“The Original” Around The Up North Combine
In Memory Of Steve Bowman Sale Raises £4,600
By Good Corn
The Up North Combine weather committee voted 16 Federations 0 to basket the birds for Oakham (1) on Friday 19th April, the weather had picked up through the week with a fair amount of sunshine but there was still the cold North-East/Easterly wind at times through the day. Saturday 20th April got off to another dry and sunny start with many fanciers hoping for an early liberation but that was not so because of the poor visibility in the Lincolnshire area, which resulted in a update at 9am. Word filtered through that Group 1 were liberated at 9.10 flying into a light variable wind and then Group 2 were up and away at 9.30, with Group 4 hitting the skies at 9.50. Group 5 which includes Teesside Federation and Tees Valley Federation flaps were down at 10.10 with Group 6 which includes the East Cleveland Federation heading for home at 10.30. Ian Stafford & Mark Wilson timed a couple of birds to win 1st and 3rd Club at Skinningrove H/S 13/435 on 1553 and 1547 to go onto win 1st and 4th East Cleveland Federation 73/1,937. Secretary Mike Prokopowicz & son Lee had a couple of birds on the clock to net 2nd Club, 2nd and 19th Fed on 1550 and 1534.4 with the blue card going to a 2018 bred blue hen that is out of a cock that is the son of Mike & Lee's 1st Up North Combine Gold Medal winning “Georgia”, while the dam of the blue card potter was bred by Anthony Thompson of Stockton. Second on the clock for Mike & Lee was a 1y chequer hen who is out of a Anthony Thompson cock when paired to a hen bred by Alan Dungworth. The loft of the late Gordon “Shang” Pierson MBE, sons Sack & Jim and loft helpers Trevor & Bobby McConnell are in the points for the second race running after timing a couple of their yearling squad to lift 4th Club, 6th and 11th Fed on 1542 and 1538.8. With the yellow card potter being a blue Dirk Van Den Bulk roundabout hen and their second timer was a blue Dirk Van Den Bulk roundabout cock both timers of Stuart Watson of South Bank lines.
1, Trevor McConnell, Sack & Jim Pierson of G Pierson & Sons Skinningrove, scorers of 4th Club,6th and 11th East Cleveland Federation Oakham (1).
B & K Simpson clocked a previous scoring 3y dark Louis Cooreman widowhood hen doing 1539.5 to chalk up 8th Federation. White Brothers Malc & Stuart timed a 2y Heremans Ceusters to claim 9th Fed on 1539.5 with the sire of the timer that was bred by R & H Hoirnis for the Loftus Championship Club Breeder/Buyer being the previous winner of 1st and 5th Club, 3rd and 7th Fed in 2017. The dam of the lads timer is of Homer & Williams lines and is the previous winner of 2 x 1st Clubs, 1st and 5th Fed in 2017. Sayers Bros Dave, Kenny & Brian had a couple of yearlings on the clock two seconds apart to notch up 10th and 12th Fed on 1538.9 and 1538.6. Sadly after a very brave battle Kenny passed away a couple of days before the race, Kenny had raced Pigeons all his life and had enjoyed great success winning 2 x 1st Up North Combine and other UNC Medals when flying in partnership with Dave & Brian. Condolences to the family at this very sad time.
Bowden Brothers Mick & Boss and the very reliable loft helper Trevor Mitchell recorded their second win on the belt at Skelton Green after timing no fewer than five of their timers to win a top-notch 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Club. With top spot being won by the 3y Van Loon hen that won 1st Club, 3rd Fed the previous week from Newark Show Ground from a convoy of 1,767 birds. The hen who has previous wins before this season achieved a chart-topping vel this time to go onto score 7th Fed. The green card was awarded to a yearling Belgium bred hen while the yellow was netted by the 2y Van Loon cock who was 2nd Club, 5th Fed out of Newark Show Ground, the cock won the Club Bird Of The Year in 2018. He was followed by a 3y and a yearling hen to round of a cracking loft performance. Alan Wright was in 2nd Spot with the blue card going to a unraced yearling late-bred.
