ESSEX & KENT AMALGAMATION
E. J. SAINS
Essex & Kent Combine Berwick
Liberated 8.30 am Monday 4th June 2012
The Berwick race organised by the Essex & Kent Combine is probably one of the most sought after races in the Essex & Kent Combine programme as it is the first race where the birds spend an extra night in the basket, plus it is the first race of the season to be liberated in Scotland. It is also a race where many yearlings are tested. Because of all of these reasons it usually attracts a large numbers of birds. This year the Berwick race held particular interest because it was held in conjunction with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. To make this a special race, three combines were liberated at Berwick simultaneously, so that the members of these combines, The London North Road Combine, The Essex &Kent Combine and The North of The Thames Combine, could nominate birds into a special Jubilee race.
The weather once again did not do us any favours, with rain persisting both on Saturday and Sunday. Then early Monday morning all looked well - sun at the race point with good weather continuing all the way down the country. A degree of cloud and drizzle covered the south east first thing in the morning, but was due to clear for the birds’ arrival. At 8.30am the birds were liberated into a north wind and cleared quickly.
Mr Dean Burns. Winner of 1st & 6th County of Essex Federation. 1st & 6th open Essex & Kent Combine Berwick 1892 birds, velocity 1896ypm.
Although Dean Burns has not been racing pigeons for as long as many of the top flyers that are featuring in the result of this prestigious Berwick race, he more than held his own, proving that hard work and dedication can bring the highest of accolades to a young up and coming fancier. Dean told me that it’s a dream come true when you can walk down your garden, look at your loft and think ‘there’s a combine winner in there’.
Pigeon (origin)
Dean’s first bird, a blue chequer pied yearling widowhood hen, was bred in his loft from a pair of Van Lint late-bred stock pigeons, bred for him by Mr Garry White. His second bird, which was 6th combine, had scored in the Scotch Corner amalgamation a fortnight previous 11th federation 30th amalgamation. Dean was particularly pleased with this bird as it had previously won a Hornchurch pigeon show in which the entries were automatically entered in the Berwick race. So far it looks like being the first bird home from the Berwick show entry.
Dean Burns & daughter Hannah
Mr Steven Fenech. Winner of 2nd & 3rd County of Essex Federation. 2nd & 3rd open Essex & Kent Combine Berwick. Velocities 1887.6 & 1887.1.
Steven is having a fantastic season. He has already this year topped the amalgamation from Wetherby plus winning second open in the same race. But to top it all his two Essex & Kent Combine birds were nominated back to the London North Road Combine to win first & second open L.N.R.C. Berwick & first & second L.N.R.C. Berwick Yearling.
Pigeon (origin)
Interestingly enough although Steven Fenech races a team of Denis Sapin pigeons, which are proving to be an unstoppable force at the sprint and middle distance races, on this occasion his first bird a blue chequer yearling cock was one of his new introductions, an Adrian DMunter pigeon. Steve said that this fancier took his eye because not only was he featuring a lot in the top middle distance nationals but other Belgian fanciers were also winning with his birds, even though he is only a small team flyer. Steve said he was naming this young cock Lou’s Boy after his late dad who was a keen pigeon man himself.
The second bird to be timed in by Steve was a Denis Sapin blue yearling widowhood cock. He was very pleased to see this bird show his worth as a sister to him had twice topped the federation also taking a first section in the Up North combine with over 5000 birds for his friend Mr Alan Long. When having a little banter with his friend, Alan had told him that he was naming his hen Essex Girl after the Only Way Is Essex. So Steve thought it only fitting to name his pigeon Longey after Alan.
Steve Fenech.
Steve Fenech's Longey.
Mr Allan Green. Winner of 1st Essex Central Federation 9th Open Essex & Kent combine. Velocity 1851ypm.
Allan is the secretary of Raleigh R.P.S., the largest and probably the strongest club in the Essex Central Federation. You would think with twenty-five flying members to look after that he would not find a lot of time to race his pigeons but he does and flies them extremely well in this very strong club. Allan admits that Berwick is a favourite race point of his, in fact in the last six years he has won this race no fewer than five times.
Pigeon (origin)
Back in 1999 Allan restocked his loft with the Braspenning family of birds. He managed to purchase birds from all the top champions, and has found them to be very good pigeons.
The winner of this race, a three year old widowhood cock, also won the Berwick race two years ago, as well as winning first Raleigh club second federation second combine Scotch Corner. Without doubt a pigeon that has proved himself a very good bird indeed. Allan, who flies around fifteen widowhood cocks & thirty young birds, told me that unquestionably the thing he enjoyed the most about this Berwick race was when John Buckfield had to fight the tears back after handing over a £10.00 bet that they had had on the side.
Result. Approx 1868 birds.
1 D BURNS COE 1892
2 M/M S FENECH COE 1887.6
3 M/M S FENECH COE 1887.1
4 B & K HAWES COE 1882
5 B & K HAWES COE 1865
6 D BURNS COE 1862
7 R FENECH & SON COE 1861
8 R FENECH & SON COE 1856
9 A GREEN EC 1851 01268 758122
10 R FENECH & SON COE 1849
11 S VIALLS & SON COE 1847
12 HARRIS & SON COE 1845.6
13 C THOMAS COE 1845.5
14 SPEARPOINT & STAGG EC 1844
15 M/M S MEDLOCK COE 1839
16 M/M S FENECH COE 1838
17 K SAINS SV 1836
18 T BUCKFIELD EC 1833.2
19 B & K HAWES COE 1833.0
20 M/M G RICHMOND EC 1832
