Lanarkshire Federation - Tom Corrie Son G/son win the Billericay Open

This week we move down into Billericay, Essex around 25 miles east of London and 345 miles back into lower central Scotland. The 685 birds were liberated at 6am in bright sunshine, no wind and facing a WSW wind on route.

The birds apparently cleared well and unlike every other week of the season they weren't facing and east wind, so probable came up the east side of the country. But we will never really know what direction they take on their route home this week as we have no tracker pigeons .

The winners started hitting the home end around 7hrs 44minutes for winning velocity of 1308ypm.

Like most weeks this isn't the true picture of the race as the birds again were erratic in their return with most getting them one each hour and large numbers missing, probable never to be seen again.

Its heart wrenching that our fine sport is going down the tubes fast. The birds are being hit every mile of racing and as I said most weeks it will be the end of our sport. Yes it’s good to get one up with the winners but what about the numbers that every bit as healthy and well-conditioned not homing.

I personally think the young bird season will be horrendous and the only thing that will cover the cracks is the programme of five of the six races being under 100 miles.

Well like most lofts the end of the old bird season can’t come quick enough and with a comeback race this week coming from 80 miles and then into Guernsey for the channel race from around 450 miles, it makes me fearful for the small convoy that will have to bare this journey. But for some this is the race they have been waiting for.

Most will be down to single numbers and possible saying it’s not worth it!

But this is what the members voted for and so we go. 

For those that wish to chase the averages then it’s a must ,but many a good loft has been put back years chasing such averages. This race will have average boards blown apart!

The social aspect of the sports is also becoming a thing of the past ,no presentations ,no shows and it takes some all their time to turn up and race.

This week’s winners of 1st North section,1st Open is Tom Corrie Son & G/son of Clarkston club. The partnership of Tom snr, Tom jnr and Chris timed their Silver pied hen raced on the celibate system. The birds are sometimes shown before basketing or just given the bowl.

Tom Corrie & Son G/son win 1st North sect,1st Open Billericay 

This hen is bred from my 1st Open Worksop Lanarkshire federation race 2020 .

    

This week’s 1st Open for Tom Corrie Son G/son, named "Elsa" & The eye of this week’s 1st Open 

This week’s winners sister also came to win the federation and ended up 2nd yearling derby 3rd Open on that day ,she followed that up with 1st club, 5th Open federation Melton Mowbary the following year.

1st Open Billericay’s nest mate won the second Wooler race in the club this year and others from this line have also been performing.

This week’s winner was not raced as a young bird due to being a 2020 late bred. Trained throughout off season until weather changed.

Sire of this week’s 1st Open Billericay

She is guilty of being rather injury prone coming home last season with her wing injured and I thought she was finished but she quickly responded and returned to normal activity. Again this year in first toss came home with tail and wing flights missing but I kept her going and she has been steady nothing outstanding but is a cracking temperament hen who always catches the eye. My bird go weekly if fit and healthy and are mostly loft trained. My hens this year have been the main stay of the loft and have been first to loft most weeks. They exercised like I have never seen before most times they were racing rather than gliding something you can’t put your finger on it just happens. Some years they don't. 

That is the key, they are racing around loft or only kidding themselves!

The cocks didn't fly a dot this year up and down  during exercise, they look great and puff out their chest put are only kidding on and that's why they haven't been at races in performance. The numbers have took a significant loss mostly yearlings due to this year’s weather which has seen constant east winds .

You have to be able to take the losses in this game as that's one thing you get! And anyone who says they haven't lost many are kidding themselves on or not sending them.

Pigeon racing knocks you down more times than you are up, it’s a selfish sport that makes you insular and self-focused. Big thanks to the family members that have to put up with us.

As George Macaloney told me get your system and stick to it and the birds will mold into it. The ones that don't will go to the wall. Sound advice!

My Dad always liked this hen and always said there was a race in her. So she blossomed in the longest inland race of the Lanarkshire programme and came up trumps .

The breeding was Sire 1st Open Lanarkshire federation for ourselves bred by my Uncle Peter Anderson from his Vanderabeele lines of Archie Price of Chester. The Dam was a present bred by Jim Cullen out of his Vanderabeele lines. I remind Jim saying the Dam had 5 x1st National winners in her blood lines. Thanks to both for their kindness, as I say the best birds come through friendship!

They seem to throw Silvers and that's why I call it the "silver lines".

Club mate Lewis McAlley calls them the "Silver bullets". Everyone that handles them seem to like their type, possible the different colour that catches the eye.