W & S Ward wins 1st Club for the second race running at Brotton H/S 15/368 with Bill a member of the Club for almost 70 years and grandson Shaun's red card winner being a 2018 bred Leo Heremans hen achieving a chart-topping vel of 1537.6 which was enough to pot 13th Fed. Mr & Mrs Golly “Graham” & Linda Pierson & Tubby “Graham” Purver and loft helpers Evo “Ian” Everington & Frankie Rolands had a trio of birds on the clock to chalk up 2nd, 4th and 5th Club with the blue card being awarded to a blue Ian Stafford hen doing 1335 for 16th Fed; the hen won 2 x 1st Clubs in 2018. The yellow was netted by a blue hen bred by Don Gudgeon of South Shields fame and she was followed by a Evo chequer hen. Mick Smithies timed a yearling doing 1529 to lift 3rd Club, 21st Fed.
Onto the Brotton 6 Bird Club where the 2018 highest prize-winning loft of Mr & Mrs Golly “Graham” & Linda Pierson & Tubby “Graham” Purver and loft helpers Evo “Ian” Everington & Frankie Rolands hits winning form after timing two of their six entries to win 1st and 3rd Club. With pole position being won by Evo's yearling dark chequer Lambrecht hen while the green card was chalked up by a 2y blue pied hen of John Soderlund & John Maddison lines. Its welcome into the frame to Danny Fawcett, Dtr & Tinkler who timed a 1y slate flipey cock of Clubmates Kevin & Merv Brown & Sacker Cole lines to chalk up 2nd Club. W & S Ward keep up their good form by taking 4th and 5th Club with both Bill & Shaun's potters being 3y Leo Heremans of Homer & Williams lines. Ricky Cush clocked a yearling Heremans Ceusters cock of Woodroffe Bros of Sunderland fame lines to pocket 6th Club.
Lifelong member of the spot Jimmy Reed records a hat-trick of wins at Marske & New Marske after filling no less than three chambers to win a notable 1st, 2nd and 4th Club. Leading the way was a yearling blue chequer Vandenabeele x Brown & Hunt roundabout hen who won 1st Club young bird Chelmsford. The blue card was chalked up by a 1y blue roundabout hen bred through Jimmy's David Reid stock, the hen is scoring for the second race running after winning 1st Club Newark Show Ground. The yellow card was awarded to a hen who is the nestmate to Jimmy's blue card scorer. Tony Hunt who like Jimmy is a lifelong member of the sport, stopped the dry-rub to net 3rd Club with Tony's green card potting yearling blue Dirk Seppers/Van Gompel widower following up her previous weeks 2nd Club. Solo flyer Jimmy and Tony who flew in partnership with the late but never forgotten Jack Brown flying as Brown & Hunt have flown in the Marske & New Marske Club for Donkey's years with both partnerships enjoying much success in that time winning numerous races and Club averages between them.
Moving onto the Teesside Federation starting at Billingham T U H/S where the loft of Ali “Mac” McLeod records his second win on the belt after timing five of his entries to win 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Club out of 140 birds, 1st, 7th, 10th, 19th and 20th Fed from an entry of 572 birds with vels of 1552, 1534, 1525, 1514 and 1508. With the pole position Federation winner being a yearling chequer cock who is the son of a cock bred down from Mac's number one Vandenabeele cock the father of the loft, while the dam of the Federation winning cock is a granddaughter of “Ruby” & “Harry” of Vandenabeele & Jan Hooymans. The blue card was awarded to a 2018 bred blue Koen Minderhoud Vandenabeele hen who is scoring for the third consecutive race after taking 12th Fed Bubwith when beaten by seven loftmates and 2nd Club, 3rd Fed Newark Show Ground when beaten by a loftmate that won 1st Club, 2nd Fed. The green card was chalked up by a 1y blue cock who is the nestmate to Ali's Federation winner and the yellow was netted by a yearling blue hen out of a 6th UNC winner, the hen was in the clock out of Bubwith on the open day of the season when she took 5th Club, 6th Fed when beaten by three loftmates that scored 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club, 3rd, 4th and 5th Fed.
