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Essex Central Federation Grantham (4) snd Thurso - 08-07-23

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Grantham (4) and Thurso  8/7/2023

Afternoon all, races 14 and 15 and a second double header of the season today on what is the penultimate weekend of the old bird campaign with the fed simultaneously racing from both the shortest and longest distance race points of the programme. We start with our reliable and ever present conveyer Mr Lee Fuller, wife Nicola and 730 of our members property on their fourth visit to Grantham, Lincolnshire. With the forecast predicting a band of heavy rain across the north of England later in the day a decision was made to go for an early release to avoid the pending downpour. With all things considered our conveying team liberated the competitors at 05:30 into an unfavourable South East wind.

I did recently mention the annual resurgence of team Wallis over at Maldon club and once these boys get going, they’re incredibly difficult to stop. Leading the way at the Scraley road club from Grantham, Chairman Steve, Brother Ian and Son Sam take their long overdue first federation victory of the season with the current Maldon champions having two drop together and trap just a second apart. First through the trap and making his fourth top ten appearance in the result is an STS lofts Kings Lynn bred chequer cock, fourth and sixth fed already from Grantham this season. The 3y Leo Heremans completing his 102 mile journey home in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 30 seconds for a fed winning 1422.7. Runner up at both levels and only 2 decimals behind was another Grantham specialist, the June 24th silver medallist, a dark chequer cock, a son of their good cock ’82, winner of 3 central fed races. The consistent yearling just touched off into second again at 1422.5. Completing a clean sweep in both club and fed it would be the wood road masters timing in their third pigeon, a 2y son of Ian’s 4 time fed winner ’91, dropped in a couple of minutes later on 1401. 7th fed at Wetherby last time out the Corremans blue pied betters that with bronze medal on this occasion.

Maldon would have a terrific race today and would register pigeons from across their large geographic radius with pigeon aristocracy the right honourable Sir Trevor Tunstall collecting another Fed scalp with his yearling Sootjen completing his 90 miles to Braintree at 1394. The chequer pied Cock, one of the fanciers 8 entries takes 4th fed for the legendary London amalgamation winner. Remaining in the west of the clubs radius we nip down the road to the multiple fed winning lofts of Richard Radley, who on this occasion picks up 5th fed with his first arrival, a yearling blue cock, close up on 1392. To the clubs Northern Boundary and Colchester next with the Widowhood king Alan Moore keeping up the gallop with a yearling mealy cock flying his 98 miles to the Generous Lexden multiple fed winner in 2 hours and 9 minutes doing the fancier proud considering the wind and earning himself 11th fed averaging 1345. Returning to the western edge of the clubs catchment to Bocking where we find another of this years fed winning partnerships, The Bocking Bullets, Derek and son Derek Parsons continue their fine season with a reliable 2y homebred blue cock, already a club winner and 6th fed from Retford, 16th fed today with 1340.

Neighbouring club Burnham are next with a welcome club victory for the Sliver end duo of John Upson and David Phillips. Their first arrival, a very consistent 3y widowhood cock collecting his second club red card of the schedule. The Eijerkamp Janseen, Pieter Veenstra blue bar cock victorious from Retford in June and half brother to their previous winner originates from a pair acquired from friends in the north east and completes his 94 mile journey home to the crittall inspired village in 2 hours, collecting 6th fed from Grantham racing at 1389 ypm. Runner up at the strong coastal collective would be the Grantham fed winner from a fortnight ago, the 2y chequer pied cock making his third appearance on the fed scoresheet, 1332 and 19th fed for this seasons double winning partnership Mr and Mrs Moss.

Onto Hadleigh and Mr and Mrs Ashenden take top honours this week with a Frans Zwol brother and sister landing on the boards together at ten to eight with the first of the multiple winning breeder ‘Young Brion’ siblings, a 2y blue hen trapping 3 seconds ahead for 7th fed with 1364 and her brother runner up at Hadleigh and half a yard behind collecting 8th for the Rayleigh duo. The Partnership complete the clean sweep at club level and secure another spot in today’s result with their 4y chequer cock 01, the Corremans Vandenabeele cross bred by ling brothers takes bronze at the club and 20th fed with 1329.

The capital of our county next and my reliable pen pal and top drawer fancier Mr John Payne with his word for word account of the City’s afternoon. Once again City members enjoyed a good race with steady returns throughout the morning and early afternoon. Members reported a strange mixture of very experienced birds arriving later than expected and less experienced pigeons doing better. We guess that is pigeon racing but most importantly all arrivals homed in very good condition and thanks again to the conveying team. In first place we have the Berwick club winning Staf Van Reet cock picking up his second red card of the season. 5th fed from the iconic racepoint in June, the 2y mealy with Keith Turner Red Danial blood gifted from Burnham Ace Dave freeman picks up another top ten spot with 9th fed and 1359. Runner up and third are also claimed by author John and wife Tina. The ultra strong reliable Vandenabeele pair, both cocks bred and gifted from their very good friend and great old school fancier, now retired Colin Mann of Hockley. City members being a bit short staffed this week wish to sincerely thank Tony Brewster and partner Paige for their great help over the weekend of this race. Many thanks as always, best regards, John P.

