What is your preference for the 2012 Racepoint?



All correspondence to: Robert Brooks, 20 Southover Road, High Littleton, Bristol, BS39 6HR

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2011 FINAL RESULT (PDF FILE)

Result Compiled Using The Mysoft Toolkit

The Greatest Young Bird Race of the Year.

 

Tours Young Bird National

 

Once again the Tours Young Bird National was held on Saturday 17th September.  114 members from all over the country sent 719 birds.  Historically this has is a time of year when the weather is more settled and the winds are light -what has happened this year!!

Geoff Cooper was up before light checking the weather maps on various websites and after talking with convoyer Nigel Rigiani they made the decision to liberate at 8.15 am. in sunshine with a light south westerly wind.  Nigel checked with MNFC convoyer Richard King as to what the weather was like at Carentan and Eric Isley from Grove also kept Nigel up to date with the weather situation at his end.  With all the checks made the birds were liberated and cleared very well, in fact Nigel reported it was the best young bird liberation he had seen from France this year, mainly due to the fact that as it is at least 130 miles inland and the birds cannot see that vast expanse of sea ahead of them which can often cause them to turn and turn again before heading out over the water, plus most of the birds are class birds, having flown several channel races before.

There was a few anxious hours for Geoff as he waited to hear news of the first birds in, checking the hlfc website to see what if any birds had been verified.  The first birds were as expected, clocked in the East of the country to J and J Brady from Benfleet at 13.28 pm flying the 288 miles at just over 55 miles per hour.  These turned out to be the winners of the race, with others in the same area clocking close behind them.

Once again this race produces some very good performances by the birds.  The Northern fanciers that entered showed that when it comes to distance racing, it’s not just old bird racing they excel at.  Hot on the heels (or should I say “wings”) of a very good National FC Fougeres race, where many top positions were taken by the longer flyers, the Northern fanciers clocked several birds flying over 400 miles showing that this National race is not just for the Southerners.  Brian Stone very kindly organised a marking station at Heage, near Derby, Mike and Kevin Gaunt were doing a lot of the work there, many thanks guys. Taking into account the short notice of a marking station, the support there for the race was very good.  Thanks to Brian for organising this and hopefully he will do the same for next year. In light of the good response for this race from the Northern fanciers the organisers of the race will look at having a Northern section, so the longer flyers will get the recognition their performances deserve.

 

The west section was going to have a harder race due to the strength of the westerly winds, but this did not stop the birds,  the leading birds in the section flew the fastest speed possible in the circumstances.  A good performance by Beverly George of Bristol, sending one all pooled and winning the section.  This bird was not flying in the east of the section and had to beat some good fanciers who fly in more favourable positions east of her.  Another good performance in the west section was from 11 year old Dom Baressi, who was the youngest fancier in the race.  This is his third season racing and he sends to most National races when he can.

This years race, despite the unpredictable weather, has had the best returns since the race has first been held, this shows the class of pigeons entered and the capability of the fanciers who entered them, a big “well done” to you all, showing that the distance, far from being detrimental to the birds, actually highlights how many good birds there are in the race.

Now to the winners, John & John Brady from Benfleet,1st open plus 4th and 6th.

The two John's sent 15 hens to this race (saving all of their YB cocks for the 2012 season)! Their 1st placed pigeon, now named 'Anasazi' (and also 1st single bird nomination) is 100% Jos Thone and is a direct daughter of their 1st 2008 NFC National winner 'Geronimo' (a son of 'Olympic Ginwa', when paired to the 'Blokje Hen'). Anasazi - is a darkness hen, having had two previous channel races this year and was sent sitting 14-day eggs. John Senior says, "She might have been 2 hours behind our first bird in last weeks L & S.E.C.C. but I knew what she was capable of! Considering her breeding and motivation, today she proved me right"!

The Brady's run a tight shift loft, especially where young bird racing is concerned, but this year have also excelled in old hen racing.

 

2nd pigeon 4th open is from a son of 02 which was second national in 08 being 50% Jos Thone paired to a Marcel Sangers direct hen from Tommy Gun flying unpaired.

 

6th.open is 100 % Jos Thone Grand Daughter of George, Son of Sumo, paired to Ovi Dam is direct from Son of Emperor paired to Pocalien racing to a 14-day egg.

As inaugural flyers to the High Littleton Young Bird National, J & J Brady would firstly like to thank Mr and Mrs Geoff Cooper for organizing such a great race (all there birds returned in fantastic shape)! Secondly, to John & Pam Gladwin for their overall help within the season, as well as midweek training. Finally to his wife Irene for putting up with him!

