Tom Corrie, Son, G.son Clarkston & Dist,
Lanarkshire Federation,
1st Open Portsmouth 2015
34 x 1st Prizes Club in four seasons
Winners of 1st Sections and 1st Open Lanarkshire Federation
Clarkston & District club
Old Bird Average winners 2015
Combine Average winners 2015
Young Bird Average winners 2015
Three longest race average winners
3 Open race average winners
5 trophies won in the Lanarkshire Federation
including;
The Arrapine trophy (Best average three longest races flown)
The Newmains SC trophy (Winner of Portsmouth race)
The Shepherd trophy ( Best average Peterborough, Portsmouth & Thirsk YB 29th August)
1st Sect, 1st Open Portsmouth Open, 367 miles
Lanarkshire Federation 2015
1st Lanarkshire Social Circle Portsmouth
Tom Corrie Son G/son being presented at the Lanarkshire Social Circle by Ronnie Reid (Centre R)
The Lanarkshire federation press officer comes home to give a mention to Tom snr, aka my dad, who has flown a good pigeon in the federation for a number of years and winner of the prestigious 1st Open Federation Portsmouth 2015.
Trophies won in Lanarkshire Fed
This has been a good season building on their previous years successes.
Our partnership is very much club and federation flyers, looking to compete in all of the 19 race programme from 80-470 miles. The Lanarkshire is the biggest federation in the British Isles with a radius of fifty square miles, with membership of over 400 and birdage up to 7,000. It gives our partnership everything we wish for in pigeons.
The partnership fly a modest team of racers, Starting the season with 23 old birds racing - unfortunately we lost the best two old birds in the first week of racing ,these birds being winners of four races between them and average 18 birds per week
Your loft space can only sustain a certain amount of pigeons and over population will see you in the gutter.
Like most seasons the racing wasn't easy with the average velocity into this area being around the 1100 mark, makes for steady racing.
The Camphus/Vandenabeele/Kannibaal/Van loon Macaloney base pigeons raced competitively throughout the season being in the club most weeks.
Tom Snr is the "Main" man, dedicating his life to keep the birds in good fettle and myself and my son Christopher are still learning their trade and very much appreciate the effort of Tom Snr. "74yrs young". He is dedicated to his sport, up every morning in life at 5am going his 3 miles walk and thereafter spending most of his day managing the pigeons.
I feel if you want to win in pigeons this is the level of dedication you need. He deserves all the success he gets as he is the most dedicated fancier I know.
The lofts are a back garden set up in a built up council setting, rows of housing not conducive to good trapping. However we make the best of the set up which can be difficult with the fifty plus street pigeon sitting all day on the roof two houses down which cause real problems with the trapping of the birds.
Old bird loft(Nothing special) ,three sections ,two for racers and other for stock - Ventilation for loft.
Tom Snr always says you are only as good as your set up and if one part of it isn't right then forget it you aren't going to win.
The birds are raced most weeks on the celibate system old birds and both Darkness and Natural bred youngsters.
My dad enjoys his pigeons and the competition of the Lanarkshire federation stating "he wished to join to see if he could make his mark".
The birds are fed twice per day during the racing season as much as they like, experience of what and how to feed is essential.
The Vesele laga range is fed to the pigeons as it’s easier to get a hold off locally.Some mixes you cannot get throughout the season.
Exercise is initially private training with some with the federation transporter and thereafter lofts exercise and the occasional training flight.
They are plagued every year with the dreaded young bird syndrome and we have learned to live with it as if you don't "it will eat you up”. There is no cure for a virus, our management is no feed for at least two days, then very light (Possibly something they can't regurgitate). Keep birds closed up for 10 days and hopefully most will recover. A number didn't this season but that's pigeons.
We have tried everything on the market without success. You only hope you get it early before the season starts to allow them a full recovery.
Pigeons are full of ups and downs and we always keep an eye on the pigeon’s health through observing their droppings.
Young bird loft 12ft with two sections
The partnership has no illusions that they are" top flyers" we are just your average club fanciers always setting out our stall to win at Open level within the Lanarkshire Federation.
We only race and manage our team of pigeons as you cannot influence what others do and I feel too many fanciers are always caught up with what others are doing.
We enjoy the competition at club and federation and have no real interest in National racing.
You cant burn the candle at both ends with a small team as our team race most weeks in the federation.
My dad likes a small/medium size pigeon, strong back (If the tail goes up he will not entertain) and silky feathering is everything, and like everyone they get better looking every time they win.
Routine, Routine, Routine is the name of the game ,example if I open a section and its not their usual time for getting out they will not enter the aviary, they will hesitate to enter this shows you how smart the birds are!
Keep it simple and natural ,no regular antibiotics as it only keeps weak pigeons longer and they eventually go down anyway. Your best pigeons don’t take anything.
Every fanciers have their own lofts not two are the same with location, environment, temperature, so you make changes to such things as feed, exercise, ventilation, systems that work for you. There is a big difference for birds in race condition rather than show and we all have to learn
We, like most, have tried most products and will probably continue to do this although have come to the conclusion that there is no substitute for good pigeons which have been supplied by the best in the land - GWP Macaloney partnership. “The best advise given was get your system and stick with it."
Left :- Cheq hen past winner of 2nd Open Lanarkshire fed for partnership beaten by GWP Macaloney partnership who bred her. The Blue cock in photo was 3rd Open Lanarkshire Fed.
Right :- Perfect contentment, it's needed
We race in ,Clarkston & Dist ,the club joined the Lanarkshire around five years ago and in 2015 had 14 lofts.2016 will see 22 lofts in competition. The club is quickly becoming one of the biggest in the federation, which is always a good thing making you more competitive. “You can’t run away from competition “We haven't knocked back any competition.
Dont get caught up with the moaners about overfly, race routes etc, the partnership will go with the majority vote .The best will come out over the season.
The club itself was competitive this season with 3 x 1st federations. It will only get stronger and the partnership encourage competition saying always shake the hand of the winner each week, if we are not first,” I don't like it" but just try next week.
Pigeon racing is therapeutic, the best sport in the world, I was lucky enough to play football at a good level and its no comparison to racing pigeons. The competition, anticipation the friendship cannot be equalled in my opinion.
We enjoy all aspects of the sport including showing our birds in the club shows, enjoying the social activities, and supporting all aspects of the sport, attending presentation nights and supporting other clubs
I feel that it is essential to keep the club and federation at the top.
We are presently members of Lanarkshire Social Circle enjoying the keen competition this provides.
Ambition in the sport is to be the best loft in the Lanarkshire federation but mostly to keep improving.
We have been fortunate enough to have made some great friendships throughout our time in the pigeons, listening to the best. We enjoy attending the Blackpool show with my Uncle Peter and meeting up with our good friends from Finglas - Spike & Martin Emmett & family
Very big thank you to GWP Macaloney partnership for providing us with these fantastic pigeons,they are genuine fanciers whose results will never be equaled in the Lanarkshire.
The amount of winners this partnership breed for others is remarkable.
The report is for Tom Snr, the most dedicated fancier I have ever known.
We would like to thank members for the nice comments on our Open win.
All the best to all members of club and federation for the coming season.
Lofts Top Pigeons 2015
The Classy Hen, Cheq. hen bred and raced by Tom Corrie Son G/son 100% GWP Macaloney Camphius Dream Pair x Cleopatra 111 bloodlines
1st Club Otterburn
1st club Portsmouth
1st Section, Portsmouth
1st Open Lanarkshire Federation Portsmouth
1st Club Lanarkshire Social Circle
The Classy Hen
Blue Hen (limpy) bred and raced by T Corrie Son G/son 2nd Club Otterburn(Beaten by the classy hen) ,2nd Club Portsmouth ,46th Open(Beaten to loft by The classy hen) First or second to the loft in five races Lanarkshire Fed.100% GWP Macaloney Vandenabeele bloodlines.
Blue Hen "NW Blair Hen” 5th Sect,5th Open Peterborough, Lanarkshire Fed ,56th Open Carentan 467 miles, Never out the clock as a young bird winning 1st Prize Bred by Tommy Blair Stirling from the best of his Custer lines
"North Calder Lad" Blue Cock SU15 L8936 bred and raced by Tom Corrie Son G/son,100%GWP Macaloney Vandenabeele bloodline
Clarkston & Dist, Lanarkshire Federation and Lanarkshire Social Circle
1st Club .5th section, 2144 birds 7th Open 5614 birds Otterburn 3, on 08/08/1
1st Club, 17th section, 610 birds 22nd open, 1633 birds, Thirsk2, on 29/08/15
1st Club,17th section,626 birds 23rd open,1766 birds Otterburn 4 on 05/09/15
2nd club Lanarkshire Social Circle, Otterburn 3 ,808 birds on 08/08/15
7th Club Lanarkshire Social Circle Thirsk, 347 birds on 29/09/15
North Calder Lad
Other performers, two full sisters to North Calder Lad won 2nd clubs 2015 beaten by their brother.
Another pencil cock out of same lines won 1st prize 2015
Half brother to North Calder Lad won 3 x 1st prizes including the section in 2012 and Pigeonbasics YB of the year.
Tom Corrie Jnr
Lanarkshire Press Officer
