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Essex Central Federation - 09-09-23

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Grantham YB(4) - 9/9/2023

For our second race of the month, we have a welcome comeback to Grantham Lincolnshire, a little rest bite for those weary youngsters with the two hard Wetherby races behind them and in some cases, late Breds getting some valuable miles under their belts. With no wind and clear skies, the 499 juveniles were released at 7:30 for the penultimate challenge of their first season.

Knocking on the door all season and fed runners up on three occasions with the youngsters are the formidable family enterprise residing in Heybridge. Steve, Ian and Sam Wallis. The Wood Road pigeon superstars leading the way this week having three drop together. First through the traps would be a granddaughter of 003 from John Wheatcroft crossed with a full brother to better than bolt. This lovely well-bred dark chequer hen wins Maldon club covering 102 miles in 2 hours and 2 minutes for a fed topping 1468.9. Runner up in the club and fed and the teams second pigeon to go through is another John Wheatcroft cross. This blue cock a grandson of 003 paired with a great granddaughter of Leo Heremans De Jan timed in a mere second behind our victor and claims silver in both disciplines two decimals inferior at 1468.7. The final pigeon of the winning trio, an STS lofts Kings Lynn blue hen claims bronze trapping four seconds behind the runner up and half a yard behind on 1467. The Lads round off an excellent day at the races with their next two arrivals both making the cut, a chequer pied 15th with 1441 and a second cock, this one a blue, 1432 to claim 19th. Great flying comrades, well done.

Only last week I spoke to Dave Phillips of Burnham club where we discussed the excellent young bird season the silver end fancier was having. Racing in partnership with John Upson, the pair finished in the top ten on four occasions during the old bird campaign and add to their Wetherby red card hard earned last Saturday, with a successive club victory and their third this term from Grantham. Their first arrival,  and the club victor is a Peter Veenstra pigeon crossed with their old family, the blue hen flying 94 miles home averaging 1454 and 4th fed for the in-form duo. Not too far away in Wickham Bishops resides Dangerous Dave Freeman, another of the clubs members enjoying a fruitful season. Victorious from the opening Huntingdon, 1st club and runner up in the fed a month ago from Grantham, emulating that with first fed the following week from the same racepoint, and today collecting 5th with his consistent van Reet pied hen, 10th fed in the Grantham race Dave won, today completing her 99 miles in two hours dead. Back over the A12 and the Blackwater to Silver End  again where John Upson and David Phillips sweep up the next three positions, leading the trio, clocking in at twenty five past nine is their second arrival a hen closely related to the club winner coming out of the partnerships Peter Veenstra Imports and their established old family, the blue pied  making her first appearance on the scoresheet 6th fed and 1448. Next is a familiar pigeon to me, this blue hen with similar origins to her two prior sisters won the club and was 5th fed at the end of July from Grantham and keeps herself in the mix, taking 7th today calculating 1447. The Partnership have really got something going with their hens at the moment and it is the fourth of their blue Veenstra crosses that earns herself 8th place with 1446. Returning to Wickham Bishops and two models of consistency for the man of the countryside, the blue cock ’50 another closely related Red Danial Van Reet himself was 5th fed from Grantham in August, and 9th  from the same racepoint today with 1442, whilst his blue pied loftmate of similar origins makes an astonishing 4th appearance in his shortHcareer, picking up 16th fed from Retford then 3rd &  9th fed from Grantham in three consecutive races last month, the exciting Van Reet cock makes his presence felt again, another top ten finish recording an identical time and velocity. The respected pigeon man times a fourth pigeon, a blue pied hen  again with identical figures and breeding to take 11th. Race controller Steve Ward flying in partnership with his daughter, 5 times in the fed with the older generation puts two in the frame. The first of their 38 arrivals, an NEHU rung blue cock covering 107 miles in two hours, 11 minutes, 12th fed with 1442 and a blue hen close up behind that taking the next spot available, 13th and 1441. The same yard as our club winners 5th pigeon on the sheet, another of their progressive female prospects, this blue hen bred like all their others from proven stock with Peter Veenstra blood mixed in collects 14th. The pair round off a fantastic Grantham with their sixth bird, you guessed, it a blue hen registering 1440 and 16th fed. Great flying gentlemen and what a season to look forward too. Other than neighbouring Fed winning club Maldon, Burnham would not for the first time dominate proceedings today and Steve Ward appears again with a blue hen, 1435 and 17th. The Wickham Bishops maestro Dave Freeman’s chequer pied cock scoops up 18th with 1433 and finally, the formidable husband and wife team of Mr and Mrs John Moss, prevalent throughout the whole season, young and old, east or west, take the last available spot, their red cock the first of 29. 110 miles at 1430 for 20th. Superb club performance for the purists, very well done.