Laindon and three time club winner Gary Watts does it again, the opening Grantham victor and last month’s Retford champion earns the friendly clubs coveted red card on offer today with a product of his grizzle family project developed over the years. The 4y hen completing her 105 miles in 2 hours 18 minutes finishing on 1345 continues the progress of the strain that now seems to be coming good. The first year Gary had them he bred a nest pair that won a fair few races and were called the Thompson Twins. This time out the 239 bird club winning homebred earning 10th fed. Last Saturdays Wetherby fed winner Mick Smith has to settle for silver and bronze medals today with a 2y blue cock the first of the veteran East London and Essex racers to clock at seven minutes to eight. Originating from Chris Woods lines, The Hereman ceusters cock 12th fed with 1344 and a close 5 seconds in front of his Dave Atkin loftmate. This yearling spellbound x Maestro chequer cock going back to Secretary Steve Smith and doing well for Mick, just short of a yard behind 1343 and 13th. Steve threw his weekly batch of obscenities towards his clubmate, but I like Mick so sorry Steve, I can’t call him full of wind, formerly West Wind Mick, can I? We cannot sign off at the substantial South Essex club without a mention of the next pigeon flown by Chris Whiteside. The Sayers brothers yearling chequer cock responsible for two of Chris’s three club wins, just misses out on the podium with 1341 and 15th fed. Well done, Gary, great pigeon Chris and as ever thanking you, Steve.

The fed result would be incomplete without Malcolm Scouler at Stambridge club. The Hockley master produces yet another club winner from the 33 strong old bird team so consistent this season. the 2y Leo Heremans blue cock making his maiden appearance on the scoresheet homing the 109 miles at 1342, giving Mr Scouler 14th fed to go with 17th fed collected by a Hereman ceusters hen loftmate. The 2y blue runner up in the club on 1339. Wetherby fed winner Mick Waterhouse completes the honours over at the fed average champions picking up bronze with a yearling blue hen on 1306. Rayleigh Partnership I and M Hayes put themselves forward with a blue hen, the club winner completing 110 miles at 1332 collecting 18th fed and finally Hutton club where Mr and Mrs Sees lead the way once again, topping the sheet with a 3y blue cock 1303, beating a John Matthews pair into the minor honours at the tight knit club.

Moving on to Thurso. Caithness, a challenging 400 miles further up the mainland 174 brave souls entered by 20 equally brave members supporting the fed were liberated with 1068 London North Road and Thames Valley pigeons at the identical time of our Grantham release, half past five. 7 survivors made it home with only 3 fanciers in receipt of arrivals after 2 very long days. Congratulations to proven distance fancier Ross Olive on winning the race with a 4 y blue hen on the wing for over 20 hours and registering a chilling 739 y. Alan Scarborough of Laindon club breeds and flies a tough pigeon, the opening Retford club winner receiving 4 of the 7 fed pigeons to return in race time. The four pigeons, all 2y cocks flying 509 miles at 737, 728, 663 and 568 yards collect 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th fed and credit given where credit is due, what a strong 8 pigeons sent and good preparation Mr Scarborough. Mr and Mrs Ashenden are the third pairing to register, their veteran 5y chequer pied cock, 2nd club Perth a fortnight ago, is the sole entry for Hadleigh today, winning the club double and 4th fed with 710. The powerful pigeon a son of Johns black pied hen also a winner at Berwick hails from Johns Brothers Thurso combine winner and a Pat O’Sullivan cock.

The last race of the old bird season is soon to be upon us with the highly anticipated youngsters hard in training. Our 16th and final dedicated old bird event will be back on the A1 to Grantham next weekend, until then, be good.

C L Elmes.

Picture1 A sunny Afternoon precedes a tough Thursojpg

A sunny Afternoon precedes a tough Thurso.

Picture2 Away they go from Thurso 05

Away they go from Thurso 05:30 8/7/2023.

Picture3 Gary Watts 3 time Laindon winner. 1st club Grantham

Gary Watts 3 time Laindon winner.
1st club Grantham

Picture4 2 club wins for the Peter Veenstra Eijerkamp 3y cock for Upson and Phillips

2 club wins for the Peter Veenstra/Eijerkamp
3y cock for Upson and Phillips

 Picture5 The Top man behind the clocks Norman Dawkins Hadleigh club

The Top man behind the clocks
Norman Dawkins Hadleigh club

 Picture6 Only bird in race time at Hadleigh club for Mr and Mrs Ashenden

Only bird in race time at Hadleigh club for
Mr and Mrs Ashenden

 Picture7 1st Essex Central Federation Grantham 8 7 2023 730 birds Steve Ian and Sam Wallis

1st Essex Central Federation Grantham
8/7/2023 730 birds  
Steve Ian and Sam Wallis