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Essex Central Federation Darlington Open Special Race 19-05-24

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Darlington open race special  19th May 2024

 County Durham for the first time this season with a £400 prize pot on offer for the 46 participating members. A new watering system has been installed on the transporter but with a very fine mist shrouding the liberation site early doors it would be a delayed release for the 652 hydrated competitors with the all clear given for a 11.30 liberation with a north east wind to combat.

Chelmsford City club had a day out to remember in our second race from Grantham back in April and it is the capital that strike again in today’s lucrative event. City members once again enjoyed a good race with everybody having good pigeons and making the top ten club positions. As the afternoon and early evening went on arrivals became prolonged and gappy, but eventually returns finished up very good. Many thanks again to the organisers and of course the conveyer. In first and second place both in the club and federation we have yours truly John and Tina Payne coming out on top  with a well trusted Vandenabeele, Van Reet cross. The yearling blue cock landing on the boards of the City spokesman after 3 hours and 57 minutes on the wing to take the all important red card and £200 first prize averaging 1592. Coming together with the winner but second to go through the trap would be Johns club and fed runner up. The Fred Harnett based Corremans cross blue chequer cock registering 8 seconds or 1 yard inferior to take silver and £100 on 1591. Taking up 3rd place at the City is the very consistent Tony Brewster of the T & K Brewster partnership with one of their ultra reliable Corremans. The 4 year old veteran blue cock completing his 213 mile journey home at 1558 for a well earned 11th fed. Dad Ken has been extremely poorly at the time of writing and really bucks up when the birds perform so well, so long may their purple patch continue, and we all wish Ken the very best in his recovery. As a Regular contributor to these articles it is great that Mr and Mrs Payne were victorious this week and it gave me a chance to put the ultra Consistent loft in the spotlight.

The Fed winning blue cock was sired by a gift pigeon from our great friend but now retired from the hobby Colin Mann of Hockley ex Stambridge and Harold hill HS. He is a Vandenabeele bred directly being the first generation from the formula one stud. His dam was also a gift pigeon from another very good friend and fancier Richard Sees formerly of Hutton fame and now plying his trade in the Laindon club. She has had a successful career winning the CCFC at club level and retains her place in the race team at present. This will probably be her last season before retirement to the stock shed with her bloodlines being Richards stock of the legendary Bert Hession Van Reet family. The Runner up was sired by our best and most consistent pigeon we have ever bred with over the last two years alone, victorious in twelve club races and in the fed on numerous occasions. He in turn was bred form the ‘Shove Cock’ a Van Der Merwe Adrian Duggins pigeon purchased for the late Keith Shove of Stambridge. Yes, I did have to part with good money for this pigeon, but the money was well spent, and he continues to race to this day although another member of the team I intend to retire. The Dam of the runner up is affectionately known to us as the ‘Fred hen’, a marvellous corremans gifted to us by you know who, the great stockman that is Fred Harnett. She won so many cards at club level and has won a race every season thus far in her racing career, the stand out result being 2nd combine from Wetherby. She also raced and won when we competed in the Stambridge club before racing at the City. Moving on Kenny, I was thirteen years old in 1961 living in Harold hill, Romford when I received my first four racing pigeons bred by my uncle Eddie Horne of Canning Town. He flew with his dad as Horne and son in the Canning Town and District pigeon club. These four pigeons were Savage Barkers, NU61CTD 105,109 and 110 with the fourth unrung after slipping the ring in the nest. Lucky for me really as I would never have got the lovely red cock as in my uncles words, he was too good for a novice. Club rings in those days used the alpha sequence from the clubs name. I was so lucky as a boy, I had a great dad, his hobby was carpentry, and he hand built me a brilliant pigeon loft to house my new acquisitions. I joined the Harold Hill homing society in 1962 and made my first attempt at young bird racing with limited success. I did however do a bit better the following season picking up a few good club positions before surprising myself and everybody winning the club, and a strong South Essex fed race from Hexham. I was now hooked and a pigeon fanatic, but Mum and Dad made me ease off a bit over the next couple of years to concentrate on my ‘O’ levels. In those days Kenny you took notice of what your parents said! Over due course I achieved the necessary exam results and began my apprenticeship alongside racing the pigeons but now after saving up and with the help of my dad I purchased some new Cattrysse bloodstock to continue racing with the Harold Hill HS, truly inspired I might add by the achievements of near neighbour and club mate, the late great Roger Olive who at the time and at the same tender age of myself won the Essex Combine. Together with our results and performances in the late 60’s we began to terrorise the old school fanciers but in the true keeping of our great sport the majority would always give us great encouragement. During this period my relationship with long term girlfriend Tina who I had been together with since school days grew stronger and in late 1970, we were married. A year later we managed to get a mortgage and buy our very first house together in Laindon. We had a good size garden and obviously up went a pigeon loft, not as good as my original one built by dad but sufficient to house my new stock. A few birds that were now getting a bit old to compete were left at Harold Hill with Dad keeping a few as pets alongside his treasured fantails. At the time a great long term friend of the family and as luck would have it, a great pigeon fancier the late Ronnie Laker of Ardleigh Green, Hornchurch fame sent me over a nice draft of six young birds, Brutons if anyone remembers them, to race in the Laindon RPC of which I was now a member. I had a successful start to this chapter in my racing career with the young Brutons winning the competitive club and the South Essex fed on two occasions. Things were moving on fairly quickly over this period and within a year, Tina had qualified as a hairdresser and upon finishing my apprenticeship I received a decent promotion. We then decided to purchase a hairdressing business including accommodation in Chelmsford, unfortunately this time we had a very small garden but enough to house a few future stock pigeons in a very small shed. Things went well and we retained the business but with steady progression between 1976 the year I joined Chelmsford City and 1980 we found ourselves settled with a house, three kids and a large enough garden to house a loft full of pigeons of course. Once again, the late great Ronnie Laker supplied a constant stream of Delbars and Stichelbauts which set us up so well. What a man Ron was ken, still miss him so much. These pigeons were equally memorable as the man himself as a whole they stood the test of time and we still keep a few of them today, however we probably didn’t give them the attention they deserved, rightly so with other commitments such as work, business and of course family. They still performed extremely well over the distance though and kept the interest alive with admittedly very little effort or input from ourselves. Great pigeons they were and the reason we are still hooked and have an interest today. Talking of memorable moments, my most treasured experience was at the age of 15 timing in my Cattrysse hen day bird from the LNRC Fraserburgh. She didn’t get a combine position, but I could not believe I could get a little bundle of feathers and flesh to achieve such a thing. Moving on to more recent times it is essential to mention the importance of the friendships we have made; our little club survives without being too idealistic we can say on pure friendship. We are alike all other clubs have our ups and downs but in the main, we stick together, look out for each other and stay happy. Talking of friends at the club we have an honorary member still paying subscription to the RPRA in the name of Martin Radford, who works so hard behind the scenes keeping things ticking over on race marking nights in particular. The reason I mention Martin is that at present he is not in a position to accommodate pigeons but has a great family tradition of racing with both his dad Roy and his Grandad, the late Bill Radford, past members of the city going back over the last 50 to 60 years. That is what you call heritage. Martin is a great friend to the club and especially to my wife Tina and myself who both regard him as a member of our family who we must thank for his friendship which is gratefully appreciated. Lovely words John, fantastic interview and a well-deserved win.

