“ON THE ROAD” WITH KEITH MOTT.

STORIES OF THE CHAMPIONS (PART 4).

CH. ‘MISTY LADY’ – Terry Haley of Watford.

Every season I seem to be reporting on the fantastic racing performances put up by my good ol’ mate, Terry Haley, and the 2014 season has not been the exception. Terry recently retired from work and on becoming an old age pensioner the ‘Watford Wizard’ has taken his pigeon racing to an even higher level of success. At the time of writing this report in late 2013, Terry had won fourteen first prizes, three times 1^st Federation, 1^st open Combine and lifted the ‘Brooker Gold Cup’ in the London & South East Classic Club for the second year on the trot. I think it is common knowledge that Terry races North and South Road and will send the same pigeons on both roads and win with them. In July 2013 the Inter Counties SR Federation decided to postpone their Minstead young bird race because of a very bad weather forecast for the Saturday and marked the birds on Saturday evening and held the race on the Sunday. Terry sent 12 youngsters to the North Road race from Newark on the Friday night and won 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd Watford NRFC, 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th, 8^th, 9^th, 10^th Thames Valley NR Federation on the Saturday. He then had the same pigeons re-marked on the Saturday evening and sent them South Road to Minstead. The birds came really well and the ‘Watford Wizard’ recorded 1^st Boxmoor club (247 birds), 1^st Inter Counties Federation (1,216 birds). Brilliant racing by our Terry!

Terry’s wonderful blue hen, Champion ‘Misty Lady’, must rate as one of the greatest long distance racing pigeons in the UK, when she was alive. The last race ‘Misty Lady’ flew was Thurso (492 miles) and she was the only bird on the day in the Federation, being clocked in darkness at 21.55hrs. Terry retired her after that race at nine years of age, although she still looked and acted like a yearling. As a yearling in 1990 she won 1^st club, 1^st Thames Valley Federation, 3^rd open North Thames NR Combine (2,412 birds) Thurso (492 miles) velocity 777ypm. In 1991 she won 1^st club, 1^st Thames Valley Federation, 3^rd North Thames NR Combine Banff (3,265 birds) velocity 980 ypm. Just three weeks later she was put back to Thurso and once again won 1^st club, 2^nd Thames Valley Federation, 2^nd open North Thames NR Combine (2,200 birds). In 1992 she was 29^th Thames Valley Federation Banff, beaten by five loft mates, all of which figured in the first 20 of the Federation result, with 1,051 birds competing. Three weeks later she was sent back to Thurso and recorded 3^rd club, 9^th Thames Valley Federation, 39^th open North Thames N.R. Combine (1,749 birds) velocity 620ypm, in a south east head wind. This wonderful hen was entered into Thurso in 1993 but due to bad weather the Combine brought the convoy back to Berwick and after a five day holdover was liberated from the 288 miles race point, and she arrived home late on the day. In 1994 ‘Misty Lady’ won 1^st club, 1^st Thames Valley Federation, 1^st open North Thames NR Combine (1,914 birds) Fraserburgh (419 miles) velocity 1024ypm, in a South West wind. In 1995 she won 4^th Club, 29^th Thames Valley Federation, 78^th North Thames Combine (1,951 birds) Fraserburgh. Then three weeks later went back again to Thurso (492 miles), to win 1^st club, 2^nd Thames Valley Federation, 8^th North Thames Combine (1,613 birds), vel. 822ypm, in a South East head wind. This wonderful hen also won many prizes from the shorter race points, including 1^st club Nottingham (91 miles) etc. In the 1996 she recorded 6^th Federation, 13^th Combine (1,597 birds) Thurso and in 1997, at the age of nine years old, she won in the three longest races: 35^th Federation, 80^th Combine (3695 birds) Berwick (289 miles), 19^th Federation, 42^nd Combine (1,708 birds) Stonehaven (372 miles), 1^st club, 1^st Thames Valley Federation (only bird on the day of liberation in the Federation), 3^rd North Thames Combine, 1,832 birds (only four birds home on the day in the Combine). She won all the club and Federation major trophies on her own and also won the London Region and Osman Memorial Trophies in the past seasons. Champion ‘Misty Lady’ is a daughter of Terry’s good blue cock, ‘Gold Dust’, who won on the road: 1^st club, 2^nd Federation Fraserburgh, 1^st club Doncaster and bred many outstanding racers including ‘The Lerwick Cock’. This brilliant cock was half-brother to ‘Misty Lady’ and won 1989: 2^nd club, 3^rd Federation Thurso (loft mate won the Federation), 1991: 1^st club, 1^st Federation, 4^th open Combine Lerwick, 1992: 1^st club, 2^nd Federation, 3^rd open Combine Lerwick. A wonderful family of long distance racers! Terry tells me ‘Misty Lady’ won in different nest conditions, but thinks she was at her best sitting 14 to 17 day old eggs. This champion hen was the dam of many outstanding winners and grand dam of many premier racers including ‘Miss Ripple’, ‘The 34 Hen’ and Terry Robinson’s of Cheshunt 2^nd open London N.R. Combine Berwick in 2001.

