NORTH ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP CLUB
by George Wheatman
Lerwick sections 2014
This year’s race from Lerwick was the 98th time in the North Road Championship Club’s 114-year history that members have competed from this iconic race point.
There have been hard races and easy races during that time, disasters and blow homes, and 2014 proved to be one of the better races, in fact the best of the old bird programme, and vindicated the decision of convoyer Stephen Spinks and race controller/chairman, Brian Garnham, to delay liberation for 24 hours. It was probably one of the best distance races, north or south, of a summer laced with losses, particularly from over the Channel.
In search of what is probably the most famous trophy in pigeon racing, the King’s Cup, 208 members sent 1064 birds, and the outright winner was Mick Freeman, of Norwich, in Section Four which seemed to be the favoured section on the day, although other sections were represented prominently in the open results.
The NRCC continues to fly the flag for top-class north road racing, and this review of the section winners gives just a brief glimpse of the quality of the fanciers who continue with the ancient tradition of competing from Scotland, a challenging and rewarding route.
SECTION ONE WALTON BROTHERS, OLLERTON
Section One winner was Rob Walton, of Ollerton, who still races in the name of Walton Brothers out of respect for his brother Wally who died some years ago.
Another reminder of his late brother is in the loft, for the pigeon which won NRCC open from Lerwick in 2009 carries his name and so the memories continue, for the bird responsible for the latest major success was a grandson of Champion Wally.
This two-year-old chequer widowhood cock bird, of Wildermeersch ancestry, had been a consistent performer before the Lerwick section triumph.
Unfortunately he occupied pride of place in the loft for only a short time, for he was deemed fit and well enough to tackle the next NRCC race from Thurso, but was lost on this difficult day.
“That is pigeon racing,” said a philosophical Rob. “I thought he would do it, but a lot of good pigeons were lost on that day.
In 2009, Rob was also third open from Lerwick, but, subsequently, this bird was also lost.
Champion Wally, however, was given a safe haven in the stock loft and that was a good decision, as his progeny now make up a large percentage of the Walton Brothers loft. “He has made a real mark on the loft,” said Rob. “That open win was the highlight of my pigeon racing career, and you could not ask the pigeon to do anything more.”
His latest section winner had a clearance of nearly 100 yards per minute over the second placed bird, and was a commendable eighth open.
Rob flies only the cock birds, always on widowhood, and has had a successful season, being 24th open from Perth and seventh open from Arbroath with the NRCC, and claiming five firsts with Ollerton and District FC.
He likes his pigeons to compete every week and usually has a team of about 25 cock birds.
Now aged 54, Rob’s team has been developed from Wildermeersch pigeons he obtained mainly from the late Jake Cotterill, Wooff Brothers and Porter and Richardson.
“I think the Wildermeersch are as good as anything you can get,” he said.
Rob feeds Versele Laga Super Widowhood, and the food is before the pigeons all day, but he does not feed in the nest boxes.
Competition is always tough in this section and second-placed MA Rickett, of Weston, also had another pigeon to take 13th place. Nottingham’s Nuttall and Son took fourth, seventh and 20th section, while one of the NRCC legends, Kevin Lawson, of Ollerton, had four positions in the first 20 third, fifth, eighth, and 17th.
First 20 in Section One from Lerwick were: 1 Walton Bros, Ollerton 1440; 2 MA Rickett, Weston 1349; 3 K Lawson, Ollerton 1347; 4 Nuttall and Son, Nottingham 1346; 5 K Lawson 1344; 6 Mr and Mrs E Murray, Alfreton 1341; 7 Nuttall and Son 1328; 8 K Lawson 1315; 9 ML Horton, Nottingham 1310; 10 Mr and Mrs K Sterland, Newark 1296.7809; 11 Rouse and Webster, Kimberley 1296.1861; 12 R Buckley, Newark 1284.5428; 13 MA Rickett 1284.2963; 14 Mr and Mrs RA Marshall, Nottingham 1269; 15 M Wilson and Dtr, Calverton 1259; 16 EH Gregory, Eastwood 1242; 17 K Lawson 1233; 18 M Wilson, Brinsley 1231; 19 Mr and Mrs Sterland 1230; 20 Nuttall and Son 1229.
