NORTH WEST GRAND NATIONAL 2013 BLACKPOOL PRESENTATION NIGHT & RACE REVIEW and Photographs
At the well attended presentation evening at the Ruskin Hotel, Blackpool guest enjoyed yet another first class meal. Year in year out The Ruskin Hotel comes up trumps re food and service. After a delicious roast beef dinner Rob Owen introduced members to the guests this year which included major sponsor Alan Bamford and his team, Keith Iddon, Diane Bonney, Alan Hindhaugh, and our Dutch friends, Ron and Hans. Rob went on to thank the marking officers, Colin Wood, Terry Phifer, Mike McAlinden, Jim Sephton, Dave Harrington, George Hilson, Alan Bamford and Dave Moss for their support once more, without them the club would not function. Also thanks went to Diane Bonney, Keith Iddon and the team for the looking after the birds and indeed arrivals where in top class condition, what a happy bunch they are. Special mention was given to member Paul Dolan in attendance after a miraculous recovery from a serious car accident. Once again membership and birdage increased in 2012, no mean feat in the current climate.
The new web site was well received and plans are being drawn up to expand its use maybe for online payments. Also our new race and accounts package worked well in gives us the flexibility to produce results for other organisations should we wish. The club thanked Sandy of ‘Mysoft’ result software for his help and continued support. Niki Waterhouse in her first year as secretary did a great job in setting up the race result software and keeping the clubs web site up to date. Thanks Niki!
Diane Bonney was called upon to present the prizes and everyone commented that the Peter Bennett photograph’s of the winner’s along with the clubs array of trophies looked superb. Most of the major prize-winners attended the presentation, and highest prize-winners George Hilson & George Hilson along with other major prize-winners, Peter Heywood, MRAD Lofts, Steve Jones, Lee Ogden, John Waterhouse, Dave Moss, Jim Kenyon, Tom Smith, Alex Smith, John Tamman, Maurice McCartney, Kriz Czaplinswki, Jim Sephton amongst others who picked up their trophies and winnings to good applause
Now to the 2012 races. Our first race was from Carentan, around 300 to 370 miles to the majority of our members. Winner of the race and B section was Jim Kenyon of Longridge Nr. Preston. What a great race Jim had taking the first three in the section and topping his own federation the same day from the same racepoint, albeit from a different liberation. Jim was caught napping a bit because he did not have his clocks to hand but it all worked out well in the end. A well deserved winner who had his birds on top form. Jim is a past winner of the club and had another successful season at club level flying on the roundabout system winning nine firsts this season. The winner’s breeding is Koopman X G. Kirkland and he likes to line this family up for races over the 200 miles mark. Narrowly beaten for 1st West section and 2nd Open was Alan Jones & son Steve of Hesketh Bank, Nr Southport. This partnership won one of our young bird races last year and the loft’s performances have continued on an upward curve this season. Steve was saying he has some Brian Denney stock and these are starting to perform at the distance, it was nice to see Steve and his good lady once more in attendance . Dave Brookfield of Croston, Mick Liddle of Southport, E Taylor of Tarleton and G & T Dagnall of Hesketh Bank ensured that this hotbed of pigeon fanciers where well represented. Whilst in St Helens near neighbours Stanley & Grendon and Molyneux & Hayes finished 5th & 6th Open respectively. Over in the East Section the phenomenal Green & Hilson of Bury once again won the section taking 1st & 2nd with his Maurice Mathews pigeons a strain he uses predominately for races up to 450 miles and we must mention our most southerly member and good supporter Jeff Jones of Middlewich taking 3rd section E. Meanwhile Brian Kenney of Barrow in his first year with the club won section ‘A’ flying 342 miles. His section winner bred from Bobby Glanfield of Carlisle contains two Scottish national winners in her bloodlines. Bred in 2009 this good hen a previous winner was hawked in this season’s first race and came back minus her tail. Brian waited for the tail to regrow and this was her first race after the mishap. Cumbrian aces the prolific Johnson & Lilleby got two together for 2nd & 3rd section.
The clubs second race was from Fougeres. We noted there were three section winners in the first six places so no one could argue about loft position. The winner pooled to the hilt was Tommy Smith of Haydock, St Helens. Tommy is cousin to Burtonwood aces R & B Smith and like other racing brother Alex is no stranger to the winner’s enclosure. Indeed the winner was bred by R & B Smith and presented to Tommy as a late-bred. This did not stop him scoring as a yearling in several land races. Over the channel as a two year he again raced the full land programme and at his favourite race point Fougeres was 1st club 1st Merseyside Fed and put to one side. The week before the NWGNFC Fougeres race he won the club race at Wincanton and Tom decided he would send him back to Fougeres pooled in all pools and noms, this good bird obliged winning 1st section 1st open.
