ESSEX & KENT AMALGAMATION
E. J. SAINS
Wetherby - 4th of May 2013
An excellent start for the Essex & Kent Amalgamation, with the first race convoying 5496 birds. This number was certainly helped by having on board the newly joined East of London Federation. The birds were liberated into a fresh south-westerly wind at 9.45hrs. Ahead of the convoy were numerous showers, some reported to be quite heavy, but with ample room in between the showers for the birds to slip through, allowing the birds to make good velocities, right the way across the width of the Amalgamation.
Mr Lee Fribbins - 1st & 2nd & 6th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation. 1st 2nd & 3rd Stour Valley Federation. Velocities 1438 1431 1399 ypm.
An absolutely outstanding performance by Lee, not only for the fact that Lee’s first two birds have taken the highest accolade, first & second 5496 birds competing, but the fact that these two three year olds have performed so well in the past. For instance as young birds they were raced on a form of widowhood. They had boxes that were allocated next to each other and week in and week out they would come together, winning 5x1st & 5x2nd with very good federation positions.
To Lee’s surprise at the end of the year one of the cocks turned out to be a very handsome hen. Since that time they have been paired together and continue to win, often coming together.
Both cocks and hens are sent to every race that is entered. The birds never give any trouble trapping, even when a pair comes together. They race to their box.
This is Lee’s second Amalgamation win, winning first & second Essex & Kent Amalgamation Wetherby 2011 plus nine other top positions in the same race.
Lee Fribbins holding his Amalgamation winner
Pigeon Origins
The first two birds are both Leo Van Rijn based pigeons.
The first pigeon 7744 has won 7 x 1st clubs including winning the Saxon Valley CC and he has also previously been 22nd Amal Wetherby, 29th Amal Wetherby, 8th Amal Ripon plus many other club and fed positions.
The Second pigeon 3867 has won 2 x 1st Clubs plus has 8 x 2nd clubs beaten by loft mates on 7 of the 8 occasions. Last year she was 3rd Amal Wetherby and the following week 2nd Essex Central Federation from Market Rasen dropping with 4 loftmates to record the first 5 in the federation. Her classic results are 3rd Amal Wetherby, 19th Amal Wetherby, 19th Essex and Kent Combine Scotch Corner.
Lee would like to thank secretary Steve Wallis and the Maldon & District members for organising the marking of his birds at the club’s marking station.
Blue pied cock 7744 First open Essex & Kent Amalgamation Wetherby for Lee Fribbins
Blue hen 3867 Second open Essex & Kent Amalgamation Wetherby for Lee Fribbins
Warren Lofts - 1st 2nd & 6th Essex Central Federation. 3rd 4th & 12th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation. Velocities 1414.8 1414.7 & 1377 ypm.
For those who are not aware of the newly formed Warren Lofts partnership, this is made up of two formidable team partnerships, that of Ian Wallis & Daughter and Steve Wallis & son Sam Wallis. Both of these partnerships when flying as individuals broke records at club, fed and amalgamation level.
Pigeon Origins
The first two birds, a two year old blue chequer widowhood cock and a two year old blue widowhood cock, dropped together. These two birds not only share the fact that they are nest mates but that they are also outstanding performers having both won numerous federation positions including first federation with one of these cocks winning the club and third Essex & Suffolk Federation the previous week. These two cocks are also bred from the champion breeder the old Belgian Cooreman hen. She is now responsible for at least 13 federation winners to date. Their third pigeon, a yearling blue cock, is a grandson of Terry Jones’ combine winner.
Members of the Warren Lofts. From left to right young Sam Wallis, Mr Steven Wallis, Mr Ian Wallis and little Tillie Wallis.
Mr Eric Guinchard - 1st & 2nd Havering Federation 7th & 11th Open Essex & Kent Amalgamation. Velocities 1397 1384 ypm.
