STORIES OF THE CHAMPIONS
Part 9
by Keith Mott
The London & South East Classic Club presented any pigeon that records three positions in the first fifty of the open result in the longest old bird race a ‘Merit Award’. These beautiful diplomas had the pigeon’s photo and full race details on, ready to be framed and hung on the wall at home. These awards were very hard to win and through the years only a small number pigeons achieved it.
CH. ‘THE L RING HEN’ Khan Brothers of Worcester Park
The Tarbes Classic in the 2010 season was a hard race, with mostly light head winds and very high temperatures in France all over that weekend in June. In the week build up to the ‘main event’ everyone was anticipating a hard race with the head winds promised by the weather men, but in my opinion the intense heat in France on the liberation day was the factor that slowed the birds down. I convoyed the L&SECC and CSCFC birds roe that race and we had a good run down to the south of France and with perfect weather conditions at Tarbes on the Friday, I liberated the 1,100 birds at 05.30hrs in a very light south wind, and they cleared the car park site well in a northerly direction. But hard race doesn’t mean bad race! I had several mobile phone calls with the two classic secretaries, Clare Norman and Terri Hoskin, while on the road home and while there were no day pigeons, they were very happy with second day verifications. In spite of it being a hard race, I think it is safe to say it was a very good race!
On my return from France it was good to receive the list of brilliant performance put up by the members on such a testing race! None as good as hearing that Amin and Shabir Khan of Worcester Park had won the L&SECC from Tarbes, recording their third Classic win! Their winner is a very special blue hen, that has won the L&SECC Merit Award for winning three position in the first 50 open in the longest old bird classic and she has done it in great style by winning 1st open Tarbes (563 miles). This champion hen is named ‘The L Ring Hen’ and has won a list of premier prizes in the National and Classic including: 1st open L&SECC Tarbes, 4th open L&SECC Alencon, 6th open L&SECC Tarbes, 7th open L&SECC Pau and 14th open NFC Bordeaux. A fantastic hen! She was sent to Tarbes sitting ten day old eggs and had one inland training race with the Federation and a Tours race on her build up to her classic win. She is bred from the very best being out of ‘Twenty Two’, the brother’s 1st open L&SECC Bordeaux winner, which also won the section in the Classic Guernsey race as a young bird and is the dam of Federation and Classic winners. Her sire is a direct cock from Marcel Sangers from his champion pair, ‘Saun Licht’ and ‘Xantia’. A champion in the truest sense of the word!
CH. ‘CLASSIC BOY’ Rob & Andrew Wilton of Chadwell St. Mary
The name Wilton has been at the top of the pigeon racing sport in the Essex area for many years and the current champion of the family is Robbie Wilton, who races in partnership with his son, Andrew. Robbie and Andrew have won many premier positions in the L&SECC through the years including 1st open Tours in 2007. The Wilton family really are a family of premier pigeon racing winners! Robbie’s youngest son, Adam, races in the Wilton & Orton partnership of Chadwell St. Mary and they won the L&SECC Yearling Derby from Tours in the 2010 season. Robbie prefers racing up to 400 miles and his junior partner, Andrew, likes the long distance events best. Their race record over the years has been brilliant winning: 1st London NR Combine Berwick (Yearlings), 1st London NR Combine Stonehaven, 1st London NR Combine Newcastle (Young Birds) on the North Road and 1st open L&SECC Tours, 1st open BICC Falaise (Old Hens), 3rd, 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th NFC Young Bird National on the South Road. Robbie says winning the London NR Combine for the first time probably gave him his biggest thrill in his time in the sport!
