Spring Gathering 2016
The Lancashire Social Circle Spring Gathering of 2016 had both old and new faces in attendance. One of these was an old friend to many at the Circle someone who can be described as a legend, and was the author of our Centenary Book, Brian Newson. Brian has not been in the best of health these last few years and as a result has been unable to come along and be part of the twice yearly functions. He received a great welcome from his many friends among the members and guests who attend the Gathering at the Prince of Wales in Southport. Also in the audience were several guests attending for the first time one of these included principle guest Mari Rietveld who is both a Dutch National winner and an International winner. Mari was overwhelmed with the friendship and camaraderie that goes on within the Lancashire Social Circle, and right from the start of his visit was part of the fun that is all part of these events.
Gary Cockshott Bill Lewis with Guy Barrett OBE - David and Brian Newson - Brian Tattersall
LSC Secretary Brian Dearn with Wilson Hilditch
As with all pigeon originations the LSC finds its members are not getting any younger and as a result several apologies for absence were on the table these included John Marsden, Harry Aspin, Bob McLaughlin, Alan Harrison, Ken Cliffe and Tommy Hawkins. President Bob Smith explained the reason behind these before asking Secretary Brian Dearn to stand and pay tribute to the late Erskine Hilditch. Brian touched on Erskine's time in pigeons and his involvement within the LSC which dates back to 1979 before informing the Gathering of his donations and contributions over his years of membership, along with the two trophies in which he had been involved in with fellow travelling companions Bob McLaughlin and the late Hugh Higgins.
With the President back in the chair Bob went on to mention a number of fanciers in the audience including Brian Newson who were making a welcome return, Mick McGrevy the new President of the NFC along with their new Chairman Philip Curtis and his travelling companion Bryan Denney. Roy Jones MNFC President and his son Mark were also in attendance and Roy had asked all members to take the trouble to fill in the Hawk Survey in the BHW. And finally Bob made reference to our very own Guy Barrett OBE who over the years had been a great worker for the sport of pigeon racing, who was to be 91 years old later this next week. He then went on to ask new member Stephen Beardmore to stand and introduce the two principle guest speakers for the evening.
Bob Smith Stephen Beardmore Brian Dearn Chris Knowles - Alan Jones with Mari Rietveld
Stephen was very confident and his address showed this with his opening remarks about Mari Rietveld from Lexmond in Holland the connection came about in 2001 when Alan Jones one of our members from Liverpool got a Dutch bird in. He reported it and was told to keep it; the bird was a blue yearling cock which had been lost racing from Paris. Following the transfer Alan raced the bird in 2002 both Wednesday and Saturday and as the distance increased the birds performances got better; he went on to win 4th Falaise, 1st Fougeres, and 4th Niort in that season. In 2003 he won 1st Falaise and 1st Niort and followed this fine performance in 2004 by winning 3rd Wincanton, 5th Liverpool Two Bird Club from Nantes and 2nd Niort. Over his racing career he also won a Bronze Award with the North West Combine for being three times in the first 50 in the result. On top of this, this cock won an RPRA Western Region Award, and as a result of this both Alan and Mari have been close friends ever since.
The second of the two guests making a welcome return was Stuart Gregory who has been coming as a longstanding guest of Bob Smith for around 20 years. Stuart is almost one of the membership and is a regular visitor to the Ladies Weekends which the Circle now hold every year. It's about four years ago Stuart came along as a speaker when at the time he gave us all a lot to think about with his ideas on transporting of our birds to the race points.
Stuart Gregory, President Bob Smith and Mari Rietveld
Following a short break Mari was first to his feet and with no script delivered a great speech by saying how impressed he was with the idea of a social organisation where fanciers, and in some cases retired fanciers from the sport could get together to enjoy each other's company. The friendship and camaraderie he had experienced since being in England he found difficult to put into words. There was nothing like this in Holland and he doubted if there was anything like it in the world. He felt we should be very proud of our one rule and the traditions we in the Lancashire Social Circle hold so dear. Never having been in England before, that is if you don't count the time I first came over to pick up a brother to our National winning pigeon from a car-park in Bristol, and the second time was waiting for 2.5 hours at London Heathrow for a flight to the USA. While in England he had been looking forward to a full English breakfast and had sampled one that very morning and in his words "I could get used to this." Mari didn't have a lot to say on the pigeon side of the sport but one thing he felt very strongly about was the keeping of fewer stock birds and breeding more rounds from the few you have. For if they can't breed winners then in his opinion they are not stock birds. (good advice from a top International winning fancier.)
