Les Parkinson -  What’s going on this week 11-05-26

Les J Parkinson - What’s going on this week

I am always looking at good distance winners and after a conversation with Guillaume Vanneste he sent me a couple of photos. One is of a fantastic winner “ANNABELLE” winner of 1^st Extreme Long Distance 2024 with a co-efficient of 0.119, an outstanding performance. To achieve the award, she was 2^nd International Pau 11,927 birds 2025. 5^th International Pau 13,199 birds. 8^th International Narbonne 12,543 birds 2024.

The breeding is of all the old Catrysse lines, and we all know how successful they have been over the years no matter what distance they were sent to. For those who follow the latest fashion the Catrysse pigeons were at one time the pigeon’s that were in demand. The problem is as we all know fashion in pigeon racing is like ladies with their fashion, it comes and goes no matter how good they are. There are very popular fanciers on the continent whose names rise to the top, but they are not always the best racing fanciers in the area, as the saying goes, the pen is mightier than the sword. Over the years we have seen top winners dropping in the results because they have seen pigeons winning around Europe and bought what they believe to be the best pigeons on the market only to see their results go downhill. The latest fashion can be a terrible thing if you make the wrong decision when introducing new stock. Introducing new pigeons is not always a good idea if you already have a winning loft. Many fanciers will not have heard of the fanciers whose lines are in the breeding of “ANNABELLE”. Maybe the older generation will remember more of, Demarets – Marichal Lippens – George Bolle Luna - Petit Crack. In their day these were the tops when it came to winning but went out of fashion but they are still winning but not getting the publicity what I see as lesser pigeons getting. Since I started racing again, I have gone for the sprinters because of the changes in channel racing and I can’t complain about what they have won, I would have expected that because they have come from modern day winning lofts/lines. However, when I see those pigeons coming to win prizes, I don’t get the same buzz as when I was racing in the 500/700ml races prior to taking a break from racing. Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying the racing and have steadily brought in a few distance lines, but they take time to get established but will be tried and tested.       

Racing.

The Cheshire Combine has moved on to Mangotsfield where 109 members entered 1931 birds that were liberated at 13.30 in a light NE wind. Mr & Mrs Nigel Shaw topped the list and are also 4th clocking up 1330/1325ypm racing with the Hankelow club. They are one of the more prominent lofts racing into the area and are not often left behind. They quite often feature in the National races and are always looking to have a go whether at 70mls or 700mls. In conjunction with the Combine, they are 1^st & 3^rd Hankelow club 1^st 3^rd South West Cheshire Fed with two yearlings. Also, in the same club we have the evergreen Joe Glover in his eighth decade of winning. In this race he is 2^nd club, 2^nd SWC Fed 2^nd 10^th 11^th Combine. 1^st Middlewich FC 1^st Mid Cheshire Fed 3^rd Combine go to Peter & Dawn Latham saw home a very good 3yo recording a vel of 1325ypm. Colin Lindop wins the Crewe West End with a yearling on 1319ypm collecting 4^th SWCF and 5^th Combine. Still with the same club we have Turner & Son clocked two yearlings on 1319/1318ypm. 1^st & 2^nd Acton Bridge club 2^nd & 3^rd Fed 8^th & 9^th Combine go to Ray Lunt who clocked two yearlings on 1318ypm. Paul Whitfield from the Apedale SP is 1^st club 4^th MCF 12^th Combine with a vel of 1312ypm. The next 4 places all went to members of the Wrekin Fed starting with Brian Lee with the Holmes Chapel club finishing 1^st & 2^nd club 1^st & 2^nd Fed 13^th & 14^th Combine on 1309/1303ypm. Then we have Slim Timmis leading the way in the CH/DHS 1^st club 3^rd Fed 15^th Combine on 1301ypm. Billy Beech is 3^rd club 4^th Fed 15^th Combine after clocking a 2yo on 1300ypm. Then we have Peter Symcox 2^nd club 5^th Fed 17^th Combine with a yearling of 1300ypm. A Mainwaring wins the Halmerrend club with a yearling on 1299ypm. Bob Humphries clocked two to complete the top 20 in the combine collecting 1^st & 2^nd in the Middlewich 5B 9^th & 10^th Fed 19^th & 20^th combine. Entries from the Federations are Mid Cheshire 40 members sent 753b. South West Cheshire Fed 43 sent 737b. Wrekin 26 sent 441b.

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