Around The Up North Combine by Good Corn

“The Original” Around The Up North Combine

1^st and 2^nd Teesside Federation for Stewart Lewis, Amber & Coby McCabe

By Good Corn

Stewart “Lewie” Lewis, Amber & Coby McCabe of Haverton Hill winners of 1^st and 2^nd Club, 1^st and 2^nd Teesside Federation Bubwith.

   The Up North Combine 2020 old bird season finally got the go ahead to start racing on Saturday 6^th June but it did not go to plan as we suffered 2 days of weekend rain, forcing the basketing for Bubwith to be put back until Sunday for a Monday liberation, with basketing taking place 2 hours earlier than normal basketing times. Monday was always going to be the day we would get a race, we have had great racing weather for weeks but once racing starts the weather changes for the worst. The East Cleveland Federations (Group 3) 56 members convoy of 1,818 birds were liberated at 8.40hrs flying into a light North wind. I'm not having a go at anyone but I can only report on what I receive. 

   Starting at Skinningrove H/S where B & K Simpson the Club old bird Inland Average and Combined Average winners in 2019 timed four of their entries to win 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Club from a     nine members entry of 431 birds, 2^nd, 6^th, 7^th and 12^th Federation with vels of 1344, 1321.6, 1321.3, 1318.1. With top spot being won by a yearling chequer Dirk Van Den Bulck x Louis Cooremans natural hen sent sitting and out of Brian's loft, the sire was bred for stock by Gary Hopkinson while the dam was purchased at a Louis Cooremans entire clearance sale at the Blackpool Show weekend in 2019 with the hen being through the lines of “Lennert”, “Franco”, “Dana”. The blue card was awarded to a 3y chequer Dirk Van Den Bulck widowhood cock bred by Bob Fenech of Norfolk fame. With the cock being the previous winner of 1^st Club, 4^th Federation young bird Bubwith, 2^nd Club, 2^nd Federation Oakham, 10^th Federation Huntingdon and 4^th Club, 9^th Federation Chelmsford as a yearling. Brothers Brian & Keith who were the winners of the old bird Federation Inland Average and r/u Federation Combined Average in 2019 also won 1^st Federation old bird Bubwith out of 1,218 birds and 1^st Federation young bird Oakham (1) when there was 1,304 birds competing in 2019, green card scorer was a yearling chequer natural hen who is the same way bred as the winner and fourth on the clock was a 2019 bred Dirk Van Den Bulck widowhood cock bred out of Bob Fenech stock. Brian & Keith also won the Club £5 Nomination with “Red Live Wire” a 1y red Dirk Van Den Bulck widowhood cock bred by Clubmates Sack & Jim Peirson for the Silksworth Comrades H/S Breeder/Buyer which was held at the Maidstone National where the cock chalked up 3^rd position banking £500 for both lofts. The cock flew consistent winning 1^st Club, 1^st Federation young bird Oakham (1) out of 1,304 birds.  

   Mike Prokopowicz & son Lee the winners of 1^st Club, 1^st Federation old bird Huntingdon out of 1,220 birds and 1^st Club, 1^st Federation young bird Newark from an entry of 2,144 birds in 2019  timed a trio of birds to chalk up 5^th Club, 11^th, 13^th and 15^th Federation on 1318.3, 1318.0, 1317.1 with first on the clock being a yearling chequer flipey hen bred from a Verbreck cock bred by Anthony Thompson of Stockton paired to a hen bred by Alan Dungworth. The nestmate topped the Federation for Mick & Lee as a young bird, full Sister also won 1^st Club, 2^nd £2 Federation Nomination pocketing £29.40 and 27^th Up North Combine Burbure in 2019 from a convoy of 8,025 birds. One second after the first timer came a 1y gay pied hen bred through Wade Brothers lines and then another one second later came a 2019 bred blue hen who scored as a young bird with her bred from a Son of Mike & Lee's 1^st Up North Combine young bird Maidstone National Gold Medal winning “Georgia” and a Heremans Ceuster hen bred by Anthony Thompson. Just going back to Mike & Lee's 2019 Burbure race they timed another two birds that day to chalk up 2^nd and 4^th Club, 3^rd and 6^th Federation, 32^nd and 55^th Up North Combine which was a fantastic loft performance.

