“ON THE ROAD” WITH KEITH MOTT - 22-08-25

“ON THE ROAD” WITH KEITH MOTT.

Three Borders Federation (Wincanton Race).

After a good first race from Blandford the Three Borders Federation were at Wincanton for their second young bird race of the season, which saw the birdage double. The Federation convoyer, Dom McCoy and his helpers liberated the babies with sun shine on the basket at 13.00 hrs into a West / North West wind situation and the members enjoyed another good race with excellent returns. Nick Dudley of the Mitcham & Merton club won the Federation for the second week on the trot, with the same pigeon! His champion young grizzle hen, ‘Arctic’ won the Federation, making it, her first two races of her racing career and winning two 1^st Federations! Brilliant pigeon racing! Nick broke his ‘novice status’, by winning his first pigeon race ever at the beginning of this season. Nick is still building up an old bird team and only raced a few races, but recorded: 6^th, 23^rd Federation Wincanton, 3^rd Federation Bodmin, 15^th Federation Wincanton and now 1^st Federation twice with young birds from Blandford and Wincanton. Nick’s first race winner ever was a blue cock, now nicknamed 'Erol’s Lad' and  was bred for him by a the Mitcham club partnership of Mr & Mrs Skeet & Keen. The dam of this cock is from double grandchildren of ‘Best Kittel’ and the sire is direct son of 2^nd open MNFC Vire national from Frank and George Bristow. Nick’s two times Federation winner in the Mitch and Merton club was his young grizzle hen, ‘Arctic’ and she was bred by George Gucci of Bexley Heath from his ‘Pit Bull’ bloodlines. She was on the ‘dark’ system and was raced natural to the perch. I spoke to Nick after the race and he told me, ‘having got the young birds flying around the loft well and I decided to start training. Training started slow with just a few miles at a time and I got them up to the 39 miles mark, with only dropping one bird throughout. I feed on a standard racing mixture and treat the young birds to keep them healthy’. Well done to Nick on another great performance!

The first ten in the Wincanton Federation result were: 1) Nick Dudley1695: 2) Malik & Khan 1695: 3) Malik & Khan 1691: 4) Mr. & Mrs B. Rice & Son 1686: 5) Malik & Khan1683: 6) Malik & Khan 1665: 7) J. Andrews & Son 1661: 8) J. Andrews & Son 1660: 9) Eric Fry 1643: 10) Freddie Ditch 1641. This was race number fourteen of the season and at this point the Mitcham & Merton club are leading for the ‘Federation Points Trophy’ with 57 points, with the Ashridge club being R/U on 52 points. Thanks to ‘Hire and Higher Bouncy Castles Sweets and Treats’ who are now sponsoring the Three Borders Federation.

The Esher club partnership of Imran Malik and Atif Khan had a good race from Wincanton, recording 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 24^th Federation, after winning twice 1^st Federation with their old birds. Earlier in the season programmed liberation site at Yeovil became unavailable, so the  Three Borders Federation were at Blandford for the fifth  old bird race and the convoy of 620 birds had an early morning toss, with Dom McCoy  liberating with sun on the baskets at 07.00hrs into a light North East wind situation. I personally like the early morning liberations, even from the short race, because it beats clashing with other organisations and the air is fresher! The members enjoyed a good steady race and Imran Malik and Atif Khan recorded 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 10^th, 14^th, 21^st, 25^th Federation. This was the lad’s second Federation winner of the season, previously winning from Honiton with their good dark cock, ‘Dark Finn’. The lads first three widowhood cock came together, right on line and the first one on the ETS was our good blue cock, ‘23’ and he has previously won 5^th Federation Honiton (667 birds). His sire is ‘Mufasa’ who is son of Jan Hooymans’ ‘New Harry’ and ‘Sister Harry’. ‘Mufasa’ bred Malik & Khan their 2019 NFC young bird Nation winner from Coutances, 1^st and 2^nd Federation Honiton (2.408 birds) and is the grandsire of 1^st section, 2^nd open Guernsey National. ‘Mufasa’ is a very special stock bird! The dam of ‘23’ was bred and raced at ‘Ace Lofts’ and is named ‘Sixty Four’. She won racing: 6^th open Alencon National, 15^th open Le Mans National, 32^nd open Alencon National, 87^th open Falaise National and is the dam of 1^st Federation and 1^st Amalgamation winners. ‘Sixty Four’ is a full sister to Malik & Khan’s, ‘Ati’s Boy’ winner of 1^st open Falaise National (2,534 birds). The second bird on the ETS from Blandford was ‘05’ and he previously won 3^rd section, 10^th open Guernsey National and 6^th Federation Honiton (667 birds). Brilliant pigeon racing! Well done to Imran Malik & Atif Khan!

The late Wally Dann of Cobham.

When Wally Dann passed away, aged 91, a few years ago the sport of pigeon racing lost another of its great fanciers and characters. Wally was a natural flyer, through and through and was a winner, right up to the end, recording in the Three Borders Federation, 1^st club, 13^th Federation, 18^th Combine (3,281 birds) Fougeres, 1^st club, 7^th Federation, 11^th Combine (2,746 birds) Messac and 1^st club, 3^rd Federation, 3^rd Combine (2,498 birds) Messac in his last season

When you asked Wally what his best performance was, it was hard for him to answer, as in a life time in the sport he won just about everything in the Federation, Combine and Classic racing. He started racing in the early 1900’s, when he raced with his father as W. Dann & son in the Wimbledon club. He always raced on the natural system, but tried widowhood for about five weeks; he hated the system and in spite of winning several races, went back to natural. His loft housed several strains of pigeons, but mostly Van Winckel which raced well for him, from the shortest to the longest race. When he was fit, he used to take the birds training most days and liked to toss at about 25 miles in the early morning. He liked any race, long or short distance, but he told me, you don’t stand much chance racing natural against the widowhood cocks in sprint races. Wally won his fair share in the sprints, but really excelled in the Channel events. . One of his best racers in recent years was, ‘Wally’s Girl’, a natural De Klak blue hen bred by his good friend, the late Vic Johnson of Kingston. She chalked up, 1^st club, 7^th Federation, 11^th Combine Messac, 1^st club, 13^th Federation, 18^th Combine Fougeres, 16^th open L.&S.E.C.C. Sennen Cove and 1^st club Weymouth.

One of Wally’s best seasons was in 1989, when he recorded 1^st Surrey Federation (2,005 birds) Tours, 1^st Surrey Federation (1,517 birds) Niort and chalked up 2^nd SMT Combine. The 1992 season saw him win nine races in the very strong Esher club, including Wadebridge (young birds), Tours and the longest old bird race from Bordeaux, with the only bird recorded on the day of liberation. His natural racers won ten firsts in the 1993 season, including the longest young bird race from Wadebridge. Wally Dann won the sprints through to the longest events, every season.

Wally was our local corn chandler and enjoyed a chat with the fanciers when they called at his Cobham home, to pick up their pigeon feed. He was a retired carpenter and did a lot of site work through the years, being general foreman on several big jobs. His smart loft set up was all self-built and he favoured the old fashioned type drop hole trapping and doweled nest box fronts. Wally’s son, Tony Dann, is one of our premier local fanciers in the Three Borders Federation and his very smart widowhood loft at his Leatherhead home was also made by his dad. There you have it, Wally Dann, one of the Surrey area greats!

That’s it for this week! Congratulations to Nick Dudley on his second Federation win, it was a great performance! If you win and want an article in this space, please contact me on telephone number: 07535 484584 or email me on: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY KEITH MOTT (www.keithmott.com)