NEWS FROM DOWN UNDER
by Doug McClary
February 2015
Christmas
It proved to be a Christmas best forgotten owing to illness and a damaged knee. The festive season came and went with very little enjoyment other than the ability to have a Talisker Malt and a quiet time. However, we enjoyed runner beans from the garden, my best crop in this country so far. Gardening down here is most difficult wing to the extreme heat and the way the sandy soil absorbs water, then dries very quickly. The garden is English in some ways with a good crop of Bramley apples, blackberries, Victoria plums, Devon Quarrandon apples and tomatoes.
Blackpool and all that
Word has been coming in about the Blackpool show and all seems to point to a most successful and enjoyable occasion. I am writing this on a very hot day which forces me into my cool study so I will reserve my comments about the show until next time. Suffice to say that I send my congratulations to Roland Thresher on winning the Supreme Championship and to Colin and Jean Carter on their best in show win. I have watched Roland in the showing hobby since his first show as a boy at Devon County and as a showing and travel companion. On top of that he is a worker for the sport and is never in the background when there is work to be done.
Roland & Julie Thesher
Annual chores
Since Christmas I have done my best despite annoying problems of health matters, to clear the nest boxes, scrub the bowls and clean the floors under the grills. My masks have been in regular use both in my own lofts and in those of Geoff Nelson who has been in hospital for open heart surgery. I have been travelling the seven miles up and back almost daily to ensure that no young birds missed ringing. It was no easy task in that he keeps so many birds but in the end it was managed and was a pleasure to be able to repay some of Geoff’s kindnesses to me. Without his transport, my showing would almost be over.
George Hensley and Mervyn Patt
George is talking about taking early retirement from showing at the early age of 92 years. He has been a stalwart of the Devon and Cornwall SRS from the very early days and has been President for many years. We have always referred to him as Minehead’s No.1 as a top racing enthusiast and showman. Another stalwart, Mervyn Patt took ill at Blackpool and was taken to hospital for treatments and care. Fortunately he was well enough to travel home with Michael, Jill and David and we all hope that his improvement continues. I have known Mervyn for many years from my first years in the sport when we were both admirers of Reg Brown of St Day. Another stalwart is Pam Robilliard who has recently celebrated her birthday, a figure I am too much of a gentleman to disclose. Congratulations.
New Kid of the Block
Having mentioned some of the more senior citizens, it gives me pleasure to mention a newcomer to pigeon showing in the form of seven year old Scot, Craig Gilluley. He has always been soccer mad thanks to the Hibs, for which he holds a season ticket, and by playing every Saturday morning. His stepfather Brian Massey shows his racing pigeons so there will be plenty of opportunity to exhibit. His first show was at the Classic Show Racer show at Loanhead where his mealy hen ‘Daisy’ gained a third prize. However, at Blackpool where he had entered eight birds, he took six prize cards including firsts in the Young Fanciers’ classes, winning three, the adult cocks, adult hens and racing cocks. The Focus is pleased to congratulate Craig on this success and hope that it is the first of many in a long future.
Daisy
Craig with his first pigeon, named Ronaldo.
Craig enjoying his Blackpool success
NFC dinner
Speaking as an ‘Australian’ by adoption, may I say what a pleasure it was to see the account of the National Flying Club’s presentation at the prestigious Majestic Hotel in Harrogate. The pictures depicted (with one exception) men and their ladies dressed for the occasion in suits and ties, commensurate with the importance of the occasion. In this country, I doubt that such a dinner could be held because of their relaxed and disrespectful attitude to life and its expectations. Long may the NFC continue to uphold its values and traditions. I always think back to the days of the GYA show where we often stayed at the Majestic and attended dinners there. One night the fire alarm was sounded and we all ended up outside in the freezing Harrogate weather until the ‘all-clear’ was given.
Scottish SRS (East Region)
Owing to pressures on time and having a suplus of material, I was unable to include details of the first show of the season but to make up I have the results of the first two events, with two in store for next month. The society’s first show was held at the Hill of Beath Ex Servicemans Club on Sunday 7th December 2014 . The judges for the day were well known show fancier Clint Swinburn from the North East who had made a weekend of it by judging at the Fife Show the day before. Unfortunately Alastair Tankard couldn't make it so local racing national winner John Proctor of Kirkcaldy stepped in to judge.
The Best in Show was once again John & Alice Bell with a two year old Dark Cheq Cock, last year’s Supreme Champion certainly the bird to beat. This maintains up their record of having won Best in Show at every show since Dec 2012 in the society put up as a winner by John Proctor. A very close runner up was John Mccord of McCord &Turpie who won Reserve Champion with a Red Chequer Old Cock after a tie with an Old Red Hen belonging to Wallace& Ferguson, split by Mrs Swinburn thru wires. Best Young Bird was John& Alice Bell’s Dark Cheq Young Cock put up to the winners’ row by Clint Swinburn..