 

Martin & Watts from Basildon  had a good race winning  2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th, 11th, 12th 13th open.

all the birds in this race were direct M & D Evans Vandenabeele. This is the first season the south road for this partnership, Micky races the young birds, and Jack the old birds.  The birds in the main are bred at Jacks loft and raced at Mick’s. The remaining birds at the end of the season are usually sent back to Jacks to race as old birds and to breed the new season’s young bird team. With Micky, buying in fresh Vandenabeeles from M D Evans to keep the bloodlines topped up. Micky gets up at 4.30am every morning and baskets up and trains the birds before starting work at 6am. Micky strongly believes that you only get out of pigeons what you are prepared to put in.

 

Meg Murray from Burnham on Crouch was 7th and 9th .

Meg says she thought her birds were auditioning for a place on Noah’s Ark as they arrived two by two!  Having sent eleven she had ten on the clock quite closely together and says the gusty southwest wind certainly helped by pushing the birds right up into her corner of Essex.

The sire of her first bird was bred from an NEHU yearling gifted to her as a baby from Rob Shield of Blaydon, Tyne Wear where Meg used to fly. Rob gives Meg super ybs every year and this was one from his fantastic ‘Shieldie Cock’. The dam is a 2yr old Vandenabeele, another gift, this time from Stuart Ager of Tilbury, Essex.  Meg and Stuart have swapped birds over the past couple of years and this hen ‘Roman Lady’, along with her nest mate ‘Roman Lord’, have clocked up lots of good results including winning the L&SECC yb bird race.

Meg’s second bird is the result of pairing up yet another two gift birds. This time they came from fellow club member, Lee Bastone.  They came to Lee from his dad who had some of those fabulous old Mardon Soontjen strains. They have been in Meg’s stock loft for quite a few years and their bloodlines run through many of her racers with great results.

Meg would like to say ‘well done’ to John and Micky. She races against them all year in the Basildon Zone Club and knows what a formidable force they are.

 

In 7th was Rob Wilton from Chapel St Mary.  He timed a blue chequer hen which has been a consistent young bird, already being 18th NE section, 79th open Vire in the Classic. The sire is a  Jan Aarden cross Jos Thone  and the dam is a Dordin cross Joplin of Mark Bulled lines.  The hen was sent semi widowhood and was on her fourth race across the channel.  He sent 17 and at the time of writing he has 11 home, one the next morning.

Many thank to Pam Gladwin for getting all the information and photos from all the above fanciers.

Winning the West Section is Beverley George from Bristol.   Bev was proud to tell us about her section winner.

GB11N96681,  This Hen is a may born youngster. The first nestings were killed by two hens fighting , the nest sister suffered a broken leg so she is the only youngster raced from a pair of Nico Koenders pigeons.  The cock was purchased at Blackpool and the hen was gifted to us by Alan and Dave Collins and Mike George,  I started training late this year as my partner Alan was working away , we only started racing with the West of England S.R. Combine at the fourth young bird race , this hen has been to every young bird race we have sent to, doing 8 hours on the wing from both Truro and Carentan returning showing no stress or tiredness at all witch we thought would set her up for Tours, She is a small to medium chequer hen flown completely natural just to a perch, she was sent with two flights to drop.  When she arrived she did two or three laps of the loft which was just as well as the traps were not open and the clock was still in the house and so were we, her condition was immaculate showing no stress or tiredness what so ever.  The young birds have been fed on Garvo Prestige Easy all season and a open hole all day for the last two weeks.  I only started in the sport with my partner last year, this is something really special and it is a privilege to be able to compete against the calibre or fanciers that sent to the race. Congratulations to all that timed, especially the winner of the open J.J Brady  and the game youngsters timed flying over 400miles.

I would like to thank the organisers of the race, Derek Taylor for training our birds and Collins and George for getting us the mother of this hen also the convoyer for keeping the birds in such marvellous condition.

 

 

 

2nd West Section flying 308 miles is Andy Heal from Tunley, a loft on form, he won the section in the National FC race from Fougeres and the following week won the section in the BBC National race from Fougeres, we did think at the time of clocking from this race he was going to make it three  1st in a row!

Here is what Andy had to say about his birds performance in this race. “What a wonderful end to a season, so close to completing a hat trick of National Section wins. I am not sure my heart can stick much more of this.

Normally I would not have competed in this race as my loft is a sprint based loft and 300 miles is as far as I like to fly old pigeons let alone youngsters.