CH. ‘TUFF NUT’ – Brian & Thelma Denney Strensall.

Champion ‘Tuff Nut’ was the champion of the champions, being a wonderful long distance racer and then when he was retired to the stock loft he bred his like many time over. A once in a life time pigeon! This wonderful dark white flight cock was bred by David Harrison, in the North West of England, from the very best Brian Denney and Van Bruane blood lines. ‘Tuff Nut’ was the latest champion to bless the Yorkshire loft of Brian Denney, in the wake of a surge of wonderful long distance champions over the years, that have kept the loft at the top of the Pau National results since the 1960’s. ‘Tuff Nut’ recorded 1^st section K, 5^th open NFC Pau, flying 738 miles to his loft in York, which must be rated as one of the best performance in the Pau Grand National ever. There was only one game pigeon clocked on the south coast on the day, from the NFC Pau race and ‘Tuff Nut’ was clocked next day to record 5^th open, flying 738 miles, with north in the wind. A brilliant performance! He also recorded 6^th open Northern Classic Saintes, flying 573 miles on the day of liberation. A true long distance champion!

Some say that Brian Denney’s Pau Grand National performance in the 2002 season, when he recorded 1^st section K. 5^th open, was one of the best performances of all time in the National Flying Club. John Ayling had the only bird on the day of liberation, in the form of his fantastic champion, ‘Home Alone’, and Brian clocked his dark white flight cock, ‘Tuff Nut’, on the second day, flying 738 miles, with north in the wind, to record 5^th open. When I asked Brian about his wonderful pigeon he smiled and said, ‘That was a great day when we saw him coming from the Pau National and I knew that only one bird had been clocked on the night flying 519 miles. It must have given John Ayling the thrill of a lifetime to clock the only bird on the day in the Pau Grand National. ‘Tuff Nut’ had been clocked from Saintes, 573 miles on the day, flying 15 hours, in the 2000 season and from Pau I hoped that he had made it into England on the night, but that’s one thing we will never know. After clocking him from Pau, he soon showed plenty of interest in his mate, so I knew he was right and when I phoned Sid Barkel to verify him I was told ‘Tuff Nut’ was the first bird clocked in Section K. Only four birds had beaten him with 4,085 birds competing and the fact that he had flown 738 miles on two hard days and still up with the leaders made me feel very proud of my pigeon. Not long after the race, Bill Harris, the N.F.C. president, phoned to congratulate me on ‘Tuff Nut’s’ performance, which was very nice and for days after the phone never stopped ringing from fanciers with good wishes, from all over the U.K. The icing on the cake was the N.F.C. prize presentation in Blackpool when my fellow fanciers acknowledged ‘Tuff Nut’s’ wonderful performance. Champion ‘Tuff Nut’ won 1^st RPRA Region Long Distance Award and 2^nd RPRA UK Long Distance Champion for his wonderful performance.

