NORTH ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP CLUB
by George Wheatman
Looking Back at Lerwick . . . 12
By George Wheatman
We end this 115 year journey to the iconic race point of Lerwick, alongside generations of members of the North Road Championship Club, with a galaxy of pictures of very special pigeons.
Quality of the photographs matches the quality of the performances they acknowledge because they are taken by that master of pigeon photography, Peter Bennett, a long time sponsor and supporter of the NRCC.
Thanks to his help and co-operation we are able to put the spotlight on birds that have been timed in from 500 miles and more from the Shetland Islands no less than three times, always in prominent positions in the open result. These are some of the much sought after Diploma of Merit winners.
Criteria for these elusive awards are: up to 515 miles the bird must have finished in the first 100 of the open result three times; 515-530 miles, three times in the first 200; over 530 miles, three times in the first 250.
One loft, above all others, has specialized in breeding and racing such supreme, consistent athletes of this marathon of the skies, is that of father and son, Graham and Michael Britton, of Peterborough, who have collected no less than 12 Diplomas.
They fly 521 miles 573 yards from Lerwick, and the ever-helpful Michael explained why they have specialized in aiming for these awards:
“Apart from admiring Eric Cannon's success in the NFC Pau Diploma of Merit, we started to really aim for them due to the added fact that I really believed at the time, no matter how close we got, we wouldn't win the Kings Cup....and even after our Thurso success, if you work out the odds of doing so it is a real outside chance where we live, so it really offers you something that, although hard, is actually achievable......and as you once wrote does add another dimension to the race.
“I just wanted to add to what you wrote before that it isn't easy (even though you wouldn't think so the number we have won) to win a Diploma. We have had countless pigeons either just outside the first 200 on the third, fourth or fifth attempt, or we have lost them while trying to secure the third success.”
Michael continues the story by listing details of their Diploma winners over a 15-year period:
“Miss Holly Go Lightly” GB96X00256 Blue Cheq Hen
Named because she would always sit out when arriving home, she came in when she was ready not you!! Although she got better with age, you would still have to go up to the loft, walk along the landing boards and say “come on” upon which she would fly down off the top of the loft and in (even after 15 -16 hours on the wing!!)
To gain the “Lerwick Diploma”, she won:
1998 2nd Section E, 16th Open, 2665p
1999 26th Section E, 179th Open, 2598p
2000 23rd Section E, 187th Open, 2453p
Considering the ’99 & ‘2000 races were both helter skelter races, and her being a hard day bird, she did really well to secure our first diploma. I remember at the time we had a poor race in 2000 and this was the highlight of the year!!
She also won 1st Club, 4th SW Section, 43rd Open Peterborough Fed Thurso 2854p and 4th Section E, 135th Open NRCC Thurso 4362p, another really hard race.
She was bred from the old Lovell lines, being a granddaughter of one of our 1st Section E winners in the NRCC young bird race. She unfortunately died last year, having bred a lot of very good pigeons including this year’s Diploma winner.
We then had a gap of six years for our next winner. It was during this time that I read about the late Eric Cannon’s achievements in the NFC winning their Diploma of Merit in what was their Pau race, and I can remember saying to dad we could do similar in the NRCC.
GB02X00481 “Shetland May” Blue Bar Hen
This, along with Shetland Britannia, was probably our best pigeon to secure the Diploma.
2004 31st Open, 2347p Vel: 829
2005 200th Open, 2294p Vel: 1246
2006 13th Open, 1941p Vel: 775
She was a granddaughter of our last Peterborough Fed Lerwick Winner GB87X00129 “Shetland Belle” who won:
1st Section E 60th Open NRCC Berwick YB, 2356p
2nd Section E, 53rd Open NRCC Lerwick, 4450p
6th Section NRCC Perth
7th Section, 136th Open NRCC Lerwick 3728p
And 1st Club, 1st SW Section, 1st Open Peterborough and District Federation Lerwick, 1259p
Shetland May left her mark in the stock loft, including breeding a Lerwick winner, GB07X00129.
A winner of 1st club, 1st SW Section, 18th Open Peterborough and District Fed, 380p and 3rd Section 3, 44th Open NRCC, 1122p
GB02X43003 “Shetland Britannia” Blue Cheq Hen
A truly great pigeon, breeding the hen that won 1st Section 3, 5th Open NRCC Thurso for us in 2009
2004 16th Open, 2347p
2005 256th Open, 2294p (she was slightly hawked early in this year when in training)
2006 37th Open, 1941p
2007 105th Open, 1203p
She won numerous other section and open positions in the other NRCC races and to outline the quality that she had racing . in 2004 was our first pigeon from Perth, Fraserburgh, Thurso and Lerwick.
