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2014 Blue Riband Bordeaux

 

MIDLANDS NATIONAL FLYING CLUB

MIKE LAKIN

2014 Blue Riband Bordeaux

Frank & George Bristow Win a Real Tough One

Never has the importance of the weather conditions been highlighted more strongly than in the last two Midlands National Flying Club’s Bordeaux races. Last year the weather was reasonably cool with the odd local shower and fairly strong southerly wind almost of the whole journey home. This allowed the leading birds to clock up near mile a minute speeds.

This year the weather was very warm and the birds had the extra handicap of a light north wind to contend with and the birds had to work extremely hard to get home before the close of the race. Without a doubt the 2014 Bordeaux wasn’t a race for faint hearts of either the owners or their pigeons. In fact it would be accurate to say that since the last race we went from the sublime to the ridiculous.

With the prevailing conditions and the fact that due to localised heavy mist at the racepoint which made visibility down to less than 200 yards at early dawn it wasn’t until 7.50am that the convoyer Ian French was able to get the birds away on their long journey home. At the time the more experienced long distance flyers thought that it would prohibit the chances of any day birds being timed. As nightfall fell no birds were verified - apart from a few Vire birds that had been registered in error! At the time we weren’t aware that during the day in mid France unpredicted localised but very heavy storms fell which put paid to any hopes of day pigeons being recorded.

When dawn opened members were soon scanning the MNFC Leaderboard but 6am came and went, then 7am passed and still no arrivals and we wondered if any birds had crossed the channel on the day of the race. Then I received a phone call from Frank Bristow explaining to me that when he verified his bird it had appeared on the Leaderboard as GB and not as he had verified it as NWHU and he feared that he could be disqualified. Thinking he was referring to the Vire race I told him not to worry. Then he told me ‘’I’m the only name on the Board, is it not working properly?’’. Then the penny dropped and I replied ‘No it’s because you are the first to verify and I doubt if it will be beaten either!’ A short while later and on the Leaderboard the birds began to trickle in slowly but I was right, Frank and George Bristow’s bird was never seriously threatened and his bird won the race by nearly 30 yards a minute with a velocity of 969. To quote a good friend of mine who has had the good fortune to visit their lofts in Horbling, ‘The Bristows have taken British pigeon racing to a higher level’. If you look closely at their results over the last few seasons, they include umpteen section wins then their Midlands National wins and two King’s Cup victories on the North road. Then consider the quality of their stock loft and you begin to understand why my friend made the comment.

Frank & George Bristow

Let’s now look at the Bordeaux National winner. She is a yearling hen named ‘Bridgitte’ that was bred by Dennis Little of Chorley who along his father has exchanged birds with Frank for some time now. Her sire is a Bristow bred cock being a direct son of Frank’s ‘Kessie’ his 2008 King’s Cup winner. He is a Late Maurice Cassaert based bird as Frank has owned many directs from Maurice since first visiting this ‘Wizard of Nechin’ nearly 35 years ago now. She has been flown all season on the Bristow widowhood hen system but was coupled and sent to Bordeaux sitting eggs. The mother is a hen owned by the Dennis and is a daughter of Dave Impett’s ‘Northern Star’, his great hen which flew 747 miles on the day a few years ago. Armed with these facts it is easy to see how this Pencil White Flighted hen was capable of putting up this superb result and it is very clear when you realise the time she was clocked at 7.54 am in the morning that she was one of the few which definitely got into England on the first day. Her winning velocity was 969 just a smidgeon over 33 miles per hour. I must say that Frank made me smile when I enquired about her name as he informed me it was because she is ‘Brigitte Bordeaux’, an obvious derivative of the famous French movie star Brigitte Bardot!! Well just like Miss Bardot this hen is also a real beauty.