The loft of the late Gordon (Shang) Peirson MBE & sons Sack & Jim and loft helpers Trevor & Bobby McConnell the winners of the Club young bird Average in 2019 clocked a yearling chequer Heremans Ceusters x Dirk Van Den Bulck hen bred out of Anthony Thompson x Stuart Watson lines to lift 16^th Federation on 1317.6. The lad's have a weekly garden nomination wager amongst themselves with Bobby pocketing the money this week, the moths will probably get to the bank notes before Bobby gets around to spending them. Sack, Jim, Trevor & Bobby really had their 2019 young birds in cracking form with the youngsters achieving a number of top performances including 2^nd Club, 2^nd Federation Newark, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th Club, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th Federation Oakham (2) out of 1,020 birds. The lad's babies were on song again a week later at the very testing Chelmsford when 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd Club, 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th Federation was won then there was 871 birds away. Another three birds were in the frame at the Maidstone National to lift 7^th, 8^th, 14^th Federation, 68^th, 69^th, 131^st Up North Combine from a convoy of 9,020 birds, they also won the Loftus Championship Club Breeder/Buyer with their own youngster banking £5,000 prize money. And then followed that up by winning 1^st Club, 3^rd Federation Bubwith (3) from 816 birds.

   News from Craig Clapton of Boosbeck H/S where Ian “Knocker” Brown timed a trio of birds to win 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Club from an entry of 179 birds with the red card being won by a Peter Van Osch x Willem De Bruijn cock, while the blue card was awarded to a Dirk Van Den Bulck hen bred by the Brother & Sister partnership of Steve & Sheila Trattles of Loftus H/S. Knockers green card potter was a Vandenabeele hen again bred by Steve & Sheila Tatters. Knocker has enjoyed great success over the years with his most memorable achievement being in 2012 when he won a earth-shattering 1^st and 3^rd Up North Combine Maidstone Yearling National winning a Gold and Bronze Medal from a convoy of 7,125 birds, with the Gold Medal winning “Jenny” being a blue hen. It was a much deserved win because Knocker had come close a few times of winning top honours after winning 2^nd Up North Combine old bird Folkestone (2) National out of 13,980 birds, 3^rd Up North Combine Lillers (2) when there was 18,615 birds competing and 2^nd Up North Combine young bird Maidstone National from a convoy of 14,047 birds, all in 1997.     Willem de Bruijn

   Moving onto the Teesside Federation who are now in the same group liberation as the East Cleveland Federation, the members had an entry of 627 birds. Starting at Haverton Hill where the loft of Stewart “Lewie” Lewis, Amber & Coby McCabe got off to a flying start after timing a couple of their entries to win a brilliant 1^st and 2^nd Club out of 119 birds, 1^st and 2^nd Federation with top vels of 1337.9 and 1337.3. The well-fancied winner who is bred out of a Appleton & Longstaff cock when paired to a Dave Hicks of Norfolk hen was in the money winning 1^st Club £1 pools and the Club Nomination pocketing £33.73 and also winning the Federation Nomination which is a great start to the season. The pole position Federation winner is certainly no stranger in the clock after scoring 2^nd Club, 11^th Federation young bird Oakham (2) out of 370 birds and followed that up a week later by netting 2^nd Club, 17^th Federation from 354 birds. The blue cock was in the frame for the third race running at the Maidstone National to win 1^st Club, 1^st £1 Club pools, 1^st Club Nomination, 9^th Federation when there was 138 birds away and 1^st Federation Nomination. The inform young cock was proving his worth for he was on the clock for the fourth consecutive race to win 1^st Club, 1^st £1 Club pools and 10^th Federation Wakefield (1) when there was 271 birds competing. The blue card scorer that was timed 2 seconds after the winner was a 1y blue cock who is half brother to the winner with the Mother being out of Appleton & Longstaff's Ali McLeod stock. This is the second year running Lewie, Amber & Coby have topped the charts on the opening day of the new season after winning 1^st Club and 1^st Federation in 2019 when there were 516 birds competing. Lewie, Amber & Coby won top honours for the second time in 2019 when they won 1^st Club, 1^st Federation and 117^th old bird Folkestone (1) National from a convoy of 15,161 birds. 

