“ON THE ROAD” WITH KEITH MOTT.

BHW ‘Show of the Year’ Blackpool 2024. 

Thousands of fanciers made the drive up to Blackpool in mid-January for the main event of the Show Racer calendar, the British Homing World ‘Show of the Year’. Everyone anticipates and looks forward to this wonderful weekend in Blackpool, not only for their annual fill of ‘pigeon fun’, but mostly to meet up with good pigeon friends. How refreshing it was to not have Covid and Bird Flu problems looming over the 2024 show, there was only one thing guaranteed when the fanciers travelled to Blackpool for the British Homing World ‘Show of the Year’ was that they would have a great time! Well done to the Blackpool Show committee on making the pandemic restriction workable for our favourite show this year and getting the birds back in the pens for this year’s event. With the show being staged in the North West of England in January, the weather was a bit cold, but a good time was had by all. The only blot on a wonderful weekend was ‘Storm Isha’, which made everybody’s drive home on Sunday a bit unpleasant. This year’s event attacked a show entry of nearly 1,500 birds and ‘Supreme Champion’ was won by Eric & Nick Yule of Aberdeen in Scotland. This is the partner second ‘Supreme Champion’ at the BHW Blackpool Show in recent years. It was a clean sweep for Scotland with Coutts Bothers of Alford in Aberdeenshire winning ‘Best in Show’ for the second time, previously winning 2021 on-line show.

Class winners at the 2024 BHW Blackpool ‘Show of the Year’ were: 1 (86 birds) Nigel Rescoria: 2 (86 birds) John & Alice Bell: 3 (73 birds) Coutts Brothers: 4 (65 birds) A, Freer: 5 (47 birds) Iain Paterson: 6 (46 birds)  Jill & David Fisher: 7 (57 birds) John & Alice Bell: 8 (67 birds) John Shaw: 9 (40 birds) John Barnes: 10 (40 birds) John & Alice Bell: 11 (35 birds) John Barnes: 12 (39 birds) Ker & Davidson: 13 (31 birds) Alistair Tankard: 14 (32 birds) Iain Paterson: 15 (32 birds) Nicholas Yule: 16 (35 birds) John & Alice Bell 17 (28 birds) Alistair Tankard: 18 (48 birds) John Barnes: 19 (54 birds) John Barnes: 20 (51 birds) Nigel Rescoria: 21 (50 birds) Alistair Tankard: 22 (44 birds) Miss Keelie Wright: 23 (42 birds) Mark Barnes: 24 (10 birds) Dave Fussey: 25: No Class: 26 (36 birds) Miss Keelie Wright:  27 No Class: 28 (27 birds) William & Brian Massey: 29 (27 birds) McCord & Turpie: 30 (33 birds) Winters Family: 31 (30 birds) J. Mackie & Son: 32 (32 birds) Emmie & Olivia Gilliver: 33 (29 birds) Mr. C. Gilliver: 34 (11 birds) Master Aidan Winter: 35 (11 birds) Master George Tytler Jnr: 36 (58 birds) Miss Miya Tytler: 37 (60 birds) Willow Thresher.

The premier Scottish father and son partnership of Eric and Nick Yule of Aberdeen won ‘Supreme Champion’ and ‘Best Racing Pigeon In Show’ with their magnificent three year old blue chequer pied hen, ‘Linda’. The ‘Supreme’ winning line goes on, with her being bred from their 2000 BHW Blackpool Show ‘Supreme Champion’ winner, ‘Pole Dark’ when mated to a dark white flight hen down from the late, great Bob McDonald of Fraserburgh blood lines. Champion ‘Linda’ has only had six shows in her life and has won: 2001:1^st Glenrothes & Lesley Open Show, 2022: 1^st at the BHW Blackpool Show, 2023: 1^st at the NEHU Open Show, Bo’ness Open Show (not carded), 1^st and ‘Best Racer In Show’ Bo’ness Open Show, 2024: ‘Supreme Champion’ and ‘Best Racing Pigeon’ BHW Blackpool Show. What a great hen! The 2020 BHW Blackpool Show attacked a show entry of 2,000 birds and ‘Supreme Champion’ and ‘Best in Show’ over all was won by a handsome racing pigeon blue chequer cock named ‘Pole Dark’, which also won ‘Best Racer in Show’ and was owned by Eric and Nick Yule. Eric and Nick continue the Scottish dominance of the ‘Supreme Champion’ trophy at Blackpool, with McCord & Turpie winning it in 2019, and John & Alice Bell winning it in previous years.