Champion ‘Tuff Nut’ was retired to the stock loft after a wonderful racing career and paired to the very best at Brian Denney’s loft, he became world famous for being the breeder of many long distance champions. The list of premier racers bred through this great pigeon is very long, but the main ones were: ‘Northern Lady’: The Denney’s first two birds were on the clock within three minutes from the 2009 NFC Tarbes National, with the 1^st section K, 3^rd open winner being the five year old widowhood blue chequer hen, ‘Northern Lady’, and she has previously won 6^th section K, 217^th open NFC Tarbes. She was a daughter of the sire of the Brian’s loft, when mated to ‘Brian’s Prize’ winner of 4^th open Northern Classic Saintes, being clocked at 573 miles on the day of liberation, and ‘Northern Lady’ is a full sister to the champion breeding hen, ‘Dark Jan’. Two champion grandsons of ‘Tuff Nut’, both being bred out of ‘Dark Jan’ were Champion ‘Dark Charm’, winner of 1^st section K, 5^th open NFC Tarbes (748 miles) in 2007 and Champion ‘Dark Dancer’ the winner of: 2009: 1^st section K, 4^th open NFC Fougeres, 2^nd section K, 4^th open NFC Tarbes, and previously won 6^th section K, 27^th open NFC Tarbes, 4^th section K, 208^th open NFC Tarbes, 4^th section K NFC Fougeres. These two cocks were a nest pair and both won 1^st section K in the National Flying Club. An absolutely fantastic performance!

CH. ‘CULMER LASS' – Eric & Pat Cannon of Godalming.

'Culmer Lass' was a big hen in the hand, but handled well and had the most wonderful feathering. She was one of Eric Cannon's premier racing and breeding pigeons, winning 1st club, 1st Surrey Federation, 1st open SMT Combine Bergerac (445 miles), only bird on the day of liberation in the Combine. The Cannons' won the Surrey Federation's longest old bird race shield out right for winning it three times. 'Culmer Lass' went on to win 1^st section A, 12^th open Pau (540 miles) NFC the year after her combine win and went on to win two more positions from the Pau Grand National, plus 49^th open Nantes NFC. She has left countless premier national racers behind her and is the grand dam of champion, 'Culmer Marion' winner of 1^st open Sartilly NFC, for the Cannons in 1990. The sire of champion, 'Culmer Lass' was Eric's good stock cock '13953' and he produced three NFC 1^st section winners from the Pau National, one 2^nd section Pau NFC and was grandsire of 1^st open Palamos BBC for the late great, Cyril Medway of Southampton. The grand dam of 'Culmer Lass' was champion 'Culmer Blue Bird', winner of twice 1^st section A and 6th, 28th, 57th, 118th, 251st open Pau NFC. A brilliant family of long distance pigeons!

CH. ‘EURO BIRD’ – Fred Elliott of Thorpe.

I was very sad to hear of the passing of one of our best local fanciers, Fred Elliott. Fred and I went back many years and he was a brilliant pigeon racer long before we ever met. The great Fred Elliott had passed over and the sport of pigeon racing has lost another one of its great champions. Fred had been in pigeon racing for over 60 years and his consistent outstanding performances through those years must rate him one of the all-time greats of our sport. The 1987 season saw the Elliott loft win 1^st SMT Combine from Rennes with his ‘ace’ dark pied Busschaert Widowhood cock, Champion 'Euro Bird', which was bred by Fred's good fiend Mervyn Patt of North Devon. He also won 1^st Three Borders Federation from Weymouth for the Elliott loft. This great cock had won several firsts inland and on the Channel and was the sire of winners including 1^st open National and 1^st open Federation. Fred had won 1^st Federation countless times through the years, including five times 1^st Three Borders Federation in 1988. The loft won the Three Borders Federation Two Longest Old Bird races from Niort (351 miles) and Bergerac (455 miles), chalking up 1^st Surrey, Three Borders, South Coast Inter Federations (2,458 birds) from Bergerac.

