National Bulletin 14 - 2004 Nantes National Report
The first race of the season for the National Flying Club saw an entry of 8,022 birds from 1157 members held over due to inclement weather on the Saturday. This was a good decision after many organisations experienced difficult races even from inland race points on the Saturday. Once again the weather forecasters got it wrong when they predicted a good day on Saturday for the whole of the Country but as we now know that was not the case. As always in the NFC there are some good performances in this race from the winner himself to the pigeon of Jackson & Andrews flying a distance of 450mls into Yorkshire. You can then go to the other side of the UK with D. Parry & Daughters 4th section L over at Deeside and are around the top 100 on verifications, this is what makes the club so good, everyone is there to be beat and everyone has a chance.
1st sec D 1st open is won by Ivor Dyer BEM a richly deserved award for his charity work with guide dogs that were also trained with the help of money raised, however Ivor did stress that this was also down to the people around him who always helped with the fund raising. A great win for a modest fancier who has always put himself out to help other and has been quite rightly awarded for that work. Ivor clocked a 3y chequer hen from the Janssen/Jan Aarden lines, the sire going back to the old Janssen’s that were brought in during the early 90’s from Yorkshire while the dam a Jan Aardens hen came about when a friend of Ivor’s packed the pigeons up and gave him the hen that is one of a batch of six from Louella. On the Wednesday prior to the race Ivor decided to try something new as the hens were not as keen as they had been so he put two hens either side of the cock and left them there until time for basketing. This was based on a jealousy system and it has paid good dividends, Ivor always wants to try something different to keep them on their toes. The winner has had 7 races this season so they are worked well with her last race being with the BBC from Nantes two weeks prior to this NFC race. An interesting point was that she has not dropped a flight so with a full wing had not set backs. This is also only a small team loft with only 12prs kept altogether plus of course a team of normally 24ybs. The feeding is a mix that Ivor makes up from the Versele Laga w/h and Brian Wall’s Gem mixes so a bit of each has given Ivor the mix that he wants for his race team. The birds are never kept short of corn, they get more or less what they want plus a selection f vitamins and minerals. Ivor has been in the sport of pigeon racing for the last 39yrs with this being his greatest win to date. Since he was told on Sunday his life has been a bit more hetic and he would like to thank everyone for their calls of congratulations.
1st sec A is won by David Matthews Of Bordon clocked a Staff Van Reet/Janssen chequer pied cock that was sent sitting 5 day old eggs and as always with this loft raced on the natural. Both parents were purchased at a sale of Bruce McAllister pigeons. This excellent cock has only had 4 races this season winning 19th open BICC Falaise, 336th open Nantes BBC. 63rd open BICC Falaise and now this win, he was also in the first 200 on the Nantes race in 2003. This is a good line and a brother won a pigeon loft in the Solent fed this year. The season started with 12prs racing on the natural system and David is pleased with the way they have flown to date. They are fed on David’s own mix made up from the Versele Laga and Gem corns. This loft is no stranger to national success having win the section three times from Nantes and also once with the old hens.
1st sec. B goes to the lofts of Merv Waters of Salisbury who sounds like a very nice person and I had a good talk to him, mostly nothing to do with this section winner. Merv clocked this good light chequer 2y cock from the Eagleson/Busschaert’s and prior to this win was a winner of 60th open 8th section Nantes and won the Versele-Laga ylg championship. 4th sec 40th open Saintes. 38th open BBC Nantes. Merv was saying that on return from the races he does not look as though he has been out of the loft, a real good pigeon who knows what it is all about. His hen ws lost and another put in her place but after three days she laid and at the time of basketing the cock had started to look at this egg. Merv said that he is a magnificent pigeon and is now being prepared for the Saintes race. An interesting point was that Merv’s children bought the stock birds for him as a joint Christmas and birthday present so money well spent when most are getting socks, undies or hankies.
1st Sec C possible 6th open is won by Steven Williams who is flying a good pigeon at the top, the pigeon is a 2y cock off the Leo Van Rijan strain. This pigeon has flown consistent this year having flown 5 channel races and was in the 1st 20 pigeons last week in the Central Southern Classic from Messac. Its breeding is off the same line as the pigeon that won the British Barcelona Nantes National for Steve 2 weeks earlier. Steve is more than pleased with the pigeon’s performances so far this year would be an understatement. It has taken a couple of years to get established again after the move to Weymouth from the Midlands but it looks now as if all the hard work is beginning to pay off.
1st sec E sees Mr & Mrs D.J. Noakes plus daughter Samantha being highly delighted with this latest win. Dean has had pigeons for a few years and oddly enough his wife Sandra would not go near the pigeons until 2yrs ago and also the addition of 13yo Samantha the partnership is getting better. Sandra does a lot of work during the day with the cleaning out and exercise of the pigeons and with Samantha has been known to add a few bits and pieces where they think the birds need them including honey without Dean’s input. The winner is a ylg blue hen from the Roger Lowe Van Loons whose breeding includes “Blacky” of Planet Bros and also another Reading fancier Don Pembrooke making the pigeon three quarters Van Loon and one quarter De Klak. She was tried on the roundabout but was not showing so a decision was made (don’t know whose but a good idea) to pair here up with the result being that she was sent 7 days sitting eggs for her 5th race of the season. This is her best win to date but as a young bird she did drop with a good winner but they only clocked the one. The lofts are an 18ft x 6ft main racing loft with this year an addition of a 5ft x 6ft loft for the hens. Mark Kidby has been a great help to the partnership and is a practical joker with Dean thinking that it was him putting on an accent and not the NFC sec, what a pleasant surprise it was to be given the info.