SECTION TWO Mr and Mrs DAVE EVANS, ALFORD
Dave and Pat Evans have become a force to reckon with in the NRCC in recent seasons, and took first and third positions in Section Two from Lerwick. This success came just weeks after their major triumph in winning the open race from Arbroath.
Moreover, the Lerwick section winner was bred off the Arbroath winner, which has also bred a Federation winner in this year’s young bird programme. Talk about breeding a dynasty of NRCC winners! What a handy position to be in.
The section winner from Lerwick, a blue bar hen, was given the task of flying from the Shetland Islands because she had been a consistent performer although never having previously picked up win. She flew through to Thurso last season, and, raced on roundabout, had had quite a few races this summer.
The pigeon that took third position in the section from Lerwick was bred down from Wily Thas pigeons acquired from the late Frank Tasker, a very good friend and mentor to the Evans. This pigeon was off the bird that won the NRCC old hens open race two years ago.
These two birds were 11th and 17th open.
Dave said that he feeds his birds aimed at distance racing very much the same as he feeds for the normal weekly programme, but adds a generous helping of peanuts in the build-up to the race. He also uses natural yoghourt on the food.
They won the old hens’ race in 2012, and had been runners-up in their Section Two something like five times before the big breakthrough in winning the open race from Arbroath this year.
That was thanks to a four-year-old blue roundabout hen bred by their Belgium friend Guy Eveart.
It was no fluke for this pigeon to be at the front as she has had plenty of success in the past, including topping the Peterborough and District Federation twice, and now she has bred a section winner from the longest race.
No wonder Dave looks forward to renewing his acquaintance with Guy every year, and securing more birds from him.
Dave, a retired 69-year-old engineer, and Pat share their hobby. “I could not do it without her,” said Dave. And they have made many friends from their social involvement in the sport.
Their introduction to the Guy Geveart pigeons came on the trips to Belgium organised by the man who helped, and inspired them so much, the late Frank Tasker.
They have since become friends with Guy and now have six pigeons from him every year, invariably with a successful outcome.
Dave first had pigeons as a boy and, after a break while he was an apprentice, he re-started in 1983 and he and Pat are enjoying them more than ever now that they are retired.
Dave finds that the roundabout system works well for them, and utilises the hens to full advantage. They don’t train after the first race, and he says the hens, in particular, exercise well, flying at least an hour each morning and evening.
They have enjoyed a good old bird season, and the young birds have also started well.
First 20 in Section Two were: 1 Mr and Mrs D Evans, Alford 1430; 2 Mr and Mrs R Boulton, Skegness 1420; 3 Mr and Mrs Evans 1411.4477; 4 D Perry, Alford 1411.1475; 5 Mr and Mrs P Newbold, Friskney 1393; 6 K Ward,, Boston 1355; 7 J Wheeler, Alford 1351; 8 Mr and Mrs B Garnham, Boston 1320; 9 Mr and Mrs AW Chapman, Sleaford 1298; 10 T Bennett, Boston 1297; 11 R Mamwell, Louth 1296; 12 DJ Brackenbury, Boston 1295; 13 A and J Pinner, Wainfleet 1280; 14 Kingswood and Hannah, Alford 1275; 15 T Bennett 1271; 16 and 17 D Page, Spilsby 1266 and 1265; 18 Upsall and Frost, Boston 1254; 19 J McFadyen, Boston 1250; 20 Mr and Mrs D Evans 1247.
Dave and Pat Evans, winners of Section Two.
SECTION THREE JOHN NORRIS, GRANTHAM
Welcome back John!!
John Norris, after what he describes as a “self-imposed exile”, re-joined the NRCC only a few days before entries closed for the Blue Riband race this year because the lure of Lerwick proved too strong to resist any longer and because he had a pigeon which he believed would be up to the test.
