MIDLANDS NATIONAL FLYING CLUB

MIKE LAKIN

 

M.N.F.C. John Pether Enjoys

A Dream Race From Bedhampton

As it has already been well chronicled that the Midlands National’s Mayenne race was substituted due to a 3 day holdover and very little prospect of a successful liberation any time soon the decision was made to come ‘back home’ to Bedhampton even then it was a total of nine days before the 7,176 birds were released into sunny conditions and a light North Westerly breeze at 8.15am.

There was a small and interested few people at the site including other convoyers who had all released their birds but hung on to witness the MNFC’s liberation obviously wondering if the birds would struggle. Well in the words of one of these gentlemen he said that the Mid Nat’s release was the best and fastest to clear the site that morning heading off for home without so much as a turn or a backward glance.

I will say that a number of fanciers have reported cases of a percentage of their pigeons showing signs of ‘wing stiffness’. After a few days rest and unforced exercise I’m confident that the birds will be 100% once again. Many though were delighted at the conditions of their returning birds with no reports as I am aware of dirty pigeons.

As the heading of this report says one fancier who had an absolute dream race was the ESE section loft of John Pether of Henham who saw his first two arrivals take 1st & 2nd Open and his second bird win the Yearling Classic RP/Deweerd sponsored trophy. John’s winner is a 5 y.o. widower cock who I’m told is bred from a cock obtained from Wall Lunt & Green and a good hen with 4 x 2nd federation diplomas to her credit flying on the North road with the Essex Central Federation at distances up to 300 miles from Arbroath.

    

John Pether      -      The MNFC winner

2nd Open MNFC Bedhampton for John Pether

John’s second bird and Yearling Classic winner is a hen which recorded 1258 just 4 yards behind her loft mate. She is a Wildermeersch based roundabout hen being bred from a mixture of Yates & son x Porter & Richardson ‘Firecracker’ lines. The ‘cherry was well and truly added to the cake’ as John’s first four birds were all in the top 14 placings giving him a clean sweep of the ESE section by taking the first five places in front of last year’s section Average winners Mr & Mrs Auker who took the next two positions in their section.

3rd Open is taken by one of the MNFC’s consistent lofts in the form of Steve Palin on 1229 who is proving to be a man for all seasons from sprint right through to Bordeaux. Proof of this is shown by the fact that his 3 year old cock was 63rd Open from Ancenis in 2014 and one year later he won 6th Open from Bordeaux. His breeding is 75% Geerinckx  x 25% Marcel Aelbrecht. His father is ‘Ding Dang Coo’ the 2012 MNFC Long Distance Ace Pigeon when paired to ‘Tia’ Steve’s best racing and breeding hen. So it is clear that the saying that the ‘apple falls close to the tree’ is very accurate.

4th Open goes to another excellent loft which belongs to Robert & Peter Montila these lads are your typical shrinking violets and getting info from them is like drawing teeth. So all I know is that it was a 2 year old Blue cock that was well fancied and he brought home a healthy cheque for our two ‘quiet men’ with a velocity of 1217.

5th and 6th Open places go up to the North to the lofts of Mr & Mrs Ray Blower and John Scratchard respectively. Ray tells me that his timer is a yearling Chequer cock that is a Janssen as is the norm with the Blowers. The sire comes from John Beckingsdale whilst his mother is a self-bred pigeon. The bird is currently being raced on the Roundabout system and has been very consistent for his owners. John Scrathard’s bird is a 2014 Chequer cock and recorded 1213. 7th Open is claimed by Worksop’s P Gray whoses bird records 1212 two yards faster than my friend Jos Mee who was originally declared as the NE section winner but apparently Mr Gray had given the wrong verification time. This highlights why the leaderboard is only a provisional result and I will never write until the final result is declared. Anyway back to the race result the 1st NE section is won by P Gray with a yearling Blue Hen but I have no further details on this one. In 2nd section as already mentioned is Jos Mee who is a great help to me getting the info from his section unfortunately he wasn’t aware at the time of Mr Gray’s pigeon.  Jos informs me that his bird which will finish in 8th Open is a 3 year old Dk Cheq cock and in his own words ‘’A complete mongrel who usually turns up on sticky days and he has previously won prizes at club and fed level’’ Nice to hear you speaking so eloquently about the birds breeding Jos. In 3rd section in the N E section is Turner & Pallatt on 1191 who timed a 2 year old widowhood Blue Hen. The bird which is a past fed winner is of Peter Joncker x De Klak x Van Loon breeding and her sister won 5th National from Carentan. 4th NE section goes to a loft that is flying very consistently and all credit to Inger & Son because Neil is not in the best of health but it doesn’t stop him banging in the early arrival in as his 4 year old Blue hen amply testifies. Another loft well to the fore in the NE are Betts Topham & Son they clocked a 2014 cock of mixed Soontjen x Wildemeersch and Toye lines on his sire’s side. While the dam was a gift egg off Scunthorpe’s Chris Smith and is a Vandenabeele. The cock will reward his owners with a nice little cheque.

