Enfield Continental Flying Club
Season Review 2026
During the winter months the club received a new application from a fancier who had just recently moved into the area and he wanted to start racing with Young birds this year. At the AGM he was accepted into the club by the members and we welcomed Albab Choudhury to fly with us. We also lost one member who was suspended by the region for non-payment of Club & Union fees.
The first race was soon on us and the Club held its first race of the season which was flown from Stoney Cross on the 11th April. For this race 8 Members sent 196 birds with the distances flown would be between 82 & 92 Miles for our members. I received the phone call from Dave Housden saying that they had been liberated at 11am in a South West Wind.
Taking First Club was Ilie Branetu with a Blue Van Den Bulck Hen. Billy Watkins took 2nd Club with a Blue Cock from his Copper Kettle family, a previous winner of 3rd Club Blandford. 3rd spot went to Ilie Branetu with a Blue Van den Bulck hen. Fourth club was Sahin Kurt with a Blue Chequer Hen Van den Bulck. Club Secretary Steve Holloway took 5th Club with a Lambrecht Chequer Cock, a past winner of 1st Club Stoney Cross, 1st Club Blandford, 6th Club Exeter, 1st Club Yeovil, 5th Club Exeter, 1st Club Honiton & 4th Club Blandford. Finally in 6th we had Billy Watkins with a Blue Cock another of his Copper Kettles, a past winner of 6th Club Blandford
Race 2 was flown on the 18th April from Blandford, with this race 7 members sent 196 birds which were liberated by our convoyer at 8.45 in a Light south west wind. Ilie Branetu carried on his excellent form from the previous week taking the top 3 positions with a Black Hen, a Blue Hen, the same hen who won the previous week. Ilie’s third pigeon was a Black pied cock with all of them being Van Den Bulcks. Arif Karibas took 4th & 5th Club with a Chequer Cock Lambrecht bred by Geoff Barker & a Chequer Pied Bulck hen bred by Ilie Branetu. Finally in 6th we had John Figuiera with a Red chequer cock.
On the 25th April the club had its third race of the season from Yeovil with 8 members sending 216 birds which were liberated at 8.50 in a South east wind. Ilie Branetu took the first 3 positions again with a Blue hen, a winner of 2nd Club Blandford last week & 1st club Stoney Cross the week before. Ilie’s next two were a Blue hen & a Blue cock with all of them being Van den Bulcks. Billy Watkins took 4th Club with a Blue Copper Kettle Cock, previously 3rd Club Exeter & 6th club Stoney Cross. Fifth Club was John Figuiera with a Chequer Cock. Finally in 6th Club we had Billy Watkins with a Blue Copper Kettle Cock.
On the 2nd of May the fourth race of the season was flown from Honiton, with 8 Members sending 238 birds. These were liberated at 7.45 in a south east wind. Once again Ilie Branetu took the top 2 positions with a Blue hen, who also took 21st Inter Counties Fed 2873 birds. This Blue hen has also taken 1st Club Stoney Cross, 2nd Club Blandford & 1st Club Yeovil this season. Ilie’s second was a Blue w/f hen with both of them being Van den bucks. Arif Karibas took 3rd Club with a Chequer Pied Bulck hen bred by Ilie Branetu. Fourth Club went to Billy Watkins with a Blue Pied hen from his own family, a past winner of 6th Club Blandford. Taking 5th Club was Ilie branetu with a Dark chequer Van den Bulck hen. Finally in sixth place we had John Figuiera with a Chequer pied hen.
On the 9th of May the Club was due to fly from Exeter, but due to the expected weather the race point was changed to Blandford. For this race 6 members sent 139 birds which were liberated at 7am in a North east wind. Ilie Branetu took the top 3 positions once again with the same Blue hen who has now taken 1st Club Honiton, 21st Fed, 1st Club Stoney Cross, 1st Club Yeovil & 2nd Club Blandford. Ilie’s next two were a Blue cock & a Blue hen with all of them being Van den Bulcks. Steve Holloway took fourth Club with a Chequer pied Lambrecht cock, a previous winner of 2nd club Stoney Cross, 2nd Club Blandford, 2nd Club Exeter, 4th Club Wadebridge, 6th Club Honiton and 2nd Club Honiton. Billy Watkins took 5th Club with a Blue Copper Kettle hen; Finally in 6th place we had Sahin Kurt with a Dark chequer Bulck x Best Kittle cock.
16th May was flown from Yeovil with 9 members sending 208 birds which were libbed into a South west wind at 6.30am. Taking Pole position this week was Steve Holloway with a Chequer pied Lambrecht cock, a past winner of 4th club Blandford, 2nd Club Stoney Cross, 2nd Club Blandford, 2nd club Exeter, 2nd Club Honiton & 6th Club Honiton. Ilie Branetu took 2nd Club with a Blue Van den Bulck hen. Sehim Kurt took 3rd with a Mealy Cock Bulck x Best Kittle. Fourth Club was Ilie Branetu with a Chequer Van den Bulck hen. Billy Watkins takes 5th Club with a Blue Pied hen, a past winner of 4th club Blandford & 6th Club Honiton. Finally in 6th place we have Steve Holloway with a Dark Chequer Lambrecht hen, a past winner of 1st Club Exeter, 3rd club Wincanton, 1st Club Blandford, 5th Club Blandford, 6th Club Yeovil, & 4th Club Exeter.