   The new formed partnership of Nathan Bonar & John Pledger timed four of their entries to lift 3^rd and 4^th Club, 7^th, 8^th, 16^th and 20^th Federation on 1291.8, 1291.2, 1256, 1248 with the duo's green card scoring 2y blue hen bred by Gatley, Graham Harrod & son Dale being the winner of 1^st Club, 1^st Federation Oakham out of 689 birds and 1^st Club, 1^st Federation Huntingdon for Nathan as a young bird. Nathan started racing with the young birds in 2018 with him making a very big impact for he won a hat-trick of 1^st Federations and  had also a 1^st Club, 2^nd Federation which was a fantastic achievement in his first season. Back to the Bubwith race where Nathan & John's yellow card potter was a was a 2y blue hen and she was followed by a yearling chequer pied hen who won 1^st Club, 10^th Federation young bird Oakham (2) out of an entry of 370 birds, while fourth on the clock was a 2y chequer hen that notched up 5^th Club, 15^th Federation old bird Oakham (2) last season. John himself enjoyed a couple of wins in 2019 after winning 1^st Club, 3^rd Federation NEHU Brighton 2-Bird Centenary race and then won 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 5^th Club young bird Pontefract (2). Andrew “Jappa” Appleton & Paul Longstaff the Clubs top prize-winners in 2019 timed a yearling blue hen to lift 5^th Club, 9^th Federation on 1276; while Paul Gatley, Graham Harrod & son Dale the 3^rd Up North Combine Bourges Bronze Medal winners in 2019 from a convoy of 1,275 birds   notched up 6^th Club, 13^th Federation with a 1y blue hen on 1624. 

   News from Ali “Mac” McLeod of Billingham T U H/S where Ali the winner of the Federation Combined Average, 1^st Up North Combine Roye winning a Combine Gold Medal in 2019 out of 6,476 birds and 1^st North O England Homing Union “Queens Cup” from a convoy of 8,321 birds with “JimmyJean”, had a couple of birds on the clock to win 1^st and 3^rd Club out of an entry of 169 birds. With top spot being won by a 2y blue hen doing 1301 which was enough to pocket 5^th Federation, the red card winning hen is off a Grandson of Mac's “Harry Cock” when paired to Mac's double Granddaughter of the famous “Bliksem”. While the green card was awarded to the nestmate of Mac's “2014” who won 1^st Hardwick, Stockton Breeder/Buyer from the 2018 young bird Maidstone National winning a bank-busting £1,840.00 and is full sister to Mac's good hen “937” who won 1^st Club, 1^st Federation and 5^th Up North Combine young bird Maidstone National in 2017 from a convoy of 11,055 birds. Both the hens have numerous prize-cards between them with them being bred down from Brian Atkinson & Keith Perkins 1^st Up North Combine winning “Ollie” and one of Mac's 2^nd Up North Combine Silver Medal winner.

   Brian Atkinson & Keith Perkins chalked up 2^nd Club, 17^th Federation with a yearling blue pied hen doing 1254 with Brian & Keith's blue card scorer being a Daughter of “Ollie” their 2010 1^st Up North Combine old bird Folkestone (2) National Gold Medal winner from a convoy of 17,366 birds when paired to a Son of M & D Evans “Koen 7” pair. Butto Bell & Weedall is in 4^th spot with Butto's yellow card potter being off a black Gust Janssen cock Ali Mac got from Clive Lister paired to a Daughter of Ali's top breeder “King James”. Colin Atkinson pots 5^th Club with Col's timer being a nestmate off his (Atkinson & Woodward) 2012 2^nd Up North Combine Clermont Silver Medal winner when there was 6,048 birds, 2^nd Queens Cup from a convoy of 8,143 birds, when paired to a Daughter to Ali Mac's “Harry Cock”. 

