Established 1979 Company Number: 11693988 VAT Registration Number: 284 0522 13 +44 (0)1606 836036 +44 (0)7871 701585 [email protected]

Essex Central Federation - 29-04-23

Header 1    Header 2

Retford (1) 29th April 2023

Morning all, with the two Grantham races under their belts the conveyer lee fuller in his Des Res mobile accommodation and the 1286 federation pigeons sent by 59 of our members travel 30 miles further up the A1 to one of England’s oldest market towns, Retford, in the county of Nottinghamshire. With a misty start to the day Lee let the birds go into clear skies and bright sunshine with no wind of note at quarter past eight and reports a great liberation with the birds clearing the site in rapid order and making their way home with a good start behind them. Well done Lee and all concerned.

Moving on to the business end and it would be 2 hours and forty minutes later when the race winner would make an appearance at the lofts of the highly successful partnership of Hadleigh clubs Topp and Mann. With 2 blue widowhood cocks arriving together and trapping only 2 seconds apart it would be their yearling bred by friends M & D Allen who would register first. The grandson of lincia, son of RPRA award winner and combine winning ‘Cornish Princess’ clocked in at five to eleven, completing the 135 miles averaging 1487.7 to take the Hadleigh red card and federation honours.

The national winning duo who famously cleaned up with eight grand in the 2021 Thames north guernsey breeder buyer race would take the runner up spot with the second of their 11 entries a slightly older 2 y loftmate on the same yard, the silver medallist also bred by a good friend, North Liverpool ace flyer Thomas Miller added sustenance to the already reputable sprint family collecting 2nd fed and only beaten by point 3 of a yard on 1487.3. Congratulations Gentleman on a superb result. We remain with Hadleigh for the third pigeon to appear in the result with R & P Thomas up there again with their hen ’99. Simons first bird this week full of local high performance blood being a corremans x Zwol bred by local distance man Ross Olive. The 2y blue landed on the board just shy of eleven o’clock completing todays 136 mile journey at 1474 to continue an excellent start to the fanciers season. As always thank you to the inspiration behind the write ups, Mr John Ashenden.

Another fancier enjoying a purple patch and reaping the rewards of exceptional preparation is Stambridge secretary Mr Malcolm Scouler, Malcolm completes a treble with his third club victory in succession and posts his name in numerous positions high up on the result sheet once again. Malcolm’s first arrival today would be a yearling hen also registering just before 11 o’clock, the club winning Leo Hermans chequer racing the 135 miles in two and three quarter hours at 1463 collecting 4th fed to further enhance the fanciers unofficial county championship credentials. Not half a minute had passed when last week’s club victor dropped in, this lovely looking consistent performer, 4th fed from Grantham takes runner up and 5th fed on this occasion. The yearling mealy hen continues her promising start to the campaign registering 1459 on the clock for the Hockley master who takes another clean sweep at Stambridge with a yearling chequer cock receiving 9th fed on 1451 and 10th fed with a 2y blue cock on the same yard. With yet another 2 more entries in the top twenty positions, a round of applause for the premier team of the season thus far. Great work and I thank a modest Malcolm for his information.  

The trend continues at our next port of call, heading North to Maldon club but west of the county is where we find the high velocity sharp shooters Derek Parsons and Son Derek, already a feature in my first instalment, winning the clubs opening Grantham event, retired Derek senior and builder son Derek, a notable clay pigeon enthusiast collect their second victory of the season with a blue cock reported as a youngbird but full brother to 2 previous fed winners. The home bred 2y flew the 116 miles return journey to Bocking in just under 2 hours and twenty minutes equating 1461.3 and the recipient of 6th fed. Making themselves heard again with 7th on the fed sheet and picking up runner up in the club the bullets timed in their familiar 3y blue cock ’22, already a number recognised in the fed archives last term. Today, just preceded by the winner and right up his backside, trapping 2 seconds behind or .2 of a yard racking up 1461 dead. Hard working, reliable club man Derek deserves the success the partnership achieve, and they collect a second complete podium of the season with a third home bred combatant, a 3y blue chequer hen landing a couple of minutes after on 1441, collecting 20th fed and making a good early case for the aforementioned unofficial county championship. Super flying chaps, thanks Derek for the correspondence and I hope your great start to the season continues.

