Midlands National Flying Club Ancenis

MIKE LAKIN

         ‘Maisie’ Seals the Deal for L. D. S. Johnson

  When the partner’s two year old Grizzle hen dropped on the loft at 6.42pm to record 1072 and so  win this lastest and severely testing race from Ancenis from a convoy of 4,331 birds which were liberated at 8.15am it was a bitter sweet moment especially for Dan the senior partner as the bird was named ‘Maisie’ in memory of his mother who he was extremely close too and she had passed away at a similar time a short while ago and to see her namesake arrive on time brought the memories come flooding back. As a sign of his love for his late mum Dan had the tattoo that is photographed with this report put on his arm it makes very emotional reading . 

 Sharon & Dan Johnson with their National winner 'Maisie'

                                  

                                                 A close up of 'Maisie'                                                      Dan's tattoo tribute to both his winning hen and his mum

  The bird that has become the Club’s latest National winner is a cross bred hen containing the blood of Staf van Reet, Roland Janssen, Rietvink Janssen and Vandenabeele in varying degrees. The bird was sent to the race sitting 14 day old eggs after being mated after flying earlier in the season on the Roundabout system. The hen that had been to both of the previous two MNFC races and she had previously shown her potential when she topped the Federation from Marlborough. The partners also had a second arrival a while after but due to a problem with the back up on their ETS the second arrival wasn’t clocked until some while after but it still takes 10th section and 55th Open when it was eventually clocked.
So yes all in all it was a bitter sweet race for everyone.

 

  In 2nd Open and winner of the South West section is a past winner of the MNFC in the form of Shaun McDonaugh of Pelsall. Shaun clocked a yearling Blue hen which will also win the Yearling Classic R P/ Deweerd sponsored trophy for her efforts. The bird is a crossing of the loft’s house family the Wildemeersch x to a Vandenabeele hen acquired from Crowe & Worrall. The sire was bred from a half brother and sister mating of a fantastic cock called ‘Toby’ a bird with 11 x 1st prizes to his name in big birdages of up to 7,985 birds and sire of 5 x 1st fed winners . The hen of the coupling was ‘Coronation Joy’ the 1st Open winner from the 2014 Fougeres National from 8443 birds. She was then retired and has bred winners from day one. Both she and ‘Toby’ are children from Shaun’s base breeder and the sire of  over 50 first prize winners ‘Magic Pie’. This one was certainly bred for the job
and finished just 3 yards behind the race winner.

Shaun McDonough's 2nd Open winning hen.

 In 3rd Open and winning the North section we once again see the Dunsville based partnership of Dave & John Hawkins & Evans. Their 2 year old Chequer hen that achieves a velocity of 1058 sees them although there is still a long way to go yet amongst the favourites to win the Combined Averages. How could you read it any other way as this latest result
means that the partners have now won 3 first section wins on the ‘trot’, truly exceptional results.

3rd Open winners D & J Hawkins & Evans look like collecting a few more trophies at the end of the year.

 4th Open is taken by the South Section’s cheeky chappie Micky Lennon. Mick tells me that his bird is another 2 year old but this one is a cock bird a Blue W/F which is bred from his number one stock couple. This is the fourth 1st section winner that this super couple have bred. The cock is from a grandson of ‘Bliksem’ bred by Rik Cools and hen that is a daughter of M & D Evans’s ‘Solitaire’ and ‘Top Investment’. This pair of birds obviously makes breeding National pigeons look very easy. Mick also takes the 3rd slot in his section
and 10th Open with a yearling Blue cock.

Micky Lennon 4th Open and 1st SC section

 I had a nice chat with John Bellerby the winner of 5th Open and 1st South East section winner and John tells me that his bird that achieved a speed of 1040 is a yearling hen that is a Van den Bulck x Staf Van Reet which three weeks earlier had won the club and took 15th in the federation. She has now been named ‘Lily’ after one of his favourite ladies which is one of his dogs. You see John is a devoted gundog breeder and they are featured on the photo with his section topper.

John Bellerby with his two dogs and his 1st SE section winner

 In 6th Open place we see one of the MNFC’s hard workers in the form of Beeston’s Peter Heath and people around the Hucknall are chuffed for his second success of the season as Peter you may remember topped the NE section from Fougeres also with a yearling hen. It looks like Peter has this racing hens job ‘cracked’.

