ESSEX & KENT AMALGAMATION
E. J. SAINS
Wetherby - Saturday 3rd of May 2014
The Essex & Kent Amalgamation beat all of its previous records by basketing its highest number of birds for an amalgamation race. 5500 birds went under the starter’s gun and were liberated at 8am into a light north wind. For the first part of the journey the wind varied slightly, but overall the race was flown in a light north east wind. The birds once again timed in from the east coast right the way across into London and beyond within a few minutes of one and other according to time and distance.
Mr & Mrs John & Gaynor Ashenden First Essex Central Federation First open Essex & Kent Amalgamation velocity 1573 ypm
To win the Essex Central Federation, a federation that regularly baskets over 2000 birds flying to fanciers all over the county of Essex, is an achievement in itself, one that John and Gaynor have long sought after, but to win the Essex & Kent Amalgamation with a record number of birds in the race on the same day was for John and Gaynor a dream come true.
Gaynor is the secretary or the Essex & Kent Amalgamation, so you can just imagine the stress the partnership came under as the results slowly came in from the different federations.
The winning pigeon, a yearling blue Frans Zwols hen, was motivated by the use of some stock cocks that had been parted from their hens for some time and on the day of basketing were let into the young bird loft, where the amalgamation winner and two other odd hens had paired together and were sitting on six eggs. As soon as the cocks tried to take over the hens’ nesting area, the three hens were basketed for the race. Incidentally they were 1st 3rd and 5th pigeon.
The winning Frans Zwols hen was one of six bought by Gaynor for John as a Christmas present from Formula One Lofts. John had tried during the winter to purchase a cock for this hen but was outbid so she was left as a spare hen.
John would like to thank his family, Jonathan Gladwin, Steve Duffell and Gaynor for their moral support, plus his dad for helping him to come to grips with the knowledge you need to have in order to compete in today’s pigeon sport.
Mr & Mrs Ashenden
Mark Cooper First West Essex Federation Second open Essex & Kent Amalgamation velocity 1571 ypm
Mark’s season got off to a flying start winning both of the two clubs competes in, Greys Social and The Pride of Tilbury, but of course this amalgamation race put the icing on the cake when a two year old red pied widowhood cock dropped on the loft to win second open Essex & Kent Amalgamation. This red pied is the result of a Terry McCarthy Van Reet cross to a Honeysuckle Loft Janssen. Mark explained that this cock was not his first choice as he was sent to prepare him for up the road. Most of Mark’s 26 widowers are Vandenabeele and these were responsible for the early wins. His Vadenabeeles also originate from Terry McCarthy stock.
Mark Cooper
Barry Hall 3rd & 6th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation 2nd & 3rd Essex Central Federation velocities 1566 & 1561.7
Once again Barry Hall has managed to time two pigeons in the first six of the Essex & Kent Amalgamation. Believe me this takes some doing, particularly when there are some 5500 birds in the race.
Both Barry’s first two birds were Louis Cooreman pigeons, with all four of their parents being bred by Bob Fenech. The first bird was a two year old blue widowhood cock, whereas the second bird was a dark cheque yearling widowhood cock. Barry’s thoughts were that the Cooreman pigeons do well on a big day, when the birds not only need to get in front, but need to brake as soon as possible. The widowhood team of 35 cocks are starting to hit form with a 1st 3rd & 4th in the large Rayleigh club the week previous.
Barry Hall
Les Reynolds takes 4th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation 2nd West Essex Federation Wetherby velocity 1565 ypm
The first bird to be timed in by Les was a 2011 Staf Van Reet widowhood cock. His bloodlines originate from Terry Jenkins of Dagenham.
Les races 20 widowhood cocks, that have so far this year shown unbelievable form with 3 wins in the first 4 races. The bloodlines are mostly Staf Van Reets with a few Janssens from Robbie Wilton crossed in.
Les Reynolds
Bernie & Jamie Willson 5th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation 3rd West Essex Federation Wetherby velocity 1561.8
Young Jamie Willson races his birds in partnership with his dad Bernie. Their family of Soontjens pigeons originate from Fenwiick & Howard of Doncaster, whom they would like to thank for letting them have some of the best.
