AROUND THE UP NORTH COMBINE
with Good Corn
Combined Average Winning, W & S Ward
As promised I have put together the Brotton Six Bird Club 2016 presentation evening report, which was jointly held with Brotton H/S at the Spar Hotel, Saltburn on Friday 13th January 2017. This is the follow up to the Brotton H/S payout report I wrote up a few weeks ago. In the absents of Barbara Moore, the very hard working Brotton Six Bird Club Secretary, Golly Peirson took to the floor to ask chief guests Tich Richards & Alice Marsay of Skinningrove H/S, the winners of 1st Up North Combine young bird Peterborough National in 2016 to present the silverware and prize money to the very worthy winners. The Club name tells you that the Club has a six bird limit, but that has not previously stopped the members from putting up some top performances at both Federation and UNC level. The members know that if they work hard enough they will reap the rewards with any one of their six entries, no matter the distance or competition.
Top loft for 2016 was Bill & Shaun Ward of the W & S Ward partnership, with Bill and his Grandson Shaun being the winners of 7 x 1st, 5 x 2nd, 5 x 3rd, 3 x 4th, 5 x 5th and 5 x 6th Clubs. Bill & Shaun’s outstanding old bird season saw them win the Old Bird Average and go on to win the Combined Average, which was well deserved after a string of top team performances throughout the season. Bill & Shaun never wasted any time in claiming their first scalp of the 2016 racing season, for the duo hit the winners’ enclosure from old Bird Bubwith, on the opening day of the season after timing a couple of birds to win a cracking 1st and 5th Club. Bill & Shaun were in the points for the second race running out of Newark (1), the Worksop replacement race, when no less than three of their entries were on the clock to lift a notable 3rd, 4th and 6th Club. Bill & Shaun achieved their second win from three starts at Oakham (1) when two of their inland squad were timed to win an impressive 1st and 2nd Club. The boys topped the charts again for the second race running at Peterborough (1) where they timed another two birds to win a notable 1st and 5th Club with their pole position winner going onto score a very nice and well-deserved 10th Fed from a convoy of 2,037 birds. The inform Bill & Shaun were out of the frame at both Rivenhall (1) and the Eastbourne (1) National but returned to the fold from Oakham (2) where 6th Club was notched up. Three weeks later with the birds being at Peterborough (2) no fewer than three birds were on the clock to lift a useful 2nd, 5th and 6th Club. The boys were back in Town at Newark (2) when they returned to their winning ways after timing three of their team to win a top-notch 1st, 3rd and 6th Club to boost their points towards the old bird inland average. But not only that their red card winner went onto chalk up an impressive 8th Fed when there were 1,355 birds competing. Bill & Shaun recorded their fifth old bird win out of the Eastbourne (2) National and followed that up by timing two birds at Peterborough (2) to win 1st and 6th Club. The duo produced their second win on the trot and their seventh win of the year from Oakham (3), the final old bird inland race after three of their team were clocked to win a top-notch 1st, 2nd and 5th Club. Bill & Shaun rounded off their remarkable old bird season by timing three of their channel entries out of Burbure to chalk up a notable 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club.
Tich Richards & Alice Marsay presenting silverware to Shaun Ward of the CombinedAverage winning W & S Ward.
Moving onto the nine young bird race programme where Bill & Shaun scored in four of the nine races, starting from the off when a couple of their six entries were timed at Bubwith (1) to pocket a nice 2nd and 5th Club. The duo took 3rd Club a week later from Bubwith (2) and then netted 4th Club the following race. After a five race baron run of no points the lads were back in the frame at Bubwith (3) when 3rd Club was taken to round off a brilliant 2016 racing season. As stated in some of my previous reports, Bill has being in the sport a great number of years where he has enjoyed his share of success which includes winning 1st Up North Combine when flying in the partnership of Ward & Heslop when flying in Brotton H/S. Bill’s former partner Bill Heslop no longer races Pigeons as he left the sport a few years ago but he still holds the post of Chairman of both Brotton H/S and the East Cleveland Federation. Bill, who often calls in on some of the lofts on a race day, celebrated his Golden Wedding Anniversary with his Wife Pam on March 4th. Bill & Pam celebrated their milestone on holiday, where I’m sure they will have really enjoyed their time together. Congratulations to Bill & Pam on achieving 50 years of married life, and long may it continue. I believe that Shaun spent the middle part of the 2016 old bird racing season in poor health which including a time in Hospital. The lad will have being gutted for missing part of the season but he is back up and running and no doubt be more than well enough to defend their crown in 2017.