Best Young Bird was John& Alice Bell’s Dark Cheq Young Cock put up to the winners’ row by Clint Swinburn.
Likeliest Old Cock - judge C Swinburn - 1st & 6th McCord & Turpie - Red Cheq Reserve Champion 2nd, 3rd, 4th J& A Bell, 5th Mrs A Ferguson
Likeliest Old Hen - judge J Proctor - 1st Wallace & Ferguson - Red, 2nd J& A Bell, 3rd& 4th McCord & Turpie, 5th C& C Winter, 6th S Ferguson
LTP Old Cock - judge J Proctor - 1st, 6th J & A Bell Dark Cheq Best in Show, 2nd Wallace & Ferguson, 3rd C Miller, 4th McCord & Turpie, 5th S Ferguson
LTP Old Hen - judge C Swinburn - 1st McCord & Turpie - Dark Cheq, 2nd, 6th S Ferguson, 3rd, 4th J&A Bell, 5th C & C Winter
LTP Young Cock - judge C Swinburn - 1st, 3rd, 5th J & A Bell - Dark Cheq Best Young Bird, 2nd & 4th McCord & Turpie, 6th J Brown Dundee (new member)
LTP Young Hen - judge J Proctor - 1st C & C Winter Mealy, 2nd S Ferguson, 3rd & 4th C Miller, 5th Mrs A Ferguson, 6th J & A Bell
Likeliest Young Cock - judge J Proctor - 1st, 3rd, 6th J & A Bell Dark Cheq, 2nd & 5th McCord & Turpie, 4th J Brown
Likeliest Young Hen - judge C Swinburn - 1st Mrs A Ferguson Dark Cheq, 2nd C Miller, 3rd & 5th J & A Bell, 4th Walace & Ferguson, 6th C & C Winter.
The second show was held on Sunday 21st December 2014 at the Hill of Beath Ex Servicemen's Club Fife when the judges were the respected George Pollock of Strathhaven and his good friend Willie Frame. The entry was 380 birds.
My goodness it is hot today here in Mount Eliza so before I resume my words on this show and some praise for Struan Ferguson, I am off out for a swim. My screen is telling me that it is 31C (90plus) outside and 3C in Exeter no further comment necessary! Back again after the heat outside and the pleasant pool at 32C. followed by a beer on the balcony, overlooking the Bay, and BBQ to come. So, to return to Struan’s account of the show. It was a show that he will remember for a long time because his mealies won six of the ten classes. His mealy yearling hen took the best in show award, having won under both judges and his young mealy cock was reserve best and best young bird, also winning under both judges. It broke the continuous run of best in show wins for John and Alice Bell. I daresay that in his secretarial role, Struan might have felt a little embarrassed by his success but it went down very well and members felt that his hard work was suitably rewarded. Indeed Audrey also won a class making it a real Ferguson day of note. Other winners on the day were Charlie Miller of Blackburn ,Mrs Audrey Ferguson ,John & Alice Bell. It was good to note that Jack Brown of Dundee, in his first year of membership won a yearling class, his first big win with show racers after success with racers.
Likeliest Old Cock - judge W Frame - 1st, 4th, 6th C Miller winner Dark Cheq, 2nd Mrs A Ferguson, 3rd Paul Cameron-new member, 5th J & A Bell
Likeliest Old Hen - judge G Pollock - 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th S Ferguson Mealy, 2nd C Miller, 6th Mrs A Ferguson
Looking Thru Pen Old Cock - judge G Pollock 1st, 5th, 6th J & A Bell Dark Cheq last year's Supreme Champion, 2nd & 4th S Ferguson, 3rd Wallace & Ferguson
Looking Thru Pen Old Hen - judge W Frame - 1st, 2nd S Ferguson Mealy Best in Show, 3rd C & C Winter 4th, 6th Mrs A Ferguson, 5th Wallace & Ferguson
Looking Thru Pen Young cock - judge W Frame - 1st, 2nd, 5th S Ferguson Mealy Reserve Champion and Best Young Bird, 3rd Wallace & Ferguson
Looking Thru Pen Young Hen - judge G Pollock - 1st, 5th Mrs A Ferguson Dark Cheq, 2nd J Brown,3rd C Miller, 4th Wallace & Ferguson, 6th S Ferguson
Likeliest Young Cock - judge G Pollock - 1st, 5th, 6th S Ferguson Mealy double winner, 2nd, 3rd J & A Bell, 4th D & L Carruthers
Likeliest Young Hen - judge W Frame - 1st, 3rd, 4th S Ferguson Blue, 2nd Wallace & Ferguson, 5th & 6th Mrs A Ferguson
Yearling Class Cock - judge G Pollock - 1st J Brown Blue, 2nd Mrs A Ferguson, 3rd S Ferguson, 4th & 5th C Miller, 6th Wallace & Ferguson
Yearling Hen - judge W Frame - 1st & 4th S Ferguson Mealy double winner, 2nd, 5th & 6th J & A Bell 3rd Mrs A Ferguson
Snainton Show
I am pleased to have the result of the Snainton show thanks to the efforts of Steve Dodgson and Colin Farndale. The judges were Frank and Robert Parnaby who were presented with 252 entries.
