KEITH MOTT

“ON THE ROAD” WITH KEITH MOTT

Bobby and Anthony Besant of Worcester Park own one of the all-time premier lofts in the UK, winning 1st open NFC (twice), countless times 1st Federation through many years and now 1st open International Agen (10,510 birds) in the 2015 season. A racing record second to none, achieved over many years! Bobby and I have been friends since the 1970’s, when we both had shoulder length hair and were both ‘foot loose and fancy free’ in our flared bottom trousers and Cuban heeled boot. I have now known the Besant family for well over 45 years, and in that time I have seen them win every major award there is to win in pigeon racing. In the early days the Besant brothers, Ken, Bobby and Ron, won at club, open, Federation, Combine and National level and even in the 1970’s theirs had to be rated as one of the best lofts in the United Kingdom. When I first met Bobby and Ken in 1970, their dad, Cecil, had just passed away and the boys were about to take over the very successful C. H. Besant & sons pigeons. Although I never met Cecil, I had always admired his fantastic performances in the Surrey Federation. The boys carried this great fancier’s name on in pigeon racing history to an even higher degree.

The Besant loft has won 1st open National Flying Club twice, the first time in 1979 from Guernsey with their champion young bird, ‘Stafford All Alone’ and this game Krauth blue cock beat 9,353 birds, and won the Young Bird National by five clear minutes. Champion ‘Stafford All Alone’ was a full brother to the widowhood blue cock Champion ‘White Beak’, winner of 14 times first prize, beaten by loft mates for a further six firsts, and both these Krauth cocks went to Louella Pigeon World. “White beak” was once said to be one of the most outstanding Krauths in Europe, winning 68 prizes from 87 miles through to 555 miles. He was also said to be one of the most versatile Krauths at that time, winning from Blandford, then going on to record 150th open (6,066 birds) N.F.C. Pau (555 miles). The two brothers were bred from the stock pair, ‘Duke’ and ‘Duchess’, both direct Martin Krauth imports. The brothers’ champion Busschaert widowhood cock ‘Little Dark’ was also sold to Regency Lofts and other champions to grace the New Malden loft were ‘Flight Leader’ and ‘Treble Three’.

The Besant partners had been premier prize winners in the very strong Kingston & District H.S. countless times through the years. In later years the partnership was made up of Bobby, Ken and Bobby’s son, Anthony. The loft won 1st open National Flying Club for the second time in 1999, from Bordeaux, with 3,776 birds taking part in the race. The partners’ winner, the Herbot blue cock, Champion ‘Besant’s Bishop’s Pride’, was bred by Brian Bishop of Sutton and in six consecutive races he won: 2nd club Weymouth (108 miles), 5th club Exeter (151 miles), 28th section E. (2,500 birds), 254th open N.F.C. Nantes (10,591 birds), 1st club, 1st Surrey Federation Weymouth (1,973 birds), 1st section E, 1st open N.F.C. Bordeaux (3,776 birds). This great pigeon won the National by over 45 minutes, winning £4,478, a record amount of cash for a single pigeon in one race at that time, winning an R.P.R.A. Merit Award for 250-450 miles performance, awarded the London Social Champion of London Trophy in 1991. Ken said at the time he was a once in a lifetime pigeon and was a champion at stock, with his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews all won in open and national competition.