Eric Yule has been racing and showing pigeons many years and his son, Nicky, has always taken an interest in his dad’s hobby and joined the present day partnership when he was 13 years old. Eric races 40 pairs on the roundabout system and keeps 20 pairs of stock birds. Nicky is the show man and picks out pigeons to exhibit and conditions then at his loft. Nick’s show loft is separate from the racers and it has four sections, all with deep litter on the floors. He told me that in his opinion, the loft design has no consequent as long as it is clean and dry, and there is no big secrets in winning, dedication brings you success with pigeons. The more you put in the more you get out! His first pigeons were Kirkpatrick crossed with the Ko Nipus pigeons, and in the early days the young Nicky was very influenced by the late Bob McDonald’s wonderful racing and showing performances. Nick is a tile fixer by trade and says his biggest thrill in his 31 years in the sport was winning ‘Supreme Champion’ and ‘Best in Show’ at the BHW Blackpool Show in 2020.

The Eric and Nick Yule partnership has an excellent racing and showing record over many years, with the highlights being: 1^st North Section SNFC Rennes (643 miles), three times 1^st North Section SNFC Sartilly (587 miles), 1^st North Section SNFC Frome (415 miles), 1^st North Section SNFC Littlehampton (451 miles), ‘Best in Show’ at the NEHU Show, ‘Best in Show’ at the RP Old Comrades Show, three times ‘Best Racing Pigeon’ at the BHW Blackpool Show, three times ‘Best Racing Pigeon’ at the RP Old Comrades Show and the most recent, ‘Supreme Champion’ and ‘Best in Show’ at the BHW Blackpool Show. A wonderful all round loft performance!

The base family of pigeons at the Aberdeen loft are Bob McDonald and Dickie Greame, with new stock being added every year. Nick told me when selecting a new pigeon to bring in, it has to look good and handle well. He has brought in ten to fifteen birds from Leir Market in Belgium for the last seven years and had winners every season. The racing team have not been paired for the last three years, with the cocks racing to nest boxes and the hen to the perch. They race from the first race through to the last and are fed on a good widowhood mixture, with a pot of Barley in front of them all the time. The birds are parted in early August, to ensure they have a good moult and then get them ready for the shows. During the moulting period they are fed on a ‘moult’ mixture and are given vitamins in the drinking water. Nicky says, he has no really thoughts on inbreeding, as almost all his birds are crossed. He breeds 20 late breds every year and these are trained in the winter mouths of that year.

I have had the great pleasure of  judging several times at the NEHU Show at both Peterlee and South Shields over the years, including ‘Best in Show’ a couple of times. On one occasion that I judged BIS in 2011, Eric and Nicky Yule won ‘Best Opposite Sex’ with their wonderful blue chequer cock ‘Andy Carroll’. This champion cock won many shows and was ‘Best in Show’ at the NEHU Show the year previous, in 2010. I could write all day long about the Yule’s wins at Open and National show, but two other outstand pigeons were: ‘Murphy’ winner of many firsts, including ‘Best in Show’ at the RP Old Comrades Show and ‘The Blackpool Cock’, also the winner of many firsts, including winning first two years on the trot at the BHW Blackpool Show.

I visited Eric's Aberdeen home in 1997 and was greatly impressed by the man and his wonderful team of multi-purpose pigeons, which have excelled at racing and showing. Over the years Eric has recorded many major positions in national long-distance races, with 1996 being his best season, winning 3rd North Section Sartilly (1) SNFC (587 miles); 1st North Sect Rennes SNFC (631 miles); 1st North Sect Sartilly (2) SNFC. At that time the loft had won Best Racer in Show at the BHW Blackpool Show twice and also twice at the RP Old Comrades Show. Eric had had outstanding success with his good Kirkpatrick red chequer cock which won ‘Best Racer in Show’ at both the major shows in one season. A fantastic performance! ‘The Red Cock’ had also been a good racer, winning many cards in races up to 300 miles. At that time Eric's, smart 20ft loft had four sections and the birds were trapped through drop holes. The main loft had a closed-in front to keep the inmates warm and dry and the nest boxes were also very secluded, with hardboard fronts. Eric began in the sport in 1963 with a pair in a rabbit hutch and was only really interested in long-distance racing. His 40 pairs of natural racers were paired up in early February and, after rearing a pair of squeakers, were parted again. They were trained and race the first four races apart, and then were re-paired for the rest of the season, it with the long-distance nationals in mind. The old birds got three 25-mile training tosses every week through the season. The birds were hopper fed a good mixture, with extra maize being added as the distance increased. The star bird on my visit to the Aberdeen loft was a blue chequer cock and he was a blend of several top long-distance families which run through the loft. This cock had won several cards racing, including 1st North Section, 85th open Rennes (SNFC) 631 miles, being sent feeding two big youngsters. A good type as well as good performance was preferred when selecting stock birds. Stock birds were paired up the same time as the racers so their first round of eggs could be floated in the racing loft. Since my visit to their loft in 1997, Eric and Nicky have won it all, including ‘Supreme Champion’ and ‘Best in Show’ at the BHW Blackpool Show in 2020.

