Les J Parkinson - What’s going on this week - 06-08-25

Les J Parkinson - What’s going on this week.

It’s all about young birds at this time of the year, that is unless you are working on old birds for the international races. We do get a few from the north who enter their pigeons in those races but not many, when I say north, Cheshire and above. I would love to have a go but with limited channel racing up here it is hard work building up a team of distance pigeons. Don’t get me wrong, there are some very good distance-minded fanciers who live from the top end of the midlands and even further up country. Having had the experience of clocking at all but 700mls on the day out of Tarbes and having good results out of the likes of Pau 684mls, I can assure you it’s a great feeling. I don’t mind admitting it, seeing them come from these races has brought tears to my eyes, ask Dave Healey who has seen me firsthand clocking from Pau. I have been talking to a friend of ours about distances pigeons and if all goes well, we will introduce a small team from distance bred stock for next year. The pigeons I was clocking before were Dordins with their best to the loft being 45^th open Pau. Over the years I have handled some good distance winners, but I cannot remember any that were as bulky as the Dordins we had. The best at nearly 700mls was a Chequer hen from off a pair from Taverine-Rigole stock, or as they are now known, Vanneste-Rigole. This hen was, I think 27^th Open on the day, and what a lot of pleasure I got out of that one. This is why I like National Racing, the problem is it is not easy finding such pigeons, they are few and far between, especially racing to the norther part of the country.

Additions.

I have been asked what I am now giving the pigeons with them looking and flying so well. When it comes to using products, some fanciers don’t use anything while others go all the way with a range of products. Over the years I, like many more fanciers that have used all sorts, which are the best I must admit I have no idea. I have administered a range of products for a 3yr period to see if there are advantages to using them, I feel that a 3y period should be sufficient for testing. I am not sure that I have ever had the usage correct or I have got the best out of them, but I have done it all according to instructions as they come over to me. As you will know I have used the BIFS products for a few years but once again I have changed for this year, and I am using the De Reiger range of products that have kept the pigeons looking well all season. I must admit that the pigeons have flown better around home with spells between 55 & 85 minutes at a time twice a day. What I must add is the hens are the ones who exercise by far the best, but the cocks have been a nightmare, 5/10mins and back on the loft. This lack of interest by the cocks has shown in the races mostly being well behind the hens in the races. Pigeon fanciers have used all sorts over the years, but we are now at a stage where professionals are preparing the products that we use instead of fanciers talking to farmers or using products that we ourselves use. Wormers and Cocci treatments from the vets were popular at one time but getting anything from the vets now is an expensive visit. I remember taking Elizabeth with the dog to the vet, when he had finished, I asked him for some tablets for respiratory for the pigeons. He said he would need to see them; my reply was a bit sharp as pointed out by Elizabeth. I asked “Why, I have forgotten more about pigeons than you” he replied, “You probably do, we don’t see racing pigeons in here”. He gave me what I needed but I could never get them again. Nowadays the vet’s having to be so careful, they won’t supply anything without an inspection. Moving onto what caught my eye when I was researching the products.

Old family.

While looking at the De Reiger products I came across the Vanbruaene pigeons through the name of Delrue-Vanbruaene winner of 1st Nat. Dax 2516b. Lauwe, Patrick Delrue is the grandson of the late André Vanbruaene a grandmaster who raced a great team of pigeons when it came to the long-distance races. Seeing this brought up memories of one of our own greats in the distance events, the legendary Albert Bennett of Church Stretton. Andre Vanbruaene was the mast of his day, and these lines are still winning today through the likes of Andre’s grandson Patrick Delrue. If you study these lines, you will see that they appear in the breeding of some of today’s op international winners. I came across Patrick Delrue-Vanbruaene because he uses the De Reiger products which I am currently using. The pigeon now known as “ANDRE” is a winner of 1° Nat Dax 2516 Old Birds 2025, Top Pigeon André won already: 28° Nat Limoges 15.565p '21. 246° Nat Agen 6.657p '22. 114° Nat St-Vincent 2.899p '22. 42° Prov Agen 1004b. “ANDRE” being named after his grandfather Andre Vanbruaene a legend in the sport. Talking about legends we must not forget Albert Bennett had some fantastic National performance pigeons, at the time probably the best distance fancier in the UK plus he was racing what were ACES in long-distance racing. They were a family that carried on when others fell by the wayside. Patrick Delrue has set his breeding on keeping his grandfather’s family going and is doing so in a big way. Patrick did have a bad spell but persevered and achieved top results with these pigeons, which he is still doing. What’s more Patrick took a 2-year break after his mother Lillian passed away in March 1923. In the later part of her life she lived with Patrick, with poor health, which meant she required care. 1924 saw Patrick requiring surgery for a new hip, after which took him further away from the pigeons. 2025 saw a change in Patrick’s attitude towards the pigeons and he started to take interest in them once again. The help restoring his enthusiasm for the pigeons came through, Carlo and Gino Clique and Vanneste-Rigole all being good friends. The person who stood out with Patrick building up a good relationship was Gino Clique. He also had a long-time friendship of 40yrs with Carlo Gyselbrecht, also a friendship that has lasted. A good team of pigeons had been put together for Patrick being from some of the best in Belgium. Carlo had two eggs from the fantastic “De Laureaat” a youngster from the best long-distance racers that were kept at Vanbruaene's loft. There were also other introductions coming from Gyselbrecht into the lofts at Lauwe, which saw Patrick successfully racing them. These are the foundations that brought about the National winner. There were also pigeons from Gino and Carlo, plus the season started with a team of 24 youngsters from Vanneste-Rigole being cocks and hens that were raced on the sliding door. The ‘Klein Donker’ and Vanbruaene lines were raced from Agen and Dax, which saw a successful restart to racing or Patrick. If all goes well there is a team of 40 yb’s being trained for the 2026 season with another National win in mind. Feeding is with Vanrobaeys' Clique and Energy mixes plus Patrick is a big believer in the “De Reiger” products that keep the pigeons fit and healthy. Class pigeons stand out and without those you are going nowhere. They can do it, or they can’t, is what Patrick said plus do not keep more pigeons than you can handle. Patrick said, with pigeon racing keep it Simple.