As I have previously stated, Bobby has been a good friend of mine for many years and as I’ve written many times before, he is one of the best pigeon fanciers I’ve ever met! Bobby is a pigeon fancier of the highest order, but always knew where to draw the line where his family were concerned, always putting Angela and the kids first. Bobby is a great guy and a brilliant pigeon fancier. I was highly delighted to see him re-enter the sport at the beginning of 2008, after a fifteen years lay off and at that time I predicted he would set the sport alight and he really has! The partners have a very smart new 26ft self-designed racing loft, which has four spacious sections and ETS clocking, which Bobby enjoys very much. Bob and Anthony are just picking out their races these days and only competed in National Flying Club and British International Championship Club events. Bobby says, ‘the birds tell you if they are in good form and as we have one day pigeons we tend to set our loft up for the 450 mile National and Classic races’. One of the best racing cocks in recent years is the blue cock, ‘Classic Near Miss’ and he had a brilliant racing record, winning six premier positions in the National and Classic including: 2008: 2nd SW section, 2nd open L&SECC Guernsey (1,590 birds): 2009: 2nd SW section, 2nd open L&SECC Bergerac (1,135 birds). This champion racing cock was bred by Page Brothers of Yorkshire and is down from their ‘Gladiator’ bloodlines.

My story really starts in the early evening of Friday 26th June 2015, when another good friend of mine, Mike Shepherd, phoned me to tell me that Bob and Anthony Besant had probably won 1st open in the Agen International, flown that day. I can’t say how delighted I was getting that wonderful news! My phone never stopped ringing all evening after that, as the news spread around the local pigeon fancy that the International winner was in Surrey. It was about bout 9 o’clock when the calls slowed up that I found a message on my answer phone from Anthony, saying, ‘dad asked me to give you a phone call to tell you that we have won 1st open International from Agen today’. I rang Bobby straight back as he got his second bird home from Agen, but as he was clocking the bird, he managed to say, ‘Yes mate we have won the International today and congratulations it is a son of your hen ‘Half Crown’. It was a great buzz to hear those words on my phone that night; I had bred the dam of a 1st open International winner with 10,500 birds competing! I was so pleased for Bobby and Anthony; it was the crowning glory on a great pigeon racing career spanning over fifty years! We did briefly talk again on the phone that evening, but Bobby was on ‘cloud nine’ celebrating at home with his family. After the dust had settle, Betty and I spent a nice Tuesday afternoon with Bob and Angela in their Worcester Park back garden, drinking tea and having some wonderful ‘banter’ about the Agen race that had taken place the weekend before. It is not common knowledge that Bobby is a very good gardener and his lawn and borders looked brilliant. He told me when it comes to the gardening, Angela is director and he is the ‘work horse’. Bob and Angela have two sons and their lives these days very much revolve around their lovely grandchildren, which we can relate to, as we have five grandchildren ourselves. Angela is from a pigeon racing family herself, with her late father being the Kingston ‘ace’ channel flyer, Arthur Payne. I remember, Arthur was always the one to look for when we were racing from France in the old Kingston club all those years ago and he did a lot of his pigeon training on his push bike. In later years, Bobby helped Arthur out with his pigeons and he had a brilliant blue cock name, ‘Kenny’, which had a long list of positions in the Federation and he was bred by Bob’s late brother, Kenny Besant, who was another great pigeon racer in his own right. I must say Betty and I really enjoyed that Tuesday afternoon in Bob and Angela’s company.

The Besant’s have named their Agen International winner ‘Noble Dream’ and their wonderful champion is a two year dark cock, raced on the widowhood system. Bobby told me he thought it was a decent time when he came in from Agen and ‘Noble Dream’ did his usual party trick of landing in next doors tree before coming in to the loft to be clocked. He has won several premier positions before his Agen (499 miles) International win, including 3rd Three Borders Federation, 4th SMT Combine (699 birds) Nort sur Erdre (278 miles) as a yearling in the 2014 season. I handled him on my visit to the Besant’s home after the race and he handled very like a true champion, being medium, with very good silky feathering, and looking at him in his nest box, he had a big character and presences in the loft. What a great buzz it was to see and handle Bobby and Anthony’s great champion!

Bob and Anthony Besant’s Champion “Noble Dream”.

For a bit of interest this is the breeding details of Champion ‘Noble Dream’. His sire, ‘Tuff Gory’, was bred by Ian and Georgina French of Evesham.

