MIDLANDS NATIONAL FLYING CLUB
MIKE LAKIN
BORDEAUX
Ted Jackson of Woodend claims the blue riband race from Bordeaux
The Midland National’s longest race was flown on the 21st July. Ian French, the Club’s convoyer, was able to get the 1,281 birds away at 6.00am. The wind in France was very, very light from a North Westerly direction. It was very clear that the birds were going to have to fight all the way to reach their home lofts even though the wind direction turned to a South Westerly direction because its strength was so light there would be very little assistance.
When these conditions prevail for this 500 mile plus race it is quite obvious that the winners will be true long distance pigeons. Yes you need a pigeon that is the ‘real deal’. Once the time on the wing reaches 10 hours then many of the convoy are a spent force and when 12 hours ticks around only an intrepid few are still ‘truckin’. Make no mistake, Bordeaux and races of a similar distance have to be treated with respect and the winners come invariably from proven lines and if you doubt my words just read about the pigeons in this report as I give them and their owners due credit.
The 2012 champion is a 3 year old blue cock and is a classic case. This game cock recorded a velocity of 1216 and was a clear winner. His sire is a Roger Florizoone based pigeon purchased as a baby from Ettiene Van Harvabakker by Ted’s son Scott and this grand cock has bred some good birds over the last few years. Florizoone was described as the ‘Belgian Barcelona specialist’ and his birds are at the heart of many marathon flyers’ lofts today. The dam of the winner is a Jan Aarden, Van der Wegen hen that has successfully appeared high up on the NFC result three times - from Pau twice and Tarbes. As a baby his mother won 15th section 180th Open in the NFC from St Malo. So is it any real surprise to see this son perform so well from this 533 mile race? Let’s look a little closer at the winner as it highlights the patience that a real long distance enthusiast like Ted Jackson has. He was a 2009 latebred and only trained in his first year and also handled steadily as a novice yearling with a few inland races and just one race from over the channel. In 2011 the take off button was pressed and he had the full programme with the MNFC and won 147th Open from Bordeaux. At the end of the 2011 season Ted’s young cock won 7th Section Ace long distance pigeon. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed my visit over to Woodend to talk pigeons with a real long distance enthusiast and one who, along with his son Scott, owns some fine long distance bloodlines. For my money these marathon flyers are more open and laidback in their manner. I will leave it with one of Ted’s comments when he said ‘’I could win more at the shorter distances but I feed my birds too well.’’ Not a bad habit if you want to win at the distance I thought.
Ted Jackson
In 2nd Open and 1st SE section we see Smith & Wilson who timed in a 2 year old chequer hen for a velocity of 1162. This hen endorses everything which I said earlier in the text as she is a crossing of the loft’s own Lerwick bloodlines crossed with a Belgian gift bird from a friend who lives locally in Whittlesey. So once again it’s distance breeding. The birds just get 3 short 10 mile tosses and are then raced on the roundabout system. The birds are hopper fed all year round, once again the long distance way, with extra maize added as the longer races come around. The partners tell me that they race and test their young birds hard to sort out the ‘wheat from the chaff’. Well the partners have a golden grain in their game hen.
In 3rd Open and 1st NE section is a truly amazing team and that team is Ron & Nigel Dennett of Meden Vale whose well fancied chequer pied hen recorded a velocity of 1159. Their 2 year old timer helps this father and son team to continue their amazing record as they were 3rd Open in 2011 as well and over the last two seasons they won the MNFC Combined Averages. When you consider their location as they fly 575 miles from Bordeaux and the size of their race team, it is without doubt brilliant flying from an exceptional partnership. When people talk about who is the best long distance fancier, then surely location and the size of the team should be borne in mind. For my money Ron & Nigel must be right up there on current form. Their latest star is a bird from their good friend John Dudhill and has won previously 7th section 73rd Open Vire and 4th section from Tours. This was her first 500 mile plus race and she came through with flying colours. The loft has enjoyed a fabulous season and as well as winning 1st section with the MNFC also took 1st & 2nd section K with the NFC from Saintes. Fantastic flying boys.
Talking about great performances, what about the result put up by Coventry’s Lol Turner. His pigeons made the race look easy with 4th, 6th 7th and 13th Open with the 4 clocked in just over an hour! His first bird is a Vandenabeele from Lol’s old lines x a Jan Arden hen purchased from the Europa One Loft sale after she won 51st place in the 300 mile race. The 4th Open bird herself was hawked as a yearling and she took a long time to recover and still carries two stunted flights which don’t moult correctly. She won 7th section in last year’s Bordeaux race. The birds filling 6th, 7th and 13th Open are all birds containing Jim Biss bloodlines. This is a family that when Lol came back into the sport he decided that he would concentrate on as he wanted to specialise on the long races. Lol had another bird early next morning and he was as impressed with this pigeon as any of his day birds because this one arrived with a huge gash at the bottom of its keel which was starting to scab over, proving that the bird had flown most of the journey with this serious injury. When I spoke to Lol he had had 8 of his 10 entries home.
