Endfield Lofts the Masters of Racing & Breeding pigeons with Les J Parkinson
I first decided to write a lengthy article on these winning fanciers after racing had finished in September 2024. I completed the first stage and then everything began to get busy, plus the odd thing happening beyond my control, so I put the article on temporary hold. I suppose it’s a case of how much we can write about a winning loft and how much actually stays in the mind of the person reading the article. Unless you have a photographic memory far from 100% stays with you, unless of course it’s just a couple of lines written by someone to make a point.
Many years ago, I tried to persuade Ray Lunt and the team to race in the National FC, but they were reluctant to have a go even though they have won out to 500mls plus with ease. 2025 saw them decide to have a go at the National and they had a good start to what could be a promising future in the Premier Club in the UK. In their first race with the National this year (2025) they ended up 4th section L 5th open Fougeres NFC.
Before going on I will point out that over the last 40yrs or so I have written a great deal about Ray Lunt, Garry Wall, Alan Curtiss and their previous partner Les Green who is also one of the top fanciers in the North West. That is probably the reason why I am so often asked about their system and pigeons they house. Les Green now races on his own and has a good team of birds both at breeding and racing winning over 40 x 1sts in 2024. This is the reason why I have decided to put so much together so that you know what they have done over such a long period of time.
The heading does say Endfield Lofts but when you read through the article you will see it is mainly about three fanciers and the introduction of new pigeons from time to time to continue to appear at the top of the race results which they do very well. As already mentioned, the fanciers being Ray, Garry and Alan with all playing their part in making this one of the most successful racing and breeding lofts in the UK. I will be pointing out other successful fanciers from the continent and why pigeons were purchased from them in the first place and the methods these fanciers are using. I will also include a few Q&A that have come my way from fanciers wanting to know something about the partnership and their pigeons.
There are a few photos from each loft so that you can see the type of pigeons each one has. To test the quality of the stock pigeons and find the breeders the most recent stock birds were purchased with Ray’s good friend Paul Beaumont who is also a top winning North West fancier. This has been a great help because they are all top fanciers, and with them racing to different lofts, they have a better chance of finding the best breeders. Consider the positions on the photos because many are up to date photos where the team have had 10 or 20 drop together so they are beaten by loft mates. They are not all old pigeons, they are modern day winners, therefore their potential is only just beginning.
When I first met them the pair that caught my eye in those early days of Wall-Lunt-Green was the very famous breeders known as “The Merlin Pair” or by their names “Alexander” & “Princess” An exceptional stock pair responsible for; RPRA Award winners. Gold Medal winners. 1st 8,164 birds. 1st 6,890 birds. 1st 7,332 birds. 1st 6,708 birds. 1st 4,157 birds. 1st 4,933 birds. 1st 4,748 birds. 1st 3,602 birds. 1st 3,654 birds. What a fantastic pair for starters, more on the winners later.
At times during this article, you might need to bear with me, why do fanciers such as the Lads carry on winning and how do they bring new stock in to keep up a winning loft. I often think about it and no matter how I look at it the same answer crops up, winners are winners, and you will not change that fact. So why are they winner's, well it is mostly down to stock sense and common sense combined which can be seen with farmers who are also pigeon fanciers who are continually winning. They have plenty of stock sense and all the farmers I know, and I have known over the years who race pigeons are winners in our sport. Businessmen are the same, they generally come into the sport and can breed and race a good pigeon, for different reasons. Farmers have stock sense; businessmen who come into the sport are workers and they work their pigeons as they do themselves, work hard to achieve success. Then we have the best of winning fanciers who grow up with pigeons and will do anything to get hold of them, they are in their blood, and you could say they are obsessed with pigeons. There are areas where groups of young lads grow up together and win year after year. Salford is such an area and there have been some good fanciers who were and still are as I say obsessed with pigeons and still winning. One of those fanciers from Salford is Ray Lunt who has been one of the top fanciers in the North West for many years. There are still a lot of good fanciers who grew up in the sport and do win but we are talking about consistent winning fanciers year after year, decade after decade. We must also remember those fanciers on the fringes of winning are the hardcore of the sort and fanciers we need to keep pigeon racing going, it’s not just about all the winners. Ray Lunt’s roots were as we have said, Salford and over the years Salford has seen pigeon fanciers who are in the present day, highly regarded as some of the top pigeon men in the whole of the country. Fanciers like Rays partners Garry Wall & Alan Curtis (Formally known as Curtis Wall & Lunt) who, to this day are still winning federations, combines and RPRA Awards on a regular basis and regarded as one of the absolute best there is. Another ex-partner of Ray and fellow Salford lad is Les Green, famous auctioneer, and another top fancier at the top of his game who’s still one of the best racing fanciers around. Finally, John Crehan (Crehan & O’Connor) Is another one who as a young lad spent many hours around Ray, and once again widely known and respected throughout the pigeon fraternity for his performances. John openly admits that he learnt a lot from Ray and his ex-partners in his early days. These Salfordians make pigeon racing look ridiculously easy at times and generation after generation the area has produced pigeon fanciers of the highest calibre.
