Around The Up North Combine
Fed Winning Performance For Craig Wedgewood
By Good Corn
In my last report I made a mistake when I said one of the lads in a photo was Squeaker Homer’s Brother, it’s the last time I ask Doug Dobson to identify someone I’m unsure of. I did know the lad in question when I was later told it was former fancier Chris Catchpole, a onetime partner of the late Jack Ayers, sorry for the mix up. Going back to the report I was missing some St Mary’s results but I have obtained them now and it was not from Doug. The loft of Squeaker “Keith” & Kenny Homer & Davy & Paul Williams who fly in both the Grangetown H/S and the St Mary’s won a massive 39 x 1st Clubs and 7 x 1st North Yorks Federations in 2015. The results I never had on hand was the St Mary’s Lillers race where Mr & Mrs Stairman won 1st Club and Homer & Williams netted 2nd and 3rd Club. Squeaker, Kenny, Davy & Paul won 1st, 2nd and 3rd Club out of young bird Peterborough and followed that up a week later by winning 1st and 3rd Club Rivenhall when Doug Dobson & Jackie Savage split them.
The Up North Combine was scheduled to basket their birds for Selby (Bubwith) for the first race of the 2016 racing season on Friday 8th April. But after the weather committee had looked at the unsettled weather forecast for Saturday on the Thursday, where they were giving low cloud affecting the race point and the line of flight till mid-afternoon on the Saturday which was also showing rain and poor visibility, the 7 man weather committee voted 6 1 to put back basketing for 24 hours. The committee reviewed Sundays weather on the Friday which was showing plenty of sunshine, so they voted unanimously to basket Saturday for a race Sunday, with some Clubs basketing times brought forward one or two hours. The first transporter arrived at the Selby race site at 10.35pm on Saturday evening with the final wagon pulling in at 11.30pm. Sunday 10th April brought a good day with blue skies and sunshine, Chief Convoyer Steve Profitt checked the line of flight with York, Pickering, Thirsk, Teesside and the home end all giving good weather conditions. With that Steve liberated Section 1 at 8.30am followed by Section 2 at 8.50am, Section 3 hits the skies at 9.10am and Section 4 was up and away at 9.30am. Section 5 strings were cut at 9.50am and Section 6 flaps were down at 10.10am flying into a light East backing South-East wind, with all groups clearing well.
The East Cleveland Federations 79 members entry of 1,983 birds was liberated at 10.10am, with the members looking at 11am for the first arrivals and that’s how it worked out. Starting at Marske & New Marske where Craig Wedgewood filled a couple of cells to win 1st and 3rd Club with the red card winner being Craig’s very consistent 5y red widowhood cock from John Whittaker of Bramley Lofts. The multiple winning cock recorded a chart-topping vel of 1806 which was enough to win 1st Fed; this is the very reliable cocks second Federation win as he topped the Fed charts from Peterborough in 2013. The green card was chalked up by a blue flipey widowhood cock who like the winner is of John Whittaker lines. The late Jack “The Lad” Brown & Tony Hunt are in 2nd spot after clocking a yearling mealy roundabout cock of Tony’s own well established strain built on mixed Belgian bloodlines. Jimmy Reid timed two of his entries to lift 4th and 5th Club with the yellow card being potted by a 2y blue roundabout cock bred down from Jackie Traynor bloodlines. And he was followed by a 2012 bred blue roundabout cock of Brown & Hunt bloodlines. Thanks to Martin Hogarth for the info.
Marske & New Marske’s Craig Wedgewood, holding his 5y red John Whittaker cock winner of 1st Club, 1st East Cleveland Fed Selby 1,983 birds.