 

My youngsters have been in fantastic form the last two weeks winning 13th section in the C.S.C.F.C. 1st N.F.C. section G and 1st B.B.C section C, it was fellow club members that persuaded me to enter, as the team was obviously in top form, and they were convinced that I would do well, how right they were.

 

The pigeon I timed is now called Cam Valley Peter Pied, he is a blue pied cock of medium size but very stocky - both his parents are of  Karel and Danielle Boeckx bloodlines.

I purchased the parents of this pigeon from the family of a fancier whom sadly passed away earlier this year, the pair had already bred a club and Fed winner for the previous owner, as it was a little late for breeding I left the pair together, normally I would have split the pair and bred them into my base family of thoroughbreds, although late, I did manage to breed one round of youngsters from them.

 

The youngsters are raced on the darkness system and are expected to fly the full programme of my club Paulton H.S which are part of the Bristol Federation, and also have at least one race across the channel. With the N.F.C,   the B.B.C. or the C.S.C.F.C

 

Peter Pied had previously flown the channel from Fougeres with the N.F.C being my third pigeon in the clock that day. He has been a real steady pigeon all season and hopefully will go on to make the Cam Valley Thoroughbreds racing team even stronger for the future.”

3rd West Section was Brian “Jingles” Sheppard - The Legend from Trowbridge, clocked a hen flying 303 miles at 16.55 to .  She was sent looking at a cock bird.  This was her 4th channel race, having previously flown Carentan with the CS Classic FC, Fougeres with the National FC and last week, Carentan with the West of England SR Combine.  She was Brian’s first bird last week from Carentan.  She is bred down from Brian’s “Jingles” line.  “Jingles” was a fantastic racer for Brian, winning a coveted Certificate of Merit from the National FC for being three times in the top 100 from the longest race.  “Jingles” is in the blood of “Legend” who was the first UK International winner. The “Jingles” line goes back to Brian’s old family based on the Trueman Dickens pigeons.

4th and 6th West Section were Geoff and Catherine Cooper from Peasedown St John, flying 307 miles. Their first bird was also 2nd West Section with the BICC from Guernsey National a few weeks ago.  She is a grand daughter of “JW” 1st National BICC Falaise and 9th National FC Dax and Pipa, a daughter of Brockamps George.  She is also a great grand daughter of “350”  who was one of their founding pigeons.  This was her third National race in a row.  Her nest sister was 6th West Section in the BICC National from Guernsey and also clocked in this race.  Geoff and Catherine were pleased to see there birds arrive on line from the race point, they hadn’t gone off line even though the wind was very strong west in the channel.  They had six home from nine entered by Sunday.

5th West Section were Sid and Val Miles from Peasedown St John, flying 307 miles. They clocked a hen who had just given up sitting and was looking at her cock again. Sid and Val have a marvellous record of brilliant performances from this race, they have won the race, and won the Platinum Ring race the following year with a daughter of the winner.  This is no surprise to any one that knows Sid and Val, they having being racing well at National level for many years, Sid being a previous winner of Pau National with Bill Dix and also winning the National Flying Club averages with Val in 1992.  Also in 1992 Sid and Val won a Petron Loft in the NFC Saintes race, the pigeon that won the Petron loft is called “Jim Bob” and is bred down from “Little Darling” their Pau National winner.  “Jim Bob” is the grandsire of their Tours pigeon, he is still alive at 22 years of age, living with his hen, who no longer lays, a quite life in retirement.

 

Although the Tours National does not have a Northern section for this year the performances of the fanciers flying over 400 miles cannot go unmentioned.  There were many birds timed on the day of the race over 400 miles, and the next morning Mick McGrevy clocked at 435 miles and later that day the furthest flyers clocked, Mr Kingston and family flying 445 miles, that is a record distance for this race.

 

The first to clock flying over 400 miles was Michael Gaunt flying 402 miles into Derby. He clocked his first three within eight minutes of each other.  Michael sent 45 and had 23 back on the day.  It is a only a small cock bird, but he is a little cracker !!  He was sitting his first eggs of the year.  The young birds are allowed to pair and sit if they want.

Bred by Marcel Van Ostaeyen in Belgium (Michael purchased 20 - all grizzle in colour to race).

 

2nd to clock over 400 miles was David Stone who is well known for his pigeon photography.

David’s son Dathan named the pigeon Storm Breaker. The breeding of Storm Breaker is as follows, Sire and dam were bred by Alwyn Paddey, Balby, Doncaster, from Alwyn's direct Koos Van Koppen pigeons.

