NEWS FROM DARREN SMITH

Portland 2 - May 31st 2014

Hello folks,
North Liverpool Federation’s eighth race of 2014 took place from Portland in conjunction with the second of the North West Combine’s inland events. The convoy were liberated in a light north west wind at 12.15pm on Saturday 31st May. While England basked in rising temperatures throughout the day, visibility at the liberation site was poor early on with heavy cloud conditions and although clearing away towards lunchtime, the elements were to play a part in the tempo of the race as velocities dropped markedly in comparison to previous weeks.

Once more returns were fragmented and on reading the convoyer’s report it helps to paint a clearer picture as the liberation broke into 2 batches with the first batch clearing immediately but the latter batch failed to do this and flew around the site for 9 minutes before heading for home. So much can ride on these events going in your favour but that is the game we are involved in like it or loathe it and as always full credit must go to the winners as invariably it is the same names as in previous weeks coming to the fore.

Before we head into the results I’d like to congratulate Alan & Colin Baker and Paddy Fraser & Norman Skelton for their finish in the North West Combine result last week. Only the genius of Jimmy Weeder assisted by George Williams could stop them from taking the top 2 berths in the overall result. Well done boys, you should be proud.

Colin & Alan Baker consolidate their recent dominance at the Edge Hill (11/111) as they take 1st and 4th positions on 1259 and 1225. The winner is a 3 year old blue Vandenabeele widower bred by Pirrie’s Jimmy Mannion which now takes his tally to 4x1st club, 2nd, 10th, 19th and 26th NL Fed and 3rd NW Combine. The second timer is a 4 year old blue Hofkens cock which is a previous winner from France. Paddy Fraser & Norman Skelton once more take 2nd and 3rd positions on 1249 and 1227. The first timer is a 2 year old slatey widower out of Adrian & Jenny Duggins stock and he is a previous card winner. Second timer is a yearling widowhood hen and she is the same way bred as the previous pigeon. Congratulations Alan & Col.

Alan, Mark & Jess Halsall takes 1st position at the Litherland (12/260) on 1291 with a 2 year old Heremans Ceusters x Hoogeland widower that has been coming well this season and he has been confirmed as this week’s fed topper. Freddie Lloyd, Kev Moran & Ashley Healey take 2nd and 3rd positions on 1281 (x2)with a pair of yearling widowhood hens. First timer was bred by good friend Micky Collins, followed by a home bred Lambrecht. Joe Perry & Son take 4th position on 1268 with a yearling widower bred through stock obtained from Steven Goulding. Thanks Ted.

Vin Maguire takes 1st, 3rd and 4th positions at the Kirkdale (6/64) on 1281, 1258 and 1211. The winner is a 2 year old cheq pied hen that was Vin’s 2013 BOTY. She has also been a very consistent pigeon in 2014 and is a daughter of the prolific ’71 down from Ted Davin (Thanks Ted - Vin) Second timer is also out of ’71 and it is a pigeon known as 447 and she is a previous winner of 2x1st. Third timer is another from ’71 and it is the nestmate to this week’s winner. Tony Owens takes 2nd position on 1259 with a pigeon known as Catho which was bred by clubmate Paul Caffrey. Tony would like to thank Tommy Hibbs, Dave Rothwell, Davie Burns and Roy Reid for the young birds they have bred him. Thanks Mark.

Graham, Wendy & Connor Muirhead take 1st, 3rd and 4th positions at the Riverside (6/57) with 3 of their Willy Jacobs widowers recording 1237 and 1211 (x2). The winner is a home bred pigeon and is taking his first card. The second timer is bred out of a pair of Belgian rung Willy Jacobs via Paddy Cousin’s stock loft and the third timer was bred by Gerald Delaney and he has won twice this year. Rimmer & Cleminson take 2nd position on 1217 with a Walter Docx widower bred by Charlie McArdle & Terry Archbold. Graham, Wendy & Connor Muirhead win the old bird inland averages and the old bird knockout. Thanks Ian.

John Warren, Son & Marty Garrity take 1st and 4th positions at the Bootle (4/44) on 1203 and 1170. The winner is a Vandenabeele widower followed by a Willy Jacobs widower. Eddy Bradley takes 2nd and 3rd positions on 1189 and 1186. The first timer is bred by Mike Liddle of Southport and wins the second pool and club nom. John Warren, Son & Marty Garrity win the old bird inland averages. Thanks Keith.

Lee Colquitt is the undisputed King of Portland as he once more takes 1st position at the Crosby with a 2 year old Van Reet through stock obtained from the late Arthur Jones of Surrey. Joe Pearman & Joe Rooney take 2nd and 3rd positions timing a pair of yearling widowhood hens. The first timer is a Premier Stud Heremans Ceusters followed by a pigeon bred by Tom Miller out of his Frank Tasker bloodlines. John Pugh takes 4th position with a widower of Campbell Brothers bloodlines. Thanks Joe.