Fred had been one of the premier pigeon racers in the south of England for many year, with the highlight of his brilliant racing career being in 1994 when he won 1^st open NFC Nantes. His national winner was his Busschaert widowhood cock, Champion ‘Euro Lad’ and when I say champion, this cock was a champion in the truest sense of the word. His sire was Fred’s dark pied cock, ‘Euro Bird’, winner of 1^st open SMT Combine Rennes. Champion ‘Euro Lad’s’ full racing performance was: 1994: 1^st Section, 1^st open NFC Nantes (11,400 birds) plus the car, 1993: 1^st Section, 7^th open NFC Nantes (12,027 birds), 1^st Three Borders Federation Le Mans, 19^th open L&SECC Le Mans (1,885 birds), 9^th open L&SECC Tours (1,090 birds). A fantastic pigeon!

CH. ‘MR. STONER’ – Frank & Susan Carson of Sutton.

The late Frank Carson and his wife, Sue of the Mitcham & Merton club were the 2014 Three Borders Federation ‘Individual Points Trophy’ winners, but the 2013 racing season was one of their best, winning 1^st open L&SECC Guernsey (old bird), and long list of positions in the Three Borders Federation, including 1^st and 2^nd Federation three weeks on the trot, plus 1^st and 2^nd SMT Combine. Fantastic pigeon racing! I had a week’s holiday in the south of France in mid-June 2013 and on my return I visited the Carson’s home in Sutton to update Frank and Sue’s pigeon racing story. I last visited their loft for an article 30 years ago and although I’ve seen Frank about at pigeon functions, I think I’m right in saying I haven’t seen Susan since that visit 30 years ago. She is now a busy grandmother and looked really well. Susan takes an active interest in the running of the loft, for example she has trained youngsters while Frank was involved with the widowers. She kept records, cleaned out and anything else that needed doing. To get the best out of pigeons, Susan said, it's a matter of 365 days of dedication every year.

The star pigeon of the Carson loft in the 2013 season had been the yearling blue pied cock, ‘Mr. Stoner’, and he recorded 1^st open London & South East Classic Club Guernsey (800 birds), and 1^st club, 1^st Three Borders Federation, 1^st SMT Combine Yelverton (1596 birds), being raced on the widowhood system. A nice little extra to ‘Mr. Stoner’s’ success story is the fact that his nest brother, ‘Alan’, was with him on the very same velocity from Yelverton (179 miles) and is joint 1^st open SMT Combine! This wonderful cock, ‘Mr. Stoner’, has won other premier positions in the 2013 season including 13^th Federation Honiton (1172 birds), being beaten by a loft mate and in 2014 recorded 17^th, 17^th, 18^th, 20^th Federation in inland races. The widowhood blue cock, ‘Alan’, has a brilliant racing record in his own right, winning: 1^st Federation, 1^st SMT Combine Yelverton (1596 birds), 1^st Federation Exeter (938 birds), 2^nd Federation Honiton (1149 birds), beaten by a loft mate, 3^rd Federation Newton Abbot (985 birds), beaten by loft mate, 8^th Federation Wincanton (1149 birds), 14^th Federation Yeovil (1106 birds) plus several other premier positions including 1^st club Taunton. This fantastic nest pair of cocks were bred by Frank’s good friend, John Stoner of Mitcham, from the very best Willie Jacobs and Gaby Vandenabeele bloodlines. A nice little foot note is that ‘Alan’ won 1^st Three Borders Federation Blandford (1,397 birds), 2^nd Three Borders Federation Yeovil (764 birds) in the 2014 racing season. A fantastic nest pair!

Well, that’s it for this week I hope my readers have enjoyed looking back at these ‘Champions’ of yester year. I can be contacted with any pigeon ‘banter’ on telephone number: 07535 484584 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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