The sire of Tom’s winning bird is a son of Bob and Brian’s,” Dearn’s Cock” the outstanding racer producer for the partnership he bred the sire when paired to “ 91 The Grundy Hen” this being the dam and grand dam of many great birds one being 1st Eccles 2 bird Saintes 540 miles. The dam is equally well bred winning 4th overall in The Pigeon Chat one loft race and purchased back, she is a daughter of 56 “ The Gold Medal Cock” winner of 2nd St Helens 3-bird club Falaise.1st Lancashire Social Circle Yelverton winning a centenary gold medal, 4th North West Nantes club Lessay, 3rd section 5th open N.F.C. Cholet. So bred for the job. Second West section past winners where Molyneux & Hayes and 3rd Rob & John Waterhouse. Winner of the East Section were G. Holker & Son’s of Clifton who held off Green & Hilson in a tight finish. No strangers to success these lads as they are of course past winners in the NFC Nantes and the Bamfords Gold ring race. Such is the competition. In section ‘B’ Peter Heywood of Belle Vista Lofts, Chipping, timed his good Vandenabelle Cock ‘Bella Grant’ to take 6th Open. Over to the longer flyers we had Kriz Czaplinski of Kendal taking first section ‘A’. It was nice to see Kriz at the presentation in the company of Jim Sephton, what a nice gentleman. Breeding is Bruce Blamire De-Weerdt bloodlines crossed with an Andy Kelly Henry Mair’s hen. Barrow lofts Johnson & Lilleby and K Charnley taking 2nd & 3rd respectively. Both Kriz & Ken’s birds being well fancied in a tight three way finish.
The third and final old bird race was from Messac and for the second year running the winner was timed to Belle Vista lofts in the shape of Peter Heywood of Chipping. The winner of Messac Race named “Bella Grant” is an M & D Evans Vandenabelle with Shadow-Ebony Jester and Carrie in his pedigree. Belle Grant has been very consistent winning plenty of club & federation positions. Indeed he won 6th open NWGNFC two weeks previously for Peter so a true champ. Raced roundabout for the first six races he was paired for the channel. Peter is a big supporter of the NWGNFC races and if it is a good flying honest day this quality loft tumbles them in. In the East Section one of the countries most powerful teams Green & Hilson timed three in five minutes to take 2nd, 4th 7th Open, 1st,2nd, & 3rd section. The first bird was bred by M/M Hindhaugh & Donaldson of Washington, Tyne & Wear from their Planet Bros Van Loons. This good blue m cock won 3rd Open Fougeres, 2nd Open Messac also won 2nd fed 2nd club, Tewkesbury, 8th club, 10th fed Mangotsfield, 3rd club 4th fed Yeovil. Unbelievably it just touched off Peter Heywood’s great cock Bella Grant for ‘Bird of The Year’ and the Peter Bennett special plate. Two top lofts and two top pigeons. Meanwhile in the West Section club stalwarts Frost/Owen/Moss won 1st section 6th Open with a well fancied bird and a good timer in the prevailing conditions. The section winner has been in the clock many times. 2nd West Section was Keith Normanton of Wigan whilst Tommy Hawkins of Liverpool timed a cracker on the day to take 3rd West section. So once again three section winners in the top six open. Meanwhile Kriz Czaplinski did the double by winning section ‘A’ once more. This top class pigeon had previously 1st Wollaston, 1st Falaise, and 1st Fougeres and again it was Bruce Blamire De-Weerdt bloodline X the late Andy Kelly’s birds. It was a good job it trapped because Bruce Blamire was right behind him in 2nd place. Bruce has some good Belgium rung pure De-Weerdt stock birds. 3rd section A once more was Ken Charnley of Barrow, who took some really good money out of the club this year.
