NEWS FROM DOWN UNDER
by Doug McClary
February 2014
The Blackpool edition
The BHW of the 24th January arrived later than usual but it is typical of the postal deliveries down here which are almost a four day a week effort. The posties like to leave early on Fridays and therefore little gets delivered on this last day of the week. As I expected, the paper came on Monday after a weekend when some sorting of the deliveries gets done. The Blackpool show result edition is one I always look forward to of course. As I mentioned in my last notes, I was at Blackpool in spirit, especially as we are in the middle of a horrendously hot spell of weather when we had over forty degrees for four days and making 44 degrees on the days of Blackpool. It really was draining and apart from going out to feed the birds, and taking some swims, it was a case of staying indoors to enjoy the cooling. In that time, during one of my swims, I quickly got out of the pool to fetch a float and managed to burn my feet on the piping hot tiles. It was only the water which seemed to stop them blistering. How dangerously I live!
The Blackpool results
As usual, the Peter Bennett photography was excellent so I feel able to make my annual judgement of the winning birds, judged without handling of course. I enjoy looking at winning pigeons and I feel that these winners are a very good representation of showing in Britain. It just proves that there are many fantastic show racers to be found in Britain. I took my time with the photos and kept returning to them. In the end my choice would be the dark chequer cock owned by McCord and Turpie a partnership not known to me from Class seven judged by David Thresher. I believe that this cock could found a dynasty of winners. The chequer hen in Class eight was also good and close up for Coutts Brothers. For the hens, I had to go for the blue hen from class fourteen owned by Roger Sexton and judged by Brian Seward. I thought she had it all, good bars, perfect stance and tight hackle. It was good seeing some mealies at the top again. Another eye-catcher was the opal mosaic from Class 12 owned by Jill and David Fisher judged by P.Fishlock though she may be a little large for my liking. Congratulations to all winners and to all those who didn’t get the luck on the day to have representation in the winning line-up for the judging of Keith Mott.
Dreadnought
That is the name I have given to the bronze-wing pigeon which has adopted us. He is a beautiful bird and has become quite tame. Recently he has been bringing a hen bronze-wing and she too seems to have taken to us although is still fairly wary. The day she arrived she was starving and ate greedily from the feed tray. It would seem that they are nesting nearby and taking turns with the chores of bringing up a family although he seems to have more time off than she does. No comment from lady readers!
Change of Parish
It was good to hear from Sid Sauvary who has moved house to the next parish and his new abode is 30 Rue-Du-Carter, Rue Cohu, Castel GU15 7TF. He is a happy man because his pigeons are in his own garden and this is making it so much easier and more enjoyable for him. Wife Eileen has been poorly and in hospital but after returning home she broke her thigh. Best wishes to both. It would seem as though having the birds in the back garden is paying off because at the second Guernsey show he took best in show with 176 entries. Apparently he has received a good selection of birds from Mervyn Hoskings. Best show racer at the first Guernsey show was Dennis McKane with best in show going to a racer owned by, Glen De Carteret, a good worker for his hobby. Well done Glen.
British and Australian weather
I am reading reports about the dreadful weather conditions in Britain at the moment and must say that it is at times such as these that I am pleased to be here. Instead, we are in the middle of a long hot and dry spell. We would love to have some of that water. At Blackpool time we endured four days of forty Celsius plus days, which believe me is hot. I enjoy being warm but this became too much even in the swimming pool. On my computer desktop, I have widgets to tell me the date, the times in Australia and Exeter and the temperature in those places. I am hoping the photo will come out but it shows 44degrees here (110 Fahrenheit) and a zero in Exeter. In the north if Victoria, above the Great Dividing Range of mountains, they have endured well over a week of similar temperatures so living here by the sea has some compensation.
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Desk top photo Dennis McKane
I was pleased to hear that Dennis McKane of Guernsey has been elected at President of the British Show Racer Federation. I am sure that he will make a good job of this and help the Federation face up to the future as the body representing Show Racer enthusiasts. It is good for the Federation and good for Guernsey and the fanciers there.