Taking the above into account how do fanciers keep winning, what is it they have in their heads that keeps them in that position of their pigeons leading the way home, collecting red card after red card, year after year. Fanciers who can go out and find the pigeons that suit them and keep them in the frame year after year. They must be very selective in what they introduce into their lofts and when they don't fit, they have to go asap. The time to start looking is not when the season has finished it is during the season, looking at results to see who is race after race leading the way home. You can then get an idea of what are the latest winners on the scene, mind you that is okay if they are not one-year wonders taking you to the top of the list.
Some fanciers don’t like to see a lot of results in articles but on the other hand, through experience of writing articles I am aware that there are many who do like to see what winners win with. So here is a sample of winners from the early days. So that you know what lines of pigeons they have had and won with I am including a few winners from each family they have. The lads have had good pigeons from whatever family they have raced these were the first pigeons I saw their loft’s pigeons such as "Hard Luck" beat 10 times for 1st fed by loft mates, sire of “Countess” double RPRA Award winner. “Hard Luck” is one of the best racers they have ever had beaten on the trap 10 times for first fed by his own loft mates. He also went on to breed winners including "Countess" 1st Open Three Counties Combine 4,929 birds and 2 RPRA Awards. As well as racer’s there must be top breeders, and they include “Tara” a top breeding hen being dam of such Aces as “Donna 100” winner of, 1st Open 5,802 birds. “De 21” 1st Federation. Also beaten through the trap by lofts mates on 3 other occasions. “Tara” a full sister to “Gabrielle” who is one of the very best breeding hens’ that Curtis-Wall-Lunt have, being dam and g-dam of many winners including the fabulous; “Dot” winner of, 1st Open North West Grand National. Also “Arena 02” winner of, 1st Open Central Lancashire Combine 5,464 birds from 168mls in a North-East wind and RPRA Award winner.
Then we have the excellent “De 69” was a Superstar at the Curtis-Wall-Lunt lofts and has left his mark. “DE 69” 1st Club, 1st Mid Cheshire Federation Cheltenham (66 members sent 945 birds) on the 16th of June 2018. “DE 69” responsible for: 1st Club, 1st Mid Cheshire Federation Cheltenham 945 birds for Curtis Wall & Lunt. 1st Club, 1st Federation for Steve Gilbert. 1st Club 1st Federation for Steve Gilbert. 1st Club 7th Federation Huntingdon 953 birds for Central Lofts. 1st Club 250 birds, 16th Federation 1,100 bird. 1st Open Race for us here at Central Lofts - our 2 timers won this race from 113 miles by over 5 mins. 2nd Federation for Steve Gilbert. 2nd Club, 3rd Federation 4,000+ birds. 2nd Club 197 birds, 2nd West Essex Federation 1,453 birds (beaten by loft mate) for Central Lofts. 3rd Club 270 birds, 6th Federation 1000 birds, 20th Amal 3,700 birds. 5th Club Worksop 146 birds (beaten by 4 loft mates), 6th Federation 751 birds (beaten by 4 loft mates). 6th Club Peterborough 217 birds. ow have at Stock at Central Lofts
“Miss Dumbledore” regarded by Curtis Wall & Lunt as the nicest daughter of “The Merlin Pair”. “Miss Dumbledore” a crack producer in her own right with pigeons such as “White Eyes” missed 1st Federation wins on 7 occasions only by loft mates. 2nd Fed Cheltenham (beat by loft mate). 2nd Fed Mangotsfield (beat by loft mate). 2nd Fed Cheltenham (beat by loft mate). 3rd Fed Mangotsfield (beat by loft mates). 3rd Fed Mangotsfield (beat by loft mates) etc. A son of “White Eyes” Prolific producer of winning pigeons up to 5,000 birds competing. Bred by Curtis Wall and Lunt. One of his children won 1st Club, 1st Section, 1st combine 5,294 birds. Another one won 1st Club 323 birds, 1st Federation 1,245 birds. 