GB03X00331 “Shetland Jenny” Blue Bar Hen
2005 185th Open, 2294p
2006 56th Open, 1941p
2007 145th Open, 1203p
GB02X00500 “Shetland Gold” Blue Bar Hen
2005 188th Open, 2294p
2006 190th Open, 1941p
2007 147th Open, 1203p
GB03X36794 “Shetland Lord Walter” Blue Cheq Cock
Our first , and up to this year, only cock bird to win a Diploma!
2006 174th Open, 1941p
2007 68th Open, 1203p
2008 57th Open, 1697p
GB03X00341 “Shetland Lady Lillian” Blue Bar W/F Hen
Always paired with Lord Walter, she is a half sister to Shetland May.
2006 35th Open, 1941p
2007 173rd Open, 1203p
2008 61st Open, 1697p
GB05X01144 “Shetland Venus” Blue Cheq Hen
Unfortunately a barren hen, however her nest sister, retired to stock, has produced many good pigeons, including our Thurso club winner this year, also winning 89th Open NRCC.
2007 175th Open, 1203p
2008 126th Open, 1697p
2009 24th Open, 1627p
2010 77th Open, 1672p
GB03X00347 “Shetland Sherry” Blue Bar Hen
2006 117th Open, 1941p
2008 27th Open, 1697p
2009 140th Open, 1627p
This hen also won, in what was a fast race, 1st Club, 2nd Section E, 57th Open NRCC Fraserburgh 3861p in 2005.
GB06X00944 “Shetland Joan” Blue Bar Hen
2008 47th Open, 1697p
2009 143rd Open 1627p
2010 44th Open 1672p
A full sister to the pigeon we clocked in at 10:30 at night, in the darkness, a few of years ago.
GB05X01138 “Shetland Victor” Blue Bar Cock
A son of Miss Go Lightly when paired to a stock cock from the late Stan Graves of Barrowby.
2009 54th Open, 1697p
2010 128th Open, 1672p
2011 102nd Open, 1122p
Our other two winners are
Blue Cheq Hen - GB08X00639 - Shetland Ruby
Her performances are:
2nd Section, 9th Open NRCC Lerwick 2010
121st Open NRCC Lerwick 2011
159th Open NRCC Lerwick 2013
A fantastic tight handling Hen, we had intentions of pairing her to Ray Farrington's King's Cup winner Mr Fergie who won the race when she was 9th Open but unfortunately she has now gone barren.
Last year's winner Blue Cheq Cock - Shetland Harry - GB09X20664
66th Open NRCC Lerwick 2011
57th Open NRCC Lerwick 2013
153rd Open NRCC Lerwick 2015
Always known as Harry. We had an old gentleman called Harry who used to live in the village that used to park his car in our yard......this cock always used to sit on top of it.......we used to have to shoo him off it!!......Unfortunately Harry the gentleman passed away the year that Harry the pigeon won the Diploma, so it was quite emotional when we knew he had secured the Diploma!”
For the record, other winners of the Diploma of Merit in NRCC racing are:
K Bush, Cassall (1991 and 1993), R Foxhall, South Normanton (1993), A Hallsworth, South Normanton (1993), A Patzer, Huntingdon (1994), Perry Bros and Son, Kings Lynn (1996, 2005 and 2006), D Wylde, Huntingdon (1997), R Hallsworth, Selston (1998), B Prime, Tibshelf (1998), M Wilson and Dtr, Calverton (2001), K and C Stringer, Stowmarket (2003), H Broadhurst, Alfreton (2003), A and A Ainslie, Ipswich (2003), Mr and Mrs TR Calver, Manningtree (2004 and 2011), T Winterton, Holbeach (2005 and 2015), W Bearder and Sons, Nottingham (2005), R Farrington and Son, Gt Abington (2006), K Lawson, Boughton (2006), M Hinde, Irchester (2006), Mr and Mrs J Dixon, Holbeach (two in 2007), SP Crawford, Ipswich (2007), Mr and Mrs L Gilbert, Grantham (2008), J Summers, Leicester (2009), G Colthorpe, Ipswich (2009), N Holiday and Son, Maldon (2009), AJ Wright, Louth (2009), Smith and Wilson, Peterborough (2010), W Hall, Felixstowe (2010), J Parker, Eastwood (2011), Moore and Ransome, Chatteris (2011), Rick and Spiers, Nottingham (2013), R Chenery,Felixstowe (2014 and 2015), CI Salmon, Woodbridge (2014), R Olive, Wickham (2015) and K Conkey, Peterborough (2015).
Well, that brings an end to a long, nostalgic, ramble down Memory Lane and Looking Back at Lerwick.
Now it is time to look forward, and to the 100th NRCC race from the Shetlands, sponsored again by Unikon, and with £1,000 going to the winner, plus other incentives thanks to the generosity of members and other sponsors.
This is scheduled for Saturday June 25th a historic day for an organization that has been a major part of pigeon racing for 115 years.