His belief in the pigeon proved well founded as it won Section Three and was fifth open.
John knew only too well what this 500-mile race demanded of a bird because he was the open winner back in 1995 and his deep knowledge, and enthusiasm for the sport, has been built not only around many years experience as a fancier, but also having been chairman of the NRCC and convoyer.
During in his break from NRCC racing he has helped develop the Grantham North Road Club into one of which he is very proud, and where they have a £40 a week payout, and made a £600 profit on a Sunday lunch time prize distribution. “There is a wonderful atmosphere in the club,” he said.
But, with a particularly good bird in his loft telling him that he was fit and ready for the job, John could no longer resist the challenge of Lerwick.
For 45 years of his life, John, now 62, had been involved with the NRCC in one form or another, and here he was back in the fold for the mid-summer’s day race that had him feeling confident, if a little nervous.
The reason why he was so hopeful was because he had sent a three-year-old widowhood cock bird that had already included a club win from Thurso, plus several other wins, in its CV. And it was in fine fettle when it set out on the epic journey.
Moreover, it had the breeding of an aristocrat, being a grandson of the late Eddie Wright’s (of Fountainhead Stud fame) famous North Star, John buying a daughter at Eddie’s clearance sale for the bargain price of £40 because other fanciers at the sale did not appear to appreciate the value of the birds on offer.
This Janssen hen was paired to a John Gerrard Hartog to produce the section winner which covered the 500 miles at a velocity of 1455ypm, with a flying time of 10-05-17.
John was also 13th section and had four on the day from his entry of 12, plus another four the following day, and two more subsequently, so, hopefully, he will have the basis of a good team for next year’s Lerwick race.
John has had a difficult battle with bowel cancer in recent years but, luckily, had good friends who helped to look after his pigeons while he was fighting this dreaded disease.
Nowadays he starts the season with 19 pairs of old birds, and says his pigeons have to do as they are told. “They have got to have discipline and motivation,” he said. Their day starts with 80 minutes exercise around the loft “Forty minutes for me, and 40 for them,” he said.
After years of opposition to ETS, he was finally persuaded to accept it and now thinks it is a great forward step for the sport.
Now retired after running a successful business as a funeral director, having previously been a crematorium operator, other big loves in his life are his family (he particularly enjoys being a doting grandfather) and football, where his big passion is Tottenham Hotspur.
There must also be a real streak of humour running through the Norris family because, when their daughter presented Mr and Mrs Norris with their first granddaughter, she named her . . . Chelsea! Even so, the grandchildren are now Tottenham fans. Probably a wise move to keep in grandad’s good books.
John says that having the pigeons helped him look to the future when he was quite seriously ill, and he was always planning ahead.
It was a really enjoyable experience talking to John, and let us hope that his future, as well as being a happy and healthy one, will include many more Lerwick races. And maybe a Tottenham win or two.
Second and fifth Section One were those good Spalding fanciers, Mr and Mrs Rick Putterill, while the distance orientated father and son partnership of Graham and Michael Britton, of Newborough, had 13 pigeons in the section result, including four in the first 12, with the best being third.
DG Cardall, of Bourne, was fourth, while top NRCC performers from Spalding, Mr and Mrs Tony Woolsey and John Bellerby were sixth and seventh respectively, all with good open positions.
First 20 in Section Three were: 1 J Norris, Grantham 1456; 2 Mr and Mrs R Putterill, Spalding 1415; 3 GV and W Britton, Newborough 1400; 4 DG Cardall, Bourne 1394; 5 Mr and Mrs Putterill 1384; 6 Mr and Mrs T Woolsey, Spalding 1382; 7 J Bellerby, Spalding 1379; 8 and 9 GV and W Britton 1373 and 1372; 10 AF Parkinson, Spalding 1330; 11 GV and W Britton 1326; 12 Hales and Brewster, Bourne 1320; 13 J Norris 1303; 14 L Berry and Son, Great Glen 1298; 15 AF Parkinson 1289; 16 Mr and Mrs P Shaw, Ruddington 1288; 17 MJ Lewis, Spalding 1287; 18 Mr and Mrs R Rout, Spalding 1272; 19 G Chaplin and sons, Leicester 1269; 20 Mr and Mrs P Shaw 1266.
