British Homing World, July 27th, 2012 12 NATFOUINDOED 18N98 AL FLYING CLUB

Patron: HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN President: Mr John Edwards. Saintes National Race

Hello National members and welcome to the Saintes report. Here is your east of and about 100km north of (to which it is linked by the usual history lesson as to where your birds are flying from. A10 autoroute). Saintes is a French commune located in Poitou-Charentes in the Convoyer’s report. Thursday saw the marking for the last old race of the southwestern Charente-Maritime department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. season. Marking commenced at Bishop’s Stortford with yet another good Its inhabitants are called Saintaises and Saintais. In Roman times, the city turnout for this station. It also gave me the opportunity to congratulate the was known as Mediolanum Santonum. Saintes is the second city in Charente- Tarbes National winner, Mark Bulled. With the birds marked and loaded we Maritime, with 26,470 inhabitants in 2008; its metropolitan area, the second moved to Steventon, Ash and finally Chichester, then onto Portsmouth where urban area in the department, counts 56,598 inhabitants. Primarily built on the we met up with the other transporter which picked up the west side of the left bank of the river Charente, Saintes became the capital of the province of country. With all the crates on one transporter thanks to the Pompey lads it Saintonge under the Ancien Régime; it briefly became the prefecture of the was on to the docks and once signed in all the birds were watered before the department (then called Charente-Inférieure) during the territorial crossing. Arrived at Le Havre at 7am and the birds were watered for one hour, reorganisation of 1790, until took its place in 1810. Even though leaving the port at 8.15am. The journey down saw heavy cloud and showers it was but a subprefecture, Saintes was allowed to remain the centre of the with a top temp of 19˚C. We arrived at Saintes at 4.15pm with two stops en judiciary life in the department. In the last third of the 19th century, Saintes was route to water. All the birds were fed and watered by 5.30pm and settled for chosen as the seat of the VIIIth arrondissement of the Chemins de Fer de the night. I spoke to Paul Clements at 6.30pm and all indications looked good l'État, which enabled an era of economic and demographic growth. Saintes is for the following day and we arranged to speak at 6.05am on Saturday for the located on the banks of the Charente River in the centre-eastern part of the updated forecast. I was up by 4.45am to get things set ready. The skies were department. The city is located 60km south-east of La Rochelle, 33km north- clear and there was no mist at all which is unusual for Saintes. Paul Clements called at 6.05am to say that he had spoken to Terry THE SAINTES NATIONAL RACE Scholey and the information was good to go with light NE winds with the possibility of a few light mist LIBERATED ON SATURDAY, 21 st JULY patches en route. So with all the strings cut I decided to lib at 0630hrs into clear blue skies with AT 0630HRS NO WIND no wind at all. The birds climbed high and headed off in a northerly direction and out of sight in less PROVISIONAL TOP 30 POSITIONS IN THE OPEN than a minute. We left the lib site at 7am and a TELEPHONE VERIFICATIONS couple of miles north of Saintes we encountered Nat Sect Birds some light patches of low-lying mist which did not Pos Pos Name Town Miles Ring No. Velocity Sent concern me because of the height at which the birds 1 1E M Gilbert Winkfield 394 GB11C11036 1311.174 85 left the site. The journey north saw light cloud cover 2 2E R J Lowe Reading 396 GB10N13656 1298.383 30 with wind and the temperature was 20˚C at 11am. 3 3E R J Lowe Reading 396 GB11N34318 1271.792 30 4 4E V Shaw & Son Harlow 416 BELG08 2168991 1269.807 12 5 5E Mr & Mrs A Hayward Sandhurst 387 GB10N52755 1264.881 6 6 1B Mr & Mrs D Waterhouse Portsmouth 353 GB11N56310 1264.029 6 7 1F J & P Parker Reading 392 GB09N60006 1255.358 15 8 2F J & P Parker Reading 392 GB10N47784 1246.489 15 9 6E R J Lowe Reading 396 GB11N34326 1244.046 30 10 1A Crammond & Langstaff Fontwell 353 GB11J11241 1238.895 25 11 1K R & N Dennett Meden Vale 517 GB09Z38794 1233.202 6 12 1J J A Hamplett Stafford 492 GB09Z26085 1231.627 20 13 1L R & B Smith Warrington 539 GB10T28886 1226.160 6 14 3F Crowley & Green Compton Bassett 39964 GB11B38014 1226.018 24 15 7E R J Lowe Reading 396 GB11N34394 1224.609 30 16 8E R J Lowe Reading 396 GB11N34322 1222.320 30 17 9E R J Lowe Reading 396 GB11N35339 1220.858 30 18 4F A Crook Newbury 392 GB08R12907 1220.523 7 19 2L F & M Hough Macclesfield 526 GB10N24142 1217.886 9 20 3L J R Sutton Congleton 517 GB08T39300 1217.205 9 21 4L A & S Hughes Rochdale 548 GB08N05923 1213.198 4 22 10E J F Haynes Maidenhead 396 GB10N69614 1212.051 25 23 1G J Raeburn Melksham 394 GB10N49574 1210.716 5 24 2A Stewart Reed Havant 354 GB09N20248 1206.396 8 25 2B Paul Murrell Poole 351 GB11J18880 1205.905 6 26 11E G Inkley Uxbridge 400 GB09N49895 1204.699 28 27 12E Chitty Brothers Kings Langley 413 GB10N75660 1203.196 10 28 13E Mr & Mrs M Dickinson & Sons Hemel Hempstead 414 GB08D49015 1201.474 10 29 5F D Posey Kidlington 421 GB11P46101 1201.009 4 30 5L Mr & Mrs B Fisher Todmorden 555 GB08R01037 1200.880 4 Mark holding his 1st Open Saintes. British Homing World, July 27th, 2012 13