2nd Section, 2nd Combine 4,981 birds (beaten by 1 second by a loft mate - they arrived together). Others won. 1st Club, 1st Fed 1221 birds, 1st Section 3545 birds, 20th Open Tullamore 5378 birds. 2nd Club, 2nd Fed, 4th Section 3545 birds (beaten by loft mates), 23rd Open Tullamore 5378 birds. 3rd Club, 3rd Fed, 8th Section 3324 birds, 9th Open Tullamore 4891 birds. 9th Club, 9th Fed 479 birds, 12th Section 1004 birds, 12th Open Thurles (beaten by 11 loft mates). They've also bred 1st Club and 1st Federation winners together. Plus, numerous Fed, Section and Combine performances up to 5,000+ birds. You could go back even further with these lines and look at the Ace “Adonis” being a direct son of “De Power” x “Sister Natalia” this makes “Adonis” a full brother to such superstars as ´Ambassadeur´ Co-winner Nat. champion short distance KBDB. 1st Quievrain 526 birds. 2nd Quievrain 338 birds. 2nd Quievrain 230 birds. 3rd Quievrain 1,852 birds. 4th Quievrain 273 birds. “THE BOX 9 PAIR” were a magnificent breeding pair for the lads. “Hercules” 10K25366 Only raced as a YB and yearling winner of 9 x 1st including 1st Open Central Lancashire Combine 2,734 birds. He’s the nest-brother to “Playfull” winner of 1st Open Central Lancashire Combine 3,102 birds. He went on to breed such crackers as “Dot” 1st Open North West Grand National Falaise (324 miles). “Blue Wonder” 1st Open Central Lancashire Combine 4,748 birds. “Arena 02” 1st Open Central Lancashire Combine 5,464 birds. “Hercules” and “Playfull” are direct from “Adonis” x “Miss Magic”. “Adonis” Also Sire to “The Promise” winner of 1st Peronne 44,240 birds. 1st Creil 25,745 birds g-sire of “Mona Lisa” winner of 1st 23,022 birds etc. The dam of “Hercules” and “Playfull” is the fabulous “MISS Magic” winner of 1st Club Fed and Combine 2.252 birds. 1st Combine 3,037 birds. 2nd Combine to loft mate 3,070 birds. 2nd Combine to loft mate 4,532 birds. 5th Combine 3,805 birds. 6th Combine 5,999 birds.
Moving on to more modern times in can the legendary lines of what must be one of the greatest lines of all time. “Olympiade 003” an incredible racing and breeding cock himself a Winner of; Olympiad Pigeon Lievin 2003. 2nd Nat. Ace pigeon KBDB 2002. 1st Noyon 1,931 birds. 1st Noyon 1,393 birds. 1st Quievrain 390 birds. 2nd Noyon 1,242 birds. One of the best breeders ever. Responsible for a dynasty of winners including, 1st Peronne 43,623 birds. 1st Boxtel 19,605 birds. 1st Creil NPO 18,866 birds. 1st Haasrode 16,209 birds. 1st NPO Morlincourt 14,598 birds. 1st Nat. Mantes La Jolie 12,999 birds. 1st NPO Orleans 10,816 birds. 1st Pommeroeul 10,398 birds. 1st Orleans 10,375 birds. 2nd Hemau 53,996 birds. 1st Tennenlohe 6,292 birds. 1st Creil 6,247 birds. 1st NPO Ablis 6,179 birds. 1st Prov. Orleans 6,067 birds. 1st Strombeek 5.651 birds. 1st Strombeek 5,547 birds. 1st Pommeroeul 4,946 birds. The breeding of “Olympiade 003” is prominent in many of today’s Leo Heremans winners.
Taking a step back the name Curtis-Wall-Lunt or Wall-Lunt-Green (Les Green) has been synonymous with success for over 40 years in the North West of England. This area of the UK is hot bed for racing pigeons, and I remember a fancier once telling me that “Here in the North West we have Little Belgium” that is how highly regarded the area was. I first met them when they judged a show of 4 classes at the Lostock club which was won by a blue cock, and we were best opposite sex with a blue hen. At the time I asked them what the difference was between the two and was told the cock got the nod because he was a racing cock, little did they know the hen was 2nd Rennes that year. Since then, I have watched their results on a regular basis because they have consistently been at the top of the results or at least following the winners with their velocities home by a short head. The “Lads” as they are better known are now Alan, Garry and Ray who have known each other for over 40 years and have always been friends.
