BURTON & SOUTH DERBYSHIRE FEDERATION.
2025 Prize Presentation.
Saturday November 8th saw the Federation hold the 2025 prize presentation at The Beeches in Ashby de la Zouch.
Mirroring what’s happening across the sport, this year’s attendance was down, but for those who were there, it was a very pleasant evening, a spacious and warm venue, with great food and company.
Guests for the night were Mr & Mrs Cliff Sanders of Atherstone, Cliff is a very popular and respected fancier, Cliff used to race in our federation in the past with Dosthill and Birch Coppice. He is a great supporter of the NFC; and Cliff told us about how proud he was to win 1st Section I; 47th open in this years Tarbes race with the NFC, with the same hen that was 2nd section Sigogne, also in 2025. This hen 22 B 48173 raced a combined distance of 1128 miles in just over a fortnight.
Guests of Honour Mr & Mrs Cliff Sanders
Secretary Alys then asked Cliff to present the following prizes and awards to those present;
First up was a new member to our fed, Pete Schofield of the Holbrook club; Pete used to race north, and decided to have a go on the south road this year; joining both Holbrook and Osmaston Park; Pete was 1st Fed out of Hullavington (2) with his yb’s.
Pete Schofield
Next up was Kev Matthews also of Holbrook; Kev is a top man and flier, and this year saw him make the decision to sell his race team, and in future only race yb’s off his top stock of mainly Jos Cools from Andrew Wilton. Kev picked up his award for taking 1st Fed Salisbury with his Old birds.
Kev Matthews
Phil and Jack Bourke of Stretton were next up collecting their awards for 1st Fed Cheltenham and 1st Fed Hullavington (1) with their youngsters. They had a nice surprise too, winning the Young Bird of the Year trophy with 25 S 20808, this Grizzle cock christened “Stevie G” won a 1st and 2nd fed in a 7 day spell Phil Whetton, also of Stretton was next to collect his award for 1st Fed in the season finale out of Hullavington with his yb’s, Phil also won £7-95 in taking 8th spot in the Truro race.
Phil & Jack Bourke winners of Best YB in 2025
Phil Whetton
Alan Stretton of Swadlincote Town was next to collect his award for taking 1st Fed out of Marlborough (2), in this race his Old birds took 1st; 2nd and 5th Fed. Alan also won £7-95 in the Truro race taking 6th prize.
Alan Stretton
Charlie Murfin, also of Swadlincote Town was next up; Charlie was 10th in the 2025 Breeder Buyer race picking up £66-08.
Charlie Murfin
Graham Evans was next up, Graham flies in both Castle Gresley and Swadlincote Town, this year he was 1st Fed out of the Old bird finale from Weymouth, he also took 1st and 2nd Fed in the Truro race when we were convoyed by Paul Hammond, winning £45-37; Graham also picked up £132-16 for taking 9th place in the 2025 Breeder Buyer race; a grand total of £177-53.
Graham Evans
Alan Peach of Etwall was next to be called, Alan picked up £283-20 in the Breeder Buyer race, where he took 4th; 5th; and 8th positions.
Alan Peach
Russ Bailey of Holbrook was next up, Russ was 1st and 2nd Fed out of Blandford with his yb’s, and also picked up £132-16 in the Breeder Buyer race and £680-12 in the 2025 Futurity race where he was 10th with a home bred bird, total winnings of £812-28.
Russ Bailey
Next to receive their prizes were the Davis, Wright & Sons partnership of Swadlincote Town. They were 1-2-3 Fed out of Marlborough (1) with their Old birds; they also had a good year flying in the MNFC and the NMCC. They took 1st & 2nd in the Fed breeder Buyer race taking home £519-20; they were also 6th in the Futurity race taking home a further £340.06; total winnings of £859-26, well done Malc; Michael and Matt.
Malc Wright
Next up was Ronnie Dakin of Stretton; Ron had a great futurity race taking 3rd and 5th spots, taking home a lovely £1165.92. Well done Ronnie, moments like this is what makes our sport so wonderful.