6 Section winners in the first 12 Open. That’s great by any standards. I noted many previous Open winners in the result with high, early timings. These fanciers time in early year after year. One special mention is the Section C winners. This family partnership have yet again won their Section and this will be their third Section win this year and with them winning 1st Section etc. in 1st Sect E 1st Open NFC Saintes, M Gilbert. other organisations, they must be delighted with their fantastic flying this year. Very well done. You will notice that J & P Parker 1st Sec F is also 2nd. This is We picked up a light NW wind at which lasted all the way to the great flying, 2 in 4 mins. There is also Cottrell, Richmond & Son with 2 in less coast, so all looked as though we were in for a hard but honest race to finish than 2 mins. Our hard-working committee members are well rewarded with off the old bird season. My thanks to all who helped to make this race a good timings, such as R Sutton 3rd Sec L, Mr Staddon, Green & Hilson 11th success. NIGEL RIGIANI and 12th Sec L at 548 miles. Looking at the ring numbers of these birds I am Race advisor’s report. I spoke to Terry Scholey at 12.30pm Friday and sure I have seen and handled at least one of them. The one I’m thinking of is was informed that the weather for the next day was generally good with north a fine cheq hen. She has been to Saintes several times and at 548 miles has to north-east winds in and variable over England. It was decided we never nighted out. Last year’s Saintes the partners had timed but George was speak again at 6am Saturday. Nigel Rigiani rang at approx 6.30pm and saying, ‘Well, it looks like the cheq hen is having her first night out’. It was informed me that the conditions were perfect and I informed him of the getting dark and suddenly she landed and stood peering into the loft trying to conversation with Mr Scholey. It was decided we would speak again at approx see inside. What a pigeon. Richard Howey with a fine 3rd Sec H, Lloyd & Kelly 6.05am Saturday. I rang Mr Scholey at 6am Saturday and was informed that at 14th and 15th Sec F. By the way, this man is Eamon Kelly not Eamon the weather will be perfect once the radiation fog in France lifts with light north Holmes, as I reported last race! My apologies for the error. Stan Dangerfield to north-west winds throughout and good visibility. I rang Nigel at approx in the result yet again. Our chairman Mick McGrevy at 538 miles timing in 6.05am and following a discussion it was decided that the birds will be another early one. I’ve saved the best performance by a committee member liberated at 0630hrs with no wind. Nigel rang at 6.35am and informed me the until last. This is none other than Mark Gilbert who is once again 1st Sec E birds had been liberated and they cleared immediately to the north. Many 1st Open . What more can be said about this great fancier. Another Classic thanks to all concerned. PAUL CLEMENTS win, and one of the very very few retaining his Saintes crown as Mark was 1st On to our race now, and what a great race it was. Most Section winners Sec E 1st Open Saintes 2011 too. Very well done once again, Mark. were high up in the Open, and no one Section actually dominated. There were It wasn’t until I telephoned the winner of 1st Sec I that I realised that he is a very good friend of ours. I refer of course to Nigel Inger, who we used to work alongside, with Ray Knight, when we were all agents for Unikon ETS. Well done, Nigel and great to talk to you today. Oh! I almost forgot. Someone by the name of HM the Queen timed to be 7th Sec L. This lady may be a new starter, so we wish her well. Seriously, we at the NFC are honoured to have HM Queen Elizabeth II as Patron. Did anyone notice Roger Lowe gaining 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 15th, 16th, 17th etc. Open. What a team performance this is. Well done, Roger. There are three very good birds timed at over 600 miles. J Rumney of Houghton-le-Spring 631, Anderson & Sons from Washington 634, and McSween & Sexton from Sunderland 631 (1 sent). Just checked with George Hilson of Green & Hilson who I spoke about earlier. I was correct. The partners clocked 5 on the night, and 5 next morning sending 12. Some flying at this distance up into Bury, Lancs. 1st bird in the clock was the hen I

