WEST OF ENGLAND SR COMBINE
with Alen Gibb
Here we go again better late than never. The Combine is now almost half-way through the OB season and, so far, so good. We’ve had a few problems along the way but have managed to overcome them.
Those of us involved in the administration of a large organisation always have a few headaches to deal with; first and foremost is the arranging of convoying. Without vehicles and drivers we would have no racing and, with two large vehicles in use most weeks, we have to use fully licensed and CPC trained Class 2 drivers. This has not been easy but we have now got a small pool of available drivers who can take over should our regular drivers be unavailable on a particular week.
Secondly, like all other organisations, we have had problems with the weather which has resulted in two holdovers but, all things considered we have been able to ensure good racing for our members and I must thank our convoyers, Lindsey and Lee for their patience and the manner in which they have coped. I must also thank our race advisor Mike Staddon for his skill anyone can recommend a liberation when the weather is fine but when things go against us it requires a great deal of work to ensure the best possible information is available to the convoyers. Mike does an excellent job in this respect.
In 2015 we had 462 members and this year, despite losing two small clubs, we have gained another and membership is only a drop of 5 down to 452. This figure includes five junior members who, for the first time, no longer pay annual subscriptions or joining fees until they reach the age of 18.
Our first race from Lyndhurst on 16th April saw 4447 birds entered by 237 members a good send considering the cold weather and a not too favourable forecast. Eventually the birds were liberated at 2pm into a north wind and, as expected the southern clubs in Somerset came out on top. The first five positions were won by the Crewkerne club, the winner being timed by Mike Staddon some 50ypm in front of the second bird. The winner is a blue 2 yr. old hen and is winner of many prizes - already a class hen, Mike has named her “Blue 37”. Owing to pairing up late on 1st April all Mike’s entries went sitting 5-6 days on Natural to the Lyndhurst race. He hasn’t flown any natural pigeons for over 30 years, so it was a pleasant surprise to win 1st Club 1st Combine in the first race of 2016. She is bred from one of Mike’s best pairs of breeders. The sire a 2011 cock bred by Wilms Vermeerbergen obtained for Mike by Sheldon Leonard. His name is “Sheer Class” admired by everybody who has handled him. The Dam of 37 is a blue hen named “Lady Aeren” bred by Sheldon Leonard from his best Daniel Aeren bloodline. Blue 37 won 20th combine from Bedhampton in our 2nd race of 2016 with 5032 birds competing. This wonderful pair has now bred Mike 3 x 1st Combine winners. The racers are fed on Verselaga corn and fresh water with nothing added. Mike wishes to thank Sheldon Leonard for giving him the tools for the job. Sheldon is a master at selecting pigeons. All the race team have received 5 short tosses and that is all. The remainder of the season they just race as it is far too dangerous with the birds of prey.
Mike Staddon with ‘Blue 37’ 1st Combine Lyndhurst (4447b)
The second race from Bedhampton on 23rd April saw an increase in birdage up to 5032 birds entered by 258 members. Liberated at 11.35am into a brisk north-easter it was again the Crewkerne club coming out on top with last week’s 2nd Combine winner, Paul Stoodley, taking the red card with a yearling dark cheq Lindelauf hen flying on widowhood. She had been trained hard as a young bird. Crewkerne’s Derek Vincent was second and the next eighteen positions were taken by the strong Glastonbury club.
Paul Stoodley 1st Combine Bedhampton (5032b)
30th April again saw the Combine at Bedhampton with a massive 5757 birds entered by 305 members. Liberated at 10.15am into a NW wind it was the turn of more northerly clubs to do well. The first two positions were taken by the consistent partnership in Bristol West of A & D Collins & George with a velocity of 1407ypm for the 79 mile trip. The two birds are brothers and their sister was 20th Combine. All three are yearlings and they are bred from a pair of Herman Cuesters from Premier Stud - all won cards as young birds.