This season the partnership are trying out some widowhood hens as well as their team of 24 widowhood cocks, with some good results being in the first six in all the first races.
Their first bird in the Essex & Kent Wetherby Amalgamation was a 2011 blue widowhood cock winning this race makes four wins for this cock so far.
Jamie would like to thank his parents for letting him fly pigeons from their garden. Without this facility Jamie would not be able to race pigeons at all.
The Willsons
Mr & Mrs Gordon Thorpe First East London Federation 7th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation velocity 1560 ypm
For the Gordon Thorpe partnership this has been one of the best seasons ever. First race 1st 2nd 3rd & 4th federation, second week 1st federation, 3rd week 1st federation, 4th week 1st federation 7th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation Wetherby 5500 birds.
The first bird to be timed in from the Essex & Kent Amalgamation was a two year old blue Gaby Vadenabeele from Formula One Lofts. This cock also topped the East London Federation the week previous, plus on the first race of the season arriving at the same time as the federation winner, who was timed first because he was the nom pigeon. This nom pigeon incidentally topped the fed last year in the Ripon Essex & Kent Amal race.
Two of Gordon's birds
Mr & Mrs Ronnie Reason First Stour Valley Federation 15th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation velocity 1553 ypm
Ronnie’s pigeon needs a special mention for its amazing performance, flying way over near the East coast with East in the wind to put up a performance of approximately just two and a half minutes behind the overall winner.
This three year old blue widowhood cock has had three races this season. In his first race he won first club first federation and of course again first federation 15th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation Wetherby with the wind not in his favour. The dam of this cock is a Vandenabeele from the partnership’s number one pair. The sire of the winning pigeon was bought from the late Jimmy Deighton’s bereavement sale. This cock flew 3rd open in the Essex & Kent’s Combine Arbroath race, racing in an adverse wind. Ronnie was 4th with the wind in his favour.
The partnership of Mr & Mrs Ronnie Reason have started the season extremely well topping the Stour Valley Federation in each of the first three races they have sent in, undoubtedly a brilliant performance when you consider a team of only 12 widowhood cocks and 14 hens.
Ronnie and family
Mr & Mrs Kevin & Michelle Calver First County of Essex Federation 16th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation velocity 1552 ypm
Kevin & Michelle have been racing their pigeons since 1999 and have had their fare share of success, topping the County Amalgamation in 2002 & 2003.
Saturday saw the partnership time in to top the County of Essex Federation and win 16th open in the Essex & Kent Amalgamation with a three year old blue white flighted Flore Engel widowhood cock. This cock has already won several cards in the past and has now been named Charlie Boy. The partnership’s team of widowers consist of just six widowhood cocks, plus a few yearlings that are very lightly raced, in order to prepare them for future racing.
Mr & Mrs Calver's winner
S Stanbrook & Son First Havering Federation velocity 1537
This is Lol’s third club win so far this season. His first bird a four year old Van Loon De Klak Janssen originating from the Planet Van Loons via Ron Massey of Hornchurch and the De Klaks from the late Roger Carr. This cock has now topped up four firsts and had already won the first race this season, flying on the natural system, and then topping the federation this week again on widowhood.
Lol Stanbrook
Wetherby 3.5.2014
Lib 08.00. Light North wind
Approx 5500 birds
1 M/M ASHENDEN EC 1573
2 R COOPER WE 1571
3 B HALL EC 1566
4 L REYNOLDS WE 1565.5
5 B & J WILLSON WE 1561.8
6 B HALL 1561.7
7 M/M THORPE EL 1560
8 M/M WOODLEY EL 1559
9 M/M PITTMAN EC 1557.6
10 S PHILPOTT EC 1557.0
11 T & T McCARTHY EC 1556
12 KILPIN & HOLLAND EC 1555.6
13 M/M PITTMAN 1555.4
14 GLADWIN & JARVIS EC 1553.6
15 M/M REASON SV 1553.2
16 M/M CALVER COE 1552
17 W J AYERS COE 1548
18 F HARNETT & SON EC 1547
19 M TOKLEY EC 1544
20 LEPITIT & THURTLE COE 1543
1ST HAVERING FED S STANBROOK & SON
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