Enfield Continental Flying Club
In the last write up, I put down the details of our prize winners from the 2018 season, and our highest prize winner was Steve Holloway, so I asked Steve to write down a few words so that we could learn a bit more about him. Steve said that he grew up in Birmingham and when he was a boy he raced briefly, then when he left school he started a electrical apprenticeship which meant that he would have to work away from home a lot so a decision was made to pack up as he could not give them the time that they deserved. Then in 2015 his son George started having private drumming lessons which were situated in a studio in the teachers back garden. Whilst he was there one day, he saw a team of pigeons circling a pigeon loft a few doors away. He then spoke to the fancier over the fence, and then was invited around to see the pigeons and he then continued to chat some more with the fancier in question. He then went home and after a while he started to think about starting up the pigeons again and racing, as he wanted something to do as he had recently stopped playing Rugby. The fancier in question ended up being a future Club mate of Steve’s and that fancier was Billy Watkins who warned Steve that it would drive him mad at times, and he was right as nothing is straight forward in this game. So many things can go wrong, and they do, but when i am in trouble Billy is always there to help. When Steve first started up he went to Louella Pigeon world and purchased some Staf Van Reets which he has raced since, as well as getting some Janssen pigeons from Billy, Also other birds were bred by Steve Sheffield who bred some Lambrechts, as well as some Van Lints, and some of Lambrechts from Geoff Barker were introduced. Steve said “that It was really nice to be the highest prize winner due to the class of the fanciers who i have to compete with in the Club each week like Steve Sheffield, Peter Twyford, Paul Stone, Geoff Barker etc, and you have to be on your game each week to be in the top 10, as well as try to compete in the Inter Counties Fed as well as the UBI Combine due to it having some of the best fanciers in its ranks in the UK”. Steve did say that he would also like to enter into more national races in the future, as he has only dabbled so far with them. Finally, Steve said that he wished all of the members, as well as all fanciers a good 2019 season.
Steve Holloway above and his lofts below
The waiting was then over as the first Old Bird race arrived, which was a lot earlier than in previous years as we were starting on the 6th April from Lyndhurst. This year is also different as we are now getting picked up each week by the Inter Counties Fed instead of having to meet up with the transporter at South Mimms services.
At the end of marking on the first night, 8 members had sent 210 Pigeons, and we had two debutants for this race Nicolae Ababei and Steve Williams. The following morning i received the phone call from Dave Housden to say that they were liberated at 10.30am in a North East wind. Taking top spot and starting the season bang on form is Peter Twyford, who also took 5th Fed 1962, birds with a Red Chequer Busschaert Cock. This Red Chequer is no previous stranger to scoring as this is now his 3rd win having previously won 1st Club Lyndhurst and 1st Club 19th Fed Carentan, as well as taking several lower positions as well. Runner up this week we have Steve Sheffield with a Red Chequer John Crowder Busschaert Cock who also took 19th Fed. Third Club, also 20th Fed is Peter Twyford with a Blue Busschaert Cock, who is a Son of the Combine Cock 1st UBI Combine. Fourth Club, 26th Fed is Steve Holloway with a Blue Lambrecht Cock bred by Club Mate Geoff Barker. Fifth Club once again is Peter Twyford with a Chequer Busschaert x Soontjen x Braspenning Hen, The Sire being the Combine Cock and the Dam being a gift bird from Geoff Barker. Finally, in 6th spot is Steve Williams with a Blue Pied Jan Aarden x Janssen Hen. The Sire is a Dutch Jan Aarden Cock purchased at Epsom Show, and the Dam is a Janssen based hen who was Steve’s 1st ever winner, taking 1st Club, 1st Cheshunt Station and scored highly in the LNRC Young Bird Combine in 2015 when he first started up.
Race two from Blandford soon arrived and we were expecting a few more sending this week and at the end of Marking 13 members had sent 254 birds and there were 2500 birds in the Fed, which were liberated at 8.30am in a East Wind. Taking the top 3 this week is Steve Holloway with a Blue Pied Lambrecht Cock who also took all of the pool money, bred by Geoff Barker. This is a nest mate of the Blue Cock who took 4th club last week. Steve’s 2nd pigeon was a Blue Lambrecht Cock. The third-place pigeon was a Red Chequer Van Reet Cock. Fourth Club is Peter Twyford with a Red Chequer Busschaert Cock. Fifth once again is Peter Twyford with another Red Chequer Busschaert Cock. Finally, in 6th we have Paul Stone with a Blue Busschaert x Van Den Bosche Cock.