 Dean Pallatt is also enjoying a fine year and on this occasion he takes 2nd SC section and 7th in the Open with yet another Blue yearling hen.
There is no doubt that the ladies are certainly now a big threat to the previous dominance of the widower cocks.

 Scotsman Ian Cameron takes the laurels in the East section with 1st & 2nd placings and 8th and 30th Open places. Ian is a good friend of the GW & P Macaloney family and both of his birds are of Vandenabeele breeding and both are also grandchildren of the Macs ‘Young Bandit’. The first bird being a cock  which Ian bred himself while James Jackson of Viking Lofts bred the second bird. Ian says that he discussed a slight change to the feeding for the race with Willie Mac and it looks like it worked a treat.
The photos is of three generations of Cameron’s with the latest section winning bird that recorded 1007 ypm.

Three generations of Camerons with granddad's latest East section winner

 Just a yard behind is another loft that has been up with the winners earlier in the year in the shape of G & J Jones and Adams. Their bird is 3 year old Blue cock that wins 2nd SW section and 9th Open. It may be of interest to know that the Adams name on the partnership is a daughter of the late and great Jack Adams who was the man that all readers of the BHW couldn’t resist reading about even though some of his articles had especially the Scottish contingent ‘frothing at the mouth’ with his talk of ‘tramlines’ etc.
Yes a wonderful period in the pigeon sport.

Graham Jones with his 2nd SW section winner

 Looking around the Sections and where better to start than the partnership that took 11th and 12th Open and 1st and 2nd in the North West section? These places were taken by the familiar name of Mr & Mrs Geoff Kirkland. The section winner was bred by Brian Murray from Timperley a friend of the partners and is a yearling Blue cock that is of De Klak x Koopman lines and he records 1003. Ten yards behind the Kirklands clocked another yearling which is a son of ‘Klein Snake’. This ‘Snake’ family are very reliable when the going gets tough and this one underlines this fact once again. 3rd NW section and 13th Open is filled by Uttoxeter’s Dean Hayes & Son on 989 with a 3 year old Mealy cock which I believe is connected to McGraw Clegg & Preece birds. 4th NW section is taken by the Fowler family who clocked one of their prize winning widowerhood cocks a Vandenabeele 2 year old Blue W/F after a 12 hour 17 minutes flight. The family clocked several other arrivals early next morning which peppered the section’s result.

Mr & Mrs Kirkland winners of 1st & 2nd NW section

  14th Open and 3rd SW section sees the famous name of Hamplett appear and this time it is Jonathan who clocked a Blue W/f hen on 986. 4th SW section and 17th Open is filled by the 2Bird Nominated race winner belonging to Stourton’s Arthur Jones who timed a yearling Chequer Cock which will collect a nice cheque for his boss.

  Johnny Gilbert finally got 4th SC section and 16th Open after a comedy of errors with the first arrival failing to register and so it was his second bird that got him on the result sheet. Come on Gib get it sorted mate.

  2nd prize in the South East section and 15th Open is achieved by Robert & Peter Montila and the bird they timed was a 5 year old Chequer W/F cock on 983. 3rd section in the SE is taken by Mr & Mrs Geoff Jakings who have followed their National win in the last race with another superb result with a 2 year old red hen achieving 18th Open. 4th SE section is won by Colin Harrison with a 4 year old Kuyper x Jan Arden cock being flown on the widowerhood system. Colin tells me that this cock seems to shine in the harder races winning 12th section in last years MNFC Portsmouth race and 1st club 2nd Fed in the tough Purbeck race this season. No doubt this is due to his breeding
with the parents being purchased from the Louella Stud.

Colin Harrison 4th SE section

 Tidying up the East section now and in 3rd section we see Mr & Mrs Alan Chapman who timed a 3 year old Chequer cock on 919. 4th place goes to Colin James & sons. Their bird is a 2 year old hen that was flying on the currently popular Roundabout system. The bird I hear is out of a F & G Bristow Ceuleman hen and crossed into the James’s own family. The hen was 22nd section in the previous race from Fougeres.  Jack Ramm is enjoying a good year with the MNFC and he clocked a Cheq W/f hen bred by Chesterfield fancier
Chris Smith and the bird also wins her club and takes 6th place in the Peterborough fed.