The loft of Frank & Brenda Reilly & Son Wayne were the winners of 4 x 1st, 5 x 2nd, 5 x 3rd, 6 x 4th, 1 x 5th and 11 x 6th Clubs. Frank, Brenda & Wayne kick-started their season by pocketing 2nd Club from old bird Bubwith and this was followed up by timing another single bird out of Peterborough (1) to lift 3rd Club. Frank, Brenda & Wayne who have been the Clubs top loft a number of times in the past including 2015, timed no less than three birds at Rivenhall (1) to chalk up a very nice 3rd, 4th and 6th Club. A week later when the birds were at the Eastbourne (1) National, a couple of their entries were on the clock to net 3rd and 6th Club with the green card potter going onto claim a useful 17th Fed and 152nd UNC. Frank, Brenda & Wayne put in a winning shift at Oakham (2) when they timed two birds to win an awesome 1st and 2nd Club, and this was quickly followed up by winning 1st Club a week later when the birds were brought back from the French race point Burbure and liberated at Eastbourne. Frank, Brenda & Wayne were showing some good form with them being in the points five races off the belt and they increased that to six races out of Rivenhall (2) when no fewer than three of their team were on the clock to win a cracking 1st, 3rd and 4th Club and achieve their third straight win. Onto Newark (2) where 2nd Club was taken and this was followed up by taking 6th Club out of Reims, and then netting 2nd Club from Peterborough (3) before having a couple of their entries on the clock from Oakham (3) to pocket 4th and 6th Club.
Wayne Reilly receiving the Oakham (2) and Rivenhall (2) Trophies from Alice.
Frank, Brenda & Wayne enjoyed a great run with their young birds with them scoring in all nine races, starting at Bubwith (1) when 6th Club was taken. A couple of their squad were in the frame out of Bubwith (2) where 2nd and 6th Club was notched up and this was followed up by timing another two babies from Worksop (1) to lift 3rd and 6th Club. Onto Worksop (2) where Frank, Brenda & Wayne had a couple of birds in the points for the third straight race from Worksop (2) to win a notable 1st and 4th Club. And then 6th Club was pocketed from both Oakham and Peterborough before claiming 4th Club Rivenhall, and that was followed up by potting 6th Club from the Peterborough National. The curtain came down on Frank, Brenda & Wayne’s season when they timed no fewer than three of their six entries at Bubwith (3) to score a useful 4th, 5th and 6th Club. Frank, Brenda & Wayne have being in the racing game a great number of years where they have housed many different breeds, and in that time they have always being on the lookout for other families to improve their performances.
