Lancashire Social Circle
The Circle has for many years held its Spring Gathering on the first weekend of March and our Autumn function and prize presentation on the first weekend in November. This worked well as all members and guests kept this weekend open for these most enjoyable events. Since our move from Southport to St Annes-On-Sea these weekends have not been available, and we have had to go for the last weekend in February. On paper this seemed a better option as fanciers might have their birds sitting eggs, with no youngsters in the nest. But this year we have clashed with the Dutch Show in Holland and the RPRA Council meeting where several of our members and guests had made commitments. This resulted in the numbers being down a little on previous Gatherings and with a number of regular fanciers now feeling their age and travelling becoming a problem for them did not help the situation.
Having said all that we did attract just shy of 100 for the Saturday night official dinner, with our principle guest Ian Stafford from Skinningrove. Ian proved a great choice as everyone in the room knew of him, and his wonderful racing performances, but few had ever met him in person and as a result was given a fond reception with all fanciers from all parts of the country. Ian was accompanied on this occasion by good friend and travelling companion Kevin Morgan.
Secretary Brian Deaen centre with speakers Brian Holland and Chris Knowles
The Saturday evening started at 7 00pm when the President Stephen Beardmore welcomed everyone before saying Grace. Following what can only be described as a fabulous 4 course meal the President made the loyal toast before announcing some good news when he introduced four new members into our ranks who will all take part in this seasons races. The Circle is always looking to the future while holding on to its traditions and at this point of the Gathering the President took the opportunity to announce the new members into our ranks keeping with the tradition of a 40 strong membership. Like all pigeon organisations we have seen a decline in membership, but unlike most others organisations we don't have a problem in attracting new members from our long list of guests. The Circle is unique in that it only has one rule that was formulated following the First World War, part of which states should a member cease to be an active participant his membership shall cease. That gives the opportunity for a replacement, that has been the case over a number of years. But with the ever decline of fanciers all over the country this part of the rule was amended a couple of years ago. With the introduction of Associate Members, these are members who have been participating in all the events for many years but have now found themselves in the position of not being able to compete for any number of reasons. This has proved one of the most successful of amendments, keeping a small number able to attend the functions even though they now don't have any pigeons. While always looking ahead to the future and reacting to the ever changing situation the sport of pigeon racing is finding itself in, is the main reason the Lancashire Social Circle is going from strength to strength leading up to this November when the Circle will be celebrating its 120th year since its formation. There can't be any other pigeon organisation that started life with 40 members and can still boast of having 40 members 120 years later.
Four new members Brian Jones Billy Wilson Les Acams & Eddie Williams
The first of the new members was Billy Wilson who has been a guest of David Pritchard for quite a number of years, who from his CV is only a good flyer but more so a willing worker for the sport. Secondly Les Adams a long time guest of one of our past presidents Chris Knowles. Stephen was sure Les would make a good competitive member being a past National winner. Next to be introduced was Brian Jones who once again has been a great supporter of all the events the Circle has put on. Brian's administration skills will be another great asset to the Circle going forward. Finally Eddie Williams who once again has a lot to offer being a great supporter of our Gatherings over the whole weekends. Over our long history the LSC has had a number of Honorary Members all of which have made a splendid contribution in a vast number of ways. The last two years has sadly seen some of these pass away and it was the memberships wish we make a new introduction to the list. It was with this in mind an invitation was offered to Mick McGrevy, Mick has been coming to Lancashire Social Circle Gatherings for 28 years first attending as a guest of George Hilson and later as a guest of Harry Aspin before Stephen Beardmore took him under his wing. As a past President of the NFC and the event organiser for them for several years will once again prove to be another asset at our meetings.
Mick McGrevy with a welcome from George Hlson
Stephen explained while on the subject of new members, he wished to draw members attention to the last paragraph on page 10 of this year's Hand Book, where R & B Smith have presented funds for the Future of the Circle Fund, to be used to introduce new members into the Lancashire Social Circle, and extended a very big thank you to both of them.
Bob Smith Brian Dearn Brian Smith
The normal practice at these functions is for one of the Circle members to introduce the main guest giving a look into his background. This task was taken upon by Brian Holland, who explained Ian had started with pigeons at the age of 11, when his parents bought him an allotment at the costly price of £10 back in 1973. Moving on to more recent time Ian's racing performances with the NEHU, West Durham Amal and the UNC have become a thing of legend with his many wins being top prize-winner many times over.
