Niort 2013

NEWS FROM DARREN SMITH

Hello folks,
North Liverpool Federation’s thirteenth race of the 2013 season took place from Niort as part of the North West Combine liberation. The convoy strings were cut at 6am on Saturday 6th July and the birds were liberated for one last time this year into a light north east wind.

Davie Cain opens his account at the Edgehill HS (5/14) with what should have been the only bird on the day. However, Dave went to a 21st birthday party late Saturday evening and when he came home and checked the loft around midnight, his pigeon was sat in its box and the hours of darkness were added. Velocity 892. Billy Chapman & sons clocked the next day to take 2nd position on a velocity of 522, no further details to hand. Congratulations Davie.

Roy Reid clocks the only pigeon on the day at the Spellow (4/13) on his way to taking the first three positions with the only three pigeons in race time. The winner is bred from a full brother to Robbie Thomas’ 2nd Olympiad pigeon when paired to a daughter of the Film Star and Jupiter Hen of Davie Burns. The second and third timers originate in the loft of good friend Tony Owens and are of Lou Wouters and Wouters x Herman bloodlines. Velocities 961, 404 & 328. Roy wins the channel averages with a velocity of 1147 in what scribe Darren Pattison describes as a very testing channel campaign. Thanks Darren.

Billy Dooley, Paddy Rowan and Sid Chapman finish what has been a very impressive old bird campaign with a fourth channel victory at the Princes Park (6/31) The winner is a white hen and she is a daughter of their very good Camiel Cardon racer White Wonder who came via Mick and Adam O’Hara, velocity 1107. Thomas Dobbs clocks two warriors on the night for 2nd and 3rd positions. The first timer is a grizzle of Willie Thas bloodlines that has taken several cards in channel events, followed by a cheq hen bred from stock obtained from Harry Davis. Velocities 1102 and 1075. John Devine & Son take 4th position with a cheq cock which has a 1st Fougeres in 2011, 3rd Fougeres and a prize at Carentan this year. His sire is a winner of 1st club, 2nd NL Fed Frome and he in turn is a son of their good red cock 118 a winner of 3x1st prizes, velocity 890. Thanks Tom.

John McDowell & Son clock two very brave pigeons on the night and end the 2013 old bird campaign almost identically to the way they started it, taking the first 3 positions at the Vauxhall (7/35). The first 2 two timers arrived together but first over the finish line is a yearling Jan Huijbrecht out of 14, a direct son of Jimmy & Paul Weeder’s 71, a winner of 5x1st when paired to a daughter of Blue Frill x the Ben Van Noord hen which also originates from Jimmy & Paul. The second timer is also a Huijbrecht, this time a 3 year old and it is bred from a son of 81, a winner of 9x1st for Jimmy & Paul Weeder, when paired to a Herman Beverdam bred daughter of the Legend, a winner of 10x1st for Jan Huijbrecht. The third timer also contains the Jan Huijbrecht bloodlines of Jimmy & Paul Weeder, being bred from a son of Junior when paired to a daughter of the Canvas Cock of Andy Galley and the No1 breeding hen, the Mossman Hen. Velocities 1079 x 2, 721. John & Fran would like to thank Jimmy & Paul for all of the help they have provided over the years. Congratulations boys. Ladd & Murphy take fourth position with a Soontjen x Vandenabeele that was lifted straight into this race from Hereford, velocity 712. Thanks Anthony.

Jimmy Foley turns in a Blue Riband performance at the Pirrie (5/23) clocking two pigeons on the night and an early 2nd day arrival for 1, 2, 3 club and 1st North Liverpool Federation. The winner is no stranger to top spot having topped the North Liverpool Federation from Carentan in 2012, when finishing 10th North West Combine. His sire is a Janssen bred by John & Gary Hartless and Paul Howard, while his dam comes via the lofts of Williamson & Murphy. The second timer is a yearling blue hen of Heinz 57 origins and when she made it home, froze on the roof for ten minutes, a good job the win was already in the bag! The third timer is a 2 year old cheq cock and he is a son of the winner when he was paired to an André Dierick hen. He was away from home for a few weeks after the corresponding race last season but finds attonement with this performance. Velocities 1126, 1066 and 798. Niort King Bernie Wharton relinquishes the crown he has worn for the past 3 seasons, but he remains in the result by clocking a yearling Ko Nipius via stock obtained from Jim Blake of Burnley, velocity 573. The members of the Pirrie would like to thank Mike Liddle and Billy Reeves for all of their hard work in this difficult channel season. Thanks Irene.

Alan, Mark and Jess Halsall clock the only bird on the day on their way to taking 1st and 2nd positions at the Litherland (6/24) The winner is a 3 year old out of the stock loft followed by a 2 year old, velocities 997 and 891. The hard working Joe O'Neil takes 3rd position, velocity 743, followed in 4th position by captain James Garner who has only recently come out of hospital and this was just the tonic he needed, velocity 731. Ted congratulates everybody who made this week’s result, but special mention goes to Alan, Mark & Jess who are the only club members to have made the fed sheet in every race this season, a very well done to all concerned from me too. Thanks Ted.

Terry Shawcross takes 1st position at the Central (4/15) with a roundabout Marcelis hen via club-mate Billy Foxon and this is the second year in succession she has scored from this race point, velocity 834. Mark, Daniel & Conor Pearson take 2nd position with a natural cock sent knocking his hen down. He is bred by club-mate Danny Regan and takes his tally to 3x2nd, velocity 812. Terry Hodson rounds off a good channel campaign by taking 3rd and 4th positions. The first timer is a homebred pigeon via pigeons obtained from Stu Davenport of Chirk, followed by his good grizzle hen which has been crowned bird of the year for her cross channel exploits, her previous turns being 1st Fougeres and 2nd Carentan. Her breeding is via Joe & Ste Nelson and Terry would like to thank the lads for her breeding. Velocities 679 and 596. Thanks Dan.

Vin Maguire takes 1st and 3rd positions at the Kirkdale (6/25). The winner is a 2 year old blue hen taking her second victory of the season after her first position at Monmouth and she is of Syndicate Lofts bloodlines. The second timer is a 3 year old blue pied who was 2nd club Fougeres recently. Velocities 421 and 355. John Jones takes 2n position with a 2 year old late bred via Ken & Robbie Muztagh (thanks lads - John), velocity 399. Thanks Mark.

The federation top ten looks like this:
1st, 7th Jimmy Foley - 1126 / 1066, 2nd Billy Dooley, Paddy Rowan & Sid Chapman - 1107, 3rd, 6th Thomas Dobbs - 1102 / 1075, 4th, 5th John McDowell & Son - 1079.996 / 1079 952, 8th, 10th Alan, Mark & Jess Halsall - 997 / 891, 9th Roy Reid - 961.

Congratulations to everybody who clocked in from this most testing of events, but a special mention must go to our federation topping fancier, Jimmy Foley who makes channel racing look far easier than what it is for many, a great result.

Billy Dooley, Paddy Rowan & Sid Chapman win the channel averages with a velocity of 1193.636.

A reminder to all club secretaries during inland races, Irene must be contacted by 7pm on the winning day by phone or email with the velocity and ring number of your club’s winning pigeon.

On the home straight now folks, seven weeks of malaise and madness to go, right now though, the bed is calling.

Thanks for reading.
Darren