Ray, Garry & Alan have pigeons together for many years they started when their loft was on the top of the old air raid shelter. As is very often the case they started with fantails, pouters, nuns, medina’s racers any pigeons it did not matter they were just drawn to them. They could not wait until Saturday came so they could visit the then famous Shudehill market to see if they could get a pigeon or two. There has never been a real problem with the partnership because they always work together and alongside each other with the birds, if one misses something one of the others will see it. Yes, it is a good advantage to have a partner, but you have got to have the same racing aims and being able to work together as they do is a benefit. Also, it gives each of them a little bit more freedom to do other things. Over the years they have raced pigeons at several locations and in different positions in the federations, but the end results are always the same, they win. In 2012, they moved their lofts to their present location a farm in High Leigh, Cheshire, and then in 2013 they set about getting in a club which, they found very difficult to achieve. Then in Jan 2014, things changed, and they were accepted in two clubs these being the “Acton Bridge” racing with the Mid Cheshire Fed and the “Altrincham and Sale” club. It was hard work getting in clubs because they were so often turned down, mainly because of their continued success. The lads would like to thank the members of these clubs for giving them the opportunity to race their pigeons, without them the sport would be at a loss. I think the governing bodies of the sport need to sort the problem of clubs declining fancier’s applications when they are in the radius, mind you there are those who change their radius to suit themselves, some don’t want strong competition. Their latest main racing lofts are about 60-foot-long and made of plywood. Over the years they have raced to lofts with tiled roofs and flat roofs and found that there is no difference at all. As long as there is plenty of space and air for the birds all the lofts must be very dry and no damp anywhere and no drafts anywhere. There are no fancy heating systems in the lofts, and they don’t even have any electric in the lofts either and no heating or lights. Their lofts are cleaned out twice a day in the breeding and racing season and once a day in the moulting and winter season. As for ventilation they have never had any vents in the front of the lofts. When they had tiled lofts, the only ventilation was through the roof and their flat roof loft just has a 2-inch gap at the front and back. Over the years they have had many lines of birds mainly for sprint & middle-distance racing. In 2012 when they moved to their present address the decision was made to heavily invest in the sprint sensations of Leo Heremans. Investing in the pigeons is nothing new because for many years they have sought out the modern-day winners before they hit the big time in the UK. The problem was that they could not race these new pigeons to their loft because with moving to High Leigh came the problem of getting into a new club and federation. Wherever they move their winnings precede them and as we know in this world if you are successful there are always those waiting in the wings to try and stop you. So, in 2013 with no club to race in they let two of their friends race young birds off these new imports to their loft. The results were nearly as good as if they raced them at their own lofts, both flew in different federations and amazingly both these fanciers won 5x1st federations each with the young birds.
Then things changed in 2014, 2015 & 2016 they managed to get in two clubs and race their own birds. The Leo Heremans both pure and crossed into their old family being the famous Merlin line they have produced us fantastic racing pigeons achieving fantastic results including 19 x 1st federations. Over 30x1st federations in two & half seasons have been produced from birds in their stock loft. At the time I was talking to the boys about this, and they were saying that the current team must rank amongst the best if not the best they have ever had so many first federations for them and others in such a short time it was unbelievable.
You may ask how do an already winning team go about bringing in a new family to beat an already successful team and to achieve that what do you look for. Well, when they want to introduce new birds into the loft, they do their research and start to look in the continental magazines which they get delivered every week. It wasn’t a case of just looking and seeing a name on the front of the paper’s week after week, they also researched where these pigeons were going and were they winning for others and one name that stuck out for last few years was Leo Herman’s. They were winning for hundreds of fanciers all over Europe, so it was quite an easy decision to introduce them into their loft. They won from the word go, both pure and crossed with their old lines. They were now on the way to improving their already winning team and to get the right team and have them ready for the races they aim for they have paired their stock and racers late January. Like most fanciers they have paired them at different times including December, but it just means they have look after young birds a mouth longer in the cold winter months with no lights or heating in the lofts. And of course, now they race them on the darkness the young birds don’t have to be bred very early bred. As far as the breeding goes there are about 20 pairs of main stock birds that are especially selected to suit their needs for racing and breeding. And yes, they do breed some off the race team but only the ones that have topped the fed or been beaten by loft mates for first fed and as you have seen earlier in the report there are a few of those. As with all lofts there may also be a few pairings that look the part together so are tried and tested, this often works out well because they don’t have to be winners to breed winners. The present day system is they pair the racers up about mid-January and float eggs off some of their best stock birds under them. And of course, the rest of the racers being federation winners or as mentioned beaten by loft mates they rear their own.