Rob and Andrew Wilton won a L&SECC ‘Merit Award’ diploma with their good blue chequer cock, ‘Classic Boy’ and his performance go beyond the L&SECC winning: 2010: 37th open L&SECC Tarbes, 2011: 7th open L&SECC Tarbes, 2012: 35th open L&SECC Tarbes, plus 49th open L&SECC Guernsey and 78th open BICC St. Vincent. Both the parents of ‘Classic Boy’ were bred by Mark Bulled of Harlow, who is Rob friend and of course won the NFC Tarbes Grand National in 2012. The sire of Rob’s ‘Merit Award’ winner was a son of Mark’s champion ‘Die Hard’ winner of 1st North London Amalgamation Thurso (twice), 3rd, 3rd, 45th London NR Combine Thurso (LNRC ‘Hall of Fame’ Award Winner) and is the sire of 1st open NFC Tarbes Grand National, 1st LNRC Berwick (Yearlings), and grand sire of 1st open L&SECC Tarbes and 1st open SNFC Niort. Both the parents of ‘Die Hard’ are LNRC ‘Hall of Fame’ Award winners! The dam of the ‘Classic Boy’ is a daughter of ‘The RPRA Cock’, winner of 9th, 29th, 50th, 90th open LNRC, plus an RPRA Award, when mated to a hen that had won, 2nd open LNRC Thurso and 53rd open LNRC Arbroath. What a brilliant family of pigeons! The Wilton loft came close to winning a second L&SECC ‘Merit Award’ in the 2012 season, with their good blue chequer cock, ‘Andrew’s Ambition’, winning 2009: 79th open L&SECC Tarbes, 2011: 12th open L&SECC Tarbes and 2012: 38th open L&SECC Tarbes. What a pedigree of wonderful winners!
CH. ‘FRED’ Daryll Luxford of Horley
Daryll Luxford was an outstanding fancier in the mid 1990’s recording several major positions with young birds in the L&SECC and NFC events, including twice 1st open L&SECC Guernsey, but after a few years had to retire from the sport because of person problems. He returned to pigeon racing in 2004 and took up where he left off, winning major prizes. In spite of recent health prolems Daryll enjoyed an incredible 2008 old bird racing season, with the highlights being, 1st section, 4th open NFC Alencon (7,067 birds), 9th open L&SECC Tarbes, 93rd and 115th open L&SECC Tours. Daryll won the L&SECC ‘Merit Award’ in the 2012 season with his John Puddephatt blue chequer cock, ‘Fred’ and he was bred by Gavin Mitchell in 2007. This game widowhood cock had flown Tarbes (548 miles) four times to secure the ‘Merit Award’ and recorded: 2010: 36th open L&SECC Tarbes, 2011: 5th open L&SECC Tarbes and 2012: 29th open L&SECC Tarbes. Both the parents of ‘Fred’ were bred by in the Puddephatt loft, with his sire being a son of ‘Highdown Duke’, winner of 1st section, 11th open NFC Pau, 3rd section, 24th open NFC Dax, 10th section, 70th open NFC Pau and brother to ‘Louis David’ winner of 1st section, 6th open, 135th International Dax (17,500 birds). ‘Fred’s’ dam is a daughter of ‘Highdown Prince’, who was clocked twice on the day from 500 miles, winning 3rd section, 25th open NFC Pau, 2nd section, 19th open NFC Dax, 2nd section, 15th open NFC Saintes. A fantastic performance! Daryll has concentrated on the Classic’s longest race from Tarbes in recent seasons, racing the John Puddephatt of Ferring bloodlines and has recorded: 2008: 9th open, 2010: 36th open, 2011: 5th open, 2012: 20th, 29th open. Daryll had a long list of other premier performances won in 2012, including 2nd open Wessex Combine (1,700 birds) Saintes.
CH. ‘MEGAN’S BOY’ D. & D. McFadden of Cranleigh
Darran and Des McFadden of Cranleigh won their third L&SECC ‘Merit Award’ in 2012, with ‘Megan’s Boy’ who recorded: 2010: 31st open L&SECC Tarbes, 2011: 4th open L&SECC Tarbes and 2012: 12th open L&SECC Tarbes. The game cock was clocked on the day of liberation in 2012 and is Eric Cannon bloodlines through the outstanding South of England racer, Malcolm Parker. The sire of ‘Megan’s Boy’ is Darren’s champion stock, ‘Megan’s Lad’, who is the sire of his very successful 550 mile team of pigeons and has bred many premier performers in National and Classic racing. He bred two sons that were clocked on the day of liberation in the L&SECC Tarbes race in 2012, to win 12th and 19th open, and another son was clocked on the day from the BICC Agen International race too record 6th section, 17th open. The list of outstanding performers bred from this brilliant breeder go on and on, but two more pigeons of note, were a son and daughter clock from the BICC Pau International in the 2012 season, winning 19th, 21st section, 56th, 65th open. Sadly ‘Megan’s Lad’ died of old age in December 2012.
