Enfield Continental Flying Club - 12-01-26

Enfield Continental Flying Club                   

The first UBI Combine race of the season was flown from Wadebridge which was brought forward to a Friday Liberation due to the weather forecast given for the weekend.  The Club had 7 members sending 105 birds which were liberated at 10.30am in a Light South West wind. Continuing his excellent form was Ilie Branetu taking a 1,2 & 3 with a Dark Grizzle Van Den Bulck Hen who also took 12^th Inter Counties Fed, 13^th UBI Combine 2063 birds, a  Chequer Cock & a Blue Cock both Van Den Bulck’s.  Steve Holloway took 4^th & 5^th with a Chequer Pied Lambrecht Cock, past winner of 2^nd Club Blandford & 6^th Club Stoney Cross & a Blue Cock. finally in 6^th place was Sahin Kurt with a Chequer Cock Van Den Bulck.

31^st May we had a come back race from Honiton, with the flying distance for all of the members being  just over 140 mile mark.  

11 Members sent 128 birds which were liberated at 9.30 in a SW wind. Ilie Branetu took 1^st & 2^nd with a Blue Cock & a Blue Hen, both VDB’s containing Kittel bloodlines. Third Club was Billy Watkins with a Blue Cock. Ilie Branetu also took 4^th position with a Dark Grizzle Van Den Bulck Hen who so far this season has taken 1^st Club, 12^th Fed, 13^th UBI Combine Wadebridge & 4^th Club Blandford, Billy Watkins took 5^th with a Chequer Cock. Finally in 6^th place was Steve Holloway with a Chequer Pied Lambrecht Cock, a winner of 2^nd Club Blandford, 4^th Wadebridge & 6^th Stoney Cross.

The next race was due to be flown from Truro on the 8^th June, but that race has now been rearranged to the 28^th June. Instead the UBI Combine flew from Exeter.

In the Club 9 Members sent 126 birds which were liberated at 6.25 in a NW Wind. First Club was Ilie Branetu with a Blue Bulck Cock.  The husband & wife team of Algis & Jurgita Tiatauris took 2^nd with a Blue De-Klak Cock. 3^rd place went to Billy Watkins with a Blue Cock  from his own family, with Steve Holloway taking 4^th,5^th & 6^th with a Dark Chequer Cock, a Chequer Hen, & a Blue Cock all Lambrechts.  

14^th June we flew from Honiton with 8 Members sending 88 birds which were liberated at 10am in a South West wind.  Taking the top two positions was Club Secretary Steve Holloway with a Chequer Cock & a Chequer Pied Cock bred from his Lambrecht family. Third & fourth club was Billy Watkins with a Blue Copper Kettle Cock & a Chequer Cock from his own family. Finally in 5^th & 6^th position was Ilie Branetu with two Van Den Bulcks, a Dark Chequer Hen and a Blue Cock.

Race 11 was flown on the 21^st June from Yeovil  with the distances the members would fly would be between 117-128 miles. For this race 8 Members sent 126 birds which were liberated at 5.30am in an East South East wind. 

Ilie Branetu took first & Second positions with a Blue Hen & a Dark chequer Hen, Both Bulcks. 3^rd Club was Algis & Jurgita Tiataurus with a Blue De Klak Cock. Fourth Club was Steve Holloway with a Blue Lambrecht Cock. 5^th Club was Billy Watkins with a Chequer Copper Kettle Cock. Finally in 6^th was Ilie Branetu with  a Blue Van Den Bulck Hen.

The 28^th June was a UBI Combine race flown from Wadebridge, with 5 Members sending 55 birds which were libbed at 11am in a West South West wind. Ilie Branetu had a good day taking the 1^st,3^rd & 5^th positions with a Dark Grizzle Hen, a Blue Cock & a Blue Hen, all Van Den Bulck’s. 2^nd & 4^th Club was Algis & Jurgita Tiatauris with a Blue Pied De Klak Cock & a Blue De Klak Cock. Finally in 6^th we had Sahin Kurt with a Chequer Van Den Bulck Cock.

Finally the last Old bird race of the season was flown on the 6^th July from Blandford, with 7 Members sending 57 birds which were liberated at 7am in a West Wind. Ilie Branetu carried on with his excellent form taking the first two positions with a Dark Grizzle Van Den Bulck Hen & a Chequer Bulck Cock. Arif Karibas took 3^rd with a Chequer Pied Lambrecht Cock., Fourth club was Steve Holloway with a Chequer Lambrecht Cock.  5^th went to Ilie Branetu with Blue Cock, another one of his Van Den Bulck’s. Finally in 6^th we had Billy Watkins with a Blue Pied Hen.

The Inter Counties Federation then had a 2 week break between the end of the Old bird season and the Young bird season.

The first Young bird race was flown from Stoney Cross with these being liberated at 8.30am.

Steve Holloway was first past the post with a Blue Lambrecht Cock. 2^nd Club was Jaio “John” Figueira with a Busschaert Chequer Pied Cock.  3^rd & 4^th Club was Steve Holloway with a Blue Cock & a Chequer Cock, both Lambrechts, with Billy Watkins taking 5^th & 6^th Club with a Dark Grizzle Hen and a Mealy Hen.

Race 2 was flown from Blandford on the 2^nd August with these being liberated at 6.30am in a Light North West wind. Steve Holloway had an excellent race taking 1^st, 3^rd,  & 4^th with a Blue Pied Cock, a Chequer Cock and a Chequer Pied Hen all which are from Steve’s Lambrecht family. Billy Watkins took 2^nd,4^th, & 6^th with a Blue Hen, a Chequer Pied Hen &  a Chequer Hen, all from his Copper Kettle family.

Race 3 was once again flown from Blandford with these being liberated at 6.30am with no wind being given at the liberation site.  Ilie Branetu took 1^st & 2^nd  Club with a Blue Hen and a Blue Cock, both Van Den Bulck’s, with Billy Watkins taking 3^rd,4^th, & 5^th with a Blue Pied Hen, a Mealy Hen and a Blue Hen. Finally in 6^th we had Steve Holloway with a Mealy Lambrecht Cock.

That was the last of the races that the club members sent to…

In the National races in the BICC, BBC & NFC some members put up some good performances with the best included below…..

Steve Holloway, 39^th Section, 157^th  Open St Philbert.

23^rd Section 59^th Open Messac.

Billy Watkins, 4^th Section, 11^th Open Messac.

6^th Section, 64^th Open Fougeres.

Other members who also scored in National races this season were  Ilie Branetu, Arif Karibas, Remzi & Samet Gulec  & John Hore,.

Now that the season has well and truly finished, Christmas now passed as well, it will soon be the start of the 2026 season. For what I have been told we have had some new Applications to join the Club this year which will be good and it will make the club more competitive.

Until next time

Jamie T