Brian Jones Ian Bolton Brian Hicks Tommy Jones John Rumney
Ian Stafford was next to his feet who admitted he was a little nervous, but he need not have worried he held his audience in the palm of his hand with a gripping address that everyone enjoyed. Ian's speech was entitled "Motivation" not the motivation of the pigeons but his motivation to be the best and beat the rest of the competition. As Brian Holland had said in his introduction he started with pigeons at the age of 11, at that time his first pigeons were a combination of stray racers and odd gift birds from local fanciers. His parents quickly realised the pigeons were causing problems with his school work, playing truant and spending more time on the allotments. His mothers words being pigeons would be the ruin of him. To fund his pigeons Ian took on a couple of jobs, a paper round and helped on the milk rounds, as his parents were not in the position to help, his dad being a miner and his mother a shop-worker, with little money to spare.
Kevin Morgan with Ian Stafford
At the age of 16 Ian left school and started work as an apprentice motor mechanic, as time moved on he made the decision to work for himself. With the intentions of making a better life for his family and giving him a more flexible working to enable more time with the pigeons. It was in 1983 Ian went into partnership with a local fancier, sadly this didn't last as they fell out halfway through the season. This is where motivation first came in, the loft was split in two with each having a section to race too. Ian's attitude to pigeons changed from this point when he became totally motivated to beat his ex-partner at club level. The following season he went on to win his first championship the young bird average in South Moor Wednesday Club. Ian was top prizewinner in 1985, runner up 1986 then top prizewinner again in 1987 before his move in 1992. By 1993 he was top prizewinner in the Federation, runner up in 1994 and then top prizewinner every season until his move once again 2003, and still managed to be runner up in 2003 racing only 9 broken old birds and a team of second round youngsters. From then on until his next move he was top prizewinner every year setting a record number of points in the Federations history in 2007.
Ian's speech came from the heart with a few touches of humour that gripped all fanciers in his audience. He went on to explain you should never try to deceive you wife as he went on to explain in 2002 he told his wife he was going to by some pigeons, but in reality he was on holiday with a group of friends in Indonesian island of Bali where he was caught up in the bombing that killed over 100 people including two of Ian's friends. Ian was badly injured and spent some time in hospital. Once home his wife picked him up at the airport even though she was not speaking to him. with the moral of this story never try to kid your wife. Back home his pigeons put him on the road to recovery and gave him the focus and purpose following this very difficult period of his life.
In 2008 following another move to Carlin How, a wonderful location with rolling hills and fields, a pigeon paradise, where he built the lofts himself with the occasional help from his good friend Trevor Garland. He started racing young birds in 2009 and in the young bird National was beaten into 2nd place by only 3 seconds, out of a total entry of over 19,000 birds. As can be seen wherever Ian races from he is a top performer and to highlight this even more, his first National win in 1998 with a chequer cock named "JR". This cock won from Bourges a distance of 560 miles on the day, then just one and a half weeks later won 1st Club 21st National from 410 miles in a headwind. Ian's second National winner was in 2006 with a hen named "Natalie Louise" which Ian believes to be one of the best pigeons he has ever raced. A big statement in view of the superb pigeons he has race over the years. She always gave 100% and had many wins being the "Ace" channel bird in the Federation as a 2 year old the season she won the National out of 367 miles being the only bird to exceed a velocity of 1300ypm. The following season with no channel racing she was still "Ace" bird in the Federation racing only from inland race points. Then put to stock as a 4 year old has gone on to produce a long line of top prize winners. Ian's next National winner was in 2007 and if ever there was a pigeon in the making it was this cock, he was first National from 240 miles from an entry of 7800 birds when Ian was 1st & 2nd. This cock also won at least 7 Federation positions out of 10 races flown before he hit the wires and died on the loft from a 30 mile training toss.
Ian's next National winner was in 2010 out of Lillers 311 miles beating over 18,300 birds also topping the Federation by 16 minutes into an east wind. When Ian moved to Carlin How which is situated inland of the north east coast town of Skinningrove he set himself two targets. One of these ambitions was to win first prize in the mighty Up North Combine and the second was to become the top prizewinner in the Combine within five years. This being obviously a big ask, as the UNC has something like 1900 members, with around 23 Federations, of which Ian's Fed, East Cleveland is the largest regularly sending 3,500 pigeons. In 2010 Ian achieved both his ambitions in his first season with his birds winning more points on every OB race that any other loft in the Combine in the six races he competed in. These performances are all down to hard work, his alarm goes off at 5 00am and its true to say he eats, sleeps and drinks pigeons so who can begrudge him his fantastic racing results.