1st Open NFC Saintes racing home. British Homing World, July 27th, 2012 14

Crammond & Langstaff, 1st Sect A NFC Saintes. mentioned before. Having flown Saintes etc. several times and never nighted out, she has done it again. Night Flyer, as she is named, gained 11th Sec. 1st Sect B NFC Saintes, Mr & Mrs Waterhouse. Their second bird in the clock was the renowned Bobby’s Boy, a fantastic racer who was actually 1st Section L NFC Saintes in 2011. as a baby and scored and then put through to the yearling race and scored Now on to the part everyone waits for, namely the details etc. of The Open again winning in the region of £3,000 before being bought back. This pair of winner, and each Section winner. The honour of 1st Sec E 1st Open NFC pigeons is breeding the goods as Ian & Nigel sent a young bird up to Green & Saintes is without doubt the most successful fancier in modern times, maybe Hilson of Bury in 2010 and as a yearling it won the North-West Grand National even of all time. I do not write this lightly, but this fancier has won many many Flying Club Falaise 338 miles. Ian & Nigel would like to congratulate Mark Classic races, 1st Opens, 1st Internationals, 1st Combines. The list goes on Gilbert on another great performance and also all the other Section winners. on and on. To cap it all, not only is he a fantastic fancier, he is a really nice The winner of 1st Section B goes to the family of Mr & Mrs Waterhouse chap too! Makes you sick does it not. (Only joking, Mark.) I, amongst many who fly in Portsmouth on the south coast. ‘The bird’s name is Lisa’s Lad. He others, have the greatest admiration for him. Mark supplied me with details of is a Koopman x van Loon-bred yearling, he hasn’t done a lot to date but has bird clocked, a yearling widowhood hen from a daughter of Southfield been very consistent in what he has done. I am only racing eight birds on the Supreme 1st International Dax when he was paired to a daughter of Euro widowhood which has worked very well as we were 2nd and 3rd Section and Diamond. The sire is a double grandson of George, the sire of Euro Diamond, 5th and 6th Open at Messac National, also 85th and 86th Open Central Minstral, etc. I think all of you will agree that this pigeon is bred to win Classic Southern Classic at Bergerac last week. We feed super widowhood and plenty races. The pedigree is outstanding. of conditioner. We would also like to congratulate Mark Gilbert on a super Over to Fontwell now, and to a loft and partnership who are no strangers to performance and thank you to the convoyers for keeping the birds in superb winning Classic and National races either. Who will forget their great condition.’ performances in 2011, when winning the first four, Open and Section NFC? To Dorchester and the partnership of Spracklen & Thomas who yet again Probable 1st Sec A 10th Open is Crammond & Langstaff of Fontwell, the win 1st Section C . Neville’s winner is a little chequer hen named Lillykins. She fourth time in the last five years that the partnership has won the Section from is from Neville’s Mark Gilbert stock. The sire is a son of Southfield Pau while Saintes with the NFC. This year’s Section winner is the nephew of their NFC the dam is a daughter of Southfield Treble. She was flown as a spare hen Messac winner last year. This yearling cock has flown really well this year being housed in a young bird loft. Neville had not intended to send her as she taking 6th Fed Yelverton and 2nd Sect BBC (beaten by a loft mate). He had been out of the loft for exercise three times in the last week due to Percy is a Bosua x Peter Van Osch. His sire is a retired racer (brother to the National peregrine, but when Neville went to the loft on the morning of basketing she winner) and put to stock after putting up some very good performances at looked stunning and was in a nest bowl with a young cock. Lillykins had Club, Fed and National level. His dam was sent to the RPRA One-Loft Race already won 17th Open BICC National this year. She has not had any fancy food or vitamins, only young bird mixture and clean water (many roads lead to Rome). Neville was thrilled to be told he had won the Section as he thought he was having a bad race. He sent 16 to the race, had 13 on the day and 1 the next morning. Neville would like to thank ‘Diddy Dave’ for taking the birds to the marking station. He knows that he has said this before but without Dave’s help many fanciers would struggle to race the Nationals. Finally, Neville would like to congratulate Mark Gilbert on winning the National and his great friend Roger Lowe who once again came very close to winning!