Dennis McKane
Life in the Old Dog Yet
Congratulations to John Robilliard on notching up yet another fine win at Blackpool. He just seems to keep going and producing top quality pigeons every year. His winning red hen looked really good and is proof also that George Pollock has lost none of his ability to judge show racers. I will be interested to know how George found the pigeons in size. I would like to hear from George and indeed any judge as to his class at the show. I will probably have word from Fred Frendo in due course but he is still in Malta enjoying his long holiday after Blackpool and the stress of being with Roland Thresher for several days! Staying with the Blackpool theme, I have to add to the accolades deserved by John and Alice Bell. They won the Supreme Championship for the third time in seven years, and also took reserve best in show and best opposite sex, most points in classes 1-8, and all this on top of their Scottish successes and their three BIS wins at The Dome, The Kingdom Show and the SHU show. This is success in any language and from Oz I send my sincere congratulations. My thoughts also extend to Colin Bullard who was runner-up in the Supreme Championship following his disappointment of last year in being unable to get his championship birds to the show. Nobody would have begrudged Colin that win.
Fred
Frendo Scottish SRS (West)
I was delighted to hear from Ewing MacPherson that the Scottish (West) SRS has been reformed and shows being held. The first one is to hand except for overall winners and the names of the judges.
ADULT COCK: E MacPherson & Son 1st (MOS) 2nd & 6th, Fitzpatrick & Fleming 3rd, 4th & 5th.
ADULT HEN: Fitzpatrick & Fleming 1st & B.I.S (MOS) 2nd, 4th & 6th, E MacPherson & Son 3rd, M Moy 5th.
ADULT COCK (T.Wires): E MacPherson & Son 1st (RED), M Moy 2nd, 4th & 6th, Fitzpatrick & Fleming 3rd, J & A Rundell 5th.
ADULT HEN (T.Wires): E MacPherson & Son 1st (RED) & 2nd, Fitzpatrick & Fleming 3rd & 6th, J & A Rundell 4th, M Moy 5th.
YOUNG COCK: J & A Rundell 1st, E MacPherson & Son 2nd & 5th, Fitzpatrick & Fleming 3rd, 4th & 6th.
YOUNG HEN: Fitzpatrick & Fleming 1st & RES (MOS) 3rd & 6th, E MacPherson & Son 2nd & 5th, J & A Rundell 4th.
YOUNG COCK (T.Wires): Fitzpatrick & Fleming 1st & 6th, E MacPherson & Son 2nd, 4th & 5th, M Moy 3rd.
YOUNG HEN (T.Wires): Fitzpatrick & Fleming 1st, 2nd & 6th, E MacPherson & Son 3rd, 4th & 5th.
Birds frozen to the perch
No, not in Australia! Dick Lipski dropped a few lines about the frozen Milwaukee area and told me about two of his birds which in the extreme cold got themselves frozen to the sides of their perch. It seems that their breath, condensed on their breast feathers which in turn froze where they were in contact with the wooden perch. That is cold, cold when that sort of thing happens. Fortunately Dick was able to free them and all ended up well.
Scottish SRS (East Region)
The fourth show was held at the Hill of Beath Ex-Serviceman's Club on Sat 4th January 2014 with 250 entries. The judges for the day were Alan Rundell, Lanark who keeps show pigeons and Davie Whyte Cardenden, a national winner with his team of racers this last season. Davie kindly stepped in at the last minute due to another show racer judge being unable to attend. However he did rather well in selecting the Best in Show and Reserve Champion and Young Bird Champion for that record breaking team of John & Alice Bell winning Best in Show for the fourth society show this season. Best in show was Yearling Dark Chequer hen, Reserve and Young Bird Champion, a Blue Young Cock. John & Alice won seven out of the ten classes, with Wallace & Ferguson winning two classes and Carrie Winter won with a young Hen. Likeliest Old Cock -judge A Rundell 1st, 5th 6th J& A Bell -Dark Cheq -Champion Old Cock in the Society 2nd 3rd Wallace & Ferguson 4th C Miller Likeliest Old Hen -judge D Whyte 1st 3rd J & A Bell -Dark cheq Yearling -Best in show 2nd 6th Mrs A Ferguson 5th Wallace & Ferguson 4th C Miller Looking thru Pen Old Cock -judge D Whyte 1st 5th 6th Wallace & Ferguson Yearling Red 3rd S Ferguson Looking Thru Pen Old Hen judge A Rundell 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th J & A Bell 2nd Wallace & Ferguson 5th C Miller Looking Thru Pen Young Cock -judge