Ian experienced some bad news when he was diagnosed with cancer, he decided to sell his pigeons and donate the money to the cancer charity. With hindsight this was the wrong decision as all he had to concentrate on was the cancer, and would advise anyone with health problems to always retain an interest while going through treatment. One thing he learned was one of the drugs used to treat him made him so high in his words "I could have made love to my wife three time a day while taking them." Sometime later a fellow fancier told him of some drops he was administering to his birds that made them win. When Ian looked at the bottle the same drug he had taken for his cancer treatment was in these. His experience of being so high he felt he could do anything would be the same for the pigeons, but the feeling when he was taken of the drugs was one of server depression. Ian felt fanciers who have out of this world performances every week are the ones on some type of these drugs.
He ended his address by looking at the changes the sport has seen over the years some for the better with others not so. One example of this is the ETS a great thing for the fancier, who in some cases does not need to be at his loft to time his pigeons in from a race, giving a record of all the returns and the time of arrival. But from a social side fanciers take their birds to the club and once they have been race marked they are off with the excuse they have another appointment. Before ETS members helped basket the birds helped load the transporter before having their clocks set and in many cases stopped for a drink. Ian was over the moon at the social side the Lancashire Social Circle offered its members and guests and wished to be invited back to the next Gathering in November to be part of the camaraderie. He finished by asking all guests to stand a raise their glasses in a toast to the member of the Lancashire Social Circle.
The President thanked Ian for a well executed speech full of information and presented him with a Lancashire Social Circle Centenary Book and Hand Book and looked forward to his company at our next function. He then went on to ask Chris Knowles to reply on behalf of the members. Chris explained as a former President it gave him great pleasure to stand and offer a reply to the main guest. He thanked Ian for travelling down to Lancashire and making an engaging and enjoyable contribution to the evening. Anyone who knows pigeon racing will doubtless know your name; anyone who listened to you this evening will now understand why. I remember an article written by Mike Lakin for PIPA at a time when you had won 100 first Federations and Mikes quote was "not bad for a Geordie motor mechanic." What always strikes me about speakers like Ian isn't just the results, impressive as they are! but the willingness to share their time with others. Their journey, the learning curves, the small details, the thing that separate good lofts from consistently successful ones. That openness is something we value enormously in the Circle. Let's be honest, in pigeon racing, fanciers don't give up their time and hard-earned knowledge lightly. If they did, we'd all be winning every week and most of us wouldn't believe it anyway. Ian represents the very best of what this sport has to offer; dedication, consistency and a lifelong curiosity about how to do things just that little bit better each time. We're grateful not just for the talk, but for the effort you've put in over many years to help raise standards across the sport. Chris then explained the evening doesn't centre around just one speaker, and broaden this a little, for a moment, the strengths of the Lancashire Social Circle has always been the calibre of the people who support it. It's not just those who sit at the top table, but those who attend regularly, who travel, who listen, who ask questions and who keep the Circle alive simply by being here and talking part. Speakers give us inspiration, guests give us atmosphere and without both, this would just be another quiet dinner with a decent desert. Over the years the sport has seen some changes, not all for the better! What hasn't changed is the value of people coming together, face to face to talk pigeons properly, not on social media, not second hand, but over a meal with a bit of laughter and the occasionally strong opinion or two. That's what the Circle exists for and that is why contributions like Ian's matter so much. Chris thanked Ian on behalf of everyone for his time, effort, humour and honesty he shared with us tonight adding another memorable evening to the history of the Circle we truly appreciate it. Then asked all member of the Circle to stand in a toast to Ian Stafford and all guests.
The President thanked Chris for a well delivered reply before he explained 20 years ago at our centenary we had a book published written by the late Brian Newson on the history of the Lancashire Social Circle that covered the first 100 years of the Circle. He explained the Secretary still has a few copies of the book which have been devalued and should any member or guest wish to purchase one of the last few books to see the secretary. With this he closed the Gathering with thanks to the Secretary for putting the weekend together. Wishing anyone travelling home that evening as safe journey.
Brian Dearn. Tel 07514 743391.