Mr & Mrs Waterhouse, 1st Sect B. 1st Sect C NFC Saintes, Spracklen & Thomas. NATIONBritish HAoming WL orld, July 27th, 2012 15 FLYING CLUB Saintes National Race Provisional Top 10 in each section (1st bird only) telephone race result

SECTION A SECTION G Pos Sect Name Town Miles Velocity Sent Pos Sect Name Town Miles Velocity Sent 10 1A Crammond & Langstaff Fontwell 353 1238.895 25 23 1G J Raeburn Melksham 394 1210.716 5 24 2A Stewart Reed Havant 354 1206.396 8 36 2G C Howse & D Parsons Devizes 390 1196.284 14 54 3A M Colliss Littlehampton 350 1182.394 9 37 3G C Howse & D Parsons Devizes 390 1195.347 14 68 4A Mr & Mrs Brian Wall Havant 353 1173.012 10 40 4G Janet Wilcox Bath 391 1194.012 12 77 5A D & K Jones Havant 354 1163.993 10 44 5G J & D Staddon Shepton Mallett 383 1192.161 20 82 6A L Severe Chichester 351 1160.743 12 55 6G R Brown Devizes 390 1181.292 12 88 7A W Walker Bedhampton 354 1157.715 4 58 7G Mr & Mrs A Fielding Bristol 408 1178.996 4 94 8A D & D McFadden Cranleigh 374 1154.597 10 62 8G Mr & Mrs D R Chambers Nr Devizes 395 1175.692 10 106 9A Alan Holdaway Emsworth 353 1144.341 15 63 9G J & D Staddon Shepton Mallett 383 1175.104 20 125 10A P Fyfield Bordon 371 1132.411 1 76 10G K Emery Trowbridge 392 1164.641 9 SECTION B SECTION H 6 1B Mr & Mrs D Waterhouse Portsmouth 353 1264.029 6 51 1H Richard William Brocklesby Boston 501 1185.724 4 25 2B Paul Murrell Poole 351 1205.905 6 70 2H A Smith Wellingborough 455 1172.274 12 34 3B Wearn Bros 1 Ramsdean 363 1197.641 40 112 3H R T Howey Northampton 449 1139.582 8 38 4B Wearn Bros 1 Ramsdean 363 1194.508 40 138 4H G Pugsley Spalding 488 1120.958 7 39 5B Mr A C Stephens Poole 351 1194.323 3 143 5H Patmore & Rayner Saffron Walden 431 1118.519 4 46 6B P Reeves Winchester 365 1191.255 1 171 6H Mr. & Mrs.G.Groom Burton Latimer 457 1098.990 6 47 7B Jason Ross Portsmouth 351 1190.745 8 172 7H H M The Queen King's Lynn 492 1098.666 4 50 8B J M Edwards Southampton 359 1188.591 4 179 8H Keith Latham Southwold 467 1093.559 8 56 9B M Shipp Portsmouth 350 1180.495 12 195 9H Mr & Mrs R Strowger Leiston 457 1085.354 3 59 10B Barrie Smith Sparsholt, Winchester 370 1178.456 205 10H T E & J Stygall Norwich 484 1081.811 8 SECTION C SECTION I 49 1C Spracklen & Thomas Dorchester 353 1189.657 16 33 1I G Inger & Son Nottingham 501 1198.085 2 92 2C K & C White Weymouth 348 1155.186 12 35 2I H Winstanley & Sons Sutton Coldfield 472 1197.305 4 102 3C M R Staddon Crewkerne 368 1149.058 15 41 3I T J Durows Birmingham 464 1193.838 12 115 4C Mr J P Halstead Nr Gillingham 371 1138.120 6 84 4I Peter John Bicknell Southam 453 1159.762 4 127 5C Mr & Mrs L Cowley Dorchester 356 1132.190 5 113 5I Mr & Mrs Ray Grimsdell Burton-on-Trent 492 1139.467 4 186 6C G Glaze Shaftesbury 370 1090.034 9 148 6I B L & G Bemowski Atherstone 475 1114.545 6 189 7C Frank Fournier Bridport 357 1086.832 4 150 7I Paul Askey Birmingham 464 1113.054 2 207 8C C A J Riley Blandford Forum 356 1080.427 7 178 8I S Redfern & Family Derby 495 1094.510 2 234 9C Owers Brothers Wareham 