5th Open and 2nd SE section is Mr & Mrs Eric Corkett & Sons who are once again enjoying a superb season. Their bird is a 2 year old chequer hen which is ¾ Wildemeersch and ¼ Van Coppenolle. She is half sister to their MNFC Le Ferte Bernard winner from a few seasons ago.
In 8th Open and winning the SW section is Ian Phillips his bird a 3 year old blue hen and is a Van Reet which flew just under 14 hours to clock 1126.3. She is a proven bird with three channel wins to her credit. She was flown on the roundabout but paired in preparation for the Bordeaux when she was sent sitting 18 day old eggs. Ian gave credit to the longer distance flyers who clocked on the day and also to the convoying team for the excellent condition of the birds on their return. Much appreciated Ian.
It was in fact one of the birds that Ian was referring to that filled the 9th Open and 1st North section place. This was to Mike Locke up on the Wirral whose gallant 2 year old Dark Pied cock is now named ‘Bordeaux Wiggins’ in honour of Bradley Wiggins’ Tour de France victory that same weekend. Mike’s ‘Wiggins’ flew for virtually 15½ hours over a distance of 592 miles to record 1124. He is closely related to the hen which was 2nd West section and 25th Open in 2011 which helped her win 1st West section Long Distance Ace Pigeon in 2011. The breeding is Van Bruaene x Van der Wegen obtained from the Gyschelbrechts. Birds from Brian Denney’s ‘Tuff Nut’ family have been added and ‘Tuff Nut’s’ dam was in fact a granddaughter of ‘Hermes’, the 1st Pau National winner. Mike told me that this family has proved its versatility from distances of 70-700 miles with umpteen winners of classic and gold ring races. To endorse this fact he won his club’s first young bird race from 65 miles but as Mike told me, they perform best when the races are ‘Tuff’. Further proof of the tenacity of Mike’s pigeons is borne out by the fact that he entered 6 birds and by close of the second day all 6 were home. Absolutely wonderful racing sir.
Mick Locke with Bordeaux Wiggins, the furthest flying day bird
10th Open is to the Stoke loft of John Leese & Son. The bird responsible is a 3 year old chequer w/f hen. She is bred down from Clive Yates’ Wildemeersch stock and Dave, the main partner, told me that she has been very consistent with other wins from over the channel and that she had flown 500 miles on the day in 2011. It is amazing that the partnership only raced 7 birds this season from a very small loft as the Leese family are waiting to move house. It looks as if their game hen likes the old place just fine! Well done on a good performance.
John A Bayliss of Knowle finishes in 11th open. Once again we see a pigeon with ‘form’, as the boys in blue say. In 2011 this Eric Cannon based cock won 3rd section in the NFC from Saintes and a brother scored 1st section 5th open from Dax. You see, it’s all in the genes.
Let’s do the rounds of the sections now.
3rd SE section and 12th Open is G Perkins of Rushton who timed his 3 year old blue cock which recorded 1107 after his 13¾ hours flight. 4th section goes to the Montila brothers Robert and Peter. They in fact got three first day pigeons which will fill 5th and 9th section places also. Their first timer is a Delbar x Emile De Weerdt flown on the widowhood system. He is in fact a son of the lads’ MNFC Bergerac national winner from a few years ago. Once again it’s in the genes!
Another loft confirming the above comment is Dave Everill of Halmerend who clocked at 9.21pm to lift 2nd NW section. Believe me, only very special birds are still ‘on the wing’ after 15 hours, in fact few fanciers ever get the thrill of timing in a bird after such a long flight. Dave’s bird was bred for the job being a son of Jim Biss’ ‘Hogan’ when paired to a daughter of Jim’s ‘Turban’, the winner of 2nd National Pau when Biss won 1st & 2nd Open. Dave invested very heavily in Jim’s birds buying many of the ‘Ace’ birds at his bereavement sale. It is now proving to be payback time for their new owner. Geoff & Barbara Kirkland are up there again with 3rd section. The pigeon responsible is a 2 year old De Rauw Sablon bird which is from two NRCC winners both inbred to the De Rauw Sablon strain. The bird is from their good friend Terry Welby of Gosborton. In 4th section was Brian Heath of Market Drayton. Surprise, surprise Brian’s bird is another Jim Biss pigeon which Brian acquired from Dennis Homer of Codsall. In fact the father of this 3 year old blue cock was also clocked early next morning to clinch 8th section himself. Brian tells me that he has bred several good channel pigeons. Time to put him in the stock loft then Brian! Brian was very complimentary to the convoying team and in his own words said: ‘’Thanks to the convoyer for a job well done. The birds’ condition on arrival was so good that that you would have thought that they had flown 60 miles and not 562!!’’. Brian wished to congratulate the winner and all those who got a first day arrival. Nice one.