The SW section comes back with the next two birds in 9th open and 2nd section is Booth & Roper their 2014 hen records a velocity of 1208. The lads tell me that their timer is bred from their established Dordin birds crossed with Brian Sheppard’s family. She showed her potential earlier in the season with a win from Blandford. The partners said that their birds all homed in great shape. Sportingly they sent their congratulations to both John Pether and their mate Steve Palin and say ‘’the next meal is on you Steve!’’. The 10th Open position is filled by Arthur Jones and his two year old Blue cock which records 1206 wins the 2 Bird Nominated race for Arthur who is the President of the Gloucester Fed which is an organisation that continues to flourish with the help of his stewardship. Another loft that is having a great year is that of R Stokes & Son. One of their star performers is a yearling Busschaert x Vandenabeele which seems to be responding well to the widowerhood system as he was 3rd Open from the MNFC’s first race from Coutances. I’m told that the cock’s grandsire of Busschaert bloodlines is proving to be a top breeder with several offspring winning at club,fed and national levels.

Let’s now have a trot around the sections now starting with the SE section where 2nd section is filled by Mr & Mrs Colin Thorpe on 1205. Yet another 2 year old widower cock. This pied bird is a Van Den Driessche x Hereman Ceusters has been a previous winner of minor prizes but this I’m told is his best win to date. Colin tells me that his bird originates from stock obtained from Jerry Wright. On a velocity of 1202 we see yet another 2 year old hen belonging to Bruce McAllister of Buntingford take the 3rd section prize. 4th section is taken by one of our long-time supporters in the form of Mr & Mrs George Butts who timed one of their Janssen-Van Den Bosche cocks which was sent sitting 5 day old eggs. George explains that the bird is a full brother to ‘The Lad’ their 2010 National winner.

Top dogs in the West section on this occasion are Knowsley’s partnership of Dillon & Davies. The bird responsible is a Yearling Grizzle hen that achieved an excellent velocity of 1197. Unfortunately I haven’t got any further details on the bird. 2nd section is won by Derek Rooney with one of his Jan Hooyman based birds named ‘Turbo Harry’. The pigeon is actually a grandson of ‘Jonge Bliksem’ the father of the famous ‘Harry’. So it’s clear that this one has many superb performers in his blood. 3rd section is filled by the Birkdale loft of John & Angela Alvey who clocked a yearling Blue Hen that is a Ceuleman pigeon that was purchased in a Belgian charity sale. The partners tell me that she was only repaired the day before basketing as she had lost her original mate from the previous race. Obviously he must have been a better looker as she certainly rushed home for him to achieve 1189. Kirby’s Nairn & Brown take 4th spot on 1186 . Their bird is yet another yearling chequer hen. So it is very obvious that we are now in the grips of an era of ‘girl power’

Tidying up in the North section and in 3rd spot we see another great performer in the form of Mick Betts of Scawsby who clocked a 3 year old Pied cock of Freddy Vandeheede breeding in fact Mick tells me that the bird is a grandson of the vandenheede’s 1st National Bourges winner. The bird was well fancied and will collect a very healthy cheque for his owner. Mick commented that he got all of his 12 bird entry back in good order but added ‘’a few have gone a little wing stiff in the following days as expected after such a long time in the baskets’’. In 4th section we see J & J L Redfern who timed a 2013 chequer cock to secure the position.