Mr & Mrs Bob & Barbara Moore were the winners of 7 x 1st, 2 x 2nd, 4 x 3rd, 3 x 4th, 4 x 5th and 3 x 6th Clubs, Bob & Barbara were also the winners of the Young Bird Average. Bob & Barbara, the very hard working Brotton Six Bird Club Secretary scored in four of the first five old bird races with them timing a couple of birds at Bubwith to lift 4th and 6th Club. Bob & Barbara hit the winner’s enclosure a week later when the birds were at Newark (1) the Worksop replacement race; and that was followed up by timing two of their squad out of Oakham (1) to lift a nice 3rd and 6th Club. After being out of the points at Peterborough (1) Bob & Barbara took 5th Club from the disaster race Rivenhall (1), I believe I’m right in saying Bob & Barbara never sent to anymore old bird races. Many lofts throughout the Combine struggled to overcome that Rivenhall race, it was heartbreaking to see the birds on their return and weeks after that race. It totally destroyed so many lofts who suffered very big loses and ill birds, that was the worst race we have ever competed in and a race I will remember forever. I have said it before and I’m saying it again, Bob & Barbara have flown a very good young bird for a number of years now in both the Brotton Six Bird Club and Brotton H/S and that was the case again in 2016. For Bob & Barbara enjoyed a fantastic young bird season where they scored in all nine races and pocketing a total of a brilliant seventeen positions. After taking 3rd Club out of Bubwith (1) Bob & Barbara hit the winners’ enclosure at Bubwith (2); and followed that up by winning 1st and 2nd Club, 19th and 35th Fed Worksop (1) when there were 2,131 birds competing. Bob & Barbara had three of their squad in the frame at Worksop (2) to net a useful 3rd, 4th and 5th Club, and this was followed up by winning 1st Club out of Oakham. The duo’s good run continued at Peterborough when two youngsters were timed to lift a nice 3rd and 4th Club. The inform Bob & Barbara chalked up their four win from seven starts at Rivenhall after two more of their team were timed to win a cracking 1st and 5th Club with the pole position winner that was seven minutes in front of the rest of the pack going onto score a very impressive 4th Fed from a convoy of 1,161 birds. Win number two on the bounce was achieved from the Peterborough National, where the birds were brought back from Maidstone due to the very poor weather. Bob & Barbara who have achieved a number of combined averages over the years timed no less than three of their six entries to win a top-notch 1st, 4th and 5th Club, with the out in front chart-topper going onto net a useful 26th Fed out of 1,043 birds and 54th UNC from a convoy of 11,967 birds. With five wins under their belts and not being out of the first three from the eight races so far Bob & Barbara’s youngsters never faulted, for they continued their outstanding and impressive run to record their six win out of Bubwith (3), the final race of the season when two birds were clocked two seconds apart to win a top-notch 1st and 2nd Club, 24th and 25th Fed when there were 797 birds away and end the season on a high.
K & M Brown & Cole were the winners of 4 x 4th, 4 x 2nd, 3 x 3rd, 4 x 4th, 2 x 5th and 1 x 6th Clubs. Kevin, Merv & Sacker got off the mark from day one when they took 3rd Club out of old bird Bubwith, and this was followed up two weeks later by netting 5th Club Oakham (1). A week later with the birds at Peterborough (1) the lads had a couple of their entries in the frame to pocket a nice 2nd and 4th Club, with their blue card potter going onto lift 15th Fed. Kevin and his Father Merv & Sacker zoomed into the winners’ enclosure from Rivenhall (1) when their red card winner that topped the Club charts by an outstanding 14 minutes went onto score a very impressive 4th Fed when there were 1,929 birds competing. The lads were still reeling when they recorded back-to-back wins from the Eastbourne (1) National when their well-fancied pole position winner that was 4 minutes in front of the rest of the field went onto score a brilliant 6th Fed from 490 birds, 2nd £2 and 1st £5 Fed Noms pocketing £66.60 and 16th Up North Combine from a convoy of 7,474 birds which was a fantastic achievement. The lads were in the points for the fifth race running after they timed a couple of their entries out of Oakham (2) to claim 4th and 5th Club. The partnership had two more birds in the frame at Peterborough (2) to lift a useful 3rd and 4th Club. Kevin, Merv & Sacker achieved their third win of the campaign at the longest race point Bourges, when they clocked the only bird in race time in the Club to win a top class 1st Club, 2nd Fed out of 88 birds, 1st £1 and £2 Fed Noms banking £64.00 and 17th Up North Combine from a convoy of 1,306 birds. The lads very game winner was one of only four birds that was recorded in the Fed and one of 65 recorded in the Combine in the three days race time, which was an outstanding performance from a very tough Bourges race. The trio were in the points again from the Eastbourne (2) National when 2nd and 3rd Club was taken and this was followed up by potting 2nd and 4th Club out of Reims. The lads netted three times with the young birds with their first points been taken at Worksop (2) where 2nd Club was chalked up. Kevin, Merv a former Loftus H/S member and Sacker recorded their solo young bird win out of Peterborough where their red card winning baby went onto claim 40th Fed out of an entry of 1,241 birds. The lads followed that up by picking up 6th Club from Rivenhall.