353 1059.769 2 192 9I Cliff Sanders Atherstone 474 1086.381 14 243 10C M A & S C King Blandford Forum 358 1053.576 6 204 10I D Callan & Son Long Itchington 452 1081.916 4 SECTION D SECTION J 280 1D B P Reene & Son Honiton 368 1018.113 8 12 1J J A Hamplett Stafford 492 1231.667 20 289 2D R Goodier & Sons Marsh Green 367 1008.574 10 48 2J A Jones Stourbridge 469 1189.766 4 301 3D C & F Bacon Exmouth 363 991.148 10 53 3J I J Barnbrook Bridgnorth 470 1184.898 10 302 4D Mr & Mrs P Naum Watchet 395 990.186 4 57 4J R L Spooner Stafford 493 1180.299 12 307 5D E Reilly & Son Barnstaple 400 978.822 2 60 5J G & C Machin Telford 486 1177.258 8 316 6D A D Churchill Sidmouth 363 972.477 4 69 6J J & N Preece Telford 487 1172.798 4 322 7D D Woodland Bridgwater 393 959.214 6 83 7J Davenport & Roberts Wrexham 509 1160.017 6 328 8D S & L Luscombe Plymouth 358 949.437 4 91 8J Mr & Mrs P Gibbs Shrewsbury 494 1156.174 3 338 9D Mr & Mrs A Mabin Buckfastleigh 357 918.360 14 95 9J A Hofton & Son Gloucester 430 1153.218 14 341 10D R Prettejohn & M Underhill Plymouth 358 907.809 1 98 10J F Machin & Son Stoke On Trent 513 1150.772 3 SECTION E SECTION K 1 1E M Gilbert Winkfield 394 1311.174 85 11 1K R & N Dennett Meden Vale 517 1233.202 6 2 2E R J Lowe Reading 396 1298.383 30 107 2K Mr S J Cooper, Son & Daughter Sheffield 527 1143.527 4 3 3E R J Lowe Reading 396 1271.792 30 108 3K D Mallinson Barnsley 543 1143.431 9 4 4E V Shaw & Son Harlow 416 1269.807 12 130 4K Mr & Mrs G S Bartle Retford 526 1131.602 9 5 5E Mr & Mrs A Hayward Sandhurst 387 1264.881 6 133 5K A Holland Shipley 561 1129.919 6 9 6E R J Lowe Reading 396 1244.046 30 146 6K S Shimwell & Son BakewellXfs24 515 1117.002 3 15 7E R J Lowe Reading 396 1224.609 30 175 7K G Ridgway Barnsley 540 1097.515 5 16 8E R J Lowe Reading 396 1222.320 30 182 8K R & J Hardy Huddersfield 543 1092.750 3 17 9E R J Lowe Reading 396 1220.858 30 184 9K Mr & Mrs Sanger Barnsley 537 1090.341 6 22 10E J F Haynes Maidenhead 396 1212.051 25 197 10K Hall & Hibbert Dinnington 528 1084.485 6 SECTION F SECTION L 7 1F J & P Parker Reading 392 1255.358 15 13 1L R & B Smith Warrington 539 1226.160 6 8 2F J & P Parker Reading 392 1246.489 15 19 2L F & M Hough Macclesfield 526 1217.886 9 14 3F Crowley & Green Compton Bassett 399 1226.018 24 20 3L J R Sutton Congleton 517 1217.205 9 18 4F A Crook Newbury 392 1220.523 7 21 4L A & S Hughes Rochdale 548 1213.198 4 29 5F D Posey Kidlington 421 1201.009 4 30 5L Mr & Mrs B Fisher Todmorden 555 1200.880 4 43 6F E Smith & D Baker Swindon 404 1192.687 10 31 6L A G Clements Manchester 538 1198.619 8 65 7F Mr Carden Garrod Whitchurch 380 1174.369 4 32 7L K Morris & Son Congleton 518 1198.404 4 74 8F Cosmin Talas Oxford 421 1165.362 5 52 8L B Littlewood Stockport 531 1185.011 10 85 9F D. S. & R. Wiggins Oxford 414 1159.196 12 61 9L G Bowyer Congleton 517 1177.046 6 134 10F D. S. & R. Wiggins Oxford 414 1128.659 12 66 10L Green & Hilson Bury 548 1173.910 12 British Homing World, July 27th, 2012 16

Brian Reene with his 1st Sect D NFC Saintes.

