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Essex Central Federation - Huntingdon 23-07-2023

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Huntingdon 23/7/2023

Hello all and welcome to the opening round of the highly anticipated young bird season where we begin with a short hop to historically rebellious Huntingdon in the great county of Cambridgeshire. With it being the first encounter for the new generation, all steps were taken to avoid the adverse weather forecast for the weekend and so an early decision was made for a Friday liberation of 951 juvenile and 210 older pigeons at 06:30 with no wind at the racepoint with a westerly influence en route.

At the business end of proceedings, it would be lifelong fancier John Wickenden who would top the opening Yb fed race of the campaign. His first arrival a red Van Den Bulck cock would land on the Shoebury aces pad and complete his first competitive 69 mile journey in 1 hour 22 minutes and 17 seconds leading the way with an impressive 1497. The Word round the campfire is John, racing at Stambridge club is a master of the art of competing with babies, this information privy to me even before the season opener got underway after some previous fed research. I caught up with the man enhancing the stats for the fed average champions for a little bit of insight behind the results. Veteran John has been racing for 60 glorious years, all of those based in Shoebury, on the coast in  the south east of the county where he has been resident for a half a century. He did however begin with keeping fantails at age 9, and at a young 78 that would make it just short of 7 decades spent with our colombophile passion. With such a vast racing history to consider I asked poor John to recall his favourite memories and races over the lengthy successful career, evoking great memories from down the years replied John but the first that comes to mind with the federation champion is the time way back in the days of the Mid Essex fed when our winner took a prestigious 1st, 2nd and 4th from Thurso. The racepoint in the past being the most coveted event of the season, a fact given to me by another fed winning 60 year fancier, the earlier Retford king Derek Parsons in his memoir. John or Wizard Wiki as labelled by Secretary Malcolm Scouler also recounts the final genuine Combine race from Wetherby which not only was  he was lucky enough to win and take the runner up spot, but he would also take three more positions in the higher echelons namely 5th, 7th and 10th. More recently racing from Peterborough this time last year the Shoebury sensation took 18 places in the fed result, a feat that can only be achieved by a young bird master and something the victor can be very proud of. I asked John if there was anyone who has helped him along the way in his long and illustrious career and the person who sprung to mind was Hullbridge fancier John Gilbert who at the time would have been racing Janseens, I would be breeding Busschaerts and we would annually swop pigeons between us, a custom retained as I continue the trade with Johns Son Paul which has been a fruitful exchange for me. I will be racing 48 young birds this season and with this federation win I hope to continue to be positive and retain the feeling of goodwill that comes with it. At the time of writing the pigeons have displayed the first signs of the dreaded sickness so the immediate future revolves around that. All that said it would be no surprise to the reader that Mr Wickenden would clear up at the club taking second spot with a blue pied cock 7 minutes later on 1373 and the Stambridge bronze is claimed by John’s third arrival a blue hen, trapping 2 minutes behind the runner up with 1341. Great flying and Well done John, thanks for getting in touch.

Hadleigh next and the fed runner up Anthony O’mahony which I have misspelt since the start of the season and can’t apologise enough to the established fed winning fancier who this week times in a chequer pied cock at quarter to eight completing his 63 miles in 1 hour and 15 minutes. The club winning pigeon bred by Kieran Hannon from Sean Hunt lines has Zeus and Never Paid as grandsires on the fathers side, whilst the dam also being of Sean Hunt origins but bred by Wayne Pogson has the blood of a pigeon called The Rocket with the hen a double granddaughter of this proven Stock bird. Wetherby fed topper Mr O’Mahony adds a silver medal to the collection just a single yard behind today on 1496. Mr and Mrs Ashenden pick up second spot at Hadleigh, their blue hen a double granddaughter of Gaynor’s gift finishes up with 1461 and 7th fed. We return to club victor Mr O’Mahony to complete the club podium with another Wayne Pogson bred chequer cock collecting 14th fed and Hadleigh bronze with 1455.

