AROUND THE UP NORTH COMBINE
by Keith Simpson
Selby, Newark & Huntingdon 2014
Due to the very poor weather which gave many fanciers very little chance of any training leading up to the first Up North Combine race of the 2014 racing season on Saturday 5th April, the Combine decided to put racing back a week. The weather did pick up giving the members a chance of some training, but due to the poor weather forecast on the Saturday the UNC put back basketing from Selby (Bubwith) until the Saturday for a Sunday 13th April liberation. This proved a very good decision, the East Cleveland Federation 91 members entry of 2,204 birds were up and away at 7.10am flying into a Westerly wind.
News from Skelton Green where 12 members sent 437 birds, leading the way was the partnership of Jaki Bowden & Terry Treloar who won top spot with a yearling blue roundabout cock. The red card winning cock that is bred out of a chequer cock bred by Knocker Brown of Boosbeck when paired to a Gabby Vandenabeele gift hen bred by Gwynn “Taffy” Williams of Goole, recorded a chart-topping vel of 1466 to go onto score 21st Fed. The loft of Roche, Terry “Benno” & Daniel Bennison & Crame were in 2nd position after timing a 2013 bred Bowden Bros x Chapman, Sons & Swinburne chequer cock knocking out a vel of 1460 to lift 28th Fed. Peter Winspear & Sons headed by Derek clocked a 1y blue Herman (Bill Heslop lines) roundabout cock that is a grandson of Bob McGillicuddy’s 1st UNC Gold Medal winner, the green card scoring cock who chalked up a 2nd Club as a young bird nets 29th Fed on 1458. Bill Chapman, Sons Steve & Colin & Swinburne potted the yellow with a yearling Frans Van Wildemeersch hen doing 1452 to notch up 37th Fed; while Alan & David Wright timed a 3y Busschaert roundabout cock to pocket 5th place. Ian “Evo” Everington took 6th Club with a 3y blue Meldart x Van Loon cock who scored previous Club position last season.
Moving onto Marske & New Marske where we see the loft of Geoff Bavin & Son take the first blood after timing a couple of birds to win 1st and 3rd Club, with pole position being won by a 2y chequer roundabout hen of Jackie Traynor x John Whittaker, Bramley Lofts bloodlines. In cell two came a 2013 bred chequer roundabout hen of Jackie Traynor bloodlines via Clubmate John Clayton. Craig Wedgewood became the second member to time two birds to chalk up 2nd and 4th Club with the blue card being awarded to a 3y dark widowhood cock bred by Chapman, Sons & Swinburne. The yellow was potted by a 5y chequer Van Loon widowhood cock bred by Mick & Boss Bowden. Martin Hogarth is in 5th spot with a yearling dark Roland Janssen roundabout cock bred out of Louella stock.
The birds were at Newark on Saturday 19th April where we were hoping for an early liberation but that went out of the window, for the East Cleveland Federations 97 members entry of 2,596 birds strings were not cut until 1pm flying into a East-South-East wind. The Skelton Green members enjoyed a cracking race in the Fed with pride and place going to the loft of Jaki Bowden & Terry Treloar who recorded their second win off the belt from a thirteen member’s entry of 432 birds. With Pole position being won by a yearling chequer cock who recorded a chart-topping vel of 1604 which was enough to win a most impressive 1st Fed. The winning roundabout cocks sire was a gift bird from Jaki’s uncle Mick through Porter & Stevens double 1st Up North Combine Gold Medal winning “Village Lad, while the dam of Jaki & Terry’s winner was a gift bird off Knocker Brown’s “Blue 52”. Jaki & Terry have enjoyed a cracking start to the 2014 racing season with them being unbeaten in two races and being rewarded with a Fed topper. Bill Chapman, Sons Colin & Steve and the late Tommy Swinburne are in 2nd spot with the lads blue card scoring 2y achieving a vel of 1603 to go onto chalk up an impressive 2nd Fed. The loft of Roche, Terry & Daniel Bennison & Crame are in the frame for the second consecutive race after timing a 2y dark chequer Chapman, Sons & Swinburne lines x Janssen hen doing 1567 to lift a well-earned and notable 3rd Club, 4th Fed. Benno & Daniel timed a second bird, a yearling making 1543 to pocket 22nd Fed. Peter Winspear & Sons were in 4th position after timing a 2013 bred blue roundabout hen bred by Stuart & Joy Arkless of Brotton, with the yellow card potting hen knocking up a vel of 1559 to net a notable 7th Fed. Alan & David Wright clocked a chequer pied Herman x Busschaert hen making 1559 to take 9th Fed, while Tony “Banno” Bannister & Col Robinson had three of their entries on the clock to lift a notable 13th, 21st and 23rd Fed on 1554, 1545 and 1543, with the duo’s first timer being a 1y blue Staf Van Reet x Chapman, Sons & Swinburne blue widowhood cock. Bowden Bros took 24th Fed with a yearling doing 1542 and Eion Richardson notched up notched up 34th Fed with a yearling on 1537 to round off a great days racing in the Fed for the Skelton Green members.