Over to Burnham club now but as another club with a wide radius we actually find ourselves in Silver End and the partnership of John Upson and David Phillips who take the top honours in the coastal collective picking up 8th fed on 1452. The yearling Heremans ceusters crossed with Pieter Veenstra widowhood hen went through the trap at around twenty minutes to eleven completing the 120 miles in 2 hours twenty six minutes. Mr and Mrs Moss, another regular feature in the federation take silver and bronze with the husband and wife also entering the county championship calculations with their consistent 23 strong team headed by a 2y blue cock posting 1450 for 11th fed, 10 seconds ahead of his yearling loftmate, also a blue cock making the 136 mile journey in 2 and three quarter hours to pick up 3rd club, 12th fed a yard behind on 1449. Appreciation to David Phillips for the information received and thanks for making the initial contact.

Making steady progress up the federation ladder are new boys Laindon who make their maiden appearance in the fed result with the once renowned top fancier Alan Scarborough making his long awaited comeback to the top of the tree. Back in familiar territory and top of the pile of the impressive 346 club entries Alans first bird, a blue Sootjen cross, already a south road race winner in the clubs prior existence arrived in Basildon after 161 minutes on the wing collecting first place and a credible 16th fed on 1444 for this yearling cock. Arriving just over a minute later the second of Alans 17 participants dropped through the trap, this pigeon, a NEHU registered yearling blue cock arriving just shy of the 11th hour with 1433. In 3rd place down the Rowdy rouge residence, we have ‘farmer’ Frankie White with a yearling blue pied cock of any origin you wish completing his 130 miles also equating 1433 for bronze. Russell Jaques tops the Hutton contingent for the second time this season with a yearling blue hen on 1432 . Well done Russell and thank Secretary Steve Smith for the kind words towards his clubmates and as ever appreciated by myself.

We go west next to the administrative centre of our great county, the city of Chelmsford and the contribution of club secretary and winner, John Payne who reports good returns and another enjoyable race for all club members. Today’s victorious pigeon belonging to Mr Payne is his very consistent blue chequer Adrian Duggins X Corremans cock. The sire bred by Mr Duggins and gifted to John by the former Stambridge flyer the late Keith Shove with the Dam, affectionately known as ‘the Fred Hen’ a gift from Stock’s Fred Harnett, herself a multiple club winner and 3rd open combine as a young bird. The veteran 5y competitor takes top honours today averaging the 124 miles at 1436. Filling up the podium at the county capital is Alan Hills with a chequer cock closely followed by a blue hen, with both lovely pigeons bred and gifted by super stud man Fred Harnett. What can you say? John added and advises the members to watch out for Fred at marking Night. Good work John, nice to hear from you again.

Final stop on the tour of the county will be Rayleigh club and Grantham 1 title holder Steve Oddy, repeating the feat at Retford with a 4y chequer hen clocking into the Battlesbridge lofts with 1427. C & P Vidgeon finish runner up on 1417 with a yearling dark chequer cock and rounding off the first Retford result of the season in 3rd we have Mr and Mrs Pittman with their 2y dark pied cock on 1399.

Back to Retford this coming Saturday, keep the content coming, a photo and a mention of your club winner will always be welcome regardless of Fed positions. Inclusivity is key for enthusiasm. Be good.

C L Elmes.

Frankie Farmer White with 3rd club Laindon 23 10 23b                 1st club Burnham for Upson and Phillips 23 10 23b                 29 4 2023 Retford 23 10 23b

Frankie ‘Farmer’ White with 3rd club Laindon           1st club Burnham for Upson and Phillips                    29/4/2023 08:15 Retford

 

1st club Hadleigh 1st Essex Central Federation Retford 29 4 2023            Topp and Mann take the first 2 in the fed 1286 birds. 23 10 23b             3rd fed for Simon of R P Thomas 23 10 23b

1st club Hadleigh, 1st Essex Central Federation        Topp and Mann take the first 2 in the fed 1286 birds.                       3rd fed for Simon of R & P Thomas
Retford 29/4/2023

A treble for Malcolm Scouler 1st club Stambridge 23 10 23b            Alan Scarborough in the fed. 1st and 2nd club Laindon. 23 10 23b

A treble for Malcolm Scouler                                   Alan Scarborough in the fed. 1st and 2nd club Laindon.
1st club Stambridge