PIGEON TOPICS
Stuart Bowman
Well I’m glad that the first few races are well behind us. I was a bit apprehensive with the yearlings because they were not raced as ybs and I also had a few late breds which were just trained as ybs. I got full returns at the first race only to train them the following week and lose 3 of them. The same thing happened the next week after the second race. I also lost one or two in between the first 3 races just training, which was disappointing and off course I just had to lose some yearling hens at the third race, which didn’t help when I was already short of hens. Other fanciers were also losing a few unexpectedly but that's pigeon racing, things have to move on and I’m no different from the rest.
Rosyth's Ripon Race happened to be a bit steadier than of late with 217 birds away with no wind at the race point. The way the birds were sitting I decided to only send 10 and was a bit happier the way they came and nothing went wrong for me in this race as it had in the first 3 races when everything went wrong - stopped clocks and so on. I even got full returns from this steady race. Plus my first one was A pooler so things were looking up and about time too! Anyway the winner was George Dow on 1121. George timed in a 3yo red chq cock which was chasing his hen. This cock was a Busschaert and bred by George's friend Wim Lawson of South Wales. 2nd on 1102 was Stuart Bowman with a yearling blue hen on a pair of 2 day old babies. Her sire is a steady bird and is a full brother to “Miss Keekaboo” 6th Open SNRPC Andrezel 2009. Dam is “Longest Time” who won 1st Wanstead Flats same year. 3rd place on 1095 went to George & Brian Hunter with a ylg blue hen of Alf Bauwens blood through Geoff Kirkland. This hen was on roundabout and won the first race this season and is also same way bred as their SHU Dewar Trophy winner. In 4th on 1072 was John Skelton with a 2yo blue hen sitting on eggs for 12 days. This one is off the Deweert stock that John Has in his loft.
A couple of results next from Jim Galloway at the Milton club. From Ripon the members sent 41 birds and the winner was Bob Swinton on 1033 with a 2yo blue wf Busschaert cross Staff Van Reet hen. This hen won Berwick earlier this season and was racing on round about. 2nd place went to A & J Galloway on 1006 with a 2yo smokey blue Venner cross Janseen hen. She was bred from Wullie Semples good Venner Pair crossed with Massarella Janseen from Tam Panton lines. She was raced natural sent sitting 10 days on eggs. A & J were also 3rd on 996 with a 4yo Venner x Stichelbaut hen. Venners sire is same way bred as previous blue hen above while Stichelbaut sire is bred from Dave Izatt Via E. McCabe x John Major of Essex. This hen had previously been 4th & 5th from the previous 2 races and again this hen was on 10 day eggs. 4th was Bob Swinton on 979 with a 4 yo dark chq Busschaert hen sent on round about and she was won 2nd Berwick earlier this year. Jim wishes to pass on a thank you from Tam Panton to Rab Pearson of Dalgety Bay for reporting an injured bird from Whitton Castle belonging to him. The club members would also like to thank Bob Swinton for all his work in getting rid of all the rubbish etc from the club premises. Jim goes on to say that from Ripon the returns were a bit iffy at first with gaps between birds returning. Was it the fresh wind or the rain en route ? Who Knows Jim!
From Wakefield the Milton winner was Tam Panton on 1547 with a 3yo dark chq hen. This hen was 3rd last year from the same race and was sent sitting 10 days to this race. As a matter of interest she was bought from Dave Izzatts clearance sale. 2nd on 1509 were the partnership of D & N Dochard with a 2yo blue Cattrysse cock racing to over due eggs. 3rd on 1479 went to A & J Galloway with a 2yo blue Venners x Stichelbaut hen. Sire was bred from Wullie Semples good Venner pair while dam is bred from Tam Panton from a pair bought from Massarella. This pigeon was also 2nd at Ripon. 4th spot on 1477 went to Bob Swinton with a 5yo blue Busschaert cock hen inbred from brother x sister pairing. She was raced natural and sent sitting over due. Jim would like to say a Big Thank you to John Bosworth of Elphinstone for reporting won of Jims birds which returned home safe and sound the same day it was released! He would also like to thank the Carlisle fancier who fed and watered one of Jims birds for 2 wks before releasing at Lesmahagow which turned up safe at its home loft! True Fanciers of the Sport says Jim. I agree Jim good point!
From Wakefield another fast race for Rosyth members was the order of the day. That’s 3 out of 5 races thus far that have been close to a mile a minute or over. Not great as far as getting time on the wing for distance candidates not far round the corner! Although i have to say returns were pretty good from what i gather. The members sent 195 birds and the winner was John Skelton on 1611 with a 2yo chq wf cock on eggs a couple of days old and feeding a big yb. This one was of Emiel Deweert bloodlines. 2nd was Louie Mitchell on 1578 with a blue Yearling cock feeding 2 big ybs. This bird of Busschaert blood was bred by Jim Bamblian of Durham. 3rd were Brian and George Hunter on 1557 with a yearling blue hen of Stoffel Opphoff bloodlines. She is a G Daughter of the lofts 1st Fed 7th Open Falaise SNFC 2004. Sneaking in at 4th spot on 1527 was yours truly with a 2yo chq cock on 2 day eggs. He is the same way bred as the hen i mentioned in my last report which got lost or hawked from a short training toss. Being from a full brother to Dale Newcombe's Kardale Stlye and a hen from Billy and Barry Kinnear from Gilmerton from their good distance family.
One final result before closing from Milton club at Leicester (1) where the winners were D & N Dochard with a 2yo dark chq wf Cattrysse cock on 1202. This cock was 5th club Wakefield and was on the natural system sent on pot eggs. 2nd were the partnership of Angela and Jim Galloway on 1161 with a ylg chq cock of Venner x Stichelbaut. The sire is from Wullie Semple's good Venner pair and the dam was bred by Dave Izatt with g.g.sire bred by E. McCabe East Calder while g.g.dam is bred by John Major of Essex. 3rd place went to Tam Panton on 1083 with a 4yo Grizzle Kirkpatrick cock and was gifted to Tam by Bert Fraser when Bert gave up the birds. He has been a steady performer to the loft being 8th club W/Castle, 7th Ripon, 8th Wakefield and was sent on chipping eggs to this race. 4th spot went to Bob Swinton on 1052 with a 2yo Dark chq Busschaert x Staf Van Reet cock whose hen had just laid on the day of the race. As a footnote, Jim says he would like to thank the Dundee fanciers who reported and looked after a white cock and even brought it down to Jim's loft and was very much appreciated! Jim goes on to say that this was another race with strong winds and when is the wind going to change direction and give up? Not in a hurry or when you want it to Jim that’s for sure! Jim says also that returns were not very good round his way from what he had heard. Thanks again for the info Jim!
That’s it for this time i can be contacted at 118 Sinclair Drive, Cowdenbeath, Fife, ky4-9rg. Tel 01383-518471 or email to
