a Nauwelaert  x van de Rhee being bred off a cock which has topped the fed for Tony Hayes. The second being a Lambrecht cock bred from birds acquired from Jimmy Green’s clearance sale. The third one is a Mealy Pied Van de Meyer cock rearing a 7 day old baby. The bird is off A & L Painter and he has scored for the partners prior to this race. In total the lads got 5 birds in the first 10 of the section. Excellent flying by any standard lads. 4th section is filled by a partnership that has also enjoyed a good year with the MNFC which is Mitch Denson and his son Ryan who clocked a cross bred Dark Pied cock bred from a Clive Yates hen and a ‘1 Euro soup’ pigeon from Belgium on 1267. All I can say it would have been a rich soup Mitchell. 5th section is filled by bird named ‘Eva B’ after it’s owner Joe Booth’s granddaughter. The bird comes from a line of M & D Evans Vandenabeele birds and her sire is a cock that won the MC C Lessay race a few years ago and also the ‘Bass Yearling Race’ from Messac. Brothers to this latest performer have previously won 1st and 2nd section from Chale.

       

Eddie Bateman of Bateman Brothers 2nd West section winners -  Devine & Kelly's winner of 3rd West section -  Arnold & Johnson the 4th West section winning team

Dickie Spring & Son with their timer from Chale

Heading over to the West section now and highlighting just why I won’t do the report until the result is in print because Dillon & Davies moved up to win the section with a Dark Chequer hen that records 1264 for this Knowsley based loft. Unfortunately I have no more info on this good bird. In 2nd section we see Bateman Bros & Son time a well balanced Le Fabre Dhanene Blue Pied cock. This result endorses the year that the partners have enjoyed with excellent results in the club, fed, amal and the two main national clubs and in addition the Chester 2Bird race was won. I’m told that the partners fly from the allotments behind the stand of Tranmere Rovers football club. The bird is bred down from a top racer called ‘The General’  belonging to the senior partner Eddie Bateman and this blood has won for several other fanciers including Derrick Jones the ‘Woodfield wizard’. 3rd section is claimed by Devine & Kelly on 1209. The bird is a Willy Thas a gift from Campbell Bros & Son. The bird I’m told broke her keel earlier in the season but this result proves that she is fully recovered. 4th section is taken by Arnold & Johnson. Their bird is a Lambrecht bred from stock off their good friend Les Madden of Northern Ireland. The lads tell me that their bird is grandson of ‘Kingpin’ and ‘Rosie’.  Next on the list are Dickie Spring and Son who clocked a Koopman bred bird from Bootle’s Porter Brothers.

     

Boulton & Harvey's 1st SW section winner -  An understandably proud looking Kevin O'Malley with his 2nd SW section winning pigeon  -  Dougie & Mark Nesbitt with Mark's grandson all smiles after another excellent result

C & L Williams up with the SW section leaders

The winners of the South West section are Boulton & Harvey who are enjoying a dream season with their young birds and over the last four weeks have dominated the Heart of England Fed and then took the first 15 places in the MCC Open race now the ‘icing on the cake’ as the partners say is topping the section in the MNFC with a Van den Heede x Van den Brande chequer hen on 1328. She in fact showed her potential the previous week when she actually was the pigeon that won the MCC Open. 2nd section is taken by Kevin O’Malley with another hen this time a Blue that is off a cock that has won prizes right through to Bordeaux and her grandsire won 1st Fed from Niort and also he has won good positions from Bordeaux. The hen’s mother is a gift bird off Norman Bridgwater the OIC at Bromsgrove. 3rd and 4th section is won by a well known and respected loft in the form of Dougie Nesbitt and son Mark. Though in truth the whole family ‘mucks in’ because Dougie the senior partner soldiers on despite health problems. The first bird that they clocked was a hen which won 2nd in the Hill Ridware Open on Bank Holiday Monday. After this it was a no brainer to send her to the MNFC race well fancied to lift a nice cheque for over £300. The Nessies in fact also took 6th and 7th section positions with a bird belonging to C & L Williams of Hopton Wafers sandwiched in between.