In the new NC section we see another loft that has had great success since they started racing with us. This team is Mr& Mrs Brian Fisher and Son. They finished in 1st 4th and 5th section. I only have details of their winner which is a yearling chequer cock that has performed well previously with 2nd placings from both Yeovil and Portland. Brian tells me that the bird which was a clear winner of the section and a very creditable 48th Open was a gift from Chris Atkin of Rossendale and is of Janssen x van Loon breeding. Brian was full of praise for the way their bird looked on their return after such trying circumstances. 2nd slot is filled by Andy Haywood of Taylor Hill who clocked his 3 year old Blue W/f cock on 1129 for his 194 mile trip. In 3rd section we see another serial performer in the form of Leach Brothers. Adrian tells me that their first timer is a hen bred off their Box 2 pair and on her record she has already won a joint 1st section placing on her CV when the loft took the first four places. The grand parents of this Blue hen are the Syndicate cock x Caprice and ‘The Magician x Blue Magic’ so very impressive breeding.

Gallery

    

Steve Palin with his 1st SW section and 3rd Open winning pigeon     -     Jos Mee all smiles after winning 2nd NE section

   

             Rich Turner of Turner & Pallatt 3rd NE section      -      Booth & Roper 2nd SW section 9th Open

   

Arthur Jones 3rd section and winner of the 2bird Nom race     -      Stokes Brothers who are enjoying a wonderful season 4th SW section on this occasion

   

Mr & Mrs George Butts in 4th slot in the SE section     -       Derek Rooney with 'Turbo Harry' the 2nd West section winner

          

John and Angela Alvey The 3rd West sections winners      -     Micky Betts up with the section leaders once again

   

Team Fisher who had a great race in the NC section  -  The Leach family 3rd NC section on this occasion

    

Brian Lee inspecting the wing of his NW section winner  -   The 2nd NW section winner belonging to Crehan & O'Connor

   

Terry Williams 3rd NW section     -     1st & 2nd section in the SC goes to D & J Leitch

    

  Henton & Wheatley 4th place in the SC section     -      Cawdron & Costello 2nd East section

   

The ENE section winners Paul & Helen Johnson with Chris Greenwood their stock loft manager and Johno the guard dog -  Kerry Mellonby in 3rd EN section

             

James McLennan 1st NNW section     -      Dave Crowe 2nd NNW section

           

Roskell & Williamson  3rd NNW section placing    -      Alan Raby the 4th placed member in the NNW

Fraser & Eve the newly weds release the white pigeons but the first one was faster than the camera

The NW section is won on 1188 by one of our Congleton members in the form of Brian Lee who clocked a yearling Blue hen with three weeks earlier had arrived with her nestmate to win 1st & 2nd NWCC from Carentan. Her sire is a Vandenabeele  of Amber Louise/Shadow lines gifted to Brian by O’Hare & Woodward. The dam is a last of the Janssens Zoon Merckx x 455 which was purchased from Blackpool. 2nd section is won by Manchester’s Crehan & O’Connor on 1184. This one is once again a hen but a 2 year old bred by Jan Hooymans of Kerkdriel in Holland. Her sire is a full brother of the World renown ‘Harry’ and her dam is ‘The Beauty Hen’ and included in her CV is 1st Combined from Portland as a young bird. Her owner calls her ‘Try Hard’ for obvious reasons. Like Brian, Gordon Rigg before him John Crehan was full of praise for their birds conditions after the long holdover. Mr & Mrs Terry Williams of Shavington take 3rd place with another 2 year old widowhood hen. Her breeding is Peter Van de Merwe x Schaerlaeckens. Her sire is a bird called ‘Cocktail’ both birds being bred by J S Ward of Oldham. In 4th section with a 2014 bred Chequer cock are Mantle Bros & Sons with a velocity achieved of 1175. The SC section sees Cosby fanciers D & J Leitch put up a super result to take 1st & 2nd places with two cocks with velocities of 1194 and 1182 respectively. Sadly I have no further details or of the 3rd section winner a yearling Pied hen which was both pooled and in the £2 nom belonging to P& P & C Covington and I & W Gair and so will collect a nice little pay out for the partners. What’s the matter Ann don’t you know my email address? Henton & Wheatley take 4th slot with a yearling Lambrecht based cock which was the son of the 2014 MNFC Y.B. Ace pigeon. This yearling is a grandson of the partners No1 pair which have thrown some good MNFC performers in fact a cousin was 5th section in the previous Coutances race. Next in the Sc we see Albert Babington with a full brother to a cock that topped the section in 2014 and 15. Albert tells me that he has won a few prizes and is hopeful that he will make a good ‘un.