In the North East in 2nd section we see Phil Vickers who clocked a 3 year old Pencil Van Bruaene hen which originates from Albert Bennett of Church Stretton stock. She was flown on the roundabout and was prepared flying as a trainer in the local club. In 3rd section is Brian & Sue Stone who have enjoyed both a great season and a wonderful weekend as they, as you may remember, were also 4th section in the MNFC’s Vire race. Their Bordeaux bird is a 3 year old hen of M&D Evans Vandenabeele breeding. She was sent chipping eggs and she has previously won both inland and over the channel. Worth their weight in gold these type of pigeons. The Crich partnership of Tony & Jamie Mather clocked a 2 year old blue hen sent sitting dummy eggs approx 18 days. Her breeding goes back ‘donkey’s years’ to pigeons originally from their old mate Brian Berresford.
Back down into the SW section now and in 2nd section here is Steve Palin of Bishops Cleeve, which sounds like a lovely place. His 3 year old chequer cock is now named ‘Ding Dang Coo’. He is from Steve’s own family of Janssen Van Loons crossed with a Marcele Aelbrecht hen bred from a pair of birds that were acquired from the late Luc Geerinckx of all places. This cock has already proved himself to be a ‘good un’ with 5 club wins and this season and he has flown the full MNFC programme winning 16th section 34th Carentan and 14th section 180th Open Tours. The night before basketing for Bordeaux, a pair of babies were slipped under him and once he showed that he had taken to them his hen was taken away. He was well fancied and he ‘brought home the bacon’ with a cash win of over £1100. Steve thanks his good friend Keith Kitchen for tending his birds while he was on holiday between the national races and also the professional way his birds are looked after by the MNFC from marking right through to their return when the birds homed in excellent conditions. In 3rd section is Lionel Brewer who once again proves that he has a fine team of long distance pigeons because as you will remember last year Lionel won the national race from Tours. This time it is a bird purchased at the Teurlings Breeder Buyer sale from Ray Scriven from Ray’s Stichelbaut based family. The bird proved his tenacity by flying 14½ hours plus. In 4th and 5th section is another gent who is enjoying a fine season with the MNFC and this is John Fretwell of Twyford. John’s first bird is another of his Marcel Sangers, which are proving to be versatile pigeons which perform both in the inland and channel races for John. In 2011 this cock was his best yearling and won 10th SW Ace pigeon award. In 2012 he performed a little disappointingly but came well from Tours and this fired him up nicely for Bordeaux. John’s other birds came early next morning at 5.40, 7.15 and 7.30 with the last two claiming 15th and 17th section.
Up to the North section now to the longest distance flyers. 1st section goes to a bird flying 597 miles to the loft of Mick Betts of Scawsby and this bird was ‘bred for the job’ as Mick puts it. He is a three year old cock who is bred from a cock that is from a cock that has achieved 1st Prov 3rd National and 6th International from Barcelona, the Mecca of long distance racing. Mick tells me that his bird is a fantastic pigeon which performs well from 300-600miles; in 2011 he won 2nd North section Ace Long Distance award and 20th Overall when he won 9th section 96th Open from Bordeaux. To underline his versatility he also won 19th Ace pigeon in the Middle distance catergory. Mike tells me that he had a great weekend racing with 23 out of 23 home from Vire and 1 out of 1 from Bordeaux, “so 100% returns and credit to the club for their condition on their return’’.
2nd section this year are Brown Brothers of Tickhill. Last year these long distance enthusiasts won 1st section from the same racepoint. My ‘spy’ John Burtoft tells me that these two gentlemen have both worked down the mines for over 40 years and flown pigeons for 80 years. First of all with their dad and then together. During the war years the War Office took their birds and they didn’t get them back until the war was over. The loft is geared up solely for long distance and is based on the Brian Denney and the late Jimmy Cowan, the UNC fancier. They only have 12 pairs which are raced on the natural system. Losses in 2012 have been heavy so the partners only sent 2, with both back in race time. Their 2nd section winner is a 2 year old hen sent feeding an 8 day old baby and she is of ¾ Denney x ¼ Cowans bloodlines.