‘Tuff Glory’ is bred from a son of Champion ‘Tuff Nut’ and a daughter of Champion ‘Morning Glory’ mating, which are two of the best pigeons that have ever raced in the NFC Pau Grand National. What a pair of stock pigeons! My ol’ mate, Ian French, has a wonderful record long distance racing achieved over many years and of course he is the chief convoyer for the Midlands National Flying Club. I first Ian many years ago when we were both at the Perth liberation site, he was there with the Peterborough Federation and I was there with the London & South East Classic Club pigeons and we have been friends ever since. The sire of ‘Tuff Glory’ was ‘Little Tuff Nut’, a son of Champion ‘Tuff Nutt’ bred by Brian Denney and Ian obtained him from me. ‘Little Tuff Nut’ was aways mated to my good hen, ‘Foxwarren Complete’ and bred several good 550 mile racers, including 37th open L&SECC Tarbes in 2009. Brian Denney’s 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 / Tarbes National results since the 1960’s. ‘Tuff Nut’ recorded 1st section K, 5th 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 5th open, flying 738 miles, with north in the wind. A brilliant performance! He also recorded 6th open Northern Classic Saintes, flying 573 miles on the day of liberation. A true long distance champion! The dam of ‘Tuff Glory’ was the wonderful blue hen, ‘Sunrise’ and she was bred Mr. & Mrs. Paul Kendal of  Wantage out of Champion ‘Morning Glory’ when mated to a granddaughter of Champion ‘Holloway Boy’ and Champion ‘Ashgrove King’, both winners of 1st open NFC Pau Grand National. Champion ‘Morning Glory’ was one of the greatest ever pigeons that competed in the NFC, winning: 1st section, 2nd open NFC Pau (twice), 82nd open NFC San Sebastian, 491st open NFC Nantes, 128th open BBC Nantes, 122nd open BBC Nantes. NFC Merit Award winner and one of the greatest NFC Pau champions of all time! This wonderful cock was also bred down from Champion ‘Holloway Boy’ and Champion ‘Ashgrove King’, the NFC Pau National winners. I worked for two year on the NFC Committee with Paul Kendal and I have so much respect for this great fancier!

The dam of Champion ‘Noble Dream’ was the dark pied hen, ‘Half Crown’ and she was bred by Keith and Betty Mott of Claygate. She was one of three sisters that I gifted to Bobby and Anthony in 2009 and I donated a full brother to the BHW Blackpool Show Charity auction in 2010, which raised for £740 for charity. ‘Half Crown’ was also the grand dam of Bob and Anthony’s second bird clocked on the day from the Agen International and she was crossed out with Mat Rakes and Geoff Cooper pigeons to produce this game dark cock. The sire of ‘Half Crown’ was my champion stock cock, ‘Sasha’s Boy’ and he was bred by Brian Denney. He was bred for the stock loft from Brian’s champion stock pair, ‘Maxi’ and ‘Dark Jan’ and is a full brother to ‘Dark Charm’ winner of 1st sect K, 5th open NFC Tarbes (750 miles) 2007, ‘John’ winner of 4th sect K, 17th open NFC Tarbes 2007, ‘Dark Dancer’ winner of 6th sect K, 27th open NFC Tarbes 2007, 2nd section K, 4th open NFC Tarbes (748 miles), 1st section K, 48th open NFC Fougeres (394 miles) and half-brother to ‘The Chequer Cock’ winner of 9th sect K, 31st open NFC Tarbes 2007 and 2nd sect K. NFC Bordeaux 2006. ‘Maxi’ is the sire of all these wonderful 750 mile racers and he is a son of Champion ‘Classic Lad’ winner of 1st open Northern Classic (573 miles on the day of liberation), when mated to ‘Lynnetta’ a daughter of Champion ‘Tuff Nut’. ‘Classic Lad’ is a son of Champion ‘Blue Pau’. ‘Dark Jan’ is a daughter of Champion ‘Tuff Nut’ when mated to ‘Brian’s Prize’ winner of 4th open Northern Classic Saintes (573 miles on the day of liberation) and ‘Dark Jan’ sister to ‘Northern Lady’ winner of 1st section K, 3rd open NFC Tarbes (748 miles) in 2009. ‘Sasha’s Boy’ has proved to be outstanding at stock and has bred several top 550 mile racers, including Federation winners!