a Gaby x Ian Stafford. Our second bird is a cheq pied hen and is bred out of our Ian Stafford stock. We timed four hens within 15 mins of our first bird. This year we have changed our system slightly and have raced the LOB system Nigel Spracklen holding 1st Sect C Saintes. which is based on the traditional roundabout method. We race as J & P Parker which is a father & son partnership.’ Section D winner now and this bird was timed into Honiton in Devon, and Joe Raeburn who wins 1st Section G races with good success to to the loft of B P Reene & Son . Brian had an excellent race recording 7 of his Melksham in Wiltshire. Joe penned a few words about his 1st Sec G bird. 8 entries in good time. Although slower than expected, it proved to be hard for ‘Firstly, I would like to say a big well done to Mark on winning back-to-back the yearlings. Hats off to all who timed in Devon and Cornwall. It was not easy. Saintes Nationals. The day started on a high with my first grandson Roman Brian’s first bird is a 2y blue cock, feeding a 5-day-old youngster, not his most James being born at 8.30am and weighing 8lbs 15oz. The sec winner is a 2y favourable condition for cock birds and it wasn’t his best fancied of his 8 birds Gaby Vandenabeele widowhood cock sent after spending 24 hours with his sent. Rooster is the name Brian gave to the winner. He was forever claiming hen for extra motivation but as you can see in the photo his fourth flight is the top box with a good fight and always won. He started off the first race of nearly up and he threw his fifth in the basket. His sire is from Mel & Sue King the season by winning Yelverton on 14th April, flying into a cold NE wind. Brian of Blandford, a son of their Nat winner Eros when paired to a daughter was looking in the opposite direction because he mistakenly thought the race of Jester & Carrie, and the dam is from John Gladwin of Formula 1 Lofts, and was from Yeovilton, Somerset, not Yelverton, south-east of Dartmoor in she is from a son of Rolls Royce when paired to ‘178’, a granddaughter of Devon! Consequently he believed that as it came in the ‘back door’ he was Rolls Royce. I would like to thank Mel & Sue and John as their birds have bred maybe behind. He later found out it to be the winner of the Devon, Cornwall & for me 1st and 2nd Open BBC Nat Lamballe, 51st Open 4th Sec Tarbes, 52nd West Somerset Continental Flying Club. So he did well in the 1st and last race Open 13th Sec Messac NFC. I sent 5 and got 5.’ of the season. Rooster is yet another winner from the Busschart/Soonitjen No. 1st Section H is to the loft of R W Brocklesbury who races into Boston, 1 pair, making him a full brother to True Grit who was 1st Section D 106th Lincolnshire. My thanks to Richard Howey who arranged a friend of Mr Open Messac with 8,526 birds and same way bred as Little Paula who won Brocklesbury to get him to call me yesterday. It was always going to be difficult 1st Section D 271st Open Saintes with 4,417 birds. The first four birds home as this fancier has no email etc, so relies on friends. I called him tonight when this year were all bred the same way. Hopefully more winners to come from no email arrived, to find that the poor man had been unable to get a photo. We them. Brian has been pretty unwell on and off for the last 18 months and in had a good chat and I took the winner’s details over the phone. His winning May this year had major surgery for lung cancer. He said if it wasn’t for the pigeon is a mealy cock flown on classic widowhood and is his own bloodlines help and the support of his pigeon fancier friends he may not have competed for the last two seasons. His wife has also helped look after the pigeons and although they didn’t exercise much, they still didn’t do too badly! Section F winner was timed into Reading, Berkshire, raced by J & P Parker . Not content with winning 1st Section, though, the partners timed another to be 2nd Section. A very good performance. James Parker told me, ‘Firstly we would like to congratulate Mark Gilbert on winning the National and also Roger Lowe on having a great race too. Our first bird is a blue hen ‘006’,

Jack & James Parker with 1st Sect Saintes. Joe Raeburn holding 1st Sect G Saintes. British Homing World, July 27th, 2012 17