The Cranleigh loft has put up some great performances in recent seasons including 1st Federation and 1st open SMT Combine (three times). Darren put up one of the best loft performances in the UK in 2008, winning twice 1st open SMT Combine and 1st open L&SECC Tarbes (550 miles). Darran lifted the only L&SECC ‘Merit Award’ won in the 2011 season, with his good blue cock, ‘Millie’s Blue Boy’, who recorded: 2009: 49th open L&SECC Tarbes, 25th open L&SECC Tarbes, 2011: 13th open L&SECC Tarbes. The McFadden loft were the winner of 1st sect. A, 4th open NFC Tarbes in 2012! Darran McFadden and his late father, Des, were two very happy fanciers after the 2008 London & South East Classic Club Tarbes classic as they won 1st open with their champion blue chequer pied hen, ‘Razor’s Girl’. The 2008 season had been a dream come true for the Surrey partnership, previously winning twice 1st open SMT Combine from Fougeres and Messac and then the L&SECC Blue Riband event from Tarbes.
CH. ‘LINKS CONFIDENCE’ Fred Emberson of Godmersham
This next section is on a very special pigeon fancier! The fancier in question is the late Fred Emberson, who resided near Canterbury in Kent, but prior to that was one of the leading long distance racers in the London area for a great many years. Fred was the latest fancier to join an elite band of long distance specialists who have won the London & South East Classic Club Pau / Tarbes Merit Award, which is awarded to any pigeon that records three positions in the first fifty of the open result of the longest old bird race. This certificate is very hard to win and Fred won it in 2009 with his beautiful six year old blue chequer pied hen, ‘Links Show Girl’, and she recorded: 2007: 23rd open L&SECC Pau, 2008: 22nd open L&SECC Tarbes and 2009: 28th open L&SECC Tarbes. Fred named his latest champion 550 miler; ‘Show Girl’ and I must say she really is a show girl, being a super hen in the hand with soft feather and beautiful eye. The 2010 season was very hard and has proved to be a ‘bumper’ time for the L&SECC Merit Award and I had heard of three pigeons that had won the award at Tarbes at that time. Fred told me at that time that he had been waiting 25 years to win the Merit Award when he won it in 2009 with his Blue Chequer Pied ‘Links Show Girl’. He has enjoyed another great Tarbes Classic that season and won another Merit Award with his Blue Chequer WF hen ‘Links Confidence’, a fantastic long distance racer and winner of 2007: 43rd open L&SECC Pau, 2008: 15th open BICC Tarbes, 2009: 1st SE section, 13th open Tarbes: 2010: 17th open L&SECC Tarbes. Fred waits 25 years to win a Merit Award and then wins two in two years!
CH. ‘MISS CONSISTENT’ Hagilouka and Couch of Twickenham
Next I’m going to feature the Middlesex partnership of Andy Hagilouka and the late Ken Couch who were one of the most consistent Pau racing lofts in the London and South East Classic Club for many seasons. Both these fanciers were very single minded in the approach to racing pigeons, with the Pau Classic being their main aim each season. Their performance from the London and South-East Classic Club Pau race were outstanding winning 1996 18th Open Pau; 1997 36th Open Pau; 1998 3rd Open Pau (on the day of liberation); 1999 8th, 46th and 59th Open Pau and, of course won the London and South East Classic Club Pau Diploma of Merit Award with the champion hen, ‘Miss Consistent’ who had been in the first 50 Open positions three times to win the award. Their loft was full of class, long-distance pigeons with the premier bird being the champion blue pied hen, 'Miss Consistent'. This Cattrysse pigeon had won 1993 2nd Club, 34th Open Combine Nantes, 1994 1st Club. 7th Open Combine La Ferte Bernard: 1995 1st Club Bergerac (on the day); 1997 36th Open London and South-East Classic Club Pau; 1998 3rd Open London and South-East Classic Club Pau (on the day) and 1999 46th Open London and South East Classic Club Pau. This brilliant hen was bred by George Caller from Cattrysse pigeons obtained from Rod Berry of Ashford and was one of an exchange kit of youngsters with Andy Hagilouka. 'Miss Consistent' won the London and South-East Classic Club Pau Merit Award in 1999 and Andy said she liked to be sent to the long distance on a two day old youngster.