Patrick Delrue-Vanbruaene

Andre 1Nat Dax Pigeonloft	Andre

Results

It’s been a while since I have done a result section during which time Elimar Lofts have picked up more than their share of 1^st prizes. We have missed the old bird season so shall start with the first young bird race in the Mid Cheshire Fed who were at Worcester when 613 birds were liberated at 14-30pm in a North West Wind. Goostry fancier Eric Taylor ends up 1^st 2^nd 3^rd 6^th recording vels of 1350/1333/1332/1325ypm and took the first 4 in the south section. Eric is a good fancier and likes to compete in all sorts of competitions including the Nationals, where he has had some good results. Eric races with the Acton Bridge club with three of their members marking at Middlewich. There are changes in progress with a new marking shed being sorted and should all being well be erected by now, that is unless someone puts a spoke in the wheel. We did have a very good marking station at Middlewich until a neighbor behind the pub complained. Ray Lunt from the Curtis-Wall-Lunt team ends up 4^th 5^th 7^th fed on 1328 with 2 and 1316ypm plus taking the first 3 in the north section. Ray has had another good season, and I still see him as one of the best fanciers up to 350mls/400mls in the UK. We now come to Elimar Lofts where I just about managed to get in front of Ebony Crowley. We do race to the same lofts, but we race our pigeons as separate members. We had 14 dropping together and went through the traps all in 41 seconds, couldn’t do that with the older clocks. Between us we took 8th to 15th positions in the fed. Rudheath member Kenny Burke is 1^st club 16^th fed 1298ypm while his fellow club member id 20^th fed clocking up 1293ypm. The remaining 3 positions are filled by Robert & Carol Carson which totals 18 of the first 19 in the fed, were all marked at Middlewich. Other club winners are Earlestown where A Makin takes the top three positions, which is also the case over in the Halmerend fc where the top three positions going to P & E Mainwaring. That was also the case in the Sankey Bridge club with Burnett & Delooze with the top three positions which leaves the Wrinehill club where Jim smith is 1^st 7 2^nd and the evergreen Joe Glover 3^rd. On the same day the South West Cheshire Fed were at Cheltenham when 624 birds were liberated at 13-30pm in a light north west wind. Two members filled the top ten positions with the first 4 plus 10^th going to the Middlewich 5B member Craig Wilkinson with vels of 1252/1251/1246/1240/1227ypm. Craig has put a lot of work into these young birds; it did help because he only has the young birds to race. It is also a known fact that Colin Lindop is always on form with young birds putting a lot of work into them to take the other 5 positions in the top ten after winning the Crewe West End. Over in the Duddon club Gary Adamson leads the way on 1191ypm with Mainwaring & Simkin topping the list at Halmer End, Mr & Mrs Nigel Shaw secure top spot in the Hankelow club which leaves the Winsford HS where the top spot goes to Chris Hitchin. I must add that since taking over the club and Fed secretaries positions Lesley Moss has done a good job.

Les J Parkinson. 15 Rushton Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 0NJ.
Tel: 01606 836036. Mob: +44 (0)7871 701585.
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Web site: http://www.elimarpigeons.com