SECTION FOUR MICK FREEMAN, NORWICH
Section Four, and outright, winner was Mick Freeman, of Norwich. He has called his winner Mad Mick 1. It is a three-year-old blue cock bird which, for the 526 miles to Mick’s loft, recorded a velocity of 1479 yards per minute, which prompts the theory that the bird, a Dordin x the Old East Anglian Pieds, perhaps made much of the trip out to sea where there was the assistance of a north wind.
The winning pigeon had races from Driffield, Whitley Bay and Perth as build-up to the big test, and in 2012 showed a lot of promise in his performance from Thurso, and also flew on the south road from Guernsey as a young bird.
Moreover, it is a broken pigeon as Mick, and ever-supportive wife Kay, moved home half-way through their short-lived four-year career as pigeon fanciers.
Although 62 years of age, Mick had never been involved in the sport (apart from having two pigeons in a rabbit hutch when he was about 13) until it caught his attention through friends who were fanciers. He went along to watch their birds come home from races, and caught the bug.
He competes in the strong Drayton club, and this year will be his fifth season of young bird racing, but already he is attracted to the distance races although some fanciers have told him that his birds are too big for long distance racing.
“He is as big as a turkey,” said Mick of his Kibng’s Cup winner, “but on a hard day he can do the job. I like flying the long distance but other fanciers told me that I had the wrong type of pigeons for that.”
He sent 11, timed three on the day, and had eight back in the loft on the second day.
To the rear of their bungalow is a pretty big garden, measuring a quarter of an acre, and pleasant-looking lofts adorn the rear end of the garden.
From the outset, Mick had a firm idea of the type of loft he wanted, and produced his designs on paper from which a joiner friend created a loft which Mick described as “a nice piece of garden furniture.”
When he decided to take up the pigeon game, he answered an advertisement by a fancier in Swansea, and that is where the Dordins came from. The East Anglian Pieds came, via a friend, from an old fancier, no longer alive, in Lowestoft.
Mick’s aim is to blend them into a long distance family. He reckons he is not doing too badly so far, but believes that it will take him something like eight years to reach his goal. “I have every confidence in the pigeons, and want to have a good quality team inside eight years.”
In the meantime, a win from Lerwick will do nicely, thank you.
Mick flies a completely natural system. “I don’t like to operate them as an assembly line,” he said. “The Lerwick winner was sent sitting. They are let out twice a day, and fed twice a day.”
The birds have to fit in with Mick’s work schedule as a lorry driver four nights a week, a job he secured after previously being made redundant which caused him to curtail south road racing.
He is the fifth Norwich fancier to win this Blue Riband race, the others being Caston and Son (1962), M Waller (1996), Fox and Wise (2003) and Gordon Cockaday (2005).
There were several other good performances in this strong section, a particularly noteworthy one being by Terry Roughton whose yearling took second section and second open. He was also 11th section to enhance his reputation as an outstanding fancier, from both north and south.
M Bishop and Son, of March, took third, fourth and 20th section, while Terry Winterton, of Holbeach, had his usual excellent Lerwick race, by taking 5th, 6th and 13th section.
Easing their way back into north road racing, Mr and Mrs John Dixon, also of Holbeach, took four places in the first 20.
First 20 in Section Four: 1 M Freeman, Norwich 1479; 2 T Roughton, Wisbech 1473; 3 and 4 M Bishop and Son, March 1471 and 1470, 5 and 6 T Winterton, Holbeach 1447 and 1445; 7 RP Hicks, Norwich 1437; 8 G Staff, Norwich 1429; 9 Simmons Partners, Dereham 1424; 10 Mr and Mrs J Dixon, Holbeach 1408; 11 T Roughton, Wisbech 1396; 12 N Browne 1364; 13 T Winterton 1349; 14 M Freeman 1342; 15 Mr and Mrs J Dixon 1340; 16 N Browne 1337; 17 Mr and Mrs Dixon 1336; 18 D Hicks, Norwich 1333; 19 Mr and Mrs Dixon 1319; 20 M Bishop and Son 1302.