West to Laindon now where the club make a bold statement in our youngbird opener with 5 of their number registering no less than fifteen places on the all important sheet. Eleven of those places, the majority in the top ten were claimed by ‘Bulky’ Eddie Butcher racing as Butcher Brothers who would have a fantastic start to the youngsters program having all eleven pigeons drop as a batch and compete to get through to the board, leading the way in the group, loft and the clubs 271 entries are a chequer pied Best Kittel x Van Den Bulck hen charging 58 miles home in just over an hour and ten minutes trapping together on the same time and yard as her male loftmate bred the same way. The power packed sprinting pair take what must be a joint first with an identical 1463 and the decimals and sharing the red card at Laindon with the hen 3rd and the cock 4th fed. Next to push her way through, right on the tails of the winners is another chequer pied, a third Van den Bulck with Best Kittle in the bloodlines, same way bred as the hen above, she would trap just 2 seconds or half a yard behind her sister for 3rd club, 5th fed and 1462. That’s 3 of the 11 covered so ill rattle through the Dynamic Dunton partnerships next eight arrivals dominating this Fridays race result. The partnership being Eddie and wife Sara providing the training regime in preparation for today’s Rout. Congratulations Mrs Butcher, a job well done. Our prolific pair take 6th fed with a blue cock, together with 8th and 9th collected by 2 hens, a chequer and a chequer pied, all 3 pigeons clocking on the same 1461 mark and again split by a mere couple of seconds. We are far from finished down at Dominating Dunton where for all folk not from round these parts is the home of fords world leading R & D. The same could be said for Mr and Mrs Butcher who populate their loft with carefully sourced performers, 2 of which take the next spots on the scoresheet, both cocks register 1460 but the chequer a second ahead of his grizzle teammate to snatch the final top ten spot with the latter 11th. The clock was hot today and our club winners had to wait a full 4 seconds for their 9th pigeon to make contact. 12th fed and 1459 for the chequer pied cock, 7 seconds prior to number 10, another cock, a blue pied on this occasion 13th with 1456. The 11th and final Butcher Brothers progeny to make the papers is a chequer hen earning herself 15th fed averaging the 58 miles at 1455. An exceptional training  performance in all aspects for this top set up, all eleven pigeons trapping within 22 seconds of one another. Fantastic. We remain with our Ramsden based colleagues and Steve Wright in 17th spot with the first of his arrivals stopping the clock for 1431. The blue cock not too far ahead of clubmate Bernie McDermott’s pigeon of the same colour and sex, 18th and 1423.  Laindon complete Gaynor’s role of honour with Deputy Marcin Grzedowicz’s white grizzle hen 19th with 1398 and finally 20th belongs to Steve Wright’s blue hen, arriving seconds before eight o’clock meaning 1387. What can I say? Amazing Laindon. Thank you as ever Steve Smith.

I reckon you have earned yourself a cuppa now reader, after which we move onto our capital representatives with a sole entry in the fed this week for the lads and lasses from the Chelmsford City club. 16th fed and 1440 ypm for a chequer hen, where I hand over to spokesman John Payne. The young bird contingent of this race struggled to make good returns with many of them returning late in the afternoon and evening with more stragglers returning the following morning. The best of our youngbirds and only the single pigeon timed in reasonable race time was flown by Jose Teixeira who describes the origins of the winning pigeon as a mixed breed of Teixeira stock and jokes about the pedigree word. Good work and well done Jose. City did fare better with the older generation writes John and with a significant birdage today it does give me great pleasure to inform the fancy that your ultra consistent 4y Vandenabeele blue cock bred by old mate Colin Mann of Hockley, written about on numerous occasions this term is still on point, completing 51 miles in 57 minutes, winning the club and fed honours with 1581. Martin Frost would take runner up at both levels with a homebred blue cock bred down from pigeons gifted to the fancier on his return to the sport. The Grateful Danbury flyer second with 1577. In third and wrapping up the capitals affairs are the father and son partnership of T & K Brewster, hardworking Tony timing in one of their older original Staf Van Reets. The 6y chequer pied cock still mixing it, collecting bronze at both club and fed with 1479. Cheers John, well done to both Jose and yourselves.

Off to the Dengie now and our traditional friends over at Burnham club this week headed by the formidable husband and wife team of Mr and Mrs John Moss. Their dark chequer hen raced her 64 miles in a club winning 1350 with Wickham Bishops fancier Dave Freeman receiving club silver for his mealy cock 53 miles at 1347. C & P Vidgeon are victorious at Rayleigh, their blue chequer cock winning the red card with 1297 with Christine Muir who sweeps up the minor honours with two cocks, the dark chequer runner up with 1294, while bronze goes to his blue loftmate on 1259.

We wrap up the first result of the youngbird season at Maldon where Team Wallis take the red card back to Wood Road on 1029, Lerwick Legend Peter Easter collects a silver over at Goldhanger and club winners Steve, Ian and Sam finish up with bronze. Up the A1 to Grantham next . see you then.

C L Elmes

Picture1 Huntingdon 21 7 2023 06.30 hrs

Huntingdon 21-7-2023 06.30 hrs

Picture2 Our first visit of the year to historically Rebellious Huntingdon

Our first visit of the year to historically Rebellious Huntingdon

Picture3 Anthony OMahony without an E 1st club Hadleigh 2nd federationjpg

 Anthony O’Mahony without an E,
1st club Hadleigh,
2nd federation.

 

Picture4 Only eleven pigeons in the top twenty for Laindons Eddie Butcher

Only eleven pigeons in the top twenty for Laindon’s
Eddie Butcher

Picture5 King of the youngbirds John Wickenden 1st Essex central fed

King of the youngbirds
John Wickenden
1st Essex central fed