The partnership of Andrew & Gavin Doe, John “Dillon” Swales and the late Sandy Sanderson were the winners of 2 x 1st, 3 x 2nd, 3 x 3rd, 3 x 4th, 7 x 5th and 2 x 6th Clubs, the lads were also the winners of the Channel Average. Andrew, Gavin & Dillon were out of the point at old bird Bubwith but were in the points from the next three races, starting at Newark (1) when they potted 2nd Club and a week later with the birds at Oakham (1) 4th Club was taken and then they claimed 6th Club out of Peterborough (1). After missing out on the score sheet at Rivenhall (1) the lads were back on the points trail from the Eastbourne (1) National where they enjoyed a good clocking day after timing three of their six entries to lift a notable 2nd, 4th and 5th Club, with their blue card potter going onto chalk up a cracking 9th Fed and 36th UNC. Two weeks later when the birds were at Eastbourne/Burbure a couple of birds were timed to pocket 3rd and 5th Club, and this was followed up by taking 5th Club at Rivenhall (2). Andrew, Gavin & Dillon clocked up their first of two old bird wins out of Peterborough (2) and that was followed up with them recording their second straight win from the second French race point, Roye. This proved a very tough race indeed with many lofts struggling for returns, Andrew, Gavin & Dillon ended up timing five of their entries to win a top-notch 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Club. With their pole position winner that was 38 minutes in front of its blue card scoring loftmate and 41 minutes in front of its green card potting loftmate going onto lift 20th Fed when there were 297 birds away. Even thou the lads were 20th Fed and 21 minutes behind the Fed winner, only four Clubs had birds before them and yes it may well have taken a while before they got their fifth arrival but there were still a number of lofts with nothing back at that time. To win the first five positions from a limited six birds is an outstanding performance, just for the record, the 2nd and 3rd Club scorers claimed 50th and 52nd Fed. A single bird was on the clock at Newark (2) to pot 5th Club and two birds were timed from the Eastbourne (2) National to lift 5th and 6th Club, this was followed by notching up 5th Club Reims before picking up 3rd Club Peterborough (3).
The new-formed partnership of Mr & Mrs Golly “Graham” & Linda Peirson & Tubby Purver were the winners of 1 x 1st, 3 x 2nd, 4 x 3rd, 2 x 4th , 2 x 5th and 1 x 6th Clubs. Due to Golly, Linda & Tubby having to move their lofts to a new location prior the start of the new season, the partnership missed the early part of the old bird season. It took a while to arrange the move, lofts up and birds settled but they got there in the end, with them first chalking out of Eastbourne/Burbure when 6th Club was taken. The trio finally got their birds going and enjoyed the latter part of the season where they scored in the final five old bird races. So with broken Pigeons, Golly, Linda & Tubby first netted at the Eastbourne (2) National where 4th Club was taken and this was followed up by netting 3rd Club, 34th Fed Reims. Onto Peterborough (2) where 4th Club was claimed and a week later when the birds were at Oakham (3) 3rd Club, 21st Fed was notched up. It was all smiles at Burbure, the final old bird race of the season after they timed one of their channel entries to win a top-notch 1st Club, with their well out in front pole position winner going onto score an impressive 14th Fed out of 686 birds and 81st Up North Combine from a convoy of 9,331. With Golly, Linda & Tubby’s winner being a yearling chequer hen off Rod Adams 1st Up North Combine Bourges winner and a Grandson of The Machine. Golly, Linda & Tubby scored seven times with the young birds with their first points been achieved at Bubwith (1) when 5th Club was picked up, and then a couple of babies were clocked out of Oakham to chalk up a notable 2nd and 3rd Club. A week later with the birds at Peterborough 5th Club was taken and another single youngster was on the clock from Rivenhall to score 2nd Club. Golly, Linda & Tubby were in the frame for the fourth straight young bird race when they timed two of their team out of the Peterborough National to net a trying 2nd and 3rd Club. Golly & Tubby were both born and raised in Skinningrove, where they went to school and grew up together. As a kid, Golly used to attend his late Father’s Gordon M.B.E. Peirson’s loft along with his younger Brother Sack. As time moved on the two Brother’s went in partnership together and raced together before Golly later moved to Brotton, Golly has being the Club’s highest prize winner a few times over the years. As for Tubby who still lives in Skinningrove, he flew with his later father Len and Brother Ian, who still races in Skinningrove. The former schoolboy pals who have always being very close to each other teamed up together in the hope of bringing back the winning days.