Brigitte Bordeaux the 2014 MNFC Bordeaux National winner

In 2nd Open and 1st North East section are Mr & Mrs M & J Gaunt. These well respected Derbyshire fanciers timed a 5 year old Blue Hen on 940. During a pleasant conversation with one of the partners I learned that their bird just like the race winner had been bred for them by the Sheffield partnership of Smith & Broughton. I must admit that I was more than a little surprised to hear that the bird was bred from a cross of Soontjen and Staf Van Reet blood. The only thing I can think is that Staf was a man who got hold of many different pigeons and perhaps this particular line which is responsible for this grand hen had some long distance stuff in it. The bird was bought at the NMCC Breeder Buyer sale in 2009 when she won the Gold Medal in the organisation’s final race. Since then she has continued her good work flying the 2013 MNFC Bordeaux race when she also finished well up on the result and just two weeks prior to the Bordeaux race this year she was 21st Open from the very difficult NMCC Niort race when she flew for over 14 hours to reach home on the day. For Bordeaux race she was sent nursing a 4 day old baby and this was the first time in five years racing that she had spent a night ‘on the tiles’ before being clocked at just before 8.45am. A fine pigeon.

3rd & 11th Open and 1st & 3rd in the South Centre section is Chris Turner from Coventry who timed a 2 year old Blue Cock called ‘Blue Diamond’. This pigeon flew in the recent MNFC Fougeres race which as everyone knows was a tough race. Three weeks later he dropped in from Ancenis at 6.00 am next morning showing signs of a hawk attack but the bird made a remarkable recovery and was then sent to Bordeaux. The bird is bred for the job being from a Grandson of the famous Brockamp breeder ‘George and ‘Young Hector’ from Germany’s Kipp & Son. On the 3rd Open winner’s mother’s side, she is a double granddaughter of the World famed Brockamp pigeon ‘Euro Diamond’. Chris wishes to thank Mark Gilbert for bringing the hen over from Brockamp. Unfortunately Chris sent me no details of his second arrival other than I know that it is a 3 year old Mealy Pied cock on 860 ypm.

Chris Turner with his 3rd Open winner

4th Open and 2nd East section is taken by a 5 year old Red Cock belonging to Steve & Mike Cook of Barton on Humber. They in fact enjoyed a good race clocking a loftmate Blue cock of Staf Van Reet breeding for 5th section and 27th Open. Their first timer is a Jan Theelen based pigeon bred from stock loaned from their good friends Mr & Mrs Noel Houghton. The bird is a proven long distance winner with wins from both Nevers and Bourges. This was the first 600 mile plus bird to be timed and he was entered feeding a large youngster and noticing his hen and his velocity of 888 just edges out the North North West section and 5th Open winner which is a real Christian belonging to J L Noblett & Son. Steve the son of the partnership tells me that the sire of their bird was bred and given to them by Joe Livesey who is also from Lostock Hall which is where the partners also hale from. The sire’s breeding is the real distance stuff being a mixture of Eric Fox x Putman x Vander Wegen so he is pure distance! His channel CV includes 337th Open NFC Cholet. The mother is also long distance from Ken Hine. The 5th Open winner ‘86’ is raced on a new system called the ‘Chaos System’ as he was never paired due to severe shortage of hens and has raced week in and week out plus channel races with the MNFC from Carentan and Ancenis chasing anything in the loft. Steve tells me that he can’t drive but his mate Joe Livesey gives him a few tosses which the partners are extremely grateful for. The feed is Bamfords Multi-Task which is hopper fed. Steve tells me that he has a very small set up with a combined racing loft of 17 foot which includes a 4 foot corn store and being in the middle of a housing estate he can’t use forced exercise but gives the birds as much free exercise time as possible. Steve perhaps after hearing your result we could all do with a little chaos in our lives!

Steve & Mike Cook with their 4th and 27th Open winning birds

Steve Noblett's 5th Open and 1 NNW section winner

6th Open place is filled by the 1st SE section winner a 2 year old Blue Hen owned by Offley fanciers Baron & Crick with a velocity of 884. The bird was very well fancied as in total she wins her owners just under a thousand pounds in pool and prizemoney. Unfortunately despite a phone call and an email I have been unable to contact the partners for more details of their pigeon.

7th Open and 1SW section winners are West Bromwich’s K Parry & Son with a speed of 880. I am told the bird responsible is a 3 year old Blue Pied Kees Bosua hen. This Granddaughter of Bosua’s ‘Kannible’ x a hen from Nigel Templer which is a granddaughter of ‘De Bulte’ has a good record as she won 1st club and 14th Federation as a yearling from Niort and in 2013 she was placed 3rd section 7th Open from Bordeaux. Her parents are responsible for some excellent birds which have already won 3rd section 7th Open and 1st section 17th Open in the MNFc Young Bird National race. A cousin has also been placed 3rd section and 4th Open in the previous race.