Moving onto Skinningrove H/S where the loft of B & K Simpson won 1st Club from a 10 members entry of 371 birds, with Brian & Keith’s red card winner being a yearling chequer pied Busschaert natural hen recording a top vel of 1785 to go onto score an impressive 2nd Fed. The chart-topping hen who is the G/Dtr to the duo’s 1st UNC Gold Medal winning “0 Carole” missed a lot of exercising, training and racing as a young bird due to injuring her wing after flying into overhead electric cables, she was nursed through her injury and later put on the road where she won 1st Club, 1st Fed Selby (3) when there were 841 birds. The Granddad & Granddaughter partnership of Tich Richard & Alice Marsay timed a couple of their entries in the space of 5 seconds to chalk up a notable 2nd and 3rd Club, 4th and 5th Fed on 1781 and 1778; with the blue card being awarded to a 2y Koopmans (Mark Walton lines) x Heremans Ceuster who is the Brother to “Stevie’s Girl” responsible for 8 x 1st Clubs and 2 x 1st Combines. The green card was netted by a yearling Heremans Ceuster cross, through the “Olympiade 003” lines. Tich & Alice have obtained so very good Pigeons from their very good friends Steve & Sheila Trattles of Loftus, with Steve obtaining the very best lines available. Mike Prokopowicz & Son Lee got off the mark after timing a 2y blue cock bred by Wayne Doonan of Cockrow Lofts to lift 4th Club, 12th Fed, with the yellow card potter being the previous scorer of 3 minor turns in Club and Fed. Mr & Mrs Ian & Liz Purver enjoyed a good clocking day after timing three of their team in the space of 6 seconds to pocket a very nice 16th, 17th and 18th Fed on 1754, 1753 and 1750. First on the clock was a 3y blue Marina Van Der Velde hen of “Toursman”, Samson” and “Figo” lines, and she was followed by a yearling blue Gaby Vandenabeele cock who’s Sire is off a double G/Son of “Shadow” and the Dam if off “Gaby 07” lines. Ian & Liz’s third timer was a 2y blue chequer Gaby Vandenabeele hen with her Sire being “Jason” their no1 cock off M & D Evans “Jas” x “Jade “Leanne”. While the Dam is “Kerensa” winner of 3 x 1st Clubs, 1 x 1st Fed, 1st North Of England Championship Club, Bird Of The Year in both Club and Fed in 2008 and joint Club Bird Of The Year in 2009. She is a direct daughter of “Gaby 07” a once in a lift time bird, the blue chequer hen is the previous scorer of a 9th, 10th, 40th and 41st Fed. It’s good to see Ian up and about after his recent illness around Christmas time; I wish Liz better health as she too has been through very poor health of late. Thanks to the members for their details.
B & K Simpson of Skinningrove yearling chequer pied Busschaert hen, winner of 1st Club, 2nd Fed Selby.
Ian “Evo” Everington the Feds 2015 channel average winner; came out on top at Skelton Green, with the pole position winner being a 2015 bred blue Rietvink hen achieving a top vel of 1772.7 which was enough to score a very nice 6th Fed. The Sire of Evo’s winner is a previous 1st UNC Gold Medal winner, while the Dam of the red card winning blue hen is a G/Dam of a 1st UNC Gold Medal winner. The loft of Alan & David Wright enjoyed a great clocking day after zapping three of their entries to lift a notable 2nd, 3rd and 6th Club, with the blue card being awarded to a 1y blue Herman x Busschaert hen doing 1772.5 to pocket a useful 7th Fed. 9 seconds behind the blue card scorer in the green card position was a 2014 bred blue flipey Busschaert cock achieving 1767 to lift 9th Fed. Third on the clock for Alan & David was a 2y blue flipey Busschaert on 1747 for 18th Fed to round off a notable team performance. Bowden Bros Mick & Boss and loft helper Trevor Mitchell the Clubs 2015 top prize winners timed a couple of yearling chequer Jan Hooymans nestmate cock of “Harry” lines to take 4th and 5th Club, 10th and 14th Fed on 1765 and 1755. The loft of Bill Chapman, Sons Steve & Colin and the late Tommy Swinburne timed a yearling doing 1747 to notch up 19th Fed. Thanks to Jackie Wynn for providing the info.
Ian “Evo” Everington of Skelton Green, holding his 1y blue Rietvink hen winner of 1st Club, 6th Fed Selby.
Next stop is Staithes where it turned out to be a two-horse between Andy Crooks & Dean Ward, with Andy coming out on top after timing three of his entries to win 1st, 5th and 6th Club. Leading the way was a yearling cock with the Sire being out of a pair of Lambrechts from Steve Foster, while the dam of the red card winner is a Belgian import. Second on the clock was a Van Looy brought from Belgium and next came another Belgium import. Dean “Deano” Ward also had three birds on the clock to chalk up a very nice 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club with the blue card being awarded to a 2015 bred chequer flipey hen brought from Belgium. 1 second behind the blue card scorer in the green card position came a yearling pencil blue Busschaert cock gift bird bred by B & K Simpson. The yellow card was netted by a blue yearling Lambrechts cock bred from stock purchased from Alan Dungworth & Jimmy Green. Thanks to Deano Ward for the info.