Mick and Kay Freeman, winners of Section Four and open.
SECTION FIVE Miss M JUDD, RAMSEY
Gary Wilkes, who competes as Miss M Judd, of Ramsey, almost has Section Five to himself these days and dominates the results. But, with no drag of pigeons to give him a hand, he still manages to get good returns, and to secure prominent open positions. All this makes him one of the top competitors in the NRCC.
His section winner was 25th open this time round.
Sixty-two-year-old Gary has been a fancier since 1966, and has seen this section disintegrate around him in recent years but, no matter the opposition, he has regularly seen multiple returns placed in the open result.
He had good returns again from Lerwick and took the first 12 section positions.
Gary believes in breeding best to best regardless of origin, and this policy has kept him consistently at the top over the years. Many will remember the name of Miss M Taylor appearing in the NRCC results in the past and this, too, was the work of Gary.
First 15 in Section Five: 1 to 12 Miss M Judd, Ramsey 1385, 1359, 1327, 1317,.6068, 1317.4838, 1292, 1288, 1253, 1217, 1193, 1128 and 1064; 13, 14 and 15 R Withall, Long Buckby 895, 876 and 812.
SECTION SIX BRIAN BROOKS, CARLETON RODE
Brian Brooks, of Carlton Rode, continued his excellent form this season by winning Section Six from Lerwick, after also winning the section from Arbroath, probably more difficult than the race from the Shetland Islands.
Brian’s winner was a three-year-old red chequer cock bird, flying on natural, which has “done right well this season” in its owners’ words.
Among its 2014 successes was a club win from Perth, one of 11 club wins the loft had gained at the time of talking.
As well as winning the section, he was a commendable ninth open.
Lerwick is not necessarily one of Brian’s favourite race points; he competes from there regularly but does not see it as the be all and end all of the season.
“It was a nice Lerwick this year,” he said, reflecting on the fact that he had all his six entries home. “I always have a go at Lerwick because it is there on the programme. Sometimes I am more successful than others, but my pigeons are not just kept to fly Lerwick, they are more allrounders.”
He describes most of them as a “Brooks Blend”, and his latest section winner fits that description, having his old Busschaerts which he obtained from Paul Smith, some Krauf, and some “bits of this and that” in his bloodlines.
This is the 30th year in which Brian has been involved in the sport, and he hopes to end the season by competing in the NRCC young bird classic, although he is concerned, and mystified, by the huge losses of young birds in the Norwich area this year which, he fears, may hit the classic entry.
“I train my young birds really well,” he said, “yet people who don’t train at all are getting as many birds back as I do. Big losses are being reported every week, and it is a big mystery.”
Brian keeps an open loft, young birds stay with the old birds all the time, pigeons are sent to races in any breeding condition, sitting, rearing small or big babies, or driving, and the same food mixture is in front of the birds all the time. The only and vitally important criteria is that they have a sparkle in their eye and a sheen on their feathers.
“I don’t make anything of the nest condition,” he said. “It makes no difference whether they are sitting or driving as long as they are in form. It is not quite as complicated as some people make out.”
Brian could not remember the condition, sitting or not, in which the Lerwick section winner went to the race. But at least it trapped better than a previous Lerwick section winner which sat out on the roof for 20 minutes.
He had other timers at 6th and 18th section.
Other fanciers who did well in this section included P Peters, of Bury St Edmunds (2nd, 5th and 14th), Moore and Ransome, Chatteris (3rd and 7th), Mr and Mrs DA Phillips, of Ely (4th and 16th) and that wholehearted supporter of NRCC racing, Ivan Rich, of Isleham, who was 8th, 10th, 13th and 19th.
Buckle and Carter, of Stowmarket, had two in the first 20 at 11th and 12th.