   I wrote about the Marske & New Marske 2019 racing season in my previous report where I stated they were a small Club but the members really enjoyed their racing, a name that always crops up when the Club is mentioned is that of Craig Wedgewood who has enjoyed some outstanding seasons over the years. Craig is not racing at this present time due to the continuous loft break-ins he was suffering which found it very hard for Craig to continue racing, I'm sure the lads final season was in 2016. The break-ins always came a few days before Craig was ready to wean his young birds off and each time there was also damage to his lofts, one loft break-in is bad enough but Craig suffered the same fate for 3 or 4 years running which always meant he had no young birds off his first round of widowhood cocks. Craig flew to a very small set-up with no stock loft just a old bird and young bird section, with him never ever housing many birds. I have know Craig all my racing life and can honestly say he is one of the nicest lads you would ever wish to meet, his popularity proved that for he is liked where ever he goes and he will do anything to help anyone where he can.  Away from Pigeons Craig was a top-notch Darts player who proved to be very hard to beat with him winning numerous trophies playing in the local Leagues, and I'm sure he played on the big stage at a television event a great number of years ago.

• Craig Wedgewood of Marske & New Marske holding his 5y red John Whittaker cock winner of 1^st Club, 1^st East Cleveland Federation Bubwith 1,9

   Craig has flown in different loft locations in the Club in his time with Pigeons, I recall him flying in New Marske with his last port of call being on the Saltburn allotments where he fly a most impressive Pigeon. But sadly that location brought nothing nothing but heartache with the loft break-ins, I believe this came when Craig was flying at his best and if I'm wrong in saying that, then Craig will be telling me in a friendly way. Craig has flown a very good pigeon over the years with the lad topping the Federation a number of times I will start by going back to 2006 when Craig won a cracking 1^st Club, 1^st East Cleveland Federation from the French race point Clermont out of 1,055 birds from a distance of 389 miles with the pole position winner going onto score a brilliant 13^th Up North Combine from a convoy of 12,751 birds. I picked this top performance out because Craig is better known for his old bird inland performances and not over the pond.

   I'm going to fast forward a bit to 2011 when a belting 1^st Club and 1^st Federation was won from Rivenhall (2) out of an entry of 1,905 birds. A couple of Federations were topped in 2012 when a awesome 1^st Club, 1^st Federation was won out of Huntingdon when there was 2,349 birds competing, Craig's second top performance that season was achieved at young bird Worksop when a most impressive 1^st Club, 1^st Federation was racked up from an entry of 2,768 birds which was against a very good muster. Craig won a top-notch 1^st Club, 1^st Federation Peterborough (1) in 2013 when there was 2,732 birds away. No Federation win for Craig in 2014 but the lad was back on track a year later from the first race Bubwith when 1^st Club, 1^st Federation was won from an entry of 1,303 birds. Craig enjoyed a star-studded season in 2016 when he got off to a brilliant start winning 1^st Club, 1^st Federation Bubwith from 1,983 birds with a 5y red widowhood cock from John Whittaker of Bramley Lofts. Its top performances like this that proved the calibre of Pigeons John Whittaker was sending out, still topping the Federation at 5y.

   The very reliable multiple winning cock was the same bird that won 1^st Club, 1^st Federation Peterborough in 2013 out of an entry of 2,732 birds. Craig's second most impressive performance was racked up when he won an outstanding 1^st Club, 1^st Federation Rivenhall (1) when there was 1,929 birds competing. Craig achieved his third top performance from the Eastbourne (2) National when he won a top-drawer 1^st Club, 1^st Federation from 848 birds and 11^th Up North Combine from a convoy of 12,452 birds. Many fanciers were praising Craig on his awesome performances at Federation level flying only a very small team of widowhood cocks, you can see why Craig was not competing from the channel. Craig was a big loss to the Club when he finished racing but still keeps in touch with the lads.

   With time running out I will sign off for another week. Any news to Good Corn 6 Boulby Drive Loftus Saltburn Cleveland TS13 4JN. Tel: 01287 643624 or Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.