Around The Up North Combine
By Good Corn
With me finally catching up on the presentation evening reports, I will start with the belated British Homing World Blackpool Show Of The Year report, with the very highly successful Show celebrating its 40th Anniversary. Once again my Sister Shirley, my Grandsons Hayden & Tyler and myself booked into The Rhyl Hotel where we are always most welcome and very well looked after. There was a few new guests staying for the first time at the Hotel this year which included Ray Brown, Peter Cook, John Smith and young Owen Simpson of Darlington and a couple from Leeds. Regulars John & Joan Chaplin of Huddersfield arrived on the Thursday with them making it a long stay as they were booked in until Tuesday. My Scottish mate Steven Bannon of Dundee set off early Friday morning for his weekend stay. We normally go along to the sales in the Winter Gardens on the Friday night but this year we attended the Bob Fenech, Louis Cooreman sale instead where there were some top-notch proven birds for sale. The quality of the birds that were in outstanding condition brought some very high prices, which is understandable for the birds that went under the hammer were responsible for numerous winners in England and abroad. The successful buyers will have being over the moon with the birds they had purchased, while the ones that were out bid may well be successful in Bob’s future sales. With the sale still going on Shirley and the boys decided they wanted to go to the Amusements and call for a McDonalds before returning to the Hotel, and with it still being early I nipped into the H & A Club for a couple of beer’s before going back to the Hotel
where Steven was waiting for me.
Hayden, Steven & Tyler, Blackpool Show 2017. - John Smith, Peter Cook, Owen Simpson & Ray Brown.
After Saturday morning breakfast Shirley & Hayden went shopping while Steven, Tyler & Me headed for the show, which was heaving by the time we got there. After getting a few bits and bobs and Steven later going to his mate’s sale outside the Winter Gardens we called into the Scribes Room for a quick chat and a cold drink. I always enjoy the chat as it give the Scribes a chance to not only have an enjoyable conversation with Helen & Netty; it also gives you the chance to talk to some of the other Scribes from different parts of the Country. After a final look around the show which included seeing the Show class winners, we went back to the Hotel to pick Shirley & Hayden up, as we had arranged to visit the Sea Life Centre. The boys were well up for their visit which proved a good enjoyable hours visit, it was good to see them looking at and pointing out the assorted fish, it’s also nice for them get away from the Pigeon side of the Blackpool weekend. The shopping and walking around the Sea Life Centre must have been heavy work for Shirley for she did not want to venture out after our evening meal, so she stayed in with the lads while they watched video’s and played games on the laptop. As for me, it gave me a chance to spend the night in the H & A Club, I had not being in that long when Craig Wedgewood of Marske, Des Williams, his Son and Roger Wall of Skelton came in and joined me. I had met my mate Simon Cole and his good lady Tracey of Coventry a while earlier who were staying a few doors up from The Rhyl Hotel, they had asked where I was going for the night and as I said the H & A Club they said they would probably join me later in the night. After a phone call from Simon asking where I was he and Tracey called in for the night, we all had a few beers and some very good banter to round off a very enjoyable night.
John Chaplin, Hayden, Tyler, Graham & Hazel Turner.
News from Stephen Wheatley, the Secretary of the Teesside Federation.
Once again the Teesside Fed and the Tees Valley Fed are holding a joint Breeder/Buyer in the Western Social Club, Union Street Middlesbrough TS1 5PJ on Saturday 18th March 2017, Penning and Viewing will be between 11am and 12.15 pm. We must start as close to the time as we can. The 2016 event was a huge success with a bank busting £10,100.00 paid out in prize money; there has been a brilliant response so far with a number of top fanciers from both Feds and other Fed members donating birds for this years sale. There is a maximum of 2 pigeons per partnership but only members of the 2 above Feds can race them. All the ring numbers can be given before the day of the sale, the deadline is the day of the sale; with young birds in the pens if possible. You can phone Stephen on 07776 185 776 or E-Mail:
The Up North Combine’s official 2017 race programme gets under way in April with the first race from Bubwith been arranged on Saturday 8th, with the final old bird race being book at Burbure (2) on Saturday 22nd July. The first of the nine young bird races takes place on Saturday 29th July and finishes on Saturday 23rd September. We will just have to hope that the weather is kind to the members this time around because the 2016 racing season saw so much unsettled weather which resulted in numerous put back basketing for 24 hours it caused havoc for both the birds and the fanciers. Some news from the North of England Homing Union. The following trophies are to be competed for during the 2017 season. Entries for each trophy are to be submitted to the North of England Homing Union office before October 13th 2017. Bucktons Trophy to be presented for the: Best Individual Racing Pigeon owned by an NEHU member. Nominations for this trophy to be submitted to the Union Office by October 13th2017. This trophy to be held for 12 months and replica to be retained by the winner. NEHU Hall of Fame “100 Club” Nominations to be submitted to the Union Office before 13th October 2017 of any pigeon that has achieved a minimum of three top 100 open positions in the North of England Homing Union Classic race results. NEHU “Classic Race” Ace Pigeon. To be awarded to the individual pigeon winning the most points from the NEHU Classic race results (100 pts for 1st to 1pt for 100th) for the Old Bird Inland Classic and the Channel races declared NEHU Classic Races at the NEHU Management Committee meeting. Nominations for this trophy to be submitted to the Union Office by October 13th2017. NEHU Ace Pigeon Sprint. Winner, the pigeon with lowest co efficient from 4 races, taken from Federation results from greater than 50 miles and less than 150 miles. Nominations for this trophy to be submitted to the Union Office by October 13th2017. NEHU Ace Pigeon - Middle Distance. Winner, the pigeon with lowest co efficient from 4 races, taken from Federation results from 150 miles up to 275 miles. Nominations for this trophy to be submitted to the Union Office by October 13th2017. NEHU Ace Pigeon Youngsters. Winner, the pigeon with lowest co efficient from 3 races, taken from Federation results from a distance greater than 50 miles Co efficient calculated by the following method. Prize taken x 1000 Divided by Federation entry. First three in each of the Ace Pigeon Sprint, Middle Distance, Youngsters and Classic Races categories to be recognised.
That’s me done and dusted for this time, the breeder/buyer sales have already got under way, I hope to have a bit on them before racing starts.
Any news to Good Corn 6 Boulby Drive
Loftus Saltburn Cleveland TS13 4JN.
Tel; 01287 643624 or Email;
