Wetherby YB(2) 2/9/2023
September finds us back at Wetherby for the second of our young bird Ace trilogy with £250 and a lovely trophy to play for. Leading the way after the one race are Hadleigh’s Top and Mann with Laindon member David Coward-Talbot 2nd and 3rd. The winner of the opening race in this exciting treble was Hadleigh clubs John Ashenden and fed secretary wife, Gaynor with their little chequer hen on the same yard as the nomination leader. This Saturday after low cloud inhibited any chance of an early liberation 585 entries were sent on their way at 10:15 into a very light southeasterly wind.
Winning their second Wetherby contest for the youngsters this term with that same gallant chequer hen doing the business for a second successive Wetherby, Mr and Mrs Ashenden have dominated the young bird results at the strong mid Essex club. The partnership add this 2nd Wetherby victory to double wins from Grantham and Retford and of course the thousand pound collected from the big money Laindon race from Darlington thus far. Today their gallant and equally talented hen completes her arduous 181 mile journey to Rayleigh in 3 hours and 53 minutes at an impressive 1369 ypm. The fed winning pigeon, out of two direct Frans Zwols that have bred some tough winners for the partnership in the past and this little hen proves just that. Mr and Mrs Ashenden’s second pigeon, runner up at the club and in the fed at 20th is also a Frans Zwol. This blue hen coming from a retired previous fed winning racer paired to a good hen who was 2nd combine when she dropped with her brother who won the race. Paul Elliots bird that got 3rd club was also 4th club from Retford, the parents both bred by John Wheatcroft, the sire a direct Lambrecht and the Dam is a Van den Bulck granddaughter of Strike. With John and Gaynor in such good form I delve a little deeper into the pigeon past of our federation victors.
I have been in the sport for 33 years. I started in 1990 with some birds bred from my brother Jim, but although I only started in 1990, pigeons and all sorts of birds and animals have always been part of my life. I started 2 years after my family moved from London to Benfleet and I am the 4thgeneration of fancier in my family. My first loft was a 6 x 4 converted bird shed. I had old birds in one side and young birds in the other. With a very small team, I managed to win the young bird average in my second year of racing with my dad as a silent partner. I raced in the same garden as my brother and the three of us were constantly winding each other up (Dad wasn’t always silent lol) but was very much a part of everything I did. He was how it all started. The three of us did everything together. We even built our own lofts together which caused a few problems as we all had different ideas, and we were all right or so we thought. My nephew and his mum (my sister) started racing a few years later. My brother and sister still race now, and my nephew is still very hands on when required. My main influence was Dad, but also, all my family. I met Gaynor at the turn of the century in 2000. We moved to Rayleigh and got married in 2003 when the new partnership was formed (Mr & Mrs Ashenden). From not knowing anything about pigeons, she was cleaning out the first time she visited me. In no time, she was club Secretary, Amalgamation Secretary, Combine Secretary and then Federation Secretary. She was Secretary of all 4 organisations for many years all at the same time. In honesty, I don’t know why or how she did it. Looking back I think my most memorable achievement was winning my first amalgamation race with ‘Gaynor’s Gift’, 5505 birds. The most birdage for the whole time the Amalgamation was going. As I said before, Gaynor was the Amal Secretary and so all Clubs and Federations phoned their results through on a Saturday evening. On the night of the race, she was getting results and each time a result came in, we got a little bit more excited as we had the best velocity. Each time we thought that the next call would have a higher velocity. The last result seemed to take forever to come in. I remember Gaynor writing the last club’s velocities down with tears of emotion in her eyes. She then gave me the biggest smile and a thumbs up whilst she was still on the phone. ‘Gaynor’s Gift’ was put to stock shortly after that. 90% of my birds now are related to her. I think she was definitely the absolute best Christmas gift Gaynor has, could and will ever give to me. Finally, I would like to thank all my family for keeping me going in the sport in some very tough low times, especially my dad who is still with me every race day even though he passed away in 2022. Also, Gaynor for the arguments (about pigeons) and the help and encouragement and the cleaning out of course. Lovely History John, Fantastic pigeon today, God rest Dads soul, and I wish You, Gaynor and all the family the best of health.
2022 club champions at Maldon finishing runner up and third in the fed this week are the Heybridge sprint kings Steve, Ian and Sam Wallis. The Wood Road masters win the Scraley Road red card timing in a dark chequer hen at two minutes past 2 to collect silver on 1347.2, exactly one second and point one yard ahead of her blue loftmate of the same sex who raced her 174 miles in 3 hours, forty seven minutes to collect silver at the club and complete the fed podium.