“Best in Show” at the 2024 BHW Blackpool show was won by two more premier Scottish fanciers, Craig and Callum Coutts Bothers of  Alford in Aberdeenshire and their winning pigeon was their handsome two year old red cock, ‘Klopp’. This was the cock’s first premier win and is bred down from long line of top show winners. The brothers have enjoyed some great success at premier National and Society show in recent seasons, including: three firsts at the NEHU Show in 2022, Class 21 winner at the BHW Blackpool Show in 2022, ‘Klopp’s’ aunty won ‘Supreme Champion’ all winners at the Classic SRS three years on the trot, representing the Classic SRS at the BHW Blackpool Show gained most points in society three years on the trot, won most points and representing North of Scotland SRS for 2022 / 2023, with this pigeon going on to win the BSRS championship for 2023, North Scotland Young Bird gained most point in society in the 2022 / 2023 seasons. Plus ‘Best in Show’ at the BHW Blackpool Show in 2001 and 2024! What a fantastic family of Show Racers!

The annual BHW Blackpool Show weekend is the main event in the Show Racer season and because of an ongoing Covid problem the number one pigeon show in the UK had to be canaled in 2021. The Blackpool show committee put in a lot of hard work and put on a fantastic on line National event, which was a great success. The ten classes attracted an entry of 474 birds which were competing for outstanding prize money, in spite of a free entry. ‘Best in Show’ was won by Coutts Brothers of Scotland, with the champion blue cheque cock, ‘King Louie’. These lads from Aberdeenshire are really ‘setting them alight’ winning at all the National shows in recent seasons.

The ‘On Line’ show was a great success and a wonderful up lift for the show fraternity in those troubled times! The Coutts Brothers, Craig and Callum, of Alford in Scotland won ‘Best in Show’ with their champion young blue chequer cock, ‘King Louie’. He was bred from two blue chequers named, ‘Claire’ and ‘Bagheera’. ‘Claire’ was bred by Alistair Tankard and Craig said, ‘this hen has taken our chequers and blues to the next level. She has had such a good show career, being 1^st or 2^nd at the BHW Blackpool Show every year and also 1^st at Kingdom of Fife Show, but an even better hen in the nest pan breeding winner after winner. This wonderful hen is the mother of the young cock that won the BHW ‘Show of the Year’ and is the grandmother on the father’s side. ‘Bagheera’ is a 2019 latebred bred out of a daughter of ‘Claire’. His first breeding season last year saw him breed five youngsters with them all being retained apart from one going to friends Roland & Jules Thresher. ‘Bagheera’ will hopefully continue and have a prosperous breeding career

Craig and Callum Coutts were born in Aberdeenshire hospital and are down the latest in a long line pigeon fancier in their family. Their great grandfather, Doug Lawrie and their grandfather, Jim Coutts senior were the first to have pigeons in the family, and Jim senior is in partnership with the lad’s uncle Jim, racing as J. Coutts & son. Their father is the well-known and very successful pigeon man, Gary Coutts, who was part of the Fitzpatrick, Fleming & Coutts show partnership. Gary was first involved in pigeons going into partnership with the lad’s great grandfather at age ten in 1977. In 1980 he attended the Edinburgh International for the first time and saw show racers and fell in love with them, so their great grandfather bought him a pair from J & R Scott of Dumfries. In 1983 he met Jimmy Fitzpatrick at the Dundee Show and after eleven years of friendship they decided in 1994, that Gary, Jimmy Fitzpatrick and Roddy Fleming would form their partnership. It is fair to say that they dominated the sport for years winning numerous major National and Society Shows. In 2006 Gary won ‘Best in Show’ at the Edinburgh International Show few years after the partnership split, but the friendship still remains to the present day. Gary learnt everything he knows about show racers from the ‘wee man’ and has passed his knowledge on to Craig and Callum. The Coutts Brothers both just followed their dad everywhere when he was pottering with the birds and both just got the bug quite quickly. Callum started his interest in 2005 at age nine when his dad took him to a few shows for a day out, although Craig says, he believed it was so he wasn't annoying mum. He started with helping dad clean the birds out and the bug just stuck from the first day and he has never looked back. The brothers obtained their dads stock and changed the name to Coutts Brothers, although their dad still has a very keen interest in the birds. Craig was a very keen darts player and was successful as a youth and Callum is a golfer, and is club champion at two individual course.