Once the breeding season is out of the way they start training the old birds and young birds when ready with the starting point being 3mls, 10mls, 13mls and then at 18mile were they stay. Widowhood cocks get no training after the first race. They race their birds on a type of roundabout but not all the cocks, they do like to race some hens, but they do always leave a few cocks and hens at home for when the birds come back from the race, they were saying that they see this as a type of orgy system, the mind boggles. When we start racing the old birds, they send them to every inland race of the season and if they are good condition also the young birds go to every race up to 200 mile no young birds are stopped. There are no thoughts of keeping any back for whatever reason because they believe that sprint birds will fly 500 miles on the right day if you want to go to the extreme i.e. 500mile plus they think you should go for a good long-distance line of pigeons. What is noticeable when you go into these lofts is how they always smell sweat and no they don’t use deodorant on the pigeons or at least I don’t think so. Joking aside they use a white floor dressing and sawdust, not a lot but just a small amount that sticks to the droppings as they fall. With cleaning out twice a day during racing and breeding they think this does help, then of course once a day during winter and it does keep the lofts nice and dry. As far as the feeding goes, they buy three types of branded mix then mix them to how they think necessary and they are fed twice a day as much as they want until they leave the food, this being morning and night. They also think it is important grit and minerals and when they get the corn, they also purchase grit pick stone blocks and minerals. These are then mixed and give it to them on the floor never in pots and it is important that they have it fresh every day. Right its question time and here are a few that I have put to the partnership, and I am giving you these questions because I feel their answers are better coming from them rather than my interpretation.
Ray is a leader and one of those who is always looking for improvements and wanting to try new blood against their already existing winning team. This is a case of every year in racing pigeons before you know it, we are at the end of another year, and Ray was saying that in his memory of over forty years racing they had a real bad year which prompted Ray to look for new birds. At this point they decided to dissolve the partnership and Ray raced on his own, however in the background Gary and Alan were still there. Ray had these new birds that were work in progress but were showing promise with some good results. Getting a few great prizes with the family of birds which he acquired from the north of Holland in 2017 as late breds. He then left them to mature for a year then in 2019 started the breeding program. The birds originate from the partnership of TJ & A Bosma who have been at the top of their game for many years. It took over a three-year period to find and blend these birds into the type that suits the way Ray races them in this country. In such a short space of time these birds have not disappointed. They have had fantastic results at all levels in competition with the likes of Classic, Feds and Combines. This was a super year for one individual which Ray has named "Mr Magic" who was bred in the summer of 2019, so was too late to race as a young bird. Then in 2020 it took him a little time to cotton on to what was required of him, but he went on to win in his first year. From then on "Mr Magic" went into 2021 with a bang taking 1st club, 1st Fed, and 1st combine on his first outing, then went on to win 2 more 1st feds and another 1st combine. After hearing one of his friends Steve O'Neil from Manchester who had split with his pigeon partner leaving him with no birds, Ray asked him if he wanted to try a round of young birds from his race team which he did. With covid lockdown in 2020 Ray took a second round off his race team for him which were given to him the first week in May where he only lightly raced them so not breaking any pots, but as yearlings to Ray’s amazement two cocks off "Mr Magic" came out to take the fed by storm, winning between them 4x1st feds and 2x1st combines. In all his years of racing Ray was saying that he has never come across a bird like "Mr Magic" a super breeder and racer. To hear that from Ray who has bred and raced some great pigeons means “Mr Magic” must be a great pigeon and with many more years to come who knows how many winners he will breed. Look at these results from him, in one year he and his two sons took 7x1st feds and 4x1st combines, brilliant flying by any standard. It is hard when you take a chance on a new family of pigeons, but if you don’t there is no way of knowing and going forward. It has not taken long for this family of birds to put their stamp on the pigeon sport, winning over 35x1st prizes in a two-and-a-half-year period, here are a few of the top performances these birds have taken. 1st 1333b. 1st 1483b. 1st 1719b. 1st 2781b. 1st 1005b. 1st 1698b. 1st 1669b. 1st 1144b. 1st 1792b. 1st 1439b. 1st 2154b. 1st 1652b. 1st 1868b. 1st 2364b. 1st 1033b. 1st 1320b.
This father and son partnership are like most others, they have their own area of the lofts that they look after, they are a winning combination who do work together to achieve the results that they strive for. Senior takes care of the racing pigeons, and he is quite thorough with what he does. Looking after and training the pigeons is always done on time. They are of course always on the search for good pigeons which is just as important, a few quality breeding pairs in the stock loft. As with any good fancier you are always looking at what you are doing and discuss the sport with the many friends in the sport where you may pick up a few ideas. Over 40yrs ago Tjipke and Auke were racing pigeons at a high level and that level of success has improved with having the Olympiad pigeon three times. But when the Chinese finally come around the corner the offer is there and they end up taking your best pigeons with them, so it becomes a lot more difficult to stay on such a high level. They do not have what they call a tribe; they have reached the top while introducing late breds from top lofts especially on the continent. Later bred youngsters off very good racing pigeons in the Combine. Breeding young birds from the best racers available is just as important. When selecting, we look at prize percentage and how they perform on the middle-distance races for the young birds.