Jimmy Reed comes out on top at Marske & New Marske with the red card being won by a yearling blue Jackie Traynor roundabout cock achieving a top vel of 1556 which was enough to chalk up a notable 10th Fed. The winning cock is chalking for the third time after scoring a 3rd and a 4th Club as a young bird. The previous weeks winning loft of Geoff Bavin & Son are in 2nd spot with the blue card being awarded to a 2y blue Jackie Traynor & John Whittaker roundabout hen doing 1550 for 17th Fed; Geoff’s timer is full sister to his Selby winner. Craig Wedgewood filled a couple of cells to lift 3rd and 4th Club with the green card being potted by a 2y John Whittaker of Bramley Lofts blue widower making 1542 to pot 25th Fed. The yellow card was netted by a 3y chequer widower of John Whittaker breeding. While Martin Hogarth clocked a 2y blue roundabout hen of Clubmate Tony Hunt and the late Jack “The Lad” Brown bloodlines to take 5th Club.
The following weekend was total washout with the UNC cancelling the Huntingdon race all together, so it was decided to go to Huntingdon on Saturday 3rd May where the weather was perfect for a good race, the East Cleveland Federation 99 members convoy of 2,483 birds hit the skies at 7.35am flying into a light Easterly wind. Bowden Bros Mick & Boss had their birds in winning form after timing no fewer than four birds to win a very impressive 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Club at Skelton Green from a thirteen member’s entry of 368 birds. Leading the way for Mick & Boss was a 2y dark Busschaert hen recording a chart-topping winning vel of 1509 to chalk up a top notch 3rd Fed; the blue card was netted by a yearling blue Busschaert hen making 1486 to pocket 35th Fed; 2 seconds behind the blue card scorer in the green card position came a 2y blue Soontjen x Van Reet widowhood cock on1486 to net 36th Fed. Fourth on the clock for the happy duo was a 2013 bred blue Van Loon hen to round off a outstanding loft performance. Alan & David Wright potted the yellow and Chapman, Sons & Swinburne notch up 6th place.
Jimmy Reed records his second win from three races at Marske & New Marske after filling no less than three chambers to win 1st, 2nd and 5th Club, with the red card being won by a 2y blue pied Brown & Hunt bloodlines roundabout hen. The blue card was awarded to a yearling blue flipey roundabout hen of Brown & Hunt bloodlines, the hen is a previous winner as a young bird. In Cell three came a carding for the first time chequer pied yearling roundabout hen bred by the top loft of Homer & Williams of Grangetown fame. Martin Hogarth is in 3rd position with Martin’s green card scorer being a yearling chequer roundabout hen bred out of Brown & Hunt stock. Geoff Bavin & Son are in 4th with a 2y chequer roundabout hen of Jackie Traynor & John Whittaker stock, which produced Geoff’s Selby winner and his Newark blue card scorer.
Thanks to Jaki Bowden for gathering the Skelton Green’s information, thanks also go out to Martin Hogarth for the Marske & New Marske details. I will be calling for a few photos of the members throughout the season, with that I will close until next time.
---