"Storm Breaker" was bred in March and was put on the darkness system, he is a big bold cock and a very powerful pigeon. Tours, 404 miles was his fifth race of the season, having been to 4 inland races previously, including MNFC Chale.

He had dropped two flights and had just burst through on his second flight when basketed.  For about 4 or 5 days before basketing, he was pairing to a young hen and was 'bouncing' ......He came on a great line from the race (due south), but decided to sit on the loft for about 4 minutes before coming in !!

This is the first time that David has sent young birds to a 400 miles race, but he would consider it again, if the weather was favourable.

It is now Sunday night after the race and he has 5 back from the 11 I sent.

 

3rd to clock over 400 miles was Phil Elliot who flies 407 miles from Tours.  He timed a young hen out of his “Late bred “pair, which were bred for stock.  The Dam is a sister to Phil’s MNFC winner in 2003 and the Sire is a son of his Nantes Gold Medal winner.  This stock pair have also bred a Fed winner from Falaise for the Yorkshire partnership of Hardacre and Sykes.

This game little hen has flown three channel races in fifteen days, a total of 933 miles, namely the MNFC Carentan race, the Notts and derby Border fed Carentan and now Tours.

 

Mick McGrevy clocked early Sunday morning. His y/b is a cross Busscheart, from stock which he has recently brought in from John Crowder, having had birds from him in the late 80s which flew well for them. A son off the stock was paired onto a hen from their distance bloodlines, which are a mix of a number of so called breeds, Delbar, Herbots, Busscheart and probably a few more. The y/b in question has flown the programme with the fed and was 3rd club from Carentan the week before 290 miles.

Another good performance by a long flyer is that of Paul McMillan who had two come together and was 20th and 21st first bird verified flying 363 miles.

Platinum Ring Race.

The Tours National race has a Platinum Ring race running within it and this year it will pay out a single prize of approx £1400.

John Halstead of Gillingham in Dorset once again pulled one out of the hat to win the Platinum  Ring race.

This rounds off an excellent season for John with 12 first prizes won including 1st National Palamos, 5 National Section wins, a Federation winner and the rest Club wins. However he has had to wait until the last race of the season for his biggest individual cash prize. The winning pigeon is of Biss x Southwell bloodlines, having only his 3rd race of the young bird season. His first race was from Maidstone 126 miles when he was within 5 minutes of the winner. Two weeks later he was John’s fourth bird home from NFC Fougeres flying almost 6¾ hrs and was 13th Section. Now almost a fortnight later, in perfect feather and growing his second primary flight, he battled into the wind for a 9½ hour fly to be the first platinum ring bird in the race. He has been raced on John’s Reverse Thrust Darkness System, which is basically standard darkness system – with the curtains removed mid June, and then the electric light switched on from 7pm to 10pm each evening from early August through to basketing day for the final race. The winning pigeon was bred exactly for the job as his dam was 6th Open in last years HLFC Tours, while his sire was John’s first bird in the same race in 2009. This cock named ‘Big Bucks’ is now at stock as he is a son of Ashley winner of 2nd Open BICC Barcelona in 2008. Big Bucks also sired ‘Rachel’ a winner of 2 Gold Ring races in 2010.

This race relies on the goodwill of many fanciers to make it the success it is.  The I/C’s of the marking stations whom, apart from Geoff are not even members of the club do a fantastic job.  Charlie Simmons from Basildon and his helpers, Claire Mills who stepped in at short notice running the Chichester marking station due to Nigel Langstaff having to have an operation - we hope it went well for you Nigel. Mark Gilbert who runs the Windsor marking station, Eamon Kelly who runs the Steveton marking station and Brian Stone who ran the Heage marking station and Richard Green who runs the Salisbury marking station.  This race is run by volunteers from the High Littleton Flying Club, Jill Rogers of Treetops Pigeon Supplies took over as treasurer for the race this year,  and Rob Brooks (??) took over as race secretary.  Jon Stenner and Matt Stenner (LEGENDS), who are not pigeon fanciers, run the hlfc website which is at the forefront of pigeon club websites with it’s online verification and up to date information, and Geoff and Catherine Cooper do the organisation and press reports.Thanks to Treetops Pigon Supplies for supplying the corn for this race.  A special thank you must go to all the clock setters up and down the country who turned out to do the members clocks, many clubs were not racing but they still turned out to do the Tours National clocks - thank you very much.

I don’t think many realise that this race is run by just a few club members and an army of regional volunteers, but it shows what can be achieved when people work together with a common goal.

Thanks to all that took part - and see you next year!!!!