The President thanked Mari and presented him with a LSC Hand Book and Tie along with a Centenary Book which is A4 and has 384 pages of text and photos. With time on our side and in something of a light-hearted mood Bob Smith then told a tale of fellow member Alan Jones who had taken him to Anfield to watch Liverpool play Manchester City, Alan being a keen Liverpool fan, had had a bet that Liverpool would beat City 3 goals to nil and had been given the odds of 28 to 1. Another member Vinnie Donnelly who is a very strong City supporter was very quick to take the bait once the line was cast. Vinnie was quick to his feet in order to defend his beloved City and Bob had him hooked line and sinker and as one member put it you didn't need any ground bait to catch him. The comedy went on for some time before Vinnie realised he had been had.
Cumberland SC Members Richard Hodgson, Les Blacklock, Jim Nelson and Jim Varty
DL Jones centre) with his Guests Joe Headley and Max Hawthorne
L-R Bob Smith, Mark Jones, Roy Jones, Peter Morris, John Winstanley, Brian Smith, Derek Towers, Mike Wilson
Moving on the President introduced Stuart Gregory who is a very accomplished speaker who touched on several points that are affecting our great sport, which included the decline of fanciers and smaller clubs which in reality have to merge together or go under. In the last decade Stuart pointed out the membership has dropped from 50,000 members in 2000 to around half this number in 2010. He felt we need to be more dynamic with the use of ETS and using the Web and Wi Fi to produce the results as they happen and the race unfolds. The RPRA have a Web Site but who tells the new member. While not a great fan of the one loft races he did feel this was an avenue which might go some way to get future fanciers involved by having a fun day where all the family can participate with a BBQ and watch the result up date before your very eyes. Stuart also felt some of the old British families of birds where fanciers would build a team for one particular purpose was one of the most interesting ways of keeping pigeons. Instead of the more modern way of continually importing birds from the continent year after year. He finished with a few light-hearted stories which once again kept the mood of the evening. The President thanked Stuart and as he had been to the LSC as a speaker before and already had a Centenary Book and Tie. The Secretary had produced a pair of Cufflinks which displayed the emblem of the LSC which President Bob Smith presented to Stuart along with a 2016 Hand Book.
Chris Knowles with his Guests Andy Webb and Les Adams - Rod Adams (centre) with his Guests Brian Hicks and John Rumney - Bob Smith George Hilson and Brian Dearn
Chris Knowles who at the last AGM was elected to the office of President Elect was next to his feet, it was his task to reply to the speakers, Chris had picked out three words which he had picked upon throughout the evening and these were Tradition, Participation and Friendship. Every weekend he has spent at a Circle Gathering has been very special but this one in his opinion has been extra special for some reason with lots of laughter over the Friday night and all through the day. The hotel had excelled itself with the meal that evening and all our members and guest had participated in making the weekend a success upholding the traditions we hold so very dear to our hearts along with the making of new friendships and the renewing of old ones. Stuart Gregory being a long standing friend was all part of this, but Mari who was here for the first time was a little overwhelmed with the friendship, and had not stopped talking from the moment he arrived and had never seen anything to equal the Lancashire Social Circle in all his world wide travels.
The final part of the evening was when the President sprang a surprise on Vice President George Hilson. He started by introducing a special member who had made a great contribution over many years both as a Committee man and as a Vice President. His contribution to the Gatherings over a 15 year period or so taking photographs has not gone un-noticed and as a result is to be the next in line for the LSC Gold Stick Pin. To say George was surprise was an understatement, the total shock on his face was clear for everyone to see. When the whole the room of 128 fanciers stood up and applauded him you could see he was very happy indeed. George made a very fitting reply of thanks to the whole of the membership. With only a few photos of the members and guests left on the agenda brought the evening to a close around 11 00pm but as is always the case with drinks still being served at happy hour prices until midnight and plenty to talk about, the evening went on for quite some time and in a few cases until well into the early hours of Sunday morning.
The Chester Set of Jeff Churchill Ted Shore George Pulford - Tony Merrick with Bryan Denney - Roger Sutton (cenntre) with his Guests Mark Cliffe and Paul Fowler
L-R Dennis Little, Ernie Fergusson, Niel McBernie, Graham Mackay, Brian Harrison, Tom Owen, Scott Irving, Brian Garnham - President Bob Smith with Mick McGrevy and Philip Curtis
Anner Smith, Andy Florek, Stan Dangerfield and Phil Allan
CLICK HERE: for other pictures from LSC Spring Gathering 2016 Gallery
Brian Dearn. Tel. 01254 772515