Parry & Sons 1st SW section 7th Open winner

In 8th Open and 2nd NE section we have G & S Daykin and son just .3 of a yard behind the previous pigeon. Their first timer is a yearling Mealy hen and her breeding is Gary’s Kipp & Son ‘Black Magic line x Louella Long Distance bloodline. The loft also wins 4th section and 24th Open with a second bird this one is crossing of their ‘Black Magic’ lines x their house family the Soontjens in the form of their ‘Double National Winner’. Gary tells me that he is excited about his ‘Black Magic’ family so much so that he feels that his Black Cock can emulate the breeding record of his famous Soontjen stock cock ‘The Golden Attom’ (this the correct spelling) This is a big statement and only time will tell on this one but he has started very favourably.

Gary Daykin showing his latest water bird!

 

9th Open and 2nd SC section is claimed by the Mr & Mrs John Passey Family on 875. Their timer is a 2 year old hen that showed her potential in 2013 when she won 3rd club and 8th federation from Saintes on another tough day when only 1 bird timed on the day. This season she was treated very lightly with just 3 inland races before being jumped into Bordeaux. John was quick to praise Geoff and Barbara Kirkland for both their birds and valuable advice which he says without which he wouldn’t have enjoyed the successes that they have achieved over the years. He also is very grateful to his wife Kim who John says is the most important person for her help and support which he says has been more than he could ever wish for! I think he is very happy with you Kim. In the photo attached to this report is John and his grandchildren chloe and Archie. The Passeys certainly are a great example of a family enjoying their sport.

John Passey with his grand children and his 9th Open winner

 

The NW section winner is Don Salt of Alton who fills the 10th Open placing. Don is a grand chap who really gets great pleasure from his pigeons not only channel racing but he likes to prepare a bird or two for the BHW Blackpool show racing classes. Don’s section topper is a 2 year old Roundabout hen which was repaired and sent sitting 10 day old eggs for the race. Her breeding is a Jos Thone based gift bird from Mick Brindley which has won 5 x 1st prizes in his career before being given to Don. The mother is one of Don’s own family being a granddaughter of his 1st section 4th Open San Sebastian winner. This family have won many more top positions for Don and a few others. Well done sir.

Don Salt 1st NW section and 10th Open winner

 

2nd SW section and 12th Open on 849 are good friends of mine in the form of Glyn & Christine Machin of Ketley in Telford. Over quite a period of time the Machins have been specialists at the Saintes race point after once being described as the ‘Shropshire Sprint Kings’ with their fabulous team of Busschaerts. This family was tweeked with by a few good crosses and have served the partners well but their ambitions now have extended to the longest races. Their timer on this occasion is a crossbred Struyf x Noel Peiren which Glynn brought in a few years ago to achieve this goal. Their 2 year old Pied cock is in fact a cousin on the Struyf side to a pigeon which in 2011 won 4th Open from Bordeaux bred by myself and raced by Alan Windsor. 3rd in the SW is the well respected MNFC loft of J Madgin & Son of Rugeley who clocked 2012 Dark Cock on 744 and N J Westwood of Bilston took 4th section with another 2012 pigeon. I’m sorry to say that I haven’t any further details on the last two birds.

Graham Barnett who has been a big help to Glyn and Christine Machin this season

A grand pigeon is 13th Open and 2nd SE section for Graham & Jackie Groom and she is called ‘Sweet Pea’. In a career spanning over 20 channel crossing incredibly this was her first night out. Although as night fall approached a bird dropped causing a few heart flutters but it was her look a like granddaughter returning late from the Vire race. I’m told that this has caused a few more grey hairs! The hen which is off stock Graham got from Cameron Stansfield and is predominantly from Graham Baker’s famous ‘Meritman’ and boy was he some skin. There is also a percentage of ‘Scottish Lady’ and Silvere Toye in her pedigree. Next morning though didn’t disappoint arriving just after 8.30 am and in her CV she has some excellent placings from her 5 Bordeaux races these include 5 x1st club 2nd section 5th Open and a 4th section win and now a 2nd section to add to her tally and she is now eligble for a ‘MNFC Diploma of Distinction’ for three times in the first 100 open positions from the club’s longest race. ‘Sweet Pea’ is surely a worthy winner. I’m told that the Grooms will wait and see how their great hen is next year before making a decision on her racing future.