Ray is always thinking of keeping the sport affordable and from that point of view further developing the automation of the sport and transport. It is also good to communicate with other members and to make decisions by means of surveys and or digital voting. Ray also believes it is a good idea for each department to set up its own committee to help get the various associations working together. As always when I am writing I do wander off in different directions and especially in this case because this is more like a report on three different lofts. However, let’s get back to the idea is to show how Ray has come to his decision to build his new team on these winning lofts. With over 40 years’ experience of researching and bringing new families in Ray has always been on the lookout for top quality birds to enhance his new and already fantastic team of pigeons. He is not happy with one family of new winners he is still looking through the Dutch magazines and the British Homing World, as is Gary, and he came across the name of the J Den Hartog & Son partnership from Culemborg in Holland. Never wanting to jump in with both feet more research was done into the competition where they race their pigeons. They compete in Afderling 7 with 650 members and looking at their results in the last ten seasons you could quite easily say they are fantastic racers, to say the least as the father and son have limited time as both have day jobs to go to. After the research and looking at their result which are from the top drawer, Ray then decided to contact them for a visit with a view to purchasing and introduce them into his lofts. when we visited their lofts in Holland. He was amazed when Johan told him that nobody from the UK had ever been to their lofts or imported their birds into the UK. When you look at their records they are among the best in Holland. On looking through their stock and race birds you can understand why they are winning so much; the pigeons have fantastic muscle tone and great feathering. Ray then acquired a selection of quality late breds off their best birds in 2019 and they were left to mature in 2020. In the spring of that year Ray was amazed at how they had matured. With that in mind he decided to purchase a full round off their stock in the summer of 2020. When the birds were ready it was not possible to get them into the UK due to the covid lock down, so they were left a while longer. When Johan started to pass the birds to Ray that he had purchased he was more than delighted with every bird he was handed. Ray started racing young birds off them in 2021 winning straight away with 1st in club, fed, Amal and combine with up to 2,500 birds. 1st Central Lanc’s Combine. 1st Liverpool Amal and over £6750 in gold ring racing, to say the least he was more than delighted and is now looking forward to racing them 2022. Here are some of their performances and awards in the last 5 seasons all Holland. 1st National Ace short distance in the NPO. 1st National Ace one-day-fond NPO. 1st National champion unnominated short distance old NPO. 1st National Champion unnominated sprint young birds NPO. 1st & 4th best all-round old bird WHZB/TBOTB. 1st Ace old bird WHZB/TBOTB. 1st National Ace short distance NPO. 1st National Ace WHZB/TBOTB. 2nd & 19th National Ace sprint/middle distance WHZB/TBOTB is who has the best and TBOTB is the best off the best.
Johan Den Hartog & Son once again had another marvellous season in 2021 with the 1st Provincial Ace bird Youngsters Department 7. Those who followed Department 7 the past few seasons know that the combination Den Hartog & Son had an amazing run of success. In the period of 2020 and 2021 they were crowned as General Emperor. Especially due to their fantastic ace birds they bring their team of racing pigeons to a higher level with National titles, WHZB ace birds and several different Teletext listings. Not wanting to bore you with results but hey need including because without them you would not be able to see how good these pigeons are. 1st National Ace birds Long Distance in 2019 with “Silver Lady”. 1st National Champion Signed Short Distance Holland 2019. 1st National Champion Non-Signed Short Distance youngsters Holland 2019. 1st National Ace bird Short Distance in 2016 with “Anna”. 1st Ace bird old WHZB in 2019 with “Silver Lady”. 1st Ace bird All Round old WHZB in 2019 with “Mandy”. 2nd Ace bird Short Distance / Middle Distance old in 2020 with “Golden Heidi”. 2nd Best Hen WHZB All Round in 2012 with “Lorena”. 3rd Best Cock WHZB 2015 with “Blue Wonder”. 4th Ace bird All Round old WHZB in 2019. 4th National Champion Signed Short Distance 2021. 7th National Ace bird Short Distance in 2019 with “Shanice”. 7th Ace bird Long Distance WHZB 2019 with “Silver Lady”. 7th Ace bird All Round old WHZB in 2019. 8th Ace bird Long Distance WHZB 2019 with “Silver Lady”. 9th National Ace bird WHZB 2019 with “Mandy”. 10th National Champion Non-Signed Short Distance Holland 2019. Championships 2021 Department 7. 1st General Emperor Region B2. 1st Champions Short Distance Non-signed. 1st General Non-signed. 1st Ace bird. Youngsters with “Kiran”. 1st Short Distance Signed Region B2. 1st General Signed Region B2. Teletext with Provincial and NPO Listings. 1st NPO Salbris 5,780b. 2nd Prov Roye 5,562b. 2nd NPO Sens 3,517b. 3rd Prov Lessines 6,709b. 5th Prov Lessines 6,709b. 5th Prov Niergnies 6,261b. 6th Prov Banteux 7,578b. 6th NPO Melun 5,644b. There were several more listed in the top ten, these are just to give you an idea of the quality of pigeons that we are talking about. The above are what the present team are built on, I wonder if they are still looking around Europe for more winning lines. If they are I would be surprised, because they were saying these pigeons are as good if not better than any they have raced before.