The loft was in Andy Hagilouka's garden and he had been in the sport since he was ten years of age when he started keeping a few fantails. Although he was raised in Brixton, London, his family are all from Cyprus and said he was the loft manager and Ken was the main trainer, enjoying his runs down to the south coast. The late Kenny Couch had been a fancier for 60 years and started racing with his late father, who was a premier Channel flyer in the Barnes area, winning many top positions including 15th Open Nantes National Flying Club. He maintained that Federation racing as we know it, is on its way out and the way forward is Classic and National Channel racing. Kenny also said families of pigeons are old fashioned and the modern game is based on just good pigeons from different lofts. The partners maintained that the main factor behind their outstanding success from 550 miles was feeding good beans and peanuts and the open loft their birds got every day.
These are the London & South East Classic Club members who have been awarded a ‘Diploma of Merit’ over the years: Vizor & Sheppard of Horsham 2011 36th: 2012 23rd: 2013 20th - D. & D. McFadden of Cranleigh - GB 07 N 06845 - 2009 49th : 2010 25th : 2011 13th - A. Muir of Abinger Hammer - GB 03 J 01960 - 2008 39th: 2009 41st: 2010 29th - Khan Brothers of Worcester Park - GB 03 L 76804 - 2007 7th: 2008 6th : 2010 1st - F. Emberson & son of Godmersham - GB 05 X 88453 - 2007 43rd: 2009 13th: 2010 17th - F. Emberson & son of Godmersham - GB 04 A 85413 - 2007 23rd: 2008 22nd: 2009 28th - D. & D. McFadden of Cranleigh - GB 02 L 65677 - 2005 19th: 2006 38th: 2007 29th, - A. Muir of Abinger Hammer - GB 03 J 01913 2005 3rd : 2006 7th: 2007 49th, - R. Duffield of Beddington - GB 95 N 66747 - 1999 22nd: 2000 15th: 2003 31st - R. Hammond of Albury - GB 96 N 52765 - 1998: 9th 1999: 24th 2000: 29th - C. Crick & son of Stevenage - GB 95 N 57998 - 1997 28th: 1998 25th: 2000 1st - A. Muir of Abinger Hammer - SU 94 4877 - 1996 1st: 1998 34th: 2000 9th - A. Austin of Wormley - GB 94 N 52062 - 1997 21st: 1998 20th: 1999 48th - Hagilouka & Couch of Twickenham - GB 92 J 91662 - 1997 36th: 1998 3rd: 1999 46th - P. McMahon & son of Brighton - GB 91 N 73867 - 1993 19th: 1995 3rd: 1996 12th - R. Baker of Ash Vale - GB 92 N 40324 - 1995 26th: 1996 2nd: 1997 32nd - R. Baker of Ash Vale - GB 89 A 29877 - 1993 11th: 1994 37th: 1995 12th.
Well that’s our article for this week! I have always received many emails and phone calls about my weekly articles, but the response to the new ‘Stories of the Champions’ series has been over whelming since we started it in the BHW several weeks ago. I have received well over a hundred communications from fancier who have enjoyed reading the articles and quite a few have asked for more. The current series is twelve articles long and took me a month to compile, but I will try and write a couple more to finish the ‘off season’ winter period. I can be contacted with any pigeon news or ‘banter’ on telephone number: 01372 463480 or on the email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT (www.keithmott.com)