Graham Groom with his 'Sweet Pea'

Sweet Pea in close up

In 3rd & 4th  SE section and 14th and 15th Open we have the ‘shrinking violets’ from Bedfordshire R & P Montila who recorded 840 and 817 with two of their widowerhood cocks.

 

Looking around the sections now and the West section was won by J Richard & Sons on 806. Their bird is a Red Hen which has a good racing CV. This includes 3rd section and 34th Open Tours with the BBC as a young bird after a jump of 280 miles from her longest inland race from Wincanton. This season the yearling hen has had 4 channel races was then repaired and rested for three weeks and was sent to Bordeaux just two days after laying her second egg. The families used by the partners is Luc Van Hoecke and Jan Aarden & Hagens for the long races. John said his bird was in excellent condition on her return which he has come to expect when racing in national races which is not always the case in domestic racing.

John Richard with his 1st West section winner

Bauress & Murray clocked their single well fancied Chequer cock to scoop up not only 2nd W section but also winnings in excess of a grand! Which is no real surprise because this was this Southwell based pigeon’s third crossing in 2012 he was 6th section and in 2013 he won 4th section and 50th Open. I shall be studying next years Bordeaux result to see if this cock wins his ‘Diploma of Distinction’.

Bauress & Murray 2nd West section

K C knight is a name to look out for from our longest race and his 2010 bred chequer cock didn’t let him down on 787. In 2012 the same bird won 3rd section and 18th Open while his brother was on place in front of him on the result. In 2013 he got hawked but still he still managed 27th place in the Chester 2 bird from Messac. He recovered and went to the Bordeaux race coming home 3rd out of Keith’s 4 bird entry. This year the hard day suited him better and he was at it again with 3rd section and 20th Open. Keith wishes to thank Barbara & Dave once again. T & M King take the 4th section prize on 648 with a 4 year old Red Cock. The bird is a Jan Theelen x Jan Aarden. The Theelen mother originating from Irons Murphy& Irons. While the sire is a cock from Dave Siner. The pigeon was a latebred and raced very lightly as a yearling. His previous best results being 2nd Club 47th NW combine from Carentan followed up by  1st club 2nd Liverpool Amal  and 2nd NW Combine. Like this years Bordeaux these two races were very hard races with not many clocked.

Keith Knight with his 3rd West section winner an experienced Bordeaux bird

Rounding up the SC section now and 4th section goes to Yates and Son of Glascote. Clive tells me that his first bird is a Mark Gilbert De Weerdt Red Hen and the parners timed two more birds on the winning day in 6th and 8th section.

Clive Yates with his granddaughter Eydie and his Bordeaux pigeon

5th in the SC was Simon Cole who clocked a Donaldson x Tully pigeon bred from stock off Bill Hendry of Coventry. Simon also got his brother 4 hours later which finished up in 11th section.

Simon Cole with his timer from Bordeaux

 

The East South East section was a personal success story for Mr & Mrs Mike Payne of Weston Longville because the partners took the first three places in their section. The birds are flown on the ‘Open Hole’ Natural system. The 1st placed bird is 2 year old hen sent sitting 11 days and she is Matt Rakes cock x a hen purchased at the Nigel Rigani clearance sale and is closely related to ‘Commanche’ who flew successfully 4 times from Palamos. The 2nd bird is a 4 year old cock which was sent sitting 13 day old eggs and still feeding a youngster. His sire won 5th Open MNFC from Tours and his dam is the same mother as the previous hen. The 3rd section winner is another hen that was sent on 13 day old eggs and her sire was bred by Tom McEwan of Elphinstone and was a close relation to his ‘Petite Rose’ which won 1st SNFC from Tours. Her mother is a past winner of 58th Open MNFC from Bordeaux.