Other pigeons from their latest pigeons, I say latest, they have been thoroughly tested over recent years so are week established in the lofts. The fantastic “Mr Magic” we mentioned earlier what about “Diamond White” already an Ace breeder of winners including, 1st Fed 1046b. 1st Fed 1924b. 1st Fed 1635b. 1st Liverpool Amal. She is a granddaughter of the Super Foundation cock “Jeff” responsible for generations of winners. A cracking all-rounder is “NATHAN” 1st sec 1st Open NWG National Yeovil. 3rd sec 3rd Open NWG National Chale BBLM’s. These Johan Den Hartog’s are genuinely good pigeons and have been a great investment to the lofts. We also have such pigeons as “Sam” sire of club, fed & Amal winners. What about “Ceasar” a very special pigeon being sire of club, fed, Amal and National winers including 1st NWG National. We cannot forget the ACE breeding pair “Jackson” & “Lola” breeders of the Titan Games winner “Mr Magic”. What about “Jenna” dam of Fed winners and is the nest sister to “Classey Lady” 1st North West Classic Carentan. These pigeons were just beginning to show across the channel when Covid came so have not had as much channel racing as they should have done to prove their worth. “Jenna” is also a daughter of “Lola” making here half-sister to “Mr Magic”. One breeding hen who stands out is “Rose” dam of Fed winners against as many as 2,000 plus birds. There are so many breeders and winners they cannot all be used. What I hope I have done is give a flavour of winners for the last 40yrs or so. There are many more I could have used but we need to draw the line somewhere.
In 2025 Enfield Lofts won 33 x 1sts there were only 5 races that they competed in they didn’t win and one of those was when there was an incorrect strike so were disqualified, they would have won. A few years ago, I was talking to Geoff Bebbington when he was the secretary to the Acton Bridge Club racing with the Mid Cheshire Fed about their results. He was telling me that if it were not for the Gentleman’s agreement in the Mid Cheshire Fed which is their main fed they would have near enough cleared the top 30 in the fed most weeks. With that in mind I started asking fanciers who they had competed against how they had gone on in their fed and the overwhelming opinion was that they done that wherever they raced their pigeons.
When you are winning as this partnership are they must have the right feeding methods, let’s start with what they do in the sprint races. During the first 6 weeks, the pigeons get on Monday and Tuesday morning 10 grams Recup per pigeon, in the evening 20 grams. On Wednesday, they have 10 grams of Beyers Super Widowhood then in the evening 20 grams. Moving on to Thursday morning, again 20 grams of Super Widowhood per pigeon are given with a further 40 grams of Beyers Elite Enzymix in the evening and what they do not eat remains for at 6.15am, they have nothing else after that. On their return from the race, they have fresh water and Super Widowhood. Then at around teatime they are separated and the do have Recup on Sunday. For the middle-distance races there is little difference, but they have no Recup, but they do have Galaxy Light of Beyers, they do have a bit smaller seeds and fats. Every evening, they are also given a spoonful per pigeon a mix of hemp, Omega 3-6-9 granules of CEDE and some peanuts with the widowhood team in the nest boxes. Plus, they have fresh water on the day they return from the races with the feed being Super Widowhood. In the evening the pigeons are separated. For the marathon long distance races, they are treated in the same way as with the one-day long distance, but with the basketing being on the Tuesday, the feeding method is moved forward. For the Marathon and one-day distance races they are not separated until the day after the races. In all sections, the cocks are fed in their boxes and the hens in their own boxes. Before basketing, Belgasol is added to the drinking water and when returning from the races regardless of the temperatures.