1st sec F sees the runners up in the Dax International Crowley & Green once again gaining top honours by winning their section. Pigeon timed was a 3y dark chequer Wildemeersch cock named "Hellfire". This bird was bred from gift birds loaned to the partnership from their good friend Brian Leadbeater of Rugeley. This bird is rapidly becoming one of the best birds they have ever raced and eventually they expect him to be on a par with "Brimstone" he's only three years old and has already won, 1st Section, 13th Open NFC Saintes. 2nd Section, 32nd Open NFC Nantes. 13th Open CSCFC Bergerac and now 1st Section 26th Open NFC Nantes. He has been flown on the widowhood system this season and has flown Thorness twice, Picauville and BBC Nantes. He will now be prepared for either the CSCFC Bergerac race or if conditions are favourable he may be inserted in the Dax International race instead. Both races are planned for the weekend of the 17th July. In preparation Richard & Anne may enter him in the BICC Tours race on the 26th June. In this race he was pooled up to £2, £1nom and £5SN in the section and pooled up to £5 in the open and £1N hopefully his winnings will cover his pooling for the rest of the season.
1st sec G probable 3rd open goes to Mr & Mrs G & M. Wile & S. Lias with a 2y blue pied w/h cock that is three parts Siler Toye crossed with the Van Den Bosche lines that also race well to this part of the country. He is an apple bodied pigeon that topped the Bristol fed last season from Nantes so the partnership knew that he had the capabilities so it was a case of horses for courses. The dam of this section winner has bred winners with four different cocks. Nearly all the birds housed are from the Silver Toye lines from Louella and are winning from 50 to 300mls. this winner has been named “Shaun” in memory of a very good friend who died a year to the day aged only 21yrs. This pigeon is also probable winner of the car so a good day all round.
1st sec. H is a firm win for David McSweeney of Biggleswade an ex press officer for the NFC but unfortunately the number was not available due to being ex directory to contact him info so any info through the post with photos can be added to a future report.
1st sec I is collected by S.J.Wain & Son of Foston make it back to back section wins after taking 1st section young bird National Falaise with a Decroix blue bar hen from Colin Harrison of Norwich.
The partnership then follow up with 1st section Nantes National with a Stichelbaut chequer hen sent sitting eggs 8 days and comes from the Jim Emerton of Holtby, Yorks stock. This yearling chequer hen as a young bird had a good confirmation and was earmarked for a gold ring race. However as we all know with pigeons things don’t always go according to plan when she had time out and was not entered for the race having the future in mind. Even so like all good pigeons she has paid the partnership back for their faith and is still in the loft for the future.
S J Wain & Son - FOSTON (Nantes National)
1st sec. J. is won by Jim Rubbery of Stourbridge who clocked a good pigeon that was 11th sec Nantes National and 4th sec Saintes as a ylg. The breeding is from the Henri Van Neste stock that were gift birds from Geoff Homer, a good friend and fancier. Jim was saying that he is a big fan of the Nationals and specialist clubs but also likes to compete at club level so always try’s to split the pigeons to suit the races at hand. At the present moment there are 17 hens and 14 cocks raced on the roundabout with a team of 45ybs and 10prs of stock that Jim said he is going to reduce. A few years ago the birds were treated for all sorts but no more because no treatments are now given as he now believes in the natural immune system for the pigeons. Jim is very pleased with the birds this year because they appear fitter than ever on the new regime.
1st sec. K. Jackson & Andrews have put up an excellent performance flying a distance of 450mls which is a result to be proud of. The partnership clocked a 2y Hofkens cock who last year won the North East Prov and again this year, this was his first go over the channel and they tell me that he finished like a rocket. Once again I am finding that good lines continue to produce and this line is no different as a half brother was 4th open in 2002 and 7th open 2003 at tours. This has to be one of the most consistent lofts in Yorkshire over a long period of time and they were also 3rd east section with another Hofkens cock from the same family when they clocked 6 in 3mins against the wind. a Cousin was also clocked in this Nantes race and they are showing up in the bigger races as a family which is very pleasing to the team. The pigeons were obtained from Verheyen and are the old Merckx lines. The birds are raced on the traditional w/h with no hens being raced at all.
1st sec. L goes to long-standing committee member Roger Sutton who has been winning at the highest level for many years. This hen is bred from the old well-established tried and tested Janssen Family responsible for many National Prizes over the years. Last year she won Congleton West End Club Nantes as a yearling, 14th Fed. This year she went to several land races unpaired and was sent to Nantes sitting her 1st round of eggs, which were due to hatch on basketing day. Her sire won two club 1sts and was full brother to ‘The Dutchman’ which won 4th Sect. 24th Open NFC Saintes, 4th Sect. 29th Open MNFC Nantes. Her dam won 1st club Picauville. This is another of those cases where breeding tells and comes through when it matters.
Thanks to Nobby Henley and Bobby Brown for assisting with the photos.
I shall be looking for more news on this race so will section winners please send me a few photos and quite a bit of information on the lofts, pigeons, systems, feeding etc for future articles.
News to Les.J.Parkinson. Elimar, 11 Rushton Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire CW10 ONJ. Tel/Fax; 01606 836036. Mobile 07742 072713. ljohnp@elimarpigeons.fsnet.co.uk