A Rundell 1st, 2nd, 3rd 4th J & A Bell -Red 5th S Ferguson 6th C Miller Looking Thru Pen Young Hen -judge D Whyte 1st C Winter -Mosaic 2nd 5th C Miller 3rd 6th Wallace & Ferguson 4th J & A Bell Likeliest Young Cock -judge D Whyte 1st 5th J & A Bell -Blue Reserve Champion, Best Young Bird 2nd 4th Wallace & Ferguson 3rd C Winter 6th Mrs A Ferguson Likeliest Young Hen -judge A Rundell 1st, 2nd, 3rd 4th, 5th J & A Bell -Dark Cheq 6th C Miller. Medley Classes Coloured Cock /Hen Handled judge A Rundell 1st, 2nd, 4th J & A Bell -Mosaic Young Hen 3rd Wallace & Ferguson 5th Mrs A Ferguson 6th C Miller Veterans Class Handled birds over 5 years old (2008) and older 1st 5th Wallace & Ferguson -Blue Hen 2006 rung 2nd J & A Bell 3rd Mrs A Ferguson 4th, 6th S Ferguson The Show Championship points were won by J& A Bell on 280 points, from Struan Ferguson 119 points just pipping Wallace & Ferguson on 111 points The Society Champion bird is John & Alice Bell’s Young Dark Cheq Hen that won two Best in shows and three firsts on 35 points and wins Champion Young Hen Trophy, from the Champion Old Cock Dark cheq from same loft on 34 points that had a reserve Best In show, two firsts and three seconds. Champion Old hen is Struan Ferguson Mealy Hen with 27 points with four firsts. Champion Yearling is John & Alice Bell Dark Cheq Cock on 28 points. Champion Young Cock is John & Alice Bell with a Dark Cheq on 25 points with two firsts. The Malcolm Frame Memorial 4 bird team competition was very close won at today's show by John & Alice Bell on 53 points from Struan Ferguson on 41 points. Young Bird Points was won by John & Alice Bell on 138 points, to runner up S Ferguson 58 points The Champion Yearling Cock was won by J & A Bell’s Dark Cheq that can`t be beaten while Yearling Hens carry on to Blackpool with J & A Bell leading with today`s Best in show on 25 points from a Blue Hen from same loft on 21 pts with Wallace & Ferguson further back on 16 points. Leading the Medley Points with 62 Points are John & Alice Bell from Wallace & Ferguson on 28 pts. The society now looks forward to the final show, a Medley event when the Championship all winners’ class will be judged by Clint Swinburne Co Durham a highly successful Show fancier. The classes at the medley include a new class open to any Cock bird handled or Hen bird Handled that has been carded in standard classes this season leaving the choice to the member to decide. With Young Cock/Young Hen Handled, Old Bird Pairs/Young bird pairs thru wires and Combined pairs (Old Cock/Young Hen) (Old Hen/Young Cock) the A & A Clark trophy class for all Best In show/Reserve champions at standard classes and the Best Young Bird from the four best Young Birds plus the all first prize winners in Medley Classes coming back it is sure to be a full day.
John & Alice Bell with their dark chequer winner
Wallace and Ferguson's veteran
Name from the Past George Greenshields
Jack Wooldridge of Santa Cruz, California saw my recent mention of George Greenshields and reported that in 1950 he bought a pair of Greenshields at the California Racing Pigeon Association Convention in San Francisco. The birds provided great pleasure both in flying and showing and were just about unbeatable in the flown classes. I surmise that Jack must be an older fancier having obtained those birds in 1950, some 64 years ago. He stated that when he restarted some years ago he had hopes of finding some more Greenshields but they were long gone. I am able to reproduce a photo of one of the Greenshields birds. Further history if the Greenshields era can be found in my latest book.
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Visit to England
If all goes well, Ann and I will be coming to England in June for three weeks. Flights are booked in and out of Birmingham for a change and now that the decision has been taken, I am looking forward to catching up with old haunts and to sampling some real ale and other things we miss. By time we go to Cornwall and Scotland, time will be at a premium and there will be a lot to fit in the days available.
Change of email address
Owing to an enforced change of server I have a new email address as follows:
Douglas McClary
Kemyel Lofts of British Show Racers
douglas-mcclary.blogspot.com.au