On the 23rd May the UBI Combine held its first combine race of the season from Wadebridge, with the distances flown for the members would be between 220-230 miles. They were marked on the Thursday afternoon and liberated at 10.30am in a North west wind on the Saturday morning. For this race 7 members sent 124 birds. John Figuiera took the 1st & 2nd places with a Blue cock & a Chequer pied cock. Sehim Kurt took 3rd with a Van den Bulck x Best kittle Chequer cock. Club Secretary Steve Holloway took 4th club with a Lambrecht Chequer cock. John Figuiera took 5th club with a Chequer pied cock. Finally in 6th we had Algis & Jurgita Tiatauris with a Blue De Klak hen.
The race on the 30th May was raced from Honiton, a distance of just over 140 miles for the members with 6 members sending 119 birds which were liberated nice and early by the convoyer Harry Burgin at 6.15am. Taking the first 3 was Ilie Branetu, who also took 1st Open Inter Counties Fed 1140 birds with a Chequer Van den Bulck. 2nd Club was the Blue Bulck hen who also took 11th Inter counties Fed. This little hen has now won so far this season 1st Club, 21st Fed Honiton, 1st Club Stoney Cross, 2nd Club Blandford, 1st Club Yeovil, & 1st Club Blandford. Ilie’s third pigeon was a Blue Bulck who earlier in the season took 2nd Club Blandford. Taking fourth club was Sehim Kurt with a Blue pied Bulck hen. Arif Karibas took 5th Club with a Dark chequer Lambrecht cock bred by Geoff Barker. Finally 6th club went to John Figuiera with a Chequer Cock.
The 7th of June race was flown once again from Honiton, with 7 Members sending 122 birds which were liberated at 8.30 in a Lt South West wind. Ilie Branetu kept up his excellent form taking 1st, 2nd & 3rd Club with Three Blue Van den Bulck Cocks. Fourth Club went to Club Secretary Steve Holloway with a Dark Chequer Lambrecht Cock. Taking 5th & 6th place we had John Figuiera with a Chequer Cock & a Red Cock.
Our next race was with the UBI Combine which was flown from Truro with 6 Members sending 90 birds which were liberated at 8.30am in a Lt North West Wind. The winner of 1st Club, 15th Inter Counties Fed, 15th UBI Combine was Ilie Branetu with a Blue Bulck Hen. Ilie also took 2nd Club, 25th Fed & 25th UBI Combine with a Blue Van den Bulck Cock. 3rd & 4th Club was John Figuiera with a Chequer Cock & a Blue Cock. Fifth Club was Ilie Branetu once again with a Blue Bulck Hen. Finally in 6th position was Algis & Jurgita Tiatauris with a Chequer W/F Cock.
On the 20th June we were back at Honiton with 7 Members sending 110 birds with them being liberated at 10am in a South West Wind. Ilie Branetu took 1st Club, 25th Inter Counties Fed, also 2nd Club with two Blue Bulck Cocks. Arif Karibas took 3rd Club with a Chequer Pied Bulck Hen bred by Ilie Branetu.
The UBI Combine had another race on the 28th June from Exeter, For this race 6 Members sent 94 with the liberation taking place at 8am in a Lt South West wind. Algis & Jurgita Tiatauris took 1st Club, 14th Inter Counties Fed, 14th UBI Combine with a Blue Hen. Ilie Branetu took 2nd Club, 21st Fed, 21st UBI Combine with a Blue Van den Bulck Cock. Third Club, also 37th UBI Combine went to Algis & Jurgita TIatauris with a Dark Hen, Algis also took 4th Club with a Blue Hen. Sahin Kurt took 5th spot with a Red Chequer Bulck Hen. Finally 6th club was Ilie Branetu with a Blue Bulck Cock.
The last Old bird race soon arrived on the 4th July which was flown from Blandford, with 7 Members sending 78 birds, with them being liberated at 6.30am in a South West Wind. Ilie Branetu took the first three positions, also took 30th Inter Counties Fed with a Black Hen, a Blue Hen and a Blue W/F Cock, all Bulcks. 4th & 5th Club went to John Figuiera with a Blue Cock and a Chequer Pied Hen. Finally 6th Club went to Algis & Jurgita Tiatauris with a Dark Chequer Hen.
With the Old bird season now over, there was a 3 week break until the start of the Young bird season which was on the 25th of July.