Down the 130 to Battlesbridge next and our Rayleigh club winner, president Steve Oddy taking his second successive red card down at the wealthy set. 7th fed last time out Steve emulates that today with his 6 year old veteran blue cock still doing the business covering the 221 miles to Battlesbridge averaging 1584 not only stepping onto the podium but winning £50 prize money to go with his fed bronze. Steve and Rayleigh put a second pigeon on the scoresheet with our multiple fed winner 16th on 1541 with a 2y blue cock.

Laindon had another good day at the races with a multitude of members making the result beginning with last Saturdays runner up D Wilton and Son. The partnership continue their fine run of form taking the strong south Essex club accolades with their 2y national rung chequer cock, 4th fed flying his 225 miles at 1579 and leading the way of the clubs substantial 218 bird entry, securing a £50 bonus. Second club and not half a minute later the team timed in their second arrival, a yearling blue pied hen, just out of the money but 5th fed on 1576. This formidable outfit, regular patrons of the winners enclosure had another enviable team performance in todays event, adding 7th fed with a yearling blue pied cock 1559, 12th with a grizzle also a yearling averaging 1555 and 2 more in the result, a 2 y blue hen 19th with 1537 and a second grizzle, a yearling hen 1536 and 20th. Not to be outdone, thrice winning fancier and top prize winner Mick Smith adds three of his number to Steves all important sheet. Third club and 6th fed goes to a 2y chequer cock completing 225 miles to Hockley at 1569. Grantham club winning ‘800 a 2y blue Heremans ceusters collects 8th spot with 1564.3 while his yearling blue pied loftmate timing in 3 seconds later takes 9th on the same yard.  John Mathews is in receipt of tenth with a 6 year old blue hen flying 219 miles at 1561. Club deputy Marcin Grzedowicz claims 14th spot with a yearling blue hen 1548 and Russell Jaques is there again with a 4y blue cock 1546 and 15th. Rounding off a superb day for the club we have Mark & Jordan Lewis 17th with their 3 y chequer pied hen 1540 and finally K Calver’s yearling chequer cock 1539 and 18th.

Secretary Malcolm Scouler comes out on top at Stambridge once again, the Hockley Sensation takes the first three in the club with the winner a yearling chequer cock bred by king of the youngbirds John Wickenden completing his 225 miles averaging 1536. Apologies for the delayed submission. My mistake. Catch up soon everybody and as always, all the best.

C L Elmes.

Picture1 1st and 2nd Essex central Federation Darlington Mr and Mrs John and Tina Payne 

1st and 2nd Essex central
Federation Darlington
Mr and Mrs John and Tina Payne

 Picture2 A day to celebrate for Chelmsfords fed winning Payne Family

A day to celebrate for Chelmsford’s fed winning Payne Family

 Picture3 An excellent day at the races for those out in the wild westjpg

An excellent day at the races
for those out in the wild west.

 Picture4 Grantham Winner and runner up Allen Hills and Tony Hitchings

Grantham Winner and runner up
Allen Hills and Tony Hitchings

Picture5 All the best to Dad Ken and Son Tony. T K Brewster strike again 

All the best to Dad Ken and Son Tony.
T & K Brewster strike again

Picture6 Mid Morning View from the Transporter with Lee calling a delayed liberation

Mid Morning View from the Transporter
with Lee calling a delayed liberation