Alice presenting the Burbure Trophy to Golly Peirson.
The right Honourable Vic Garbutt, the late Brian “Rusty” Stone & Brian “Mac” McCormick were the winners of 1 x 1st, 3 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd, 1 x 4th, 1 x 5th and 1 x 6th Clubs. Vic & Mac’s first points of the old bird season were netted at Rivenhall (1) when a very nice 2nd Club was taken, the duo then went on to score a useful 3rd Club out of Oakham (2). A week later when the birds were at Eastbourne/Burbure the duo pocketed a well earned 2nd Club; the two lads were in the frame for the third straight race when they chalked up a notable 2nd Club from Rivenhall (2). Vic & Mac must have thought that their best chance of topping the Club charts were gone but it never panned out that way for the duo hit the heights from the very tough French channel race Reims, when Vic & Mac won a fantastic 1st Club with their pole position winner that was seven minutes in front of the rest of the field going onto score an impressive 13th Fed out of an entry of 259 birds and 86th Up North Combine when there were 3,794 birds away.
Tich & Alice presenting the Reims Trophy to Vic Garbutt.
The boys were in the channel frame again at Burbure when they had a couple of their entries on the clock to pocket 5th and 6th Club. Vic & Mac netted once with the young birds with that coming at Bubwith (1) when 4th Club was notched up. Onetime Skinningrove H/S member Ricky Cush was the scorer of 1 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd, 2 x 4th and 3 x 5th Clubs, Ricky was the winner of the B & K Simpson Most Points Without A Win Trophy. Ricky was in the frame from old bird Newark (1) where 5th Club was notched up and then he took 4th Club at both Eastbourne/Burbure and Newark (2) before netting 5th Club out of Peterborough (3). Ricky picked up three young bird positions with the first being from Worksop (1) when 5th Club was netted, Ricky then claimed 2nd Club at Peterborough and took 3rd Club out of Rivenhall the flowing race. Former Marske & New Marske member
Danny Fawcett was the winner of 1 x 1st, 1 x 4th, 1 x 5th and 1 x 6th Clubs. Danny netted once with the old birds with that being achieved when he notched up 6th Club from the Eastbourne (1) National. The ladwas well pleased with himself when he won 1st Club, 40th Fed from young bird Bubwith (1) from a convoy of 1,872 birds, and the youngster followed that up by timing a couple of birds at Oakham to claim 4th and 5th Club. Merv Pearson & Son were the scorers of 1 x 4th Club with their yellow card being achieved out of young bird Bubwith (2).
Danny Fawcett receiving the Young Bird Bubwith (1) Trophy from Alice. - Alice presenting the B & K Simpson Most Points Without A Win Trophy to Ricky Cush
I have a bit to add to the report I did just before Christmas on Keith Pearson & Son Stephen of Hirst Northern. Keith got help from Ray Callander when he first set up with Pigeons in 1976, for it was Ray who helped arrange the purchase of some Busschaerts from Howard Henson. In fact Keith & Stephen’s blue cock that won 60th Up North Combine Bourges in 1992 and then won 1st Club, 1st Fed, 1st Section and 4th UNC Bourges in 1993 from a convoy of 3,681 birds was a grandson of “Stitches” a winner of 5 x 1st Clubs for Keith & Stephen. With “Stitches” who got his name after arriving home very badly injured and had to be stitched up, is out of the original Howard Henson birds.
With that I will sign off until next time.
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Loftus Saltburn Cleveland TS13 4JN.
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