Keith Mott writes about winning fanciers past and present...

Three Borders Federation

The Three Borders Federation has got the 2010 season well under way and sent a strong birdage of 1,623 birds to Kingsdown at the beginning of May. The birds made some very quick velocities being liberated in a Westerly wind and the Federation President, John Keywood of Hersham, won the Spelthorne club and the Federation doing 1696 ypm.

What can you say about Johnny that hasn't been said many times before through the years? He's been a brilliant fancier and worker for the sport over many years and has won everything in the Federation and Combine. One of John’s best season was in 2005 winning the Three Borders Federation four times and was premier prize winner in the Hersham club, recording eight firsts. His Federation wins were from Messac (1,071 birds), Fougeres (1,034 birds), Kingsdown (1,985 birds) and Lulworth (1,553 birds), and recorded 1st S.M.T. Combine from Messac (3,267 birds) and 3rd S.M.T. Combine Fougeres (2,988 birds). A fantastic loft performance! John’s 2005 Combine winner was his good blue chequer widowhood cock, ‘Young Jupiter’, and he has won the Three Borders Federation twice. He was bred from stock obtained from ‘Oak Villa’ lofts and ‘Galaxy’ lofts, and down from the ‘Jupiter’ line. The Keywood loft won ‘the pigeon of the year’ in the Three Borders Federation in the 2005 season with the blue chequer cock, ‘Harry’s Choice’, and he has won four times 1st club and twice 1st Federation. He was a gift pigeon from ‘Oak Villa’ lofts and won 1st Federation Kingsdown (1985 birds), plus 5th and 7th Federation in 2005.  

John won the Federation from Messac in the 2004 season and the winner, ‘The Diamond Cock’, a yearling blue chequer cock bred by his good friend, John Diamond, and was one of a batch of six gift youngsters sent to the Hersham loft. The Federation winner had every inland race on his build-up and took a week to come home from the first Combine race from Fougeres. However, he learnt by his mistake, winning the Federation from Messac the following weekend. ‘The Diamond Cock’ won 1st Three Borders Federation again in 2005 from Fougeres. Johnny paired up late in the 2004 season, as he had a stay in hospital early in the year and only raced nine cocks on the widowhood system. He normally pairs up in early February and all the racers rear a youngster before being put on the widowhood when sitting 10 days on their second round of eggs. Most of his young birds are bred from his 32 pairs of Jan Huybregts stock birds which are from his friends, J. P. Weeder of Liverpool and Oak Villa Lofts. The cocks were given three 20 mile training tosses at the start of the season, but Johnny says they race every week in the Federation. The racers are not broken down and are given peanuts the week before the Channel races. Johnny's very smart racing loft is 24ft long with sections for the widowhood racers and the young birds. The hens are shown to the widowhood cocks from dinner time on the day of marking for Channel races and on their return from the race stay with their mate overnight on all races. The Keywood stock loft is 18ft long, with a 6ft flight and breeders are paired up the same time as the racers, so their eggs can be floated in the racing loft. The 35 young birds are put on the darkness system and race the whole programme.

When Johnny won the Federation from Messac in 2004 he also recorded 3rd Open with a four year old blue chequer white flight cock recording his fifth race win. This game cock is son of John's ‘Oak Villa Champion’, winner of 18 x 1st club and 7 x 1st Federation. What a great loft of pigeons! Johnny Keywood is a great worker for the sport and was the Secretary of the Hersham Club for about fifteen years and President of the Three Borders Federation for over ten seasons. Well done to him on his latest 2010 Federation winners!

The mighty South Downs continue their brilliant 2010 season racing in the Three Borders Federation, with their member recording 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 13th and 22nd Federation from the Kingsdown race and my ol’ mate, Danny Allison was up there in the result again taking 2nd, 4th and 13th Federation. South Downs member, Danny Allison, recorded 3rd and 4th Federation from Wincanton earlier this season and carried on his great success of the 2009 season.

That’s it for this week! A bit short and sharp this week as time is a bit short with me being away for four days last weekend with the Central Southern Classic Flying Club birds at Messac. We had a great weekend and the race was very successful! I will be doing a full report on the Messac liberation site and the race in a couple of weeks. I can be contacted with any pigeon comments on telephone number: 01372 463480. See yer!

TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT