Modern British Masters (1)
By Liam O'Comain
In this series I offer some insights into British pigeoners who are masters of the sport of long distance and marathon racing in their own right. There are many who could be included from the island of Britain but space is limited and those included have personally interested me since my return to the sport within the last few years.
The Rankins
Based upon domicile I refer to this strain as being Scottish although the founders are from Ireland. As one who is proud of my nationality it gives me great pleasure to pay this tribute to George and Gareth Rankin of Glasgow. In fact George was born in Bangor, Co Down, in the north of the Emerald Isle. Of a farming background he had pigeons from am early age which included Tipplers and Tumblers but at the age of eleven he had his first racing pigeons and soon joined the Donaghadee RPC in 1953. By 1954 he had won his first Old Bird Average Trophy in his club with a dozen or less yearlings. His triumph included winning the Penzance race (310 miles), with his bird on the wing for about 14 hours. This was the beginning of an illustrious career in the sport, especially at the distance.
His successes included winning the prestigious and coveted Miller Gold Cup from Landerneau, France (427 miles) into a north east wind, being the only bird on the day and one of only 17 in the race time of three days. This win also yielded six other trophies plus a Gold Medal. Other Irish victories included in 1968 7th Open Penzance Young Bird National followed in 1969 with 11th Open Old Bird Irish National from Nantes (550 miles). Another tough race with only 99 birds in three days. Then in 1972 George left Ireland for Scotland, with his family, and there began another phase in his pigeon racing career.
In due course the Rankins began to win dozens upon dozens of Scottish National Flying Club Racing Certificates plus thousands of pounds. In fact as an example of their phenomenal successes, from 1989 (including '90, '91, '95, and '96,) from Niort in France the loft was the only one in the Scottish nation to be in the first 25 Open positions. And that at a distance of 673 miles. Scoring 4th Open, 17th Open, 24th Open, and 25th Open. In 1996 alone this outstanding family won 20 trophies as well as being 24th Open Niort and 13th Open Sartilly in consecutive weeks. Fantastic flying!
It would appear according to sources that George Rankin was heavily influenced by the late Leslie Sloan of the Sloan and Whyte partnership, a great Irish racing combination at the distance. In fact when Leslie Sloan died George Rankin sold the pigeons on behalf of Leslie's wife. The Sloan influence would have ensured the need for proper base stock if one wanted to tackle the endurance tasks of distance racing. That is why the partnership obtained the best from such as Andrew Deans and Joe Murphy, two of Scotland's best flyers.
To conclude, at the time of writing the exiles are still winning at the ultra distances and what was Ireland's loss was Scotland's gain. Yes champions in two different countries. However, as the two peoples have always been close to each other both physically and culturally both can lay claim to the Rankin strain of long distance and marathon racing pigeons. There comes no better!
The Padfields
In this article I am am going into the land of the valleys namely Wales. Our subject is the Padfield family of Cwmtillery who are amongst the elite of the modern distance fancy on the island of Britain, racing a distance of 759 miles from Barcelona.
As a partnership the Padfields originated from about 1988/89 when the brothers Vince and Dave came together with their father Albert to form a team of outstanding pigeon racers. It was not long before the family had their experience of success for they scored 2nd National from Lerwick in 1991. This success and their enthusiasm led the team to consider the purchase of new blood in which to realize their ambitions in the long distance races, especially those from Spain. After some reflection it was agreed to base their family on the Jan Aarden dynasty, especially the Wim Muller strain. Eventually through the Ponderosa Stud in England some young stock was purchased, which in time were to become a treasure trove. One of their offspring scored 81st in a race from Rennes, being the only bird in Wales, then as a yearling 3rd Federation Sartilly and 74th National Flying Club Open from Nantes. The latter race being contested by the fanciers of both Wales and England.
The base and the management were beginning to bear fruit but the partners knew that more of the same were required therefore via the same source the Padfields obtained more young. From the latter introduction came the partners famous 'Albert' who was 250th Open against 65,000 pigeons in a centenary race from Nantes and also 13th Open in the NFC race from Pau in 2002.A son of this great pigeon was 3rd Open from San Sebastian plus 91st Open NFC Pau.
The careful management of the Padfields were bearing fruit and although initially kept pure the Muller bloodlines were in due course crossed with the Janssens. In time producing the famous red cock bird (half Muller and Jannsen) Padfield's Perfection - 1st, 3rd, 23rd and 39th Welsh National from Pau. Excellent flying and confirmation of the necessity of obtaining the proper stock initially if one desired to succeed at the longer races. The Janssens have always crossed well with the Aardens and the Padfield experiment was confirming this reality. Also in due course the partners experimented with Robert Venus Supercracks and the genes of the famous Barcelona winner Invincible Spirit.
Many other successes were to come to their lofts including 2nd Open British Barcelona Club National from Palamos and, at present, they are are a partnership always thinking and forever striving to improve their stock via selective crosses. This can only be defined as a team effort with each partner fulfilling his duty in the daily management of a blue blooded family of racing thoroughbreds. In truth we have yet to see the best of the Padfields and I for one will be following closely their endeavours as they bring further glory to Wales. And this inspite of the fact that their loft location is to the left of the majority in national racing, that is, in National Flying Club (open to England and Wales) races they fly 100 miles further than many other competitors...
The Wooliss's
There are those whose loft or lofts contain a strain of their own making but for some reason they are not acknowledged as strain makers. One of the latter is I believe the family of Paul Woolliss of Grimsby in England. This family contains some of the best long and marathon type racing pigeons in Europe today. An example of their stature is 1st Section National Flying Club Pau at 703 miles, 1st Section, 7th Open British Barcelona Club from Palamos at 815 miles and of course the exploits of the great 'Lona' with eight national positions and three times Spain to her credit.
The base of the strain has its roots in Holland, that is, the bloodlines of the van Wanroy's of Jo Hendricks of Twello. Apparently purchased in 1984 when the Twello lofts were at their best they were crossed with Paul's Stichelbauts and in due course became the Woolliss strain. Again we see in this series the input of the Stichelbauts into the evolution of an ultra distance family.
The founder believes that it is quality that counts especially for this type of endurance racing and emphasizes very strongly that the key for success is the necessary requirement of 'condition'. And it is generating the proper condition that occupies the astute intellect of Paul Woolliss within the context of his yearly racing objectives. An intellect that is pro quality and ensures that about two dozen youngsters along with a few late breds are bred each year and that the present widespread mass breeding addiction in the fancy is held at bay. This of course coupled with apparent patience has saw the growth of a family which is amongst the leading strains in Britain at present. Of course as a small team fancier Woolliss has ensured that his stock loft contains the best of breeders. A basic and essential necessity!
The Woolliss lofts are not a one bird loft although it would be difficult to refer to the strain without referring to the noble exploits of the magnificent blue hen known as 'Lona'. What a pigeon! NEHU95HAR7400 (Van Wanroy X Stichelbaut) 1st Section E 46th Open Palamos 815 Miles British Barcelona Club. Furthest flying bird in race time. 2nd Section 68th Open Palamos 815 Miles B. B.C. Again winning furthest flying pigeon in race time. 55th Open Barcelona 3rd Section E (Verified 842 miles). 39th Open Nantes 4th Section E 438 miles; 133rd Open Bordeaux 3rd Section E 596 miles BBC; 604th Open Pau 33rd Section K 703 miles National Flying Club; 195th Open Le Ferte’Bernard 370 miles Midlands NFC; 9th Section Bordeaux 283rd Open 596 miles BBC. Seven times over 596 miles. 15 English Channel crossings. Lona has flown approximately 7,987 national miles.
To conclude, Paul Woolliss has formed his modern strain of marathon racing pigeons inspite of the fact that he suffers from pigeon lung disease. Of tremendous help and support through the years of this condition and during the development of his strain was his wife, Wendy, and in this brief insight I include her too in my tribute to a modern English strain. This truth concurs with the saying which I often heard in my childhood and youth 'Behind every good man there is a good woman'.
The Donaldsons
Jim Donaldson of Peterhead in Scotland came into the sport via obtaining some pigeons for his young son but in due course the young man became a seafarer and Donaldson senior was left to take care of the pigeons obtained from various sources.Thus was born one of the greatest distance fanciers of Scotland, indeed of Europe, for he has a record second to none when it comes to tough races into the north of the island of Britain. Covering marathon distances such as Niort 775 miles after Sartilly 605 miles, Rheims 620 miles, Rennes 650 and Nantes 709 miles. In fact this family of outstanding racers have won over 100 Diplomas as members of the Scottish National Flying Club as well as being the winners of the North Section of the SNFC 16 times. Fantastic racing and managerial ability by any standard!
The foundation of the Donaldson loft are pigeons from another Scottish fancier David Scott of Brechin which contained the bloodlines of the Welsh wizards i.e. the Atwell Bros. Also the blood of Norman Dall of Ladybank and a grizzle hen of Mr Geddes of Greengaris. The initial foundation of the Donaldson's after the original liquorice allsorts when first catching the pigeon racing bug. Eventually other bloodlines such as that of Lancashire Rose and Blue Anglia came via Sid Beard of Hemel Hempstead. The latter input was of immense importance for from them (and Scott) came the famous foundation stud cock bird Circus Boy. Incidentally at time of writing (October 2005) the great Circus Boy is still alive aged approximately 23 years.
An interesting point about the great producer Circus Boy was that when he was broken to another site and sent to a 120 miles race he failed to return for sometime. During this period his offsprings began to score well at the races entered. Jim Donaldson was on high heaven when a fancier in England reported the pigeon although upon his return he only looked a spark of his original self. Circus Boy pulled through however under the expert care of his master and lived to produce some of the best pigeons that the sport has ever experienced.
I should state that although Jim Donaldson lost a partner to the seafaring life today his wife Ann is his partner in the sport. A partner who in recent years has shared with him the joy of 1st, 4th, 6th, 7th, 7th Open in the SNFC. May they have many more years of our sporting life!
