Essex Central Federation - Retford (4) - 10-06-23

Retford (4) 10/6/2023

Welcome all, the 9^th outing on the agenda brings us back to the Nottinghamshire, market town of Retford for what will be the fourth visit of conveyer Lee Fuller, wife Nicola and the recently adapted transporter containing on this occasion 875 entries. With a fine morning and all clear signalled from our race controller Steve Ward, Lee began the contest at 07:45 in a brisk North wind.

Winning three out of the four Retford contests this term at the club and first of the 53 federation lofts to time in at journeys end after 2 hours, 7 minutes and 24 seconds today, are the Bocking bullets Derek Parsons Snr and son Derek to continue their fantastic season. The current leaders in the Maldon stakes receive another good pigeon from Retford with their 3y Mealy cock way out in front completing his 116 mile journey at 1603. The consistent home bred winner making his second appearance on the fed sheet for the dynamic duo who notably work their pigeons for every race. The partnership was formed eight years ago coinciding with the fanciers beginning their Maldon adventure. Prior to Maldon club, Derek Senior began racing with Witham with the kind help of Bill May then Braintree followed by Halstead and this season celebrates his 60^th year in our great sport. In all those years his greatest recollection is winning the coveted Thurso race two years in succession with the same pigeon, a great pigeon! Now ably assisted by superb club man and builder Derek Jnr the partnership have already racked up some memorable results together and started the season racing a team of 40 old birds and are looking forward to testing 60 youngsters in their upcoming schedule. Since joining Maldon all members have been very good to us and helped whenever necessary adds hard working Derek who might I add completes a challenging rush hour 30 mile round trip to and from Heybridge each and every Friday and Saturday to enjoy the atmosphere and race the pigeons not to mention administering the crates on a weekly basis. Well done Derek and Derek on a very much deserved federation victory and good luck with the new ammunition this coming July. Second club with a familiar pigeon to me are the highly successful team Wallis consisting of club secretary and federation chairman Steve, Roofing contractor and brother Ian with Steve’s Son Sam and his young family custodian of the Wood Road racing lofts. Their dark chequer cock ’89 runner up in the fed as a yearling, 3^rd club and on the fed scoresheet from the same racepoint last month today picks up club silver with 1548. The son of prolific winner dragon earning another card with 8^th fed for the Heybridge outfit. Bronze medal at the Scraley road collective goes to pigeon royalty himself Sir Trevor Tunstall, London Amalgamation winner Trevor takes the minor honours over to Braintree with his yearling blue pied cock 14^th fed covering his 116 miles at 1536.

Working their way up the scoresheet week on week and representing Chelmsford City to the best of their abilities are the superstar pairing of John and Tina Payne. Their lovely 2y blue chequer hen bred down from the old Delbars they have retained from many years ago secures the future for the strain with an excellent 2 hour and twenty race home to the capital, flying 124 miles at 1567 for 1^st club, 2^nd fed. Runner up is the last Retford club winner the sleeping giant Alan (Mr & Mrs) Hills who registers his yearling at 7 minutes past ten. The Blue cock carrying Syndicate lofts blood lines from the stock ace Fred Harnett racks up a fine 1543 and 9^th fed. Taking third at the united city is Tony Brewster, runner up to Alan Hills at Retford last time out, 5^th generation fancier Tony collects bronze for the T & K Brewster partnership with a 2y Van Reet. Hailing from the strong family they have developed over many years the dark chequer cock collects 13^th fed with 1537.  Great flying City and as always, an honest account of the day’s proceedings from correspondent John who reports a good race was enjoyed by all competing members with very good early returns with only a few late arrivals. John once again expresses his appreciation to the conveying team. As always, thankyou John.

A super result today for Hutton club with Mr and Mrs Richard Sees putting in a great performance to register 3 in the  fed, 2 of those in the top ten. Accumulating many minor honours in the past but stepping onto the federation podium for the first time and a maiden no more is a 4 y consistent blue cock purchased from Bert Hessian direct from Van Reet himself. The club winning veteran strikes home at five past ten after 124 miles giving flooring expert Richard 3^rd fed with 1563. Only a minute would pass when the second arrival of the 13 strong contingent appeared on the victors trap. This 4y grandson of Bert Hessians legendary Masterpiece and a previous Essex Central Fed winner has to settle for silver in the club today. The blue cock 6^th fed and another card in the bag on 1549. Russell Jaques takes third in the tight knit group with the memorable blue cock double o one. The Grantham, Retford and Berwick club winning fancier timed the first to be rung 3y after 2 hours 23 minutes on the wing equating 1539, placing Russell on the all important scoresheet in 11^th. Cracking go at it today Hutton club, keep it up.

