North West Classic Club  

The quality of the club is reflected in the result.

The racing this year is falling in line with most other years, not brilliant for one reason or another. Not sure what we can put this down to, there are so any problems that the pigeons can encounter on their journey home. As I sit here getting everything ready the weather forecast is for a good weekend, let’s hope so. Having said that the weather is so changeable, we cannot rely on it. It’s now Saturday morning and I am filling in the final bits and pieces for the race result. As I look out of the window the sky is rather grey and it’s not yet come light as in the previous few days and a light drizzle has just started. This is not what we want on a race day, but according to the weather forecast this will be cleared by mid-day.

We were a little surprised with the entries only being down by 6 to 310 after seeing many losses in the big races, however there were three less members entering in this latest race from Messac. This was a good racing day, but I have to say there was a spell towards the end when the weather had not cleared as well as hoped. But they did turn up for most, as we know a few are always unlucky some years when it comes to channel racing into the North West. This race paid out £2,207 in prizes and pools.

1st & 7th Section and Open are won by G Holker & Son’s from Swinton winning £511.43. This is a partnership who often appear on the results of the specialist clubs. All pigeons at this loft are raced on the Roundabout System. They are fed on Versele Laga, Gerry Plus and Versele Laga Superstar Plus then once they get to the Channel Sunflower Hearts and Crushed Peanuts are added. They like all racing but enjoy the Nationals and the Classic as there is more competition flying against the best fanciers, they have won the National. They house 40 pairs of Old birds and race both Cocks and Hens, there are 30 pairs of stock pigeons and breed about 80 young birds which are flown on a mixture of Natural and Darkness. Old birds are trained 2-3 times each week at a distance of about 30 miles and young birds are trained when possible which is 4-5 times a week. The loft is 32ft x 6ft for the old birds plus a 14ft x 6ft loft for more old birds and a 21ft x 6ft young bird loft. They have 8ft sections with 12 pairs in each for old birds and young birds are left to mix.

Tony Holker with his winner

2nd 4th 5th 6th Section & Open all go to Roger Sutton of Congleton collecting £752.12p and is having another good season winning at the highest level. Roger was telling me that the pigeons he sends to this club are nearly all yearlings and late breds from the previous year. He was saying this is a good programme with the National racing in mind for the following year. Over the years this have proven to be a good system for Roger who is one of the best in Cheshire when it comes to racing from the first to the last races.

Roger & Greg Sutton and the lofts below

3rd Section & open sees Brian Lee picking up £205 and is also from Congleton had another good race with the club. Over the years Brian has shown that National and Classic racing are what he gets the most satisfaction from. He has had some real good results from across the channel. At the moment Brian is going through a bad patch with illness, we wish him all the very best.

Brian Lee with "Ruby Mae"

8th Open 1st Section B goes to H Bratt & Son over at Winsford winning £140 prize money. Mel races his pigeons into Winsford to what he was saying is not a very favourable position for the NWCC and is the son of the partnership at 75yrs and appears to be slowing down. Mel went on to say; “I would like to start by thanking yourself (LJP) and Kim for the way you run the NWCC and to congratulate the winners. We race 8 cocks on true w/h and 6 hens on pure widowhood plus 6 pairs anyway I feel like trying at the time. We feed on corn supplied by Roger Sutton and feed individually in their boxes. I will compete in any race going but feel races up to 400 miles best suited to my style of management. I have in the past tried Tarbes but must admit with not a lot of success. I start the season with 24yb to race. But this year have 38 due to purchasing some new stock. We train 4 times before racing then wait to see how they shape. I race to Billy Whiskers old loft 24ft x 8ft and the young birds to an 8ft x 5ft loft. The pigeon I clocked in this race is a Lambrecht that I purchased from Matt Munslow and was also my first bird from NWCC Carentan a few weeks earlier. I do take an interest in the official side of the sport and am the secretary to the South West Cheshire Federation”

Mel Bratt's section B winner and below Mel Bratt

9th & 10th Section 2nd & 3rd Section B With £200 are won by Sandbach member John Allbutt. First in the clock is a dark chequer cock bred by his very good friend of many years Tom Hulme and is a 2y/o Delbar x de Weert to win 9th Open 2nd Section. Next in the clock for 10th Open 3rd Section is a blue Staf van Reet 2yo cock who had land races as a yearling and channel races with the NWCC this season. Both raced on the standard widowhood system and fed on Vanrobaeys. John started the season with 18 widowhood cocks and after a tough season there are still 13 still in loft of which 7 have been to all available channel races. There are 5 yearlings that have been to the land races with one being injured plus there are 2 pairs of stock. John’s not one for sending information he usually stays quiet.

There is just the young bird race left which will be held on the 14th September with marking on the 12th. This is in conjunction with the Gold Ring race where there is £3,000 to compete for.