An open result today with a good spread of clubs represented in the result but it is the familiar king of the youngbirds John Wickenden who leads the way at Stambridge club once again, the Shoebury sensation retains his top spot at the fed average champions with the first of his thirteen entries, a chequer hen 13th fed from Grantham three weeks ago improving on that with a well fought 4th fed flying 189 challenging miles to the south east coastal town at 1343.
Staying over on the coast but only in club terms we head to the Dengie and our traditional brothers over at Burnham club. The county purists have a large radius across North Essex, and it is to Silver End situated between the towns of Witham and Braintree we find Wetherby’s club victors, John Upson flying in with David Phillips. Their first arrival of 23, a blue hen dropped into the Crittal inspired village after 3 hours and forty minutes to take 5th fed with 1332. The Heremans ceusters, Peter Veenstra cross was a full minute ahead of her full sister, a blue pied from a different round who finds herself in possession of club silver and receives 6th fed, completing her 166 miles at 1326. The club winning fanciers are enjoying their best young bird campaign in the history of their partnership and have some nice birds to help them get through the winter and look, forward to racing with them as yearlings next season. Mr and Mrs Moss take the next three places on the fed sheet with the Burnham husband and wife there again with a blue cock, 6th fed from Grantham at the end of July, 7th today with 1323, the consistent cock trapping nearly a minute ahead of the second arrival of 32, an equally consistent performing hen of the same colour who we have seen before winning 3rd fed last week at Retford, a credible 8th fed in this tough Wetherby encounter. The next pigeon to drop into the Burnham Maestros abode is yet another of these fantastic blue hens that keep on coming. 9th fed goes to the third arrival of the day, 9th fed in that very same Retford race, the same position today after 182 miles averaging 1317. Dave freeman has been there or thereabouts in recent weeks and the Wickham Bishops dangerman fills a couple of spots on this occasion. His Grantham fed winning blue cock first to the loft again, 16th fed on the same time and identical velocity of his Wescott cross loftmate, 3rd club and fourth fed in the August race a fortnight ago, bang there again 17th fed from Wetherby both pigeons recording 1478.
Onwards to Laindon club and leading fancier David Coward Talbot. 2nd and 3rd after the first Wetherby ace pigeon event, the renowned Essex fancier, one of the counties finest takes top honours at the substantial outfit once again from the Yorkshire racepoint. The club winning pigeon, a national rung blue hen leads the 190 strong Ramsden contingent clocking in at nine minutes to four dead with 1315 good enough to take the final spot in the top ten. Fellow Scribe and all round pigeon man Bernie McDermott fills the minor honours at Laindon and the next three places available. His chequer cock, first of the fanciers 22 collects 11th with 1308, half a minute ahead of a blue cock 1299 and 12th fed with the last of the triplets, another blue cock nine seconds in after his loftmate, 179 miles a yard inferior at 1298 earning himself 13th. Club deputy and dependable club man Marcin Grzedowicz is 14th and 15th. The highly skilled Gas fitter times two pigeons one second apart with his blue cock just ahead of a grizzle hen split on 1291 and the decimals. M Harvey rounds off a super day for the club ending up with 19th fed with his chequer cock, one of seven flying 181 miles at a gallant 1275.
Our final stop today is with Chelmsford city and winning the club is one of the capitals most valuable assets, the tireless clubman Alan (Mr and Mrs) Hills. Spokesperson John Payne goes on to tell me that participants and entries were very low this week but nether the less the sleeping giant that is Alan Hills awoke on cue, taking the first three in the club with a collection of direct and homebred syndicate loft pigeons, once again originating from the legendary Fred Harnett supply chain. An excellent result adds John. Good flying and well done Big Al.
A hard season is nearing the end with just Two more races to go including the Wetherby Ace pigeon finale with Laindon legend and club winner Mr Coward Talbot now leading the chase in the hunt for the lucrative prize money. Luckily that can wait for now with us coming back to Grantham next Saturday to hopefully give these youngsters a well-deserved break. Tough day, well done all.
C.L Elmes
John’s Dad with one of his |
The Ashenden family on a pigeon trip to Germany |
The matriarch of the |
1st Essex central fed Wetherby |
John's sister Jackie and |
1st club Burnham , |