Colin James with his sons after winning 4th East section

 In the East North East section Mr & Mrs John Chadwick of Bridlington are the Champs after clocking a 2 year old hen on 872. The bird is De Rauw Sablon and is bred from stock from the nearby Premier Stud. The bird is related to ‘Blauwe Prins’ and ‘The Gilbert’ of Eric Limbourg and she showed her great potential in the previous race when the loft was 3rd section with the same pigeon. On that day they also took 2nd section with another de Rauw- Sablon pigeon.

Mr & Mrs Chadwick the ENE section winners

In 2nd & 3rd ENE section is Dave Beadle and surprise, surprise both of these birds are Sablon crosses. Dave tells me that both of these hens have taken prizes at club and fed level and the 3rd section winner actually topped the section last season as a Y.B. They will be both be entered in the next MNFC race from Vire and as Dave is getting married that weekend he is hoping that his birds make the date even more memorable. On behalf of the Club I wish both you and your wife to be a long and happy marriage. In 4th ENE section is Tony Meek who clocked a 2016 bred Vandenabeele hen which was sent flying to a 6 day old baby. Tony expressed his disappointment in regard to the lack of a leaderboard. I think that this subject will be discussed at the end of the season to see if anything can be done without in anyway compromising the security of the race.

                  

                                           2nd & 3rd ENE section winner Dave Beadle                        Tony Meek 4th ENE section

 Over in the East South East  the West Lynn partnership of  Mr & Mrs Pat Royle take the pole position with a 4 year old hen that the Royle’s obtained from Wayne Somerton of Newcastle upon Tyne. This is the hen’s second channel win. In 2nd section is a really recognised long distance team in the form of Perry Bros who also timed a 2013 bred pigeon but this time it is a red pied cock.

Mr & Mrs Royle the ESE section champions

3rd place is filled by Ron & Angie Auker who saw home a 2 year old roundabout Dark W/F cock he is a bird with plenty of ‘previous’ as he won 3rd section 10th open as a baby from carentan and this year won 8th section. The bird is a Jan Arden x Van der Wegen his pedigree going back to Battenburg and a 1st International winner. The partners also fill 5th and 6th section places with birds that are related to their 2013 MNFC Fougeres winner. Stewart McCurry takes the 4th slot with a granddaughter of
‘June’s Girl’ which won 1st National from Vire not so long ago. This hen has been performing consistently prior to this race.

                

                                              Ron & Angie Auker 3rd, 5th & 6th ESE section                                    Stew McCurry 4th ESE section this time

 Back up to the North section where we find a fancier in 2nd section who is starting to make a habit of getting up with the early ones in the form of Gordon Tune. Gordon timed in the same 3 year old cock that last year was 4th section from the same racepoint when he won the NE Provincial club. This time the bird which arrived on the edge of darkness takes 2nd spot in the Provincial. The bird is of a John Pratt cock paired to an Eric Limbourg hen that was acquired from Nigel Laycock who has the finest Limbourg bloodlines. Filling 3rd spot is Dave valentine & Grandson. Dave tells me that the bird is bred for the job being a Westcott from the top North Road flyer Peter Crawford. Like your typical long distance bird the bird only started to perform when it reached the age of two and only from the cross channel races which fits in perfectly with the Valentine’s plans.  
4th N section is filled by Mr & Mrs Newton & Down they timed a yearling Red cock early on the second morning in this difficult race.

            

                            Dave Valentine in 3rd North section                                                  4th North section Newton & Down

  The North centre section sees the Pudsey flyer J Finlay takes the first two places with two early morning arrivals on 845 and 838 respectively with two cocks the first was a 2014 bred and his second a Pied yearling. 3rd section here is filled by Leach Brothers and an aptly named hen called ‘Iron maiden’ and this pigeon also has two 2nd section results to her credit and several other good performances. The bird is from a cock bred by GW & P Macaloney and named ‘Westkapel Lad’. This bird is a brother to the Mac’s ace ‘Troy’. The dam is a daughter of Wall Lunt & Greens super star ‘Miss Magic’. 4th section is taken by Odsal’s Fleming & Son with a yearling Blue hen sitting 10 day old eggs.
She is from a Roland Roth Vandenabeele x Hardy Kruger from Premier Sud. I’m told that she had shown promise in the previous two MNFC races.