Craig and Callum’s first show as a partnership was the NEHU Show where they had a first prize with a silver blue hen and their first club show was at Classic Show Racer Society where they won ‘Best Young Bird’ with a red cock. They continued their winning streak winning another two ‘Best Young Bird’ awards and a ‘Best in Show’ at the Society, ending the season with most points and reserve ‘Supreme Champion’, then going to the BHW Blackpool Show and winning two firsts. The brother’s first loft set up was a 24ft x 12ft loft with four 6ft x 6ft sections. All year round both cocks and hens had two sections each, then at breeding time they took the cock’s ‘V’ perches down and the inmates would have nine boxes in the two cock sections. Callum told me, ‘I can't recall of any major mistakes we made, as I think we both knew dad would have our guts for garters if we did’

In 2019 they built a new loft which was a 24ft x 9ft structure. Craig told me, ‘we have seen a positive change to condition of the birds once this loft was up, as the loft is more ventilated and we have aviaries for every section which they love. We don't use deep litter as we believe Phil Gardner's winning ways sand dry is the best for the floor, as we scrape out morning and night. There is never a damp patch in our loft, as we believe that a dry loft and clear air are vital and simple factors to the pigeon’s good health. Also keeping stress levels down is important! We believe having a routine set up going into do things with the birds at the same time every day, especially feeding, also letting them out in the aviaries everyday keep the stress levels down, as the birds are calm because they know what's happening. These things can only lead to one thing which is success. Our birds are on the same feed all year round, with only a little differ for the three seasons breeding, moulting and showing. They only get fed once a day, with clean water at all times and only getting treatment if necessary, when we test our birds with avian diagnosis every few months. You wouldn't take Paracetamol if you didn't have a sore head! At breeding the birds get hopper feeding, as we believe it is very important for the eggs to be under their parents warmth all the time’.

Coutts Brothers’ show team has been built up around only a handful of fanciers, their chequers and blues have been built up from Jim Fitzpatrick, Alistair Tankard bloodlines and the blend seems to have gelled together nicely. Their reds and mealies are built from Jim Fitzpatrick, Roland & Jules Thresher and Steve Wheatley bloodlines. They normally pair around 20 pairs up at the end of February, on a feeding of a 50/50 mix of Versele Laga Junior UK and Versele Laga Start Plus IC, which seems to work a well for the parents and youngsters in the nest. They usually take in one or two new stock birds every few years to freshen the blood in the family. Craig and Callum’s reds and mealies all go back to a 2013 bred red cock which has won numerus firsts and Championships himself and has bred at least one first prize winner with every hen he has been with. His grandchildren are continuing the pattern with first prizes being won at the Blackpool and NEHU shows. Two of the brother’s premier show pigeons are red chequers: ‘UT’, winner of ‘Best Opposite Sex’ NEHU Show 2019 and ‘Si Senor’ a premier winner at National and Society shows. On the chequer and blue side their most notable breeder would be ‘Claire’, bred by Alistair Tankard and she has been 1^st or 2^nd at Blackpool every year and many other wins in major shows. She has been a big part in bringing the chequers and blues to the standard of the reds and mealies, and is the dam of, ‘King Louie’ the 2021 BHW ‘Show of the Year’ (On Line) winner.

Well that’s my annual report for the 2024 BHW Blackpool Show! Congratulations to Eric and Nick Yule, and Callum and Craig Coutts on their great Blackpool success! Well done to young fancier, Keelie Wright, who won two firsts and several trophies and also to John and Alice Bell, who were reserve ‘Supreme Champion’ with their good hen, ‘Jaxon’s Dream Girl’..

I can be contacted on telephone number: 01372 463480 and email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT (www.keithmott.com)