Class 1 Odd Colour Adult Cock. 1st A Tankard 2nd P Shipley 3rd W & B Wharton 4th A Parker
Class 2 Odd Colour Adult Hen. 1st A Tankard 2nd A Parker 3rd J & P Brookshaw 4th Dixon & Dodgson
Class 3 Odd Colour Cock 2014. 1st A Tankard 2nd P Littlewood 3rd A Parker 4th A Tankard
Class 4 Odd Colour Hen 2014. 1st A Tankard 2nd P Shipley 3rd A Tankard 4th A Parker
Class 5 Blue/Blue Ch. Adult Cock. 1st D Fussey 2nd A Tankard 3rd A Tankard 4th P Shipley
Class 6 Blue/Blue Ch. Adult Hen 1st A Tankard 2nd Dixon & Dodgson 3rd K Story 4th W & B Wharton
Class 7 Blue/ Blue Ch. Cock 2014. 1st A Tankard 2nd A Tankard 3rd Dixon & Dodgson 4th K Story
Class 8 Blue/Blue Ch. Hen 2014. 1st A Parker 2nd Dixon & Dodgson 3rd Dixon & Dodgson 4th R Cass
Class 9 Red/Mealy Adult Cock 1st P Littlewood 2nd D McClaymont 3rd R Cass 4th A Tankard
Class 10 Red/Mealy Adult Hen. 1st W & B Wharton 2nd Dixon & Dodgson 3rd P Littlewood 4th D Fussey
Class 11 Red/Mealy Cock 2014. 1st D Fussey 2nd A Tankard 3rd Dixon & Dodgson 4th M Mason
Class 12 Red/Mealy Hen 2014. 1st Dixon & Dodgson 2nd A Tankard 3rd P Littlewood 4th R Cass
Class 13 Adult Wire Cock. 1st A Tankard 2nd Dixon & Dodgson 3rd R Cass 4th A Tankard
Class 14 Adult Wire Hen. 1st Dixon & Dodgson 2nd D Fussey 3rd P Shipley 4th K Story
Class 15 2014 Wire Cock. 1st A Parker 2nd P Shipley 3rd Dixon & Dodgson 4th Dixon & Dodgson
Class 16 2014 Wire Hen. 1st K Story 2nd Dixon & Dodgson 3rd D Fussey 4th Dixon & Dodgson
Class 17 Late Bred, Carrying 2 Nest Flights or More. 1st M Mason 2nd A Tankard 3rd D Fussey 4th A Tankard
Class 18 Matched Pairs. 1st W & B Wharton 2nd R Cass 3rd A Tankard 4th A Tankard BIS was A Tankard with a Mosaic the winner of class 1. BOS was A Tankard with a Blue winner of class 6. BWB was Dixon & Dodgson with a Red winner of class 14
Bill Cowell(Bilco)
It was with regret that I heard of the death of Bilco, one of the great characters and dare I say, eccentrics of our pigeon sport. It was when he moved to Brixham in South Devon that our paths crossed more often and we travelled many miles together to pigeon events and for pigeon visits on the continent. It was through him that I met Willy Clerebaut, Henry Van Neste, Henry Mornard and many others, along the way, visiting the former lofts of Gurnay. Bill loved pigeons and meeting up with fellow fanciers. And could he snore if there had been an Olympiad for snorers he would have won every gold medal! I lost touch with him when I moved to Australia but will also treasure our experiences together. What a character. The loss of his wife Shirley was something he never really got over. My condolences to Bill’s family.
Bill at my loft
Bill with Henry Mornard at Vervier, Belgium.
In Conclusion
Another month’s offerings from Australia while looking in on the show scene in the UK. I will be looking forward to the edition of the BHW which reports on the show and until then will sit tight and enjoy the warmth and the sunshine. I am still at 3 Kunyung Road, Mount Eliza, Victoria 3930, and email
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