              

                                     Leach Brothers good hen 'Iron Maiden'                                           Fleming & Son the 4th NC section winners

 Tidying up the NE section now and in 3rd place we see 3 year old hen belonging to Bowskill & Gascoigne on 950 . The bird also wins 1st club and Derbyshire fed flying in duplication. The bird contains M & D Evans ‘Shadow’ bloodlines and a hen that has won previously from 500 miles. 4th place was claimed by Bulwell’s Alan Thorpe
with a 4 year old Dark hen on 941 but I have no further details on this game hen.

Bowskill & Gascoigne 3rd NE section

  The winner of the North North West section is a 2 year old Blue Pied cock belonging to Blackpool’s K Cardwell. Sadly once again I have no other details. 2nd slot is taken by Roskell & Williamson. Their bird is a 3 year old Ko Nipius being a grandson of George Hilson’s ‘Rocky’ the brother of another good cock ‘Tyson’. The lads tell me that the bird has performed well and along with their second arrival is aimed at the MNFC Bordeaux race. 3rd in the NNW is John Devenney who clocked a yearling chequer cock that is brother to the hen that won 4th section in the Fougeres race and they are of Hereman Ceuster breeding on the dam’s side when paired to ‘The Unrung Cock’. 4th section goes to J L Noblett & Son with a natural  Jelle Jellama x sayer Bros x Maskame & Mackie bred cock. The bird has previously been 9th section from Ancenis and 24th section from Vire.
P & B Taylor take the next slot with a G & C Cooper crossbred.

John Devenney 3rd NNW section

   For those wishing to know how the West was won then the answer is with a little help from a friend! This is because the West section winner dropped in on Telford’ Glyn Machin just before dark along with Glyn’s own first arrival. After a night’s rest the bird known as ‘Treble 6’ was up and away early next morning and in next to no time flew on the extra 50 odd miles up to Liverpool and dropped in to his own loft at Terry Kirman’s. The bird’s sire a Eijerkamp Koopman x Van Loon via ‘Noble Blue’which has won over £2000 himself was coupled to another Eijerkamp bird being a daughter of the world famed ‘Freddy’. He was pooled to the ‘hilt’ which is no great surprise as he also won the section from Ancenis in 2016. This win takes his ‘wages’ up to in excess of £4000. Next to ‘spring’ up is the name of Dickie Spring & Son who take 2nd place with a granddaughter of Bauress & Murray’s 2nd Open winner x a M & D Evans Vandenabeele. I’m told the bird returned home injured last year then put back on the road this year and hey presto 2nd section for this game 2 year old hen. In 3rd section we see the name of a previous National winner in the form of Andrew Lawley who timed a 3 year old widow hen of M & D Evans Gaby lines. She is a full sister to Andrew’s best racing cock which has 6 x 1st prizes to his credit but unlike his sister he won them all from inland race points. Last year the hen was 8th section from Coutances. 4th place is filled by a two year old Blue Cock belonging to Mills Rice Abbott & Duffy the bird records 744 just over 2 yards behind the 3rd placed pigeon.

          

                                            Dickie Spring & Son 2nd West section                                                    Andrew Lawley 3rd West section

   So that rounds off a very difficult and testing race.

 

MNFC One Loft Update

  After the poor 25 miles training flight a couple of weeks ago the birds proved both their ability and good condition as after birds returning on a daily basis now there are only a small number of birds AWOL. Training has recommenced bringing the birds back to the shorter training spots to re- build their confidence. There will be a loft list update after every race and every weekend.

 

 

The ‘Hotspot’ dates are as follows:

15th August  Tewkesbury,  22nd August Hullavington,  29th August Poole

 

 

The Grand Final:

 10th September Coutances

  (Please note that these dates are obviously dependent on suitable weather conditions).

                                         

 Mike Lakin