Tim Atkin the 3rd & 4th SC section winner

Going up the centre now and one of the biggest winners in the guise of Bill Marbrow’s Alan Clamp bred Blue W/F hen takes 1st South Centre section and £833 in prize and pool money. Well done Bill your hen finishes well clear on 1485. In 2nd section place we see Tony ‘Brown Cow’ Brown who timed a Blue cock on 1432. Tony got his bird from a breeder buyer sale being bred by Oldbury Ace Bobby Walton. It’s no good you scratching your head Tony wondering how I knew that because I know everything my old duck. Tim Atkin of Frankton takes both the 3rd and 4th slots. Tim has only sent me the details of his first bird that records just .2 of a yard behind Tony’s bird. The bird is a grandchild of Ulrich Lemmens ‘White Gold’ and ‘Jozefien’ the winner of 1st National Tulle when paired to a daughter of Rudi Van de Saer’s ‘New Jens’ his 1st National Limoges winner. Tim tells me that his two birds dropped together but this one ‘got across the line first’.

     

Juan & Cobie  Costello the NC section winners -  John McCall with his daughter and their 2nd SC section winner  -  Ryan Cullinane of Cullinane & Son the 3rd SC section winners

Up into the North Centre section and here we see Juan Costello & family of Huddersfield. Their winner on 1239 is bred from stock off Hebden Bridge fanciers Leach Brothers and has the blood of many of their best birds namely the ‘Syndicate Cock’ ‘Blue Magic’, ‘Magician’ and ‘J-Lo’ the parents of the hen are both winners themselves with the sire winning the race and the mother finishing 2nd in the Gold ring race. This hen has contributed to the lofts 7 x 1st West Yorkshire fed wins with a 1st fed win herself from Cheltenham. Hopes are high that this nice ‘apple bodied’ little hen has a great future. 2nd section is taken by John McCall who is a new member of the MNFC and he has been encouraging in his first year’s racing. The bird is from a gift bird a latebred from Batt & Todd of Leeds. John tells me that his hen has won other prizes in his first year. 3rd section is taken by a loft who are no strangers to the top placings in the form of D Cullinane & Son who clocked a Blue cock on 1204 who are just 2 yards in front of 4th placed Taylor Hill fancier Andrew Haywood who also clocked a Blue cock.

    

Frank & George Bristow the champs of the East section from Chale -  4th and 6th East section from Chale for P & T Stacey

Over to the East now where we see Frank & George Bristow have another good day as they filled the top three places. All three of these birds are Ceulemans based birds. The section winner that recorded a velocity of 1511is a Chequer cock bird that has been flying well all season. He is a half brother to Eric Ceulemans ‘Rossi’ the 2006 Duivenblad national sprint champion both having the same sire. The dam is a daughter of ‘Josie’ the partners 2012 MNFC Carentan Yearling Classic winner. Additionally she also won the Queen’s diamond Jubilee section for the second time as a yearling. The other bird photographed is a grizzle cock that has flown well winning from Bovingdon earlier in the season. In 4th section on 1459 we see Paul & Tracey Stacey. I am informed by Tracey that their timer is a Blue cock that they bought from a Breeder/Buyer sale and this Lambrecht x Staf Van Reet based pigeon was bred by Owen Clark. The partner’s second bird isn’t far behind in 6th section with a Wildie bred by Crewe fancier Mr Austin who I know owns some fine Wildermeersch pigeons.