She is a strong well bodied hen who wasn't paired this year and as with all my older hens I didn't pair the majority of them, I wanted her for the longer races .She was carrying a full wing with no flight thrown on return .She  is always showing to you and brilliant temperament, the Open winner will be retired to maintain the silver lines and hopefully get her photo took.

Her son a yearling B/C came well about three weeks ago being chased into the loft by a falcon. If you didn't see this you wouldn't believe it .My birds trap into a  full loft size aviary and I could get him to stop flying around in it. That's what the sport is unfortunately these days .He managed 2nd club that race.

Anyway it’s always a great feeling like when we won the same race in 2015 with the "Classy hen" bred out of GWP Macaloney stock. I raced that hen the following year only to regret my decision. She was lost.

On the system of widowhood/celibate you only get the one round of them and I don't have many non-racers around six so what hatches is it. But that's the system.

But it doesn't always work that they go onto breed winners as we won a Commonwealth Bronze Medal in 1986 with a pigeon we called "Bronze Lady" who was a cracking handling Cattrysse hen but didn't leave any mark in the breeding sense.

So it’s a gamble but time will tell.

I think my Dad deserved some luck as he is very dedicated to his pigeons, that doesn't mean he is the best but for routine and dedication he is up there. He deserves this special moment. Well done Champ. 

Overall our performance from 10 sent was 1st,sect,1st Open,12th sect,31st Open,20th sect,58th Open,27th sect,78th Open with 8 home from 10 entries 

Thanks to all my friends who all the fanciers who sent their best wishes. Remember it might be you next week I’m phoning for a report and photo.

2nd Open was won by Davie Allison of Greenfield club with a chequer cock who's results are 10th sect Kettering 2021,8th sect Alnwick,11th sec Wooler and now 1st sect 2nd Open Billericay .He is bred from Rudi Desaer from JPS Lofts direct of the favourite cock the winners Dam is a direct daughter of scooby 1st sect 24th Open Ancensis 2016.When he was paired on to a sister of Big Smithy 1st UUp North Combine Bourges. This hen also came from JPS lofts.

The winners brother was 1st club, 3rd sect, 22nd Open Billericay 2022.Cracking pigeon Davie.

Thanks to Davie for the information and a very well done on a cracking performance from the current federation Champion loft. 

3rd Open was Walter Boswell who is having an outstanding season and presently sits top of the average board. His winner was another bred from UK Performance Pigeon stud.

Ian Lindsay sent me the information of his winner ,Yearling Check W/F C G/sire Red Chequer who was 3rd sect 173rd Open Buckingham SNFC. Dam Chequer hen was 19th sect,145th Open Brighton 2022 .SNFC

Check W/F Cock sent with full wing his 3rd flight 3/4 grown. He was feeding a 5 day old youngster that was swapped for a 12 day old young bird.

Section winners

North section

1st T Corrie Son G/son 1st Open

2nd ,3rd C Gray

West section

1st D Allison

2nd W Boswell

3rd D Allison

Centre section

1st Cameron & Fan

2nd W Graham

3rd Lindsay & Henderson

Average Leader Board

1st W Boswell 1420

2nd Cameron & Fan 1410

3rd JJK Gillon & G/son 1396

4th D Allison

5th I Rankin

6th T Corrie Son G/son

7th C Gray

8th GWP Macaloney

9th Eadie & Kelly

10th Gault & Quinn

All photos of club winners those that aren't there is because I haven't got one and keep asking for them to be sent.

Tom Corrie jnr

Lanarkshire Press Officer

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Colin Gray wins Chryston club and had a cracking race being 8th,9th,20th,33rd,77th Open

    

Federation Champion of 2022 was 2nd Open and wins Greenfield club & Davie Allisons winner of 2nd Open

Walter Boswell is riding high in the Average chart and was 3rd Open and wins Burnbank club

Tommy Battersby wins Chapelhall club and finishes 25th Open

John Murphy wins Airdrie club 30th Open

JJK Gillon & G/son win New Stevenson and remain up with the best on the average board.

         

Jim Latimer wins Dalziel club and was 15th Open          

        

Lindsay & Henderson winners wing.                                Ian Lindsay of Lindsay & Henderson admires his 1st Newmains club and 6th Open 

Colin Grays cracking winner of 8th Open  

Jim Cameron of Cameron & Fan  wins  4th Open and Uddingston club. Jim Is having a cracking season and 2nd on the Average board.

Sharp & Purdie win 13th Open and Coatbridge SC with a well fancied Blk H