Moving over to the East section we see the name of Colin Stafford on top of the pile. Colin made me chuckle when his described his racing system as roundabout but more accurately as ‘messabout’ because his method is different to that employed by many others! The bird which obviously responds to being messed about is a 2 year old cock that originates from the ‘House of Aarden’ bloodlines. As the bird was gifted to Colin by his friend Dave Barrett of Sudbrooke no pedigree was exchanged but it is believe that the bird has ‘de Cas’ on both sides of his pedigree. I would expect this bird to appear from longer distances. Colin tells me that his birds are raced on Versele Laga ‘superwidowhood’ and ‘Gerry Plus’ with bits and bobs added as the distance increases. I’m wasn’t told where you can get these bits and bobs from though! In 2nd slot on 1087 just 2 yards behind the section winner we see Cawdron & Costello who timed a 6 year old Pied hen who may be something of a veteran but she can still show many a ‘clean pair of wings’. The Scunthorpe partnership of Maxwell Bros take the next two placings with a yearling and 2 year old doing the business for their owners on 1081 and 1078 respectively.

A little further North we move to the ENE section where we see the names of Paul and Helen Johnson who are making a habit of getting up into the winners enclosure. The partners inform me that Chris Greenwood who is on the photograph with them looks after the breeders loft. Whilst Johno the guard dog looks after unwanted visitors! The section topper is a concoction of various lines which are Frith van Loon x Peter van de Merwe x distance lines of John Rawson and George Knaggs. Their 2 year old cock was also their first arrival from Coutances and the partners say he was in tip top condition on his arrival and flew straight to his hen before bothering with a drink. Helen tells me that as is now the norm when the partners get a good one Paul was in the house when the bird arrived.  You know what to do Helen send him to make the drinks a few minutes before you are expecting an arrival and if it works you may clock a national winner!  2nd section goes to A & F Sarel of Hedon their timer is a 3 year old chequer hen recording 999 ypm. Right up her proverbial we see a yearling Blue hen belonging to Mr & Mrs Kerry Mellonby of Bridlington less than .4 of a yard behind. The Hull loft belonging to G W Rowse takes 4th place with yet another hen this time a 2 year old recording 974.

Heading over the Pennines now to check into the NNW section here we see Fleetwood’s James McLellan top of the shop. James’ winner is a 4 year old Peter Van de Merwe cock on 1172 bred by Derek Pedley who has always had good pigeons. The bird has won quite a few prizes including £200 in a ‘ticket race’ which is a new one to me. Marian James’ good lady clocked the bird as her husband was away at work. James now is considering saving up to get a good hen off Derek to pair to his section topper. 2nd section is filled by Dave Crowe who timed a yearling Chequer hen on 1157.6. This bird was bred by Lancaster’s Gary Tyson and is bred from a Bruce Blamire cock and a hen from Robbie Thomas. A mere .3 of a yard behind we see Roskell & Williamson time in yet another hen pigeon it would appear that the dominance of the widowerhood cock is well and truly over. 4th section is taken by Alan Raby who timed a 2 Bird Nominated pigeon a 3 year old cock on 1155. The birds breeding is predominately Jan Aarden being a grandson of Alan’s german hen that proved her quality by breeding the 2015 Bordeaux section topper for her owner. I’m told that this grandson is a very consistent performer and who knows could continue the good work at the club’s 2016 ‘Blue Ribbon’ race.

The Club is well aware that the prize money for this race was disappointing but due to the decrease in numbers and the cost incurred from the seven day holdover the pay-out figure was completely understandable. It must be borne in mind that the larger the entry the bigger the prize pot and unfortunately due to weather conditions the sends haven’t been as good as in 2015.

I would like to apologise for the delay in getting this report out but there is a very good reason as my only daughter Eve got married a few days ago and my attention was rather distracted to say the least. I have included a photo of her own private liberation when along with her husband Fraser they released two white birds from a heart shaped basket. I’m sure that along with me you all wish them both a long and happy marriage.

Mike Lakin

 

 

 

MNFC One Loft Update

7th July

   

                 One Loft Team.      -        MNFC one loft just dropped

The birds are now coming off their eight week darkness period and we are now swapping to a stronger feed mixture in readiness for the training and racing that is fast approaching. The birds are now on a twice daily exercise regime working towards a start to training building up to the ‘hot spott races and the final race from Coutances on the 17th September.

There has been a lot of work getting the ‘customised’ ETS clocking system which is accurate to 100th of a second ready but by the time you read this update the birds should be fitted with their chip rings and regular updates on the birds in the lofts will be on the MNFC website.

Ian French & Mike Lakin