Ron Dakin
Now to the top loft in the Federation, that being D. Nesbitt & Sons of Hill Ridware, Mark was sunning himself in Tenerife with his better half, celebrating their 40 years of marriage. So, loft manager and Mum Anne came along with Mark’s son Ant and his lovely wife Lauren; to pick up their awards. They were 1st Fed Cheltenham OB1 in a race where they took the top eleven fed positions; 1st Fed Salisbury OB taking the top seven; 1st Fed Blandford OB taking the top nine; 1st Fed Weymouth OB1 taking the top eight; this was also the OB inland SR and in this they took the top ten positions also winning the Nomination.1st Fed Weymouth OB2; 1st Fed Yeovil YB taking the top six. A total of 6 x 1st Fed, add to this; the top 10 in the Old Bird Inland SR out of Weymouth winning £137-00, 3rd prize in the Breeder Buyer winning £188-80 and 2nd & 7th in the Futurity race winning a further £2137-52, a grand total of £2463.32.
Anne, Ant and Lauren Nesbitt with Cliff Sanders & Top loft D. Nesbitt & Sons with Cliff Sanders
This loft also won the Best Old Bird and Bird Of The Year trophies, with their Dark Lambrecht x Hereman hen 24 X 18454 winning 3 x 1st fed; out of Salisbury; Blandford; and Weymouth, this in a 4 week period.
In the 2025 Futurity race it was great to see three lofts from outside the federation taking home prize money, Ian Barnbrook; Team Stanton and Ernesto Aguiler of the Kidderminster Elite club, all members of the Heart of England Fed, they bred birds to win 3rd; 4th; and 8th respectively. Ian won £485.80; Team Stanton £388.64 and Ernesto £340.06.
Jack Stanton
Shaun and Jack Stanton attended the presentation to collect their rewards, once again, on behalf of the fed, many thanks to them and all non federation members who entered.
Club of the year in 2025 was Hill Ridware, and Anne; Ant and Lauren all went up for a lovely family photo.
Medals were presented to the younger members of the Fed; Jack Bourke (Hen Racing Specialist); and Mia Evans (Member of the A team), with the absent Sophie Bourke also receiving one for (Future Office manager).
Young Mia Evans with Cliff Sanders
Guest of honour Cliff and his wife were then presented with gifts as a token of thanks for attending and presenting the prizes.
Notable absentees were;
Mr & Mrs Jim Whitehouse & Sons of Hill Ridware, winners of the Futurity race and £2429-00.
Brian & Sue Stone of Holbrook £652-96 in the Futurity and Breeder Buyer races, also winning 1-2-3-4th Fed Frome YB.
Chris Parker won £340-06 in the Futurity race as did L. Adams; Keith Burton and Litherland, Bailey & Harrison.
Debbie Fearn won £236-00 for breeding the winner of the Breeder Buyer race.
Mr & Mrs Trevor Collins & Son won £66-08 in the Breeder Buyer.
Daniel Kurylo of Stretton won £40-94 in the Truro Race and M/M L Clamp & Sons £15-88, Lees & Millar £11-35; Ray Grimsdell £9-08 and Hall & Torrey £7-94 complete the list.
Other fed toppers were; Dave Waddington of Osmaston Park out of Blandford OB; C.Leadbeater & Sons of Hill Ridware 1st Frome and Blandford with their young birds I cannot go without saying a huge thanks to our hard working Secretary and Convoyer Alys Evans; she has done a wonderful job again this year, and the presentation night capped it all off, thanks again Alys.
Thanks also to her Dad Graham; for all the hard work he’s done over the season, thanks Graham.
A few reminders, orders are now being taken for the 2026 Futurity rings, open to all, but Federation members only are allowed to purchase and race the birds. Rings are £10 each and a maximum of 5 rings per loft. Rings will be distributed early in January 2026. If interested contact the Federation Secretary Alys Evans on 07714-217368 for more info.
Prize money raced for in 2025 was £9716-00.
Finally, the Federation will be holding a Telephone Auction early on in 2026, we are hoping Federation members who have topped the fed in 2025 will donate Yb’s, not only fed toppers, but Breeder Buyer and Futurity race winners too, in fact anyone in the fed can donate. It will basically be “The Cream of The Burton & South Derbyshire Federation”.
Young birds will be sold by Telephone Auction; anyone in the UK will be able to bid on these birds.
ANY NEWS TO
“THE MALTSTER”
01283-568000