Over to the young bird season with both races being from the south coast. MRAD of St Helens had a fantastic Bedhampton race doing a 1 -2-3 Open and indeed in all young bird races this year their team were on fire. The Bedhampton race had a cracking turnout for the 2nd week in September, it was not easy but this partnership made it look that way, their winning trio well clear. Winnings with young birds alone must have exceeding £4000. They compete in most of the races open to them in the North West area, Bamfords Gold ring, Leigh Arms gold ring, Wigan 2-bird, St Helens 3-bird and North West Nantes, Their young birds are fed twice daily after a one hour exercise period. A mornings feed of pellets, diet mix, redband and homoform whilst evenings consists of Vanroebays, Breed & Wean & Marimans Varimax. Usual grit & minerals are given early in the week. With all the partners working, time is limited and training is a couple of 30 mile tosses but the birds exercise really well. The sexes are kept separate in the early races them paired when the major races come round late August. The winner was a Ponderosa Herman Ceuster cross Border Lofts Koopman. It is marvellous to see Peter Rice, Harry Abbott and John Mills continue their winning ways as they contribute a lot helping to run several clubs in the /Merseyside area and they are good supporters of all the NWGNFC’s presentations . First East Sections and 4th open, that’s three times 1st sections in four races were the master’s Green & Hilson. How many lofts can win all along the line like this partnership? 100 miles, 300 miles, 500 miles or 700 miles these bird can and must compete. G Holker & sons and L & M Ogden took the next two section places and it was nice to see Lee Ogden at the presentation. What a good young bird series he had. Peter Heywood for the umpteen time won section B 8th Open with C Barlow of Lancaster having two quick ones for 2nd & 3rd section. So once more three of the four sections well represented in the open result. In section A around the 245 miles mark M & J Sephton held on to 1st section closely followed by Bruce Blamire and Barrow aces Johnson & Lilleby. It was nice to see Jim at the presentation and thank him for the work he does. His timer a mealy hen was a club exchange pigeon bred by E (Ponney) Balmer from his Lambrecht stock. She had flown in all club races leading up to this race.
The final race for the club was Littlehampton. Liberated in a West wind from an easterly racepoint the birds would have to fly a bit to get home. The winner and a previous winner in the NWGNFC was Steve Maylett & Joe Krakczewski of Failsworth, Manchester. Another top young bird loft having topped the federation six times previous to this win. Flying 198 miles in 4 hours 24 minutes, velocity 1325ypm this bird won by 28 ypm. It is always good to talk to Steve as he is so enthusiastic about everything he does. This race has always been a target but as time drifted on during the race Joe thought their chances where dwindling by the minute. Steve had been thinking about his late pal Lee Walker who had recently taken his own life and responded to Joe saying ‘don’t worry Lee is looking over us. The birds have been sent super fit and won’t let us down’. Next thing their Cheq wf cock hit the let board fresh as a daisy and trapped like a trooper. He is from a grandson of Mascot and granddaughter of Creilman and Blau 62. The cocks sire was bred by Jim Whitehead from his Syndicate Lofts stock. Steve would like to thank Gary & Helen Lee who bred the bird. Each year the loft brings in a team from Gary to add to their own young bird team. With the partnership targeting the nationals and all the prestigious clubs the aim is to send every fed race, every open race, in fact any race they can get their hands so a decent size young bird team, is a must. Steve paid full credit to his partner Joe for all the hard work he puts in. An emotional Steve told me there was only one name he could call the bird ‘Walkers Lad’ in respect of his best pal Lee Walker and his heartbroken girl friend Christine. Over in St. Helens it was MRAD Lofts once more winning first West Section 2nd Open, their timer being of Gordon Rigg Delbar X Patrick Bros bloodlines. 2nd & 3rd west section 3rd & 4th Open was Mr & Mrs Tamman of Liverpool. The shortest most westerly flyers in the race in a west wind this was a fantastic performance. John was made up with the condition of his birds and said they came straight on line. The west section indeed had good returns with Hesketh Bank lofts G & T Dagnall, always excellent YB flyers, Alan Jones & son, and Stephen Stringfellow all in the top ten, not forgetting M/M Iddon who timed four in just a few seconds. These Hesketh Bank lofts always do well in the longer young bird races. The first B section bird was to Frank Robinson of Preston. This bird took 11th Open. I was talking to Frank about his improved channel performances this year and he has invested in new stock which he is very pleased with. Congratulations to Frank for winning the NWHU Jubilee race and a lovely framed commemorative photograph by Peter Bennett. Over to section A and Bruce Blamire capped a great season by taking 1st section A with a well fancied bird. Well done Ken Charnley of Barrow, one of the seasons big winners in section A who timed three quick birds at 256 miles to take 2nd, 3rd & 4th section.
Gold race winners from Littlehampton were Section A; Johnson & Lilleby of Barrow, Section B; P.R Heywood of Chipping, Section E; G Holker & sons of Clifton, Section W; Mr & Mrs Tamman of Liverpool. Nine other lofts shared the pot on a sectional basis. Tony Johnson of the Johnson & Lilleby partnership tells me that due to Ron Lilleby wife’s illness Ron was not racing in 2013. Sad to see this powerful partnership dissolve they have put up truly great performances at the distance with the De Klacks. Good luck Tony this year.
As another great night at Blackpool ended, it was good to see the room still packed at midnight with many of our friends coming down to see us from all parts of Blackpool. Here is to next year and another successful presentation at the Ruskin Hotel.
Rob Owen, NWGNFC.