First 20 in Section Six: 1 B Brooks, Carleton Rode 1440; 2 P Peters, Bury St Edmunds 1422; 3 Moore and Ransome, Chatteris 1355; 4 Mr and Mrs DA Phillips, Ely 1351; 5 P Peters 1350; 6 B Brooks 1345; 7 Moore and Ransome 1329; 8 I and S Rich, Isleham 1325; 9 S Kaschner, Diss 1318; 10 I and S Rich 1298; 11 and 12 Buckle and Carter, Stowmarket 1265 and 1261; 13 I and S Rich 1250; 14 P Peters 1248; 15 H Fraser, Cambridge 1232; 16 Mr and Mrs Phillips 1201; 17 D Perry, Chatteris 1194; 18 B Brooks 1192; 19 I and S Rich 1144; 20 W and HE Attlesey, Ely 1185.
SECTION SEVEN JOHN LAMPRELL, CHESHUNT
Seventy-seven-year-old John Lamprell, one of a growing group of London area fanciers turning in exciting results in NRCC races these days, was the winner of Section Seven, and also recording 33rd open, being the longest flying member at that stage of the result.
This six-year-old blue cock also topped the London North Road Combine, flying 586 miles at a velocity of 1369ypm, after 12 hours 33 minutes 22 seconds on the wing.
Racing on roundabout, the winner has Busschaert and Westcott in its bloodlines which go back to Lerwick-flying ace the late Frankie Blackmore, John’s pigeon racing partner several years ago, via the famous bird of its day, Lerwick Queen, and Terry Robinson’s champion cock bird, The Motivator.
John, secretary of Cheshunt Flying Club for the past 20 years, started in the sport in partnership with his brother back in the 1950s, before joining up with Frank Blackmore to enjoy a lot of success at all levels of racing.
To this day he follows the Blackmore maxim of preparing Lerwick birds with a race from Berwick, and that is the path this section winner followed. It is now called Old Frank as a tribute to his old partner.
Although raced on roundabout, John’s cock birds are allowed an open hole all day.
A former salesman with Wonderloaf and Kipling Cakes, John says he has had an average season. Being the most westerly flyer in the club, he says he does not stand much chance in the shorter races, and that was why he decided to concentrate mainly on distance flying, being quite happy to wait for his pigeons to develop into three-year-olds before trying them at Lerwick.
He had another Lerwick pigeon at 5-20am on the next day but had not had his clock re-set so could not time this one.
John says that Old Frank, always a consistent pigeon, will be retired from racing now, but it is not likely to become a prisoner because he likes as many of his pigeons as possible to fly out. In fact, he says, he has only two birds that don’t.
After 53 years in the sport, John can recall the performances of the legendary Alf Baker and eyesign enthusiast Jack Humphries.
As well as his prowess as a pigeon fancier, John has another claim to fame as a look-alike of actor John Thaw. He has, apparently, in the past, been stopped and asked if he was the famous star!
He says he enjoys NRCC racing alongside competing in his club which he believes is one of the strongest in the area, and he believes that, given the right conditions, it is possible to win the NRCC in the London area.
While enjoying his own success, sportingly John was quick to point out the outstanding performance of John Hore who was not only second section, but was also 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th.
“That was an outstanding performance,” he said. “He always seems to get good pigeons at the distance.
John Lamprell also enjoys watching a good football match, and is a Tottenham Hotspur supporter. Judging by early results, the two things could go together this season.
There are also plenty of other well-known names prominent in the section result.
The 19 timings on the Section Seven result were: 1 J Lamprell, Cheshunt 1369; 2 JK Hore, Hoddesden 1338; 3 KC Davison, London 1322; 4 A Stockwell and Son, London 1291; 5, 6 and 7 JK Hore 1259, 1241 and 1228; 8 F Dawkins and Son, London 1223; 9 JK Hore 1189; 10 and 11 P O’Sullivan and Son, Enfield 1152 and 1128; 12 B Bennett, Dagenham 1109; 13 F Dawkins and Son 850; 14 P O’Sullivan and Son 835; 15 GW Chalkley and Son, London 821; 16 P O’Sullivan and Son 765; 17 B Woodhouse and Son, Wanstead 755; 18 E Emms and Son, Walthamstow 711; 19 P and E Kellett, Romford 709.
