MIDLANDS NATIONAL FLYING CLUB

MIKE LAKIN

Simon Parkinson of Crowle wins the First MNFC Carentan ‘2 Bird Nominated’ Race

During the winter the Committee of the Midlands National discussed ways of  giving members a little bit of extra competition and the ‘2 Bird Nominated Race’ is the result. What we wished to offer to fanciers was the opportunity for our members to race on an equal footing or as the in phrase says ‘A level playing field’. What could be fairer than racing two of your own selected birds from your total entry in an extra race.

The idea was well received as there would be no more how can I race against so and so he sends ten times as many birds as I do. Now it is down to quality of your bird and your skills of selection. A fair chance for everyone, with the ‘lions share’ of the prize money generated going back to your sections.

We were very pleased with the 250 plus members that entered which put a prize pot on offer of £2580 with a 1st Open prize of £258. An impressive figure I’m sure you will agree. Obviously some sections like a ‘flutter’ more than others but with the ‘2 bird Nominated’ the ‘sky is the limit’. Potentially if every member who competed in the main race had Nominated the Prize pot would have been a staggering £9410!! ‘Pie in the sky’? Maybe but the potential is there.

Really though the cash is an inducement the real draw of the race is the prestige that winning the race provides.

This is exactly what Simon Parkinson the winner of our inaugural event must be thinking. In truth I can’t think of anyone else who deserves the win more because Simon is often ‘knocking on the door’ and he has this latest victory to add to his previous win with Old Hens from a few years ago.

Let’s now take a look at the winning bird which is a Yearling Blue cock and he has already proved his potential with 30th and 146th Open from Chale and Carentan and was 13th MNFC Ace Pigeon as a youngster. The bird is flown on the Roundabout system of which Simon is extremely competent. His breeding is from direct Belgian imports from the loft of Jochem-van Hasselt who fly very successfully in the Antwerp Union. The sire has also bred the 4th Open Treble Chance winner of 2010 whilst his mum is Simon’s number 1 hen which has bred no less than five birds to finish in the top ten Open places with birdages of 3,000 up to nearly 10,000 with the MNFC. We must not forget that this bird also won 4th Open in the full race with a velocity of 1971. A great result I’m sure that you will agree.

Simon's 1st 2 bird Nominated winning bird

The Parkinson family

2nd Open is filled by Ian Cameron the likeable Scots ‘import’ who clocked one of his trusted warrior widowhood cocks on 1938. This birds which one of Ian’s Camphius x Herbots pigeons which has already clocked up 3rd and 4th East section in the past. Well done Sir.

Ian Cameron

3rd Open is taken by the very competitive Dunsville loft of D & J Hawkins & Evans. The bird that they nominated is a 3 year old Blue Hen which actually won 25th Open in the main race.

D & J Hawkins & Evans

The 4th Open placed bird belonging to L Wilkinson of Wheatley who hit a ‘bullseye’ with his first bird being one of his selected birds. The bird in question is another 3 year old but time it is a cock which records a velocity of 1927.

Going around the sections now and we have in order Gareth Jones of Newark who timed a 2 year old cock on 1901. The South Centre winners are Bemowski Harding and Brown of Grendon who had a pied cock recording 1895. The South East section winner goes to a very experienced pigeon team of Jones & Coleman who prove that they ‘pick em’ their timer records 1889. The North West section winners are R & J Goodwin & Son who not only snatch the 1st place but the greedy beggars grab the 2nd position as well! Their birds velocities were 1882 and 1880. D & N Hordern from Stafford are the South West section champs their 2 year old blue cock just piping Hickman Mason and Jones by less than 2 yards. A superb pigeon takes the West section Nomination and how could his owners J & Josling and Grice failed to pick a yearling cock with two top four section placings as a youngster. Their bird records 1846. Winning the North North West section we see Lytham fanciers Barnes & Warmsley’s nomination which is the same Blue hen which won 3rd NNW section on 1814. The East South East section winners are Mr & Mrs Payne & Bunton of King's Lynn’s who welcomed a 3 year old blue cock on 1711.

Dickie Goodwin & Son 1st & 2nd NW section

King of the castle again, the blue pied yearling belonging to J & J Gosling & Grice

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