Definitely a day for past race victors today and that trend continues with the National winning, premier league double act, Hadleigh clubs Topp and Mann. Only sending 6 top quality entries to tackle the 135 mile contest. The partnership, double fed winners already this term recorded one of the stars of the season so far to pick up the club red card from Retford for the second time this term, the previous Retford fed winner and consequent runner up The Scouser, the outstanding Alex Docx based sprinter originating from Liverpool ace Tom Miller collects his fifth club victory hammering out 135 miles doing 1557. Arriving with the club winner not for the first time is the past Retford fed champion yearling widowhood cock bred by friends M & D Allen from his son of lincia and RPRA award winner Cornish Princess. Talk about a high performing dozen entries, the x ring blue cock close up again 5^th fed on 1552. Steve Duffell is on the club podium again, earning bronze and 17^th fed with a yearling blue cock registering 1534 and takes the final spot on the fed list with his second arrival, a yearling blue pied cock clocking in at 20 past 10 on the same yard as the three pigeons above him on 1534.

Rarely do you see Malcolm Scouler and Stambridge club out of the frame and Secretary Malcolm sending 34 today once again puts his name high up on the scoresheet. Winning the current fed averages champion club today is a super consistent 2y Leo Hermans blue cock, The pigeon, another who enjoys a run out from this location having scored 10^th fed Retford back in April, 17^th fed from the same racepoint at the beginning of May and now in June 1^st club, 7^th fed racing his 135 miles to the Hockley master at 1549. 2^nd club goes once again to Malcolm timing in an equally consistent chequer cock. The 2y was 9^th fed in that same April 17^th race the winner was 10^th and displayed versatility creeping into last month’s Darlington fed contest. The chequer collects a third fed card of the season dropping into Malcolm at twenty past ten for 1538 and 12^th fed. Not for the first time this year and not for the last I am sure it is the Hockley Master who sweeps the Stambridge board once again with his third arrival, 18^th fed from Grantham, the 2y mealy cock 11 seconds behind his loftmate for bronze , 15^th fed today with 1536.

Next stop will be Silver End, West of the radius in Burnham on Crouch club where we find this week’s victorious partnership of John Upson and David Phillips. Their winner already a multiple fed card holder is a Ejjerkamp Janssen x Peter Veenstra 3y widowhood cock that has been very consistent for the pair. The blue cock, gifted by friends in the North East and half-brother to their previous winner this term arrived a couple of minutes past 10 completing 120 miles at 1540 to earn himself 10^th fed. Runner up at the close knit coastal collective and 16^th fed is the clubs previous Retford race winner a yearling blue cock bred and raced by race controller Steve Ward. The silver medallist today landing on the traps after 2 and a half hours to record 1535. Wickham Bishops maestro Dave Freeman continues a fine season collecting third club and 19^th fed with a 3y blue pied cock, close up on 1534.

One of those rare special pigeons we breed that comes along every now and again takes the top honours at Rayleigh club. The outstanding specimen in question is the late bred Alex Docx mealy cock in the care of Mark Pittman. Racking up his third successive red card of the current campaign within the strong central Essex Club this product of Marks super stock pair, 1^st fed from Darlington and 4^th fed from Retford wins the bragging rights again, with a respectable 18^th fed completing his 132 miles to the Wickford Fed toppers abode at 1534. Mr and Mrs Oddy take second spot with a 2y blue hen, returning to Battlesbridge at 10:16 calculating 1531.

Final stop on the result is our colleagues at Laindon where congratulations are in order for Gary Watts on his second club victory of the 2023 season. The first of his 19 arrivals, a yearling blue Van den Bosche via the late Alex McKenzie hen went through the trap at 17 minutes past 10  leading the clubs 229 entries and a full 20 ypm in front at 1520. Mick Smith, club winner of Mays Retford race settles for silver today with his yearling chequer cock second with 1499 whilst Berwick champions Mark and Jordan Lewis wrap up the weekends racing and pick up third with their 2y red hen doing 1484.

A double header next week for the members with the choice of Wetherby conveyed by the federation or for those that like a little further, a joint liberation with the London North Road Combine from Perth. Until then, stay safe and all the best.

C L Elmes