            

Dave Beadle & Jenny 1st & 2nd in the ENE section -  Helen Johnson once again clock's an early bird in the ENE

Heading up to the East North East section we see Dave Beadle do the old 1-2. The winner is a Sablon hen sent on eggs and she has taken other cards at club level so her arrival was no great shock on a velocity of 1390. Close on her heels is a Blue Kruger x van de Wouwer cock on 1387. The sire of this one has been amongst the loft’s most consistent birds. Dave tells me that the young birds were like many others prepared on the Darkness System and flew every race leading up to the MNFc race. The lady on the photo is Dave’s fiancée perhaps she is a lucky charm eh Dave?. The next two slots are taken by one of the section’s star lofts in the form of Bridlington’s Mr & Mrs Ricky Mellonby their two birds both clock 1358 and obviously arrived together. A decimal behind are Paul & Helen Johnson who clocked a hen that I’m told returned in A1 condition and is a cross bred bird of Peter Van de Merwe x one of Frank Bristow’s Cassaerts.

      

Somers Bros with Ian Vernon the NE section winners had a real race to remember -  Jos Mee unlucky once again this time 5th section

In the North East section what can I say? This section being dominated by Somers Brothers as they took wait for it 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 6th 7th 8th and 9th places with a variety of birds that their close friend Ian Vernon has sourced along with his partner over in Holland Maurice van der Kruk. I’m told that these young speedsters include the blood of Leo Heremans. Gust Janssens and Dirk van den Bulck. The velocities range from 1465 down to 1429. This section is a strong one so this result is a real ‘master class’ in sprint racing. The only slight ‘fly in the ointment’ comes in the form of my pal Jos Mee who clocked a self bred  Staf van Reet x Moggy Morgan SVR x Soontjen  motivated on the sliding door system in 5th section. Jos hasn’t hit the jackpot this year but he has gone very close on several occasions.

   

Alwyn Paddey King of the North section from Chale -  Brian & Mavis Betts 2nd N section -  Mick & Paula  Betts 3rd section this time behind mum & Dad

  

Rob Pashley with his bird with his minder young Jack -  Mr & Mrs Jakings the 2 bird Nominated race winners

The final section that I am now going to cover is the North section where we see the return of a ‘prodigal son’ in the form of Alwyn Paddey. In my early days of covering the MNFC races Alwyn’s name was an almost permanent feature on the result now after a quiet period Alwyn has hit the top again in the MNFC on 1447. I’m told that Alwyn’s young team have flown extremely well this year winning 7 out of 7 in his club. The section topper is a cock bird which had already won 2 x1sts 1 x 3rd and 1x 4th when beaten by loft mates. He is from a Marginus Oostenbrink cock which has 10 x 1st on his CV when coupled to Van Koppens hen a winner of many prizes including over the channel. Well done sir good to see you back. In 2nd spot we see Brian & Mavis Betts beating their son Micky into 3rd spot though Mick can say that his parents bird is a part bred from his stock which was their first timer the previous week from Bedhampton. I bet that Brian is enjoying having the bragging rights this time. Mick’s bird just .5 of a yard behind is a Blue pied hen with previous wins on her record already. She is from a Frans Maris cock which is a brother to his 1st National Argenton winner when crossed with one of the loft’s super Vandeheede family. Mick reported that he had 28 out of his 29 bird entry home in good condition. 4th section on the same yardage as the previous two birds on 1441 and this one is pipped by .07 of a yard is claimed by Mr & Mrs Rob Pashley who saw home a Vandenabeele cock that has already got a 1st prize on his record when he hit the top from Buckingham a few weeks ago. The parents are off stock acquired from M & D Evans and D & J Hawkins respectively.

I would like to mention that the “Bird Nominated race was won by Mr & Mrs Jakings of Yaxley when they timed their nominated bird on 1493. I must apologise on behalf of the Club in regard to the lack of a separate result for these races which if highlighted as was intended will become a highly prestigious award. Apparently the computer programme has struggled to print off a separate result but this must be rectified as these winning birds deserve full coverage.

 

MNFC One Loft

There will have been a meeting of the OLR committee to hopefully bring a closure to this race and provide a fair share of the prize money to the race finalists by the time that you read this report. All I can say is that if the race continues next year that I and the OL committee will do everything in their power to make sure that 2017 is a good and successful series of races. They do say that you learn more from failure than success and believe me we have learned a hell of a lot.

Mike Lakin