The first Young bird race was flown from Blandford with them being liberated at 6.15am in a variable wind, with Billy Watkins taking 1st Club with a Dark Grizzle Copper Kittle hen, as well as 3rd Club with a Blue Pied Copper Kettle hen., Ilie Branetu took 2nd & 4th Club with two Van Den Bulck cocks. New member Albab Choudhury took 5th & 6th Club with a Blue Vandenabeele cock, the sire being a previous 1st Fed winner & the dam being a 2x1st club winner. & a Chequer Koopman x Vandenabeele Cock, a half-brother to the 5th Club winner. The dam of this pigeon was bred by Alex Docherty of Swindon
On the 1st August the Inter Counties Fed were back at Blandford once again, with these being liberated at 6.30 in a Light NW wind. Ilie Branetu took 1st,2nd & 3rd Club with 2 Blue cocks & a Blue hen with them all being Van Den Bulcks. Albab Choudhury took 4th & 5th with a Blue Vandenabeele cock who took 5th Club the previous week & a Chequer Koopman x Vandenabeele cock who took 6th Club the previous week. Billy Watkins took 6th with a Dark Grizzle Copper Kettle hen.
The 8th August we raced from Yeovil with 6 Members sending 105 birds which were liberated at 6.50 in a Light South East wind. Albab Choudhury took 1st Club which broke his novice status with a Chequer Hen bred by Alex Docherty of Swindon. Billy Watkins took 2nd Club with a Copper Kettle Blue hen. 3rd & 4th Club went to Albab Choudhury with a Blue Vandenabeele cock, a previous winner of 5th Club Blandford. Albab’s second bird was a Chequer Vandenabeele cock which earlier in the season took 5th Club from Blandford., with 5th & 6th Club going to Ilie Branetu with two Chequer Bulck cocks.
The following week we marked on the Saturday for a Sunday race, with this race being from Blandford with these being liberated at 8.20 with a Light NW wind given at the lib site. Albab Choudhury continued his winning streak from the previous week with a Chequer hen who was bred by Alex Docherty of Swindon. Billy Watkins took 2nd place with a Blue Grizzle from his Copper Kettle family. Albab Choudhury also took 3rd & 4th Club with a Vandenbeele x Koopman Chequer Cock scoring for the third time & a Blue Vandenbeele Cock. Ilie Branetu took 5th & 6th places with a Chequer cock & Dark Chequer cock from his excellent Van Den Bulck family.
22nd August the Club was back at Yeovil with the birds being liberated at 8am with no wind given at the liberation site. For this race 6 Members sent 79 birds, with Albab Choudhury taking 1st & 2nd Club with a Chequer Vandenbeele cock, past winner of 3rd Club Blandford, 5th Club Blandford & 6th Club Blandford. Albab’s second pigeon was a Mealy Bulck Cock. Ilie Branetu took 3rd, 4th & 5th with a Blue cock & 2 Blue Hens with them all being Van Den Bulck’s. Finally in 6th position we had Arif Karibas with a Blue Bulck hen bred by Ilie Branetu.
On the 30th August we were flying from Honiton with 5 Members sending 69 birds which were liberated at 8.15 in a Light SW wind. Albab Choudhury took 1st Club with the same Vandenbeele cock who took 1st Club the previous week. Arif Karibas took 2nd & 3rd Club with a Chequer cock bred by Steve Holloway with bloodlines of New Laureaat, Klein Jade & Jef, with the 3rd place being a Chequer hen bred by Ilie Branetu of Bulck bloodlines. Fourth & 5th positions went to Albab Choudhury with a Chequer hen bred by Alex Docherty of Swindon, a previous winner of 1st Club Blandford & another Chequer hen bred by Steve Addison. Finally we had Arif Karibas in 6th spot with a Blue Bulck hen bred by Ilie Branetu.
With the Club now into its last 3 races of the season we were back at Honiton just over 140 miles to the members, with these being liberated at 7.45 in a South SE wind. Arif Karibas took the first 3 positions in the club with two Blue hens & a Chequer hen with them all being bred by Ilie Branetu containing Van Den Bulck bloodlines. 4th, 5th & 6th places went to Albab Choudhury with a Blue Vandenbeele cock, a Chequer hen & a Mealy cock both Bulck bloodlines,
The longest race of the young bird season was flown on the 12th September from Wadebridge with the distances just over the 220 mile barrier. For this race the birds were liberated at 9.30 in a South west wind. Arif Karibas took the 1st, 2nd & 4th positions with 2 Blue Hens & a Chequer hen with them being bred by Club mate Ilie Branetu. John Figuiera took 3rd Club, as well as 5th & 6th with a Blue cock, a Chequer Pied hen & a Red Chequer cock.
Finally the last race of the season arrived which was a comeback race from Blandford which was flown on the 20th September with the birds getting released at 9.40 in a North west wind. Arif Karibas took 1st with a Blue Ilie Branetu Bulck hen, Arifs 2nd was a Dark Chequer hen bred by Steve Holloway, with the 3rd Club being a Blue Bulck cock bred by Ilie Branetu. 4th Club went to Billy Watkins with a Blue from his Copper Kettle family. Fifth & 6th spot went to John Figuiera with a Chequer Pied hen & Blue Pied hen both from his own family.
That was the review of the season of 2026 and we are looking forward to the season of 2027.
Before I end these notes, we have heard some really sad news that one of our former members Geoff Barker has passed away. The Club and its members send our condolences to all of Geoff’s family and friends at this really sad time,
Jamie T…