John Lamprell, winner of Section Seven.
SECTION EIGHT PETER CRAWFORD, IPSWICH
My limited vocabulary is struggling to come up with new superlatives to describe the performances of this superveteran. At the age of 85, when many men of his age judge the passing of the day by the number of naps they take, Peter Crawford is still full of enthusiasm for the sport of pigeon racing, and he just keeps on winning.
From Lerwick, 567 miles to his loft, he was 1st, 2nd and 10th Section Eight which boasts some of the cream of distance racing men among its competitors.
Despite his creaking knees, and having had a pacemaker fitted, Peter is an inspiration to pigeon fanciers everywhere. Younger men are put to shame by the work he still does at his club.
His section winner, a three-year-old chequer hen, was down from Wily Thas pigeons obtained from twice Kings Cup Lerwick winner, Frank Bristow; second pigeon, another three-year-old, but this time a chequer cock, was also of Wily Thas bloodlines, this time through Geoff and Bridget Clare, stars of the NRCC before they emigrated to Australia; and his third pigeon, another three-year-old chequer cock, 10th section, was the one that won the section from Thurso last year, and was his second from Thurso this year, and which is of his old family with a lot of Westcott in its breeding. So you could say that 2011 was a good year for breeding at the Crawford lofts.
Peter sent five to Lerwick, got them all home, and all timed. All were racing on roundabout.
Moreover, from the subsequent tough Thurso race he sent nine, lost two, and finished 2nd, 5th, 8th and 11th section.
Since then he has paired his old birds, allowed them to sit dummy eggs, and is planning an attack on the old hens classic.
At the time of speaking he was taking things easily with the young birds, because of other people’s heavy losses, and they had had only one race.
Peter likes tame birds and he believes they home to him, and the titbits he gives them, as much as to the loft and their partners.
He first had pigeons in 1937 that is 77 years ago and he still loves the sport as much now as he did at the start. The only difference is that he knows a lot more about it now, and has kept pace with developments over the years while still keeping in his routine the things that have served him so well over all those years.
More importantly, and quite amazingly, he has retained the winning touch at the top level.
If you want a masterclass on pigeon racing, you could do worse than turn back to old copies of the pigeon magazines, or look up on one of the websites, the article I wrote on Peter after his section win from Thurso last year. It is full of fascinating tips and information, and I have a feeling that was only the tip of the iceberg.
Section Eight covers an area which is key to the NRCC, and is full of top-class distance fanciers. Some of them featured more than once in this year’s results.
First 20 in Section Eight were: 1 and 2 SP Crawford, Ipswich 1399 and 1374; 3 CI Salmon, Woodbridge 1372; 4 PR Easter, Maldon 1353; 5 Mr and Mrs RP Smith, Laindon 1333; 6 PR Easter 1328; 7 KR Chenery, Felixstowe 1325; 8 Mr and Mrs T Calver, Manningtree 1300; 9 KR Chenery 1287; 10 SP Crawford 1270; 11 PR Easter 1267; 12 F White, Laindon 1261; 13 R Olive, Wickford 1250; 14 J Christensen, Basildon 1241; 15 R Olive 1201; 16 T Hendley, Basildon 1192; 17 R Olive 1183; 18 F White 1144; 19 KR Chenery 1117; 20 G Akers, Ipswich 1044.
Peter Crawford, winner of Section Eight.
The NRCC season comes to an end on September 13th, with the young bird and old hens races from Berwick. Entries close on Tuesday September 9th, and marking is on Friday the 12th.
Meanwhile, discussions are already taking place on how best to celebrate that 100th race from Lerwick in a couple of years’ time. If you have any ideas about making this something special, don’t keep them to yourself share them with a member of the committee.
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