Race 3 was from Yeovil which to most members is between 120-130 miles and at the end of marking 8 members had sent 175 birds which was a big drop from the week before as less members had sent, as well as other members who have not raced so far this season for various reasons. On Saturday morning i received the weekly phone call from Dave Housden with the lib time which was at 7.30am in an East Wind. This week’s winner once again is Steve Holloway with the same Blue Pied Lambrecht Cock, who also took 13th Inter Counties Fed 2882 birds and bred by Geoff Barker. This is this Cocks 3rd win now as well as scoring 4th Club Exeter and 6th Club Lyndhurst. Second spot goes to Geoff Barker with a Blue Lambrecht Cock, who is a full brother to Steve Holloway’s winner. This Cock has previously scored 1st Club, 13th Fed,17th UBI Combine Carentan, 2nd Club,17th Fed, 18th UBI Combine Exeter,3rd Club Exeter, 13th Fed Blandford and 26th Fed Exeter. Geoff was also 3rd with a Grizzle Lambrecht Cock who has scored 4 minor Club positions in the Top 6. 4th Club is Steve Holloway with a Blue Chequer Van Reet Cock bred from his originals from Louella. 5th and 6th Club is Steve Sheffield with a Blue Pied Busschaert Cock bred from John Crowder Stock, who is also a previous winner, and a Blue Chequer Van Rijn Cock bred from pigeons purchased at Blackpool.
Our next race was from Honiton, and as well as this several members were sending with the BICC to Falaise. By the weather forecast we knew that the birdages sent for both races might be down. On the Saturday morning I see on Facebook a post by Anthony Besant saying that the BICC had held over and would be looking to liberate on the Sunday hopefully.
On Sunday morning i received the phone call from Dave Housden saying that the 210 Club birds sent by 13 members had been liberated in a North West Wind at 8am with 2521 birds in the Fed. I then the sent the text to the members saying that the BICC had been liberated at 7am. Taking the top 3 once again, continuing his excellent form is Steve Holloway with a Blue Chequer Van Reet Cock, a Blue Chequer Van Reet Cock who was one of the originals that Steve started with when he started up back in 2015 from Louella and the 3rd placed pigeon was a Blue Lambrecht Cock who took 2nd Club Blandford earlier in the season and was bred by Steve Sheffield. Fourth Club was Geoff Barker with a Mealy Louella Maarten Vinkenborg Cock who has previously scored a 3rd from Poitiers. 5th spot went to Steve Sheffield with a Chequer Pied Van Lint Cock, who is also a past winner. Finally, in 6th is Dave Dowling with a Blue Pied Cock who was given to Dave after the sad passing of one of our members Bob Hutton, who was a excellent fancier and was well liked by everyone and is still missed.
Also, some of the members had sent to the BICC Falaise race and in the Club the top 6 was as follows. 1stDoru Burlacu with a Black Claude Hetru x Desmet Matthys Cock. 2nd was Billy Watkins with a Dark Chequer Pied Cock who is bred down from Les Jones and Dave Albons National winners on one side, and on the other side Bills old Chequer Pied Family. 3rd and 4th was Steve Holloway with a Chequer Cock and a Blue Chequer Cock who are both Van Lints and are Father and Son. 5th was Doru Burlacu with a Grizzle Cock, another Claude Hetru. Finally, in 6th is Billy Watkins with a Dark Chequer Cock, the nest mate to the Dark Chequer Pied who took Second.
Before I end this write up, we would like to offer our Condolences to Margaret Sheffield, the wife of Steve Sheffield over the passing of her Dad Bill. Thoughts go out to you both, as well as Hayley, Craig, Sarah and the rest of the family at this time.
In the next right up.
First UBI Combine races, BICC, BBC and NFC round up.
Until next time, take care
Jamie T.