To the capital now and representing the fancy over at the city is Mr reliable John Payne, with his weekly analysis of the clubs race. Once again entries were very low due to holidays and YB losses. All being said the race was enjoyable with birds returning with reasonable velocities over here in the wild west. Returns, however were gappy but eventually the empty perches began to fill during the course of late morning and early afternoon. Taking the red card and third place we have last Saturdays winner Alan (Mr and Mrs Hills) with two of their homebred offspring with blood lines originating from Fred Harnett’s stud. In close contention, splitting the Big Al pair we have in 2nd place John and Tina (Mr and Mrs Payne) with their ultra reliable mealy cock carrying the genes of the legendary Red Danial bred by Mr and Mrs Keith Turner of Fingringhoe and gifted by the Burnham ace Dave Freeman. John goes on to inform me that this will be the clubs last race of the program, preserving the remaining but well raced youngsters, in the hope that they mature into nice yearlings for next season. Thanks for your kind words, John, it has been a pleasure and I have thoroughly enjoyed our weekly correspondence throughout the year. Have a great breeding season over there in the west and we will catch up in April. Good health.

With the end of the season in sight, I have been collating all the results and it is this week I have decided to review the old bird season and ultimately announce my unofficial North Road champion of Central Essex for the old bird category. Utilising a simple point scoring system of 1 point for 10th increasing to ten points for the winner. Until the last two races in the old bird program, it was a very open contest with many fanciers representing numerous clubs in a close run thing. At one stage there was a chance of the current club champions even losing their grip on the Maldon trophy but with two consecutive dominant performances from Grantham to finish the campaign the Heybridge Wallis family come out on top once again. Registering pigeons in the first ten positions on seven occasions, the Wood Road champions finish the season with 106 points. In second place would be the Hockley Master that is Malcolm Scouler, again with 7 separate appearances, Malcolms consistent team earn the Stambridge secretary silver medal with 89 points. In third flying in partnership with his wife it is that man over on the Dengie coast, Mr John Moss, always there when I go through the results, the traditional fancier on the coast totted up 69 points and the third fancier to appear in seven results.

Rayleigh club president Steve Oddy cleaned up in our opener from Grantham, topped the fed again 300 miles from Berwick in June and features in no less than 5 separate results. Lexden Legend, the generous Alan Moore filled the podium the following week in our second event from the Lincolnshire racepoint. National winning duo Topp and Mann took the honours in our third race from Retford, the  mighty Hadleigh partnership also victorious from the same racepoint in May and topping the fed for a third time, their brave 4yo cock winning Perth 373 miles. Mr and Mrs Moss won Retford in the first week of May and doubled up with Grantham at the end of June. Mick Waterhouse of Stambridge club won the first Wetherby of the season with Rayleigh member Mark Pittman’s super mealy victorious in the Darlington race a week later. The bocking Bullets of Derek and Derek Parsons received the honours for the June 10th Retford race and our second race from Wetherby the following Saturday was won by Successful Hadleigh flyer Anthony O’Mahony. Laindon representative and former football Manager Mick Smith won the third Wetherby encounter, Ross Olive, along with just four others done well to get a bird to take the Thurso red card and my unofficial champions SIS Wallis of Heybridge cement their position as leading fanciers ending their long run in the bridesmaid position to enjoy a clean sweep in the final two Grantham contests. 33 separate lofts from across the county were to score in the top ten and with the last young bird race fast approaching I look forward to giving the results in that category and a combined Champion next time. Till then, be good.

C L Elmes.

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Hadleigh clubs Anthony O’mahony
1st fed Wetherby OB

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Three first OB Feds for Hadleigh’s
National winners Topp and Mann

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The Bocking bullets Derek parsons
and Son 1st fed Retford OB

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Rayleigh Clubs Mark Pittmann and the
super Mealy 1st fed Darlington OB

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Lexden legend Generous
Alan Moore 1st fed Grantham OB

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Steve Oddy of Battlesbridge
1st fed Grantham & Wetherby OB

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The Hockley Master and Mr consistent 
Malcolm Scouler

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Laindon’s finest Import,
Mick Smith 1st fed Wetherby OB

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1st fed Grantham today and my unofficial
old bird champions 2023 SIS Wallis

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Stambridge Flying Club member
Mick Waterhouse 1st fed Wetherby OB

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Peter Veenstra based blue hen 1st club,
5th fed Grantham today
for Upson and Phillips