In 3rd section is a regular MNFC performer in the form of Mally Robinson. In fact Mally got two birds within an hour, the second of which fills 5th section. The first bird is Mally’s good blue hen called the ‘200 hen’, a three year old that previously has won 102nd Open from Tours and 11th section 83rd Open from Fougeres. She was sent sitting ‘chipping eggs’ as was Mally’s 5th section winner, a two year old blue w/f hen which won 2nd section and 40th Open in 2011 as a yearling. Both birds contain the blood from Harry Gravil; the originals were gifts from Harry. 4th North section is filled by the partnership of D & J Hawkins who once again prove the versatility of their Myrtle Lofts’ Vandenabeele blood. Their bird is a granddaughter of ‘Rolls Royce’ and ‘Carrie’ on one side and ‘Solitaire’ and ‘Band of Gold’ on the other. Dave and John have enjoyed a brilliant year racing with the MNFC.
The champion in the East section is the Grimsby loft of D W Denford who timed his six year old blue hen for a velocity of 1040. In 2nd and 3rd section is the nearby Cleethorpes partnership of Mr & Mrs Blendell & Son. They clocked two birds in just 16 minutes so were well worth getting up early for. The first bird is a 2009 bred Dark Chequer cock named ‘Just the Job’. He is from a cock off Mick & Glynn Stone of Hartshay Lofts and a hen off Mark Bulled. He went sitting 12 days and from Tours he won 8th section and 35th open. In 2011 this great pigeon won 1st Ace Long Distance in the East section and 4th Open, proving that birds like this one are the type that you need, in fact they are ‘just the job’! The 4th placed bird in the East section was to Ian Cameron who clocked a Herbots x Camphuis x Ian’s old Scottish family. She was sent sitting and her half sister won 2nd Open from Bergerac a few years ago behind the late Les Grain’s double national winner ‘Max a Million’. Ian tells me that he timed three birds in 75 minutes, the other two finishing in 6th and 8th section.
Last but by no means least we move on to the West section and finishing in not only 2nd but 3rd section and 17th and 23rd Open is Keith Knight of Ellesmere who clocked in at 9.23 and then to fill his cup of joy to overflowing a second bird at 9.50pm as the daylight was fading. I will leave Mr Knight to tell readers in his own words. ‘’I don’t mind waiting all day as long as I have one and could have cried seeing these birds home on the same day. However, the two of them could have flown further.’’ The birds were purchased from J & B Kennett from Staffordshire and these two people loved the long distance. The two cocks are a nest pair and are of Jan Arden x Van Geel breeding. A good fancier told Mr Knight that these birds could handle 600-700 miles no problem and it looks as if he was ‘spot on’. Finally Keith told me that he is 75 years old having had the birds since he was 12 flying his pigeons to an ‘orange box’ like so many more in those bygone days. I bet it is days like this one that makes it all so worthwhile.
In 4th West section we see another of the North West’s ‘Marathon Maestros’, George Pendleton & Son who timed their good Dark four year old cock early on Sunday morning for the 602 mile flight. This super pigeon has plenty of previous. In 2010 he went to Bergerac and came at 8.00 am but sadly his time didn’t register and he missed his prize. In 2011 he made no mistake and won 1st section and 28th Open from Bordeaux. In 2012 he had the first three MNFC races and was sent to Bordeaux sitting 12 day old eggs. He was bred for the partners by Davey Siner of Liverpool and all I can say is what a pigeon and what a mate!
Next on my West section hit list are Fletcher & Gobin who clocked two birds to win 5th and 7th section, these being brothers and ‘chock o block’ with distance blood. The sire is a grandson of ‘Misty Lady’ and bred by Mike Spencer. This cock has bred birds to win the following: 3rd section 603 miles, 2 x 4th section 588 miles, 8th section 588 miles, 14th section 603 miles and 5th and 19th section from Tarbes 700 miles. Well you can add a 5th and 7th section to that list, lads. The dam is a sister to Dave Impett of Blackpool’s 1st section 12th Open Tarbes hen.
I think that you will agree after reading this report that to conquer this race you need proven bloodlines. Flying Bordeaux it’s no good sending on a ‘wing and a prayer’. I enjoyed writing this piece highlighting many of the usual suspects but also reporting on some who, like cream, only rise to the top when the ‘Big un’ comes around. I hope that I and my small team of helpers have done you proud.