When the racing has finished pigeons get a complete 7-day yellow cure followed by a 12-day parastop cure. When that treatment is finished, they are all vaccinated against parathypus. As far as medical treatments go that is it, however in spring the pigeons get the herbal mix of Jan Smit in the drinking water, then follows a 12-day orni cure followed by a 5-day yellow cure which is done by powder over the food. During the racing season, the team keep everything under control with a monthly yellow pill. If they are in the baskets at a race for two nights basket or more, on the day of returning home and the day after, B.S. van der Weerd is put in the drinking water. Before each middle-distance race, they are given on a Tuesday and Wednesday for the airways. Every six weeks, the lofts are smoked out and in March, the pigeons are drip-fed against lice, which is at the same time as the paramyxo vaccination. The youngsters are treated against smallpox besides the vaccination. Only when there is something in the lofts that the team cannot solve the vet is consulted and a visit with some pigeons is arranged. I could probably extend the information on Johan and his son but let’s leave that for another day.
On the subject of information there has been a lot written about Ray over the years, so I am not going to go into all the old stuff other than a few questions that cross my mind. We must also mention that Garry and Alan went back to the racing loft full-time after having a few years away on another project. Its results such as the above that attracted Ray to them in the first place and the winning ways of these pigeons are now reflected at Endfield lofts. The next question is “How long will these pigeons go on winning for Ray” I suppose that is down to how long he can maintain his higher than most levels of keenness and the selective breeding that he does. Having said that the quality of pigeons that he has introduced highlights just how keen he is after spending over 40yrs winning and I know for a fact that he has been winning since my first visit to the then racing loft at Marlborough Road in the early 90’s. Has he changed much since that early visit, I don’t think so, he is as keen as ever and always looking to move forward, always looking for competition in the races he likes to compete in most. No matter how he has raced his pigeons and with whom he has raced he has always been a winner. Another question could be, “What has made him a winner” I remember the Sandbach legend George Stubbs answering me that question over 40yrs ago. He looked at me as if I should have known without asking, “Dedication, Observation and Perseverance. Dedication because you must put your all into pigeon racing otherwise you are going to win nothing. Observation, you need to watch everything that goes on in and around the lofts, if you miss something then you are left behind. Perseverance, you need to keep going no matter what, even when things are not going your way you keep going until you have solved the problem. Only when you have achieved these points will you win like I do” I wouldn’t say the paragraph is word for word but as near as I can get it.
I am often asked to ask fanciers question, why I don’t know because fanciers will give their opinion, one such question being. What percentage do you consider it takes to win with racing pigeons for Management and pigeons and why? “We would have to say 75% fancier because he must get the management right, he must decide on the day to day running of the loft i.e. breeding racing training. Feeding and if the fancier is 100% dedicated, he will try to obtain the best quality stock for the distance the wants to concentrate on. That’s enough on the questions side so what else they had to say, well they have been racing pigeons for the last 45 years they have made many mistakes, but they have learnt by them and that is most fanciers do not appear to do. One of biggest mistakes fanciers make and that is sending them when you know they were not just right, but fanciers do it year after year just to get a race. These lads don’t do it anymore they have learnt on that one and would now rather leave them at home instead of sending for the sake of getting in another race. With these lads, it’s a case of making things as simple as possible, they did say that far too many fanciers try to complicate pigeon racing when there is no need to at all and there are things that these winners never dream of doing. These lads have been to the continent on many occasions and for years have been saying that they have always admired their professional view on the way they race and compile their results. They also went on to say that the British sport has a lot to learn from the continentals and one that would be a big help to many is to send old and young birds to same race. We will finish with the last few words from “The Lads” “One of the best times of the year for us is when the first eggs of the season start to hatch. If we get a good hatch, we know we got them in good condition for the season. After we ring the young birds, we clean around the nest bowls every day always picking them up. We like to watch them develop in strong healthy tame young birds” This was a question and answer I put to Ray many years ago and he was not really changed his mind, I suppose that is why he does so much winning. They lads being Ray, Gary & Alan are back on track working together as a team have a winning system that has been perfected over many years, and they stick to it.
As I mentioned earlier in this report, I have known these fanciers for a very long time and in all the years I have known them they have been premier flyers year after year that is apart from the years they could not get in a club. Anyway, these are fanciers who put 110% into their pigeons and the pigeons as a hobby come first which is why they are so successful. How long can they go on winning, I don’t know but you can be sure they will not give up without a fight.
Footnote; I started writing this article it is towards the end of the 2024 racing season where they have won give or take the odd result I may have missed. 33 x 1sts and as I have often heard used, a shed full of other prizes. As I am getting towards the end of the article and also the end of the old bird season for 2025 has come to an end, once again, as they say, won a shed load of cards and I must add in a federation where they have a gentleman’s agreement to only put 4 birds forward for the result when they could have filled the best part of the result which covers the first 40 best vels.
Les J Parkinson. 11 Rushton Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 0NJ.
Tel: 01606836036 Mobile 07871701585.
Email:
Website: www.elimarpigeons.com