Incidentally the 3rd NE section winner Tony Findon of Watnall was partially bred from pigeons off Mr & Mrs Payne. Tony’s 3 year old Red Cock’s sire is of ‘Red Barcelona’ blood x a Hagen Bros x a Keith Bush pigeon. The Hagens bloodlines coming off Mike & Sandra Payne. Tony also timed another two birds on the winning day the first of these being 5th NE section after winning 6th section and 21st Open from Ancenis and the other one fills 8th section.

Tony Findon 3rd NE section

The 4th ESE section winner a Blue Pied cock belonging to Perry Brothers and Son on 695.

Completing the other early birds in the North West section we see Silvester Brothers and Tomkinson completing a great weekend with 2nd section with yet another Staf van Reet x Van Loon hen her sire being a son of ‘The Pegger’. They timed a second lesbian hen to record 11th section both were sent feeding a baby. The partners now intend to retire both of these multi prize winning hens to the stock loft.

Silvester Bros & Tomkinson with their two Bordeaux hens

Mick Hughes of Market Drayton had a great race sending one and getting him to win 3rd NW section on 742. Mick races to a real pigeon ‘haven’ racing a small team of Busschaert based pigeons which have a cross of his pal Alan Shore’s ‘Pau Cock’ blood. In 2014 racing just 8 cocks the loft has flown wonderfully well. The team are a really tight knit bunch with three brothers a ½ brother and a son making up over half of the squad. Each of these pigeons has earned it’s box with National performances. I couldn’t list them all here but there are performances in the MNFC, NFC and BBC. Not bad with just 8 birds eh?

Mick Hughes' lovely back garden tree house loft

Mick Hughes studying his 3rd NW section winner

In 4th NW section is a man who eats, sleeps and drinks long distance and this is Paul ‘Snapper’ Dewsnap of Packmoor. Paul had a good result a few days earlier in the hard NFC Tarbes race with four birds on the result when many failed to get one. On this occasion Paul clocked a 2 year old cock first. This bird being a grandson of Matt Rakes' famous ‘Indy’ and was sitting 12 day old eggs.

A view of Paul Dewsnap 4th NW section loft with Paul waiting on more arrivals.

Coleman and Lawson take 4th East section with a 2 year old hen sent racing back to small babies. Her breeding is back from Etienne Vanhaverbeke and his son Peter who supplied the bird’s sire. Etienne gave the partners a daughter off the nest brother to Roger Florizoone’s world famous ‘Witneus’. This race was the hen's fourth channel race of the year.

Coleman & Lawson 4th East section

A bird surely worthy of a mention is Tony Blendell’s 6th East section winner a fabulous cock called ‘Just The Job’ and that name fits him like a glove because that is exactly what he is - Just the Job. This great pigeon was East section Ace Pigeon Long Distance in 2011 and 2012 and could just repeat the dose again in 2014? Tony’s bird like the Grooms ‘Sweet Pea’ has qualified for a ‘Diploma of Distinction’.

Tony Blendell's 'Just the Job'

 

Up North now and the North section is won by a proven distance hen belonging to Mally Robinson of Hatfield which wins 23rd Open position. This 5 year old chequer hen is a superb hen and has previously won 11th North section from Fougeres and 3rd 19th and now 1st section from Bordeaux. A real pigeon to be very proud of.

Mally Robinson's 1st North section winner

 

In 2nd and 3rd section is a man who must be walking on air and this is Nigel Laycock of Womersley who timed two birds who have their roots in the North East and North West of the country. Nigel got their parents from his mate Paul Stobbs who had bought them from the Bourges specialist Alan White of Hetton Le Hole. The origins are from the North Western long distance loft belonging to Gilbertson & son. These two hens really stuck at it to record velocities of 712 and 561. The first of these in 2013 won 1st North section 3rd Open Ace Long Distance bird in 2013.

One of Nigel Laycock's Bordeaux pigeons

The 2nd section bird in the NNW section is claimed by Mr & Mrs Sarre who timed their Jan Aarden x Krauth cock named ‘The Goose’ on 557. This cock won 1st section from the same racepoint in 2013. So we can truly say that this very consistent MNFC pigeon has experienced the highs and lows from Bordeaux over the past two years!

Mr & Mrs Sarre 2nd NNW section Bordeaux

 

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