NORTH LIVERPOOL FED
NEWS FROM DARREN SMITH
The Liverpool 2 Bird Club
The Liverpool 2 Bird Club was formed at an inaugural meeting held at the Goats Head Hotel, Kirkdale Road, Liverpool on 20th February 1943, by a group of discerning pigeon fanciers determined to test both their own wits and the mettle of their finest bloodlines against the best competition the city had to offer.
Great Britain was still in the midst of the second world war at this time, but it was not to deter the intrepid spirit of these men as they set about the challenge of racing their pigeons in what would have been intense conditions, given the implications of the war on safety, transport and rationing of food.
The first president was a Mr H Setford, assisted in the secretary role by a Mr Sid Jane, who was to serve in the role of secretary for a very long time. In fact, there have been only four secretaries in the club’s 71 year history, the aforementioned Mr Jane, followed by Mr Eric Deakin, Mr Ronnie Seddon and current incumbent, Mr John Heague.
Mr Alan Jones is the current president of the Liverpool 2 Bird Club and is a perfect fit for the club given his great standing and reputation within the Liverpool pigeon fraternity.
At the first meeting of the newly formed Liverpool 2 Bird club the following March, it was decided that the race programme would be Dorchester for old birds and Monmouth for the young birds. It was also decided that racing would take place on a Wednesday with a late liberation.
A look at the list of past winners gives an indication of the calibre of flier who have accepted this great challenge and emerged victorious down the years. Luminaries of the ilk of Les Kilshaw, Roy Humphries, Albert Tarleton, Charlie Guy and Terry Kirman, most of whom were multiple winners.
On Sunday 17th February 2013, the members of the Liverpool 2 Bird gathered at the Wellington Public House, owned by local pigeon fancier Eric Dodson, to have their pigeons photographed by Mr Chris Sutton, a man whose stock is certainly rising in the world of commercial pigeon photography.
Judging by the weeklies, it would appear more and more people are turning to Chris to capture their foremost breeding and racing pigeons and on the occasion of his visit to Liverpool, there is no doubting that Chris’s painstaking efforts have once again done justice to his subjects.
Cliff & Darren Smith were the winners of the Messac race, clocking a smokey cheq hen GB09K24997, who was sent to the race sitting 7 day old eggs. Her sire was bred by former club-mate Mick Kewley out of his Ranmoor Lofts Van Loons, while her dam was bred by Anton Ruitenberg, being a direct daughter of De Wondere Dirk, who in turn is a son of Gerard Koopman’s Kleine Dirk. ‘97 followed up her Liverpool 2 Bird victory with 1st club, 16th North Liverpool Fed Vire the following week, but unfortunately she failed to return from the final race of the season at Niort.
Cliff & Darren Smith being presented with the June Cup by club president Alan Jones for 1st Liverpool 2 Bird Messac
Joe Elder & son Joe were the winners of 1st and 2nd Bedhampton young bird with two of their Houben x Janssen based family. The winner was Twilight a chequer tic eyed hen GB12H42514, followed by Pluto a chequer cock GB12H42560. Both pigeons are closely related to their great racer Jobo, who won 1st RPRA Western Region Award in 2003 from 3,900 members in the 0-250 miles category. Both pigeons had shown good form in the week’s leading up to the 2 Bird event and had scored at club and Amal level.
Joe Elder & son Joe being presented with the cup for 1st and 2nd Liverpool 2 Bird Bedhampton YB by club president Alan Jones
Thomas Robinson, racing as Miller & Sons, won the combined averages for the Messac race.
Jimmy Bauress and John Murray, now racing as Bauress, Murray & Sweeney, won the combined averages over the 2 races.
Cliff Smith holding 1st Liverpool 2 Bird Messac 2012
1st Liverpool 2 Bird Messac 2012
The Liverpool 2 bird race programme for 2013 will be:
Old birds - Messac, Saturday 22nd June. Marking Thursday 20th June, 6.30pm-7.30pm.
Young birds - Bedhampton, Wednesday 14th August. Marking Tuesday 13th August, 6.30pm-7.30pm.
Marking for both races will be at the Wildflower Centre, Court Hey Park, Roby Road, Liverpool L16 3NA.
Subscriptions are £10, plus £3 for new members who can join on the night of race marking.
There are 3 trophies to be raced for, the June Cup presented to the club by Mr Albert Tarleton is awarded to the winner of the old bird race. The Young Bird Challenge Cup is awarded to the winner of the young bird race and the Averages Cup is awarded to the winner of the best average velocity over both races.
There is great prize money up for grabs which extends to best 2 bird average in each race and best average overall. Pool money is not to be sniffed at either and could set you on your way to purchasing a new electronic timing system, or keeping you in corn for a season based on current prices!
If your intention is to go toe to toe with the best the Liverpool fancy has to offer, embracing the traditions of a great and historied specialist racing pigeon club, then waste no further time and get involved. Middle-long distance racing into Liverpool is on the up, why not try your hand at the greatest test of them all?
For further information, contact secretary Mr John Heague, 1 Sycamore Court, Liverpool L8 4XH. Alternatively you can drop John an e-mail at:
Trivia: Breckall Brothers named the winner of the 1947 Liverpool 2 Bird old bird event Caughoo after the Grand National winner of the same year.
Darren