Moving onto the Brotton Six Bird Club where the partnership of W & S Ward got off to a winning start, with Bill and his Grandson Shaun’s red card winner being a 3y blue pied Staf Van Reet hen. The winning hen scored 2nd Club Lillers and 2nd Club Burbure when beaten by a loftmate last season, the chart-topping hen also won 1st, Club, 10th Fed Oakham (2) from a convoy of 1,335 birds in 2015 when flying in Brotton H/S. Frank & Brenda Reilly & Son Wayne, the Clubs top prize winners in 2015 are in 2nd spot after timing a 3y blue Soontjen hen. The blue card potter netted twice in 2015 after scoring 2nd Club, 24th Fed Eastbourne (1) National when beaten by a loftmate that won an outstanding 1st Club, 5th Fed, 5th Section and 61st Up North Combine when there were 18,418 birds. The hens second chalk of 2015 was achieved out of Lillers after winning a top-notch 1st Club, 9th Fed, and 18th Up North Combine from a convoy of 14,062 birds. The loft of Kevin & Merv Brown & Sacker (Bill) Cole are in the green card position after timing a 2y blue Heremans Ceuster cock. While Mr & Mrs Bob & Barbara Moore who had won this race the previous two years are in 4th place, with the yellow card potting 5y blue Busschaert x Van Loon cock being the previous scorer of several positions. Thanks to Barbara Moore for the details.
The Teesside Federations entry of 702 birds was up and away at 09:50hrs with the Billingham T U Club doing the damage by winning the first 3 Fed positions. Leading the way was the loft of Tommy Clark & Son Gary who timed no fewer than seven of their entries to win an outstanding 1st, 2nd and 4th Club, 1st, 2nd, 9th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th Fed. With pole position being won by a yearling cock recording a top vel of 1765 which was enough to score a very impressive 2nd Section 5 from a convoy of 4,570 birds. The blue card scorer that was timed 11 seconds behind the winner was a 1y hen achieving a vel of 1759 to go onto chalk up an impressive 4th Section. Tommy & Gary who were r/u Fed young bird average last season will be over the moon with their winning start to the new season, more so with them having seven birds in the first 20 in the Fed. Ali McLeod the Club and Federations 2015 top prize-winner timed a trio of birds to pocket 3rd, 5th and 6th Club, 3rd, 10th and 11th Fed with vels of 1758, 1676 and 1675. The blue card was awarded to a well-fancied and no stranger on the clock 2y blue pied cock, pooled £5 down in the Club winning £54 and winning the £5 Fed Nom before going onto score a very nice 7th Section 5. The cock won the Teesside Fed Bird Of The Year in 2015 after a number of top performances, which included winning a top-notch 1st Club, 1st Fed and 1st Section Rivenhall (2) from a convoy of 3,596 birds. The blue pied cocks Sire was no lollypop when it came to racing for he was the winner of a top class 2nd Up North Combine Eastbourne National and 8th UNC Ypres, and now breeding the goods. Second on the clock was a 2y blue cock who is the G/Son of Mac’s no1 stock cock “The Fowler Cock”, while the blue cocks Dam bred Ali one of his best race cocks “06” in 2013. Ali’s third timer was a 2014 bred blue cock who is out of Mac’s top Koen Minderhoud stock cocks “King James” when paired to a hen from Clive Lister.
News from Middlesbrough H/S where the loft of D Hutchinson & Son came out on top from an eight member’s entry of 214 birds, with Don & David’s chart-topping 2y recording a vel of 1695 which was enough to chalk up a notable and well-earned 5th Fed. The late Les Wellburn & Sons Les & Derek the Clubs top loft in 2015 timed a couple of yearlings to pocket 2nd and 5th Club. 8th and 20th Fed on 1686 and 1658; the lads timed a later bird to take 3rd 3 Bird Club Nom. Mr & Mrs Steve Wheatley the Clubs 2015 young bird average winners were in 3rd spot after timing a yearling doing 1659 for 18th Fed, a later bird was timed to pocket 2nd 3 Bird Club Nom. The partnership of Crook & Garbutt netted a very nice 4th Club; while J Burton & Son won 1st 3 Bird Club Nom. Alan Morley and loft manager Albi of Hetton Premier got off to a dream start after winning 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Club from a 15 members entry of 450 birds, 1st and 5th Hetton Fed when there were 1,172 birds competing. With the red card winning 2y blue cock named “Albi” going onto to win a top class 1st Section 5 from a convoy of 4,570 birds. The Sire of Alan’s Section 5 winner is a Premier Stud of Olympiade 003 lines, while the Dam is bred through Figo Hen 07, Antoon & Hilde Reynarts Figo on both sides. Alan’s winner is certainly no stranger in either the clock or the winners’ enclosure for he won 1st Fed as a young bird, 1st Fed as a yearling and now 1st Fed and 1st Section as a 2y. I believe the very nice cock has one or two other wins plus a number of minor positions to his credit, with that being the case; I’m sure the top class cock who was flown on the roundabout system when topping the section but will be paired prior the Eastbourne National, has still plenty of winning performances on offer.
That’s my first race report for the 2016 racing season, thanks to the lads and lasses who have taken time out to give or gather the details on the birds.
With that I will sign out until next time.
Any News to Good Corn 6 Boulby Drive, Loftus Saltburn, Cleveland TS13 4JN.
Tel; 01287 643624 or Email;