Mike George, Dave & Alan Collins with 1st & 2nd Combine Bedhampton (5757b)
Our final inland race before the Channel was from Littlehampton on 7th May. Another great send with 5543 birds 311 members. This was especially pleasing when you consider that specialist racing was in full swing. Birds were liberated at 11am into a light SE wind and ‘Mr Consistent’, Hughie Eades, secretary of the Glastonbury club took top honours on a velocity of 1664ypm for the 98 mile trip. Hughie was also 3rd Combine beaten by Mike Staddon for 2nd. Just over a yard separated the first three birds. The winner is a 6 year old hen raced on widowhood and is a Vandenbosche x Hughie’s old family. She has won many prizes in the strong Glastonbury club including 1st Tours, 2nd Saintes and 4th Marmande in one season when she was awarded ‘Old Bird of the Year’ by her club. She is a grand-daughter of a hen that was three times in the top 150 in the NFC Tarbes races, being twice on the day at 560 miles. Her grand-sire was 1st SW of England Lerwick Club Berwick, 320 miles, and is the sire of many winners. This year she had one training toss before going to Bedhampton; she then went to Falaise with the BICC a week before this Littlehampton race. Hughie’s birds are exercised round home with no training once racing has started and are fed on Verselaga Gerry Plus and Superstar Plus.
Hughie Eades 1st Combine Littlehampton (5543b) with grand-son Toby
Our first channel race of the season was due for 14th May from Coutances a new racepoint for the Combine. The forecast made us think that a liberation would be made but unfortunately the conditions were not good enough there was total cloud cover, which did not clear and there was a stiff north-easter forecast for the channel. It was agreed by the three other organisations on site that by 11.30am conditions were not going to change and in view of the fact that the Combine’s furthest flyers were over 210 miles, there was no point in waiting any longer. A holdover was called by all. Another excellent birdage of 3599 had been entered by 288 members despite the BBC & BICC also racing that weekend. Sunday dawned with fine weather and a light variable westerly wind. The birds were liberated at 8.15am. Another Combine stalwart, Janet Wilcox of Midsomer Norton timed the winner making 1475ypm for the 161 mile trip. Janet & husband Ken are no strangers to success on the channel. The winner was a 2 year old dark cheq cock flying his first season on widowhood. He was 83rd Open CSCFC Coutances the week before. He had 4 races as a YB; as a yearling he was sent to 6 inland races and then into Messac for his first channel race where he went missing. He was reported by a worker in Tilbury Docks, Essex injured and minus his tail. The worker gave him food and water for few days then released him and he returned home minus his tail! (This was 121 miles single-up and injured some bird!). His sire is a mosaic Busschaert (Challis lines) which took many positions including 5th Open BICC Saran; he was bred from birds gifted from Dave Vowles of Street nearly 20 years ago. The winner’s dam was widowhood hen bred from Geoff Kirkland’s old Desmet Matthys family we got from Geoff over 30 years ago. This Kirkland family with many others introduced from Geoff since are the foundation of our present birds when crossed with the Busschaerts. Janet & Ken would like to thank the convoyers and assistance for the condition the birds returning after the holdover.
Janet & Ken Wilcox 1st Combine Coutances (3599b)
The Coutances race threw up a great team performance by Nigel Templar of the Towers club in Bristol. He took 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th & 11th Combine all on the clock in 31 seconds.
In the early-season specialist racing our members have once again done well. Peter Quainton of the Chippenham club was 1st Open BBC Coutances followed by 1st Section BBC Messac; Geoff & Catherine Cooper were 1st - 5th Section and 5th 10th Open BICC Falaise followed by 1st Open CSCFC Coutances; John & Dave Staddon 1st Section BICC Alencon. Nigel Templar 1st Section NFC Fougeres.
Let’s hope the season continues well despite the problems in France. Unless the fuel shortages are sorted out in the near future I fear that many of the longer distance races will have to be forgotten about very few if any organisations have vehicles which can go to the longer races with sufficient fuel for the return journey.
Best of luck to you all for the rest of the season.
Alen Gibb