The dam of ‘Half Crown’ was my champion hen, ‘Foxwarren Complete’, who was a great 550 mile racer and has now proved to be a champion breeder. ‘Foxwarren Complete’ was the winner of 2003: 32nd open L&SECC Dax (530 miles), 2nd East Grinstead CC Dax, 2004: 29th open L&SECC San Sebastian (560 miles), 2005: 116th open L&SECC Pau (552 miles), 2007: 109th open L&SECC Pau. A real class hen! Her sire was ‘The Cannon Cock’ bred by Eric Cannon and winner 331st open NFC Pau (552 miles), 77th open L&SECC Perth (370 miles). This cock was the original pigeon Eric bred for me on my restart in 1998 and was a grandson of ‘Culmer White Flight’ and Champion ‘Culmer Sam’, being a son of the great ‘Culmer 14 Hen’. The dam of ‘Foxwarren Complete’ was the brilliant blue cheque stock hen, ‘Pathfinder’, bred by Brian Denney and her dam was Champion ‘Blue Pau’ winner of 41st, 201st open NFC Pau (738 miles) and dam of many premier long distance racers including Champion ‘Classic Lad’ winner of 1st open Northern Classic Saintes (573 miles on the day of liberation). ‘Pathfinder’ was lightly raced before being put to stock and in 2001 flew 900 miles in three weeks to record 91st open L&SECC Perth, 52nd open L&SECC Thurso (520 miles). ‘Pathfinder’ was a champion breeder, producing many premier 550 mile racers, including ‘Foxwarren Complete’ and ‘Foxwarren Pretender’ dam of Champion ‘Brian’s Blue’, the winner for Brian Denney of : 2008: 1st section K, 61st open NFC Tarbes, being clocked on the day of liberation flying 748 miles,1st RPRA UK Long Distance Champion 2008. ‘Foxwarren Complete’ proved to be a ‘gold mine’ stock hen breeding many top 550 mile racers, as well as Bob and Anthony Besant’s champion stock hen, ‘Half Crown’, dam of Champion ‘Noble Dream’. ‘Foxwarren Complete’ is also the dam of the fantastic stock hen, ‘Foxwarren Northern Complete’, dam of many premier 550 mile racers including: 2nd Federation Bourges (581 miles), 3rd Federation Bourges, 4th Federation Bourges, 5th Federation Bourges, 8th Federation and is grand dam of 1st, 1st, 3rd, 4th, 4th Federation, 1st, 1st Amalgamation, 8th open NEHU (2,355 birds) Bourges (581 miles) in recent seasons. She is the dam of Fred Dickson’s champion cock, ‘The Five Times Bourges Cock’, winner of 3rd, 5th, 8th Federation Bourges and sire of 1st, 1st, 3rd, 4th, 4th Federation, 1st, 1st Amalgamation Bourges (581 miles). Northern Ireland long distance ‘ace’, Ronnie Young has a full brother to ‘Foxwarren Northern Complete’ and he is the sire of many premier racers including: 2011: 191st open INFC St. Milo (OB) National (1597 birds), 2012: 215th open INFC St. Milo (OB) National (1408 birds) and grand sire of: 2012: 200th, 250th open INFC Yearling National (4319 birds). The wonderful record of ‘Foxwarren Complete’!

Well there you have it, Bob and Anthony Besant’s wonderful Champion ‘Noble Dream’, winner of 1st open International Agen (499 miles) in the 2015 season! I really enjoyed this one! I can be contacted with any pigeon ‘banter’ on telephone number: 01372 463480 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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