Neil Inger holding 1st Sect I Saintes. which is Tournier based Janssen from Van Der Meyer crossed with a Brian Denney bird. This pigeon was a gift bird from John Crease from Olbeach. Mr Brocklesbury is very grateful and wishes to pass on his thanks to John. The Section winner is a son of 1st Sec H NFC Saintes in 2010 so like breeds like. He has been a good steady bird from the Channel but has excelled from inland racing. Incidently, the second bird timed is this mealy cock’s nestmate. Although Mr Brocklesbury has been a NFC member for some four years, he has only ever competed in four races, three of them being Saintes. The difficulty is that the marking station at Bishop’s Stortford is some 45 miles away and he doesn’t drive. Here is where the thanks come in. He wishes to thank his mate, Nev Crozier for training his birds, also Graham Kirkham for taking him to the marking station. He is very impressed with the Bishop’s Joe Raeburn with his new grandson, born race day. Stortford station. Thanks also to the NFC for looking after his birds so well as they always return in excellent condition. He and a lot of local members would were 3rd and 4th Section National Flying Club in 2010. I would like to dearly love a marking station in Newark, which he feels would attract a lot thank Stan Stopka, the Secretary at my club, Stafford DHS, for all the work he more members. does for the club and National clock station so that the rest of us can enjoy our To Nottingham and the loft of G Inger & Son . This is a good friend of ours hobby.’ so I am especially pleased to be reporting on his Section I win . Well done, Section K winner was timed, yet again to R & N Dennett flying to Neil, and we’ll have a jar or two at the presentation. ‘Hi, Geoff, a few details Nottinghamshire. This partnership has had an incredible season with at least for you. Blue w/f hen GB08Z60383 has always been a good consistent hen. A three Section wins. Great stuff! ‘I would like to start by saying a big thank you few results from her. She was 1st Sec 32nd Open St Malo O/H 2010 in the to Colin Dixon for taking my birds to the marking station all year. He’s a true NFC, also 8th Sec Saintes 2011 NFC, 1st Sec Saintes 2012. She is of van gent. If someone would have said that I was going to win one 1st Section at Loon breeding out of a direct 2001 cock. She has had four races with the NFC the beginning of the year I would have snatched their hands off, and here this year, and also went to with the MNFC. My pigeons have been in we’ve gone and won three and 2nd in another. I just can’t believe it! My first good form recently, and on the same day I was 1st NE Sec MNFC Vire.’ two birds were well fancied and heavily pooled and will finish 1st and 2nd The very well known and successful Jonathan Hamplett wins 1st Section Section K. The winning hen was an exchange youngster with Terry Scott in J racing to his loft in Stafford. He says, ‘The pigeon I timed in is a 3y red cock 2009 and has been an excellent pigeon for me being many times on the Fed called Mr Reliable, sent sitting 10 day old eggs. In 2011 his best performances Sheet over Channel also 42nd Open Tours MNFC 2010 and 1st Fed Falaise were 9th Section J 80th Open Cholet and 12th Section J 208th Open NFC this year before today’s result. The second hen has gained 2nd Section Saintes. In 2012 he was 4th Section 55th Open Fougères MNFC. His breeding Fougères NFC 1st Section K Messac NFC and now 2nd Section again all is Robert Venus x Joris Blomme. His dam was an excellent racer who was 2012. To round off the day’s racing we were 1st North-East Section 3rd Open 34th Open NFC Cholet in 2007. She is also the dam of two other cocks that Bordeaux 575 miles for the third year running. A day to remember! A big thank you to the convoyers of the NFC as I have raced in every old bird race and not lost a single pigeon. Well done, lads.’ Last but by no means least we travel to Burtonwood, near Warrington to the extremely successful lofts of R & B Smith . These boys have won almost everything in the sport, and are also well known for serving on committees, sitting on moot panels etc. They take 1st Section L with their 2y blue cheq hen ‘28886’, bred from the partners’ best distance bloodlines with their Champion blue pied cock ‘55’, winner of 2nd Section, 2nd Open NFC Sennen Cove, 2nd Section, 3rd Open NFC Cholet, 230th Open St Malo 2006, 1st Section 3rd Open North-West Grand National 2005, 5th Sec 244th Open NFC Alençon 2007, 1st Club 5th Fed Mangotsfield 2008, being the ggsire and his sire ‘51’ being prominent on both sides of her pedigree. The other prominent bird in her breeding is the blue cheq cock GB97D41272 Dearn’s Cock, Champion racer/producer bred by Brian Dearn of Darwin and exchanged with us as a breeder exchange young bird with the Lancashire Social Circle. This pigeon has had the biggest impact and influence of any pigeon we have ever introduced into our lofts. He was a true champion racing cock who won his races with ease in any conditions from all distances. His main wins include: 1st North-West Nantes 2Bird Sennen Cove (no Channel), 1st Eccles 2Bird Specialist Club Open Fougères, 1st St Helens 3Bird Championship Club Nantes, 3rd Warrington 2Bird Sennen Cove. Probably more importantly he has turned out to be just as prolific in the stock loft breeding winners with every hen paired to him, his progeny being responsible for many important wins for us. He is the sire of our blue cock 02X93281, winner of 1st North Ashton 2Bird Specialist Club Messac on a very trying day, 2nd Section 21st Open Midlands National Flying Club Falaise, Eccles 2Bird Specialist Club, 1st Alençon, 2nd Sennen Cove, 3rd Niort, 3rd St Nazaire, 83rd, 250th, 288th, 457th Open NFC, 1st Sect J NFC Saintes, J Hamplett. British Homing World, July 27th, 2012 18

Emma & Tori Hamplett, Tori holding Sect winner.

2nd St Helens 3Bird Specialist Club Nantes, 1st Club Swainswick 3Bird Championship Club Cholet. Dearn’s Cock is the sire or gsire of pigeons to win for us Warrington 2Bird, St Helens 3Bird, Lancashire Social Circle, Two Counties Combine, Merseyside Federation. ‘81’ is also the sire of ‘95’, 1st Club 1st Federation, 2nd St Helens 3Bird, and 2 young birds to win 5th and N Dennett holding 1st Sect K NFC Saintes. 13th Open in the Bamfords Gold Ring Classic. He is the grandsire of Richard Grayston’s 1st Section NFC Messac 2009. The Section winner ‘28886’ is than just results and performances and put different items and stories in. I proving to be a very consistent bird being 11th Section 247th Open in the NFC don’t get any feedback so I just wonder how you, the members find them. Messac in 2011 and flying Poitiers 490 miles this year. Her nestmate was Another item I wish to mention is that we are all very sorry that we did not have gifted to a club sale this being bought by Hilton Brothers of Bury and is a the pleasure of racing with our Scottish members this season. I see that the winner of 2 x 1st prizes for them.’ fanciers in Scotland have really experienced a horrendous year with colossal One further item before I close. The partnership of R & M Grayston from losses. I trust that this is the reason why they have not sent with us. If there is Lancaster who timed a really good bird to win 1st Sec L Tarbes timed another another reason however, please contact our committee and we can resolve early bird from Saintes. What is interesting is that when talking with them to anything for you. gain info on their Section winner they mentioned a grizzle hen who is paired We look forward now to the Young Bird and Old Hen Nationals yet to come. to the winner. This was their main fancy for Saintes, so I wonder if this is the Best of luck to everyone. Look out for my calling you for details of your Section bird they have timed in from Saintes. or Open winners. Here is a list of Sections and the first 30 Open. That’s all for now. I wish to pay tribute to all Open and Section winners from GEOFF BLACKHALL our 2012 National races. Thank you so much for taking the time to photograph National Flying Club PO and email these and details of their birds. I know that in a sport where many of the members are mature and therefore not so good with computers, they still find a way of getting the info etc. to me. The convoying team and race controllers have done their usual great, professional job looking after the birds. Everyone I speak to says how delighted they are with the condition of their birds when they arrive home. In addition, our weather adviser has given us sterling service so our thanks go to him, too. I do hope that you have all found my articles interesting. I try to write more

1st Sect L NFC Saintes, R & B Smith. R & B Smith holding their 1st Sect L Saintes.