Mr & Mrs Stephen & Jeanann Wheatley rack up their second straight win at Middlesbrough H/S after timing a couple of their team to win 1st and 3rd Club from an entry of 284 birds, with top spot being won by a previous winning 4y blue hen achieving a vel of 1549 to go onto score 2nd Fed to add to Stephen & Jeanann's 1st Club, 1st Fed Newark Show Ground. I know the winning blue hen had at least a 1st and 2nd Club in 2017 and scored in 2018 from both inland and over the channel, she has also chalked a number of other times the past few years. This is a ring number I remember well and still winning at 4y. The green card was awarded to a 2y blue pied hen doing 1539 to net 4th Fed and round off a good day for Stephen & Jeanann. The loft of Keith Hodge & Dennis Potter timed a yearling blue w/f hen to pot 2nd Club, 3rd Fed on 1543, the lads also timed a 1y blue hen and a chequer cock doing 1533 and 1532 to pocket 8th and 9th Fed. The late Wyn Cole, Stephen Wheatley & grandson Connor are in 4th spot with Ste & Connor's yellow card scoring yearling chequer hen knocking out a vel of 1535 for 6th Fed. The lads also clocked a 1y blue cock making 1517 to notch up 16th Fed. The late Les Wellburn & sons Les & Derek timed a trio of birds in the space of 13 seconds to lift 11th, 12th and 13th Fed on 1522, 1520.9 and 1520.7.
It was all smiles at Haverton Hill H/S when Jappa Appleton & Paul Longstaff hit winning form after timing a couple of birds to win 1st and 2nd Club from 148 birds, 5th and 14th Fed on 1537 and 1520.2. With the red card being won by a 3y chequer hen bred through Mark Walton of Guisborough stock and winning the 10p pool pocketing £20.95. The blue card was chalked up by a yearling blue Vandenabeele hen bred off Ali McLeod stock. The partnership of Paul Gatley, Bob Harrod & son Dale are in the frame for the third race running after timing a 3y blue cock on 1518 to chalk up 3rd Club, 15th Federation. The green card scoring cock is not a daft Pigeon for he won 1st Club, 1st Fed, 3rd Section 5 Rivenhall in 2017 when there was 3,783 birds competing, and then won 1st Club, 1st Fed, 4th Up North Combine Burbure (2) from a convoy of 10,689 birds. The loft of Stuart Lewis, Amber & Coby McCabe timed two quick-fire birds two seconds apart to lift 4th and 5th Club, 17th and 18th Fed on 1517.4 and 1517.1, with the yellow going to a fancied 3y blue Darren Frost & Grandson Hardy Kruger hen who wins the Fed Nom and she was followed by a yearling chequer hen.
Onto the Stockton West End where F Birch timed a 3y blue cock recording a vel of 1553 to win 1st Club, 2nd Tees Valley Federation out of an entry of 957 birds. The loft of Mr & Mrs Cuthbert timed a couple of yearling blue hens on 1552 and 1532 to chalk up 2nd and 4th Club, 3rd and 17th Fed. While the partnership of Bousfield & Sons took 3rd Club with their green card potting 2018 bred blue hen racking up a vel of 1542 to go onto score 10th Federation.
The race turned out to be the warmest day of the three races so for with many birds returning very dehydrated, there was reports of a number of birds dropping in at other fanciers lofts when their birds arrived and some of them fanciers had seen birds dropping in for water in various places. We did hear a few blasts of the cannons from the lads on duty at the Skinningrove British Steel Works, some of the workers are on patrol each race letting the cannons off once they see the race birds flying towards the oil site which stops the birds diving down for a drink and saves them from landing in the oil. I have to say the lads are going a fantastic job in keeping the birds out of the oil since they started their weekly patrol.
Jeff Leighton asked me to thank everyone through my column involved in the Charity Auction held in Wrekenton, Gateshead on 30th March, in memory of Steve Bowman. The sale raised £4,600 which will be split between Nou Camp Football, Highfell Boxing Club and Wrekenton Scout Group, all three local charities were close to the very popular and never forgotten Steve's heart. Without the donors, buyers and helpers this fantastic amount raised would not have being possible, everyone involved would have known how much this would have meant to Steve, who himself helped raise thousands and thousands of pounds over the years from auctioning birds for very worthy causes.
2, Blue pied Busschaert bred by B & K Simpson for the in memory of Steve Bowman sale,
purchased by Mr & Mrs Marshall of Fawdon, Newcastle.
With that I will call time for another week. Any news to Good Corn 6 Boulby Drive Loftus Saltburn Cleveland TS13 4JN. Tel: 01287 643624 or Email