Once again Eric has put in a brilliant performance, flying against all the odds in a strong west wind to the far west of the amalgamation winning 7th& 11th open in a field of five and a half thousand pigeons. Eric’s first bird home was a yearling Busschaert bred by his partner Mr Tim Rodwell of Kent raced on a roundabout system. This yearling cock was raced very lightly as a young bird having only three races.
The second bird, a two year old blue chequer Sapin hen, was also raced on the roundabout system as a young bird she raced well topping the Havering Federation.
Mr Eric Guinchard holding 1st Havering Federation 7th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation 5496 birds
Inside Eric Guinchard's loft in the roundabout section
Mr & Mrs Sparks & Son - 1st South of The Thames Federation 10th Open Essex & Kent Amalgamation. Velocity 1384 ypm.
There were just three pigeons timed in the top twenty on the far west side of the Amalgamation. One was timed in by Andrew Sparks and the other two by Eric Guinchard, Eric taking first & second in the Havering Federation, and Andrew winning the South of the Thames Federation. Andrew’s bird, a three year old dark chequer widowhood cock, has been a very useful pigeon in the past; as a yearling he was first club 3rd combine Thurso.
Andrew tells me that he flies both north & south road and has found that by sending his birds to a short north road race and then turning them straight round to an important south road combine race he has enjoyed a lot of success. A good example of this is when Andrew’s young birds took 1st 2nd & 3rd open in the Exeter young bird combine with the winning young birds all having flown Scotch Corner prior to the Exeter race.
Andrews’s first bird was also trained south all week being tossed at Reigate, going on to win 10th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation Wetherby 5496 birds.
Andrew Sparks holding his winning pigeon
There were many other outstanding performances on the day, some of which were only just out of the top twenty some having to go head the wind when flying to the west side of the amalgamation others. Some of these birds were:
The East of London’s Federation winner, flown by Mr K Doughty velocity 1361.7 ypm beating over 800 birds in his federation alone.
The County of Essex federation winner’s Wood bros 1361.1 ypm.
The West of Essex federation winner Mr L Jenkins 1355 ypm.
Mr Jimmy Richards of Raleigh club winning 3rd Essex Central Federation 5th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation velocity 1400 ypm, with already having topped the Essex Central Federation’s first race at Sleaford. Jimmy’s birds are once again off to a good start.
Mr & Mrs John & Gaynor Ashenden who were 2nd & 3rd Essex Central Federation in the first race and won four of the first twenty in the Essex Central’s second race, then 5th Essex Central Federation 9th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation Wetherby velocity 1385 ypm 5496 birds.
Mr Melvin Brown of Rochford who beat his club by 25 ypm to take 14th open Essex & Kent Amalgamation Wetherby velocity 1370 ypm. Well done Melv.
Provisional result Essex & Kent amalgamation Wetherby 4th May 2013.
Liberated at 0945hrs. Fresh West South West wind. Approx 5496 birds.
1 L FRIBBINS SV 1438
2 L FRIBBINS 1431
3 WARREN LOFTS EC 1414.8
4 WARREN LOFTS 1414.7
5 J RICHARDS EC 1400
6 L FRIBBINS 1399
7 E GUINCHARD HNR 1397
8 S WARD & DTR EC 1390
9 M/M ASHENDEN EC 1385
10 M/M SPARKS & SON ST 1384.9
11 E GUINCHARD 1384.2
12 WARREN LOFTS 1377
13 L FRIBBINS 1375
14 M BROWN EC 1370
15 M CREIGHTON EC 1367.8
16 K PAPWORTH EC 1367.4
17 J CROXSON EC 1367.1
18 M/M P LAKE & SON EC 1366
19 M/M S ODDY EC 1365.8
20 J & A ASHENDEN EC 1365.7
OTHER FED WINNERS
EAST LONDON K DOUGHTY 1361.7
COUNTY WOOD BROS 1361.1
WEST ESSEX L JENKINS 1355
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