John & Alan Johnson and Darren Pattison finish the inland campaign by taking 1st position at the Spellow on 1252. The winner is bred out of stock obtained from former Spellow member, the late Mick McHugh and the parents won well over the water for Mick. Roy Reid takes 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions on 1251 and 1249 (x2). Roy’s first two timers are bred by Birmingham ace Wally Mellor. The sire of the first timer is a winner of 12x1st while the sire of the second timer is a winner of 20x1st. Third timer is a son of Roy’s number 1 Soontjen cock and he is a multiple prize winner, his best turn being 1st club, 3rd NL Fed Fougeres in 2013. Thanks Darren and congratulations mate.

Thomas Dobbs does the old barney rubble at the Princes Park taking 1st and 2nd positions. The winner is a yearling hen bred by Darren Riley of Widnes and she was purchased last year at the Taylors Arms breeder buyer but never made the race due to being hawked. Second timer is a 2 year old mealy pied cock bred by Harry Davies and he won for Dobbsy as a yearling. Miller & Sons take 3rd position with a 2 year old widowhood hen. Her sire is a winner of 2x2nds and he is a son of Broken Toe a winner of 9x2nd. Dam is a granddaughter of Tom’s 2nd North West Combine cock. Billy Dooley, Paddy Rowan and Sid Chapman take 4th position with a Vandenabeele taking its first card. Thanks Tom.

Billy Early wins again at the Central with his very good Van Reet cock bred by good friend Tom Miller out of his Mr & Mrs Dickens Van Reets taking his tally to 4x1st. Billy also wins the old bird knockout and pools for a total of £120 so a great day’s racing all round. Danny Regan takes 2nd position with a yearling blue roundabout cock. The sire is bred from a collaboration of stock from Ste Willo & John Murphy and Paul Hourihan, while the dam is Danny’s prolific fed topping Louella hen. Rees Brothers and Caples take 3rd position with a yearling cock through the German pigeons of former Vauxhall partnership Kelly, Powell & Whelan. George Farley takes 4th position with a homebred yearling widower. Billy Early wins the old bird inland averages on 1622. George Farley is the runner-up on 1602. Thanks Dan.

Tommy Woods takes 1st and 2nd positions at the Pirrie (8/161). Noel & Josh Quarless take 3rd position with Flash their very good yearling cock who won BOTY in the NL Fed last season and who has gone on to pepper the Pirrie results in 2014. Tommy Hibbs takes 4th position with a yearling hen whose sire is a winner of 3x1st club, 2x2nd NL Fed while the dam was bred by Simon Snook. John & Gary Hartless and Paul Howard win the inland old bird averages. Noel & Josh Quarless are runners-up in their first season as Pirrie members (well done boys). Thanks Irene.

John Nixon wins at the Taylors Arms (18/324) on 1280 with a grizzle hen bred by Freddie Lloyd & Kev Moran and this is her second red card of 2014. John also takes 3rd position with a Van der Merwe bred by K & M Vaughan on 1252. John & Lee Maguire clock a homebred Lambrecht for 2nd position on 1279. Mick Nixon takes 4th position on 1251, no further details to hand. John & Lee Maguire win the old bird inland averages. Thanks Jim.

Ste Williamson and John Murphy take 1st, 2nd and 4th positions at the Vauxhall on 1263, 1262 and 1240. The winner taking his first card is a Manderlartz via John Gerrard, followed by a Bogaert out of their own stock in collaboration with a hen on loan from Danny Regan (Thanks Dan - Ste & Johnny). Third timer is a Rietvink via Davey Burns out of the famous 18 lines. Fran & John McDowell take 3rd position on 1256 with a yearling cock out of Jimmy & Paul Weeder stock. Ste Williamson & John Murphy win the inland old bird averages. John Rimmer finishes as runner-up. Thanks Tom.

There was no report received for the Netherton this week but a look at the fed sheet shows Charlie McArdle & Terry Archbold took 1st position on 1229.

The federation top ten is as follows:
1st Alan, Mark & Jess Halsall - 1291, 2nd and 3rd Freddie Lloyd, Kev Moran & Ashley Healey - 1281.410 / 1281.257, 4th Vin Maguire - 1281.059, 5th John Nixon - 1280, 6th John & Lee Maguire - 1279, 7th Joe Perry & Son - 1268, 8th and 9th Ste Williamson & John Murphy - 1263 / 1262, 10th Colin & Alan Baker - 1259.

North Liverpool Federation’s 2014 inland old bird average winners are John & Lee Maguire on 1646.199. Freddie Lloyd, Kev Moran & Ashley Healey are runners up on 1645.777.

You have to take your hat off to both lofts as the competition at the top end of our organisation is mustard and you don’t finish top or second by fluke. Some great, consistent flying this year lads, best of luck for the races to come.

Congratulations to all of our prize-winners this week, especially to our federation topping loft of Alan, Mark & Jess Halsall who climb to the pinnacle of the overall result and achieve 1st North West Combine with what is turning out to be a very special pigeon. Brilliant flying from a group of very dedicated fanciers whose performances have been very much in the ascendancy for the last few seasons.

I won’t be taking no for an answer this winter Alan!

Thanks for reading,

Darren

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