RP Column - 14/02/09

RP Column - 13/02/09

This particular piece has been retyped by one of our pigeonnetwork.com editorial team in the interests of promoting the sport of pigeon racing in Ireland with Ronnie Johnstons approval which dates back to September 2007, for the enjoyment of our many loyal members around the world who don't have access to the Racing Pigeon Weekly or the monthly Racing Pigeon Pictorial. Homer.
Sadlers Wells

The recently retired 28 year old stallion has become the first equine inducted into the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Associations Hall Of Fame. This brilliant stallion was a Champion Sire of Britain and Ireland for 14 years and he joins a list of greats racing that include John Magnier, Aga Khan and Sheik Mohammed.

His two best sons now at stud with Coolmore Galileo and Moutjeu finished the 2008 season as 1st & 2nd in the leading sires list for the prize money won. New Approach a son of Galileo was crowned World Champion on turf on a mark of 130 the same as the American superstar Curlin, the top horse on dirt. The Aga Khans brilliant Zarkava unbeaten in seven races including the Arc is the top female on a mark of 138.

Stanley Calvert

I was very fortunate during my working life as being a sales manager for United Biscuits, it meant that I was out and about Northern Ireland for most of the week and my boss was Greer Galway a top class pigeon fancier.

When my business took me to Portadown I always made sure of calling in on Stanley Calvert of Bleary before getting back to the office in Belfast. The Calvert family are well known throughout the Portadown area having a major building business and they built a large part of the new city of Craigavon. Samuel Calvert, Stanleys father always had a great interest in racing pigeons and encouraged Stanley from a very early age when he started to show a keen interest in the pigeons.

The two 50ft plus lofts were set at the end of a beautiful lawn and directly opposite some 100ft aviary for all kinds of pheasants and ducks with their own pool and waterfall. With money no object to obtaining the best pigeons available Stanley set out on establishing a team of pigeons that could fly the Nationals. The new lofts at Bleary were only established in the early 70s as before that Stanley flew to Shanes Hill and it was from that location he was to win his 1st Section, 1st Open NIPA Old Bird Derby from Dinard with Shanes Hill Pride in 1965.

This beautiful blue chequer cock was a fine example of the Keeble family and was bred by Syd Montgomery of Farranshane. He was clocked at 6.22 a.m. second morning to win a very hard OB Derby and collect 700, big money in those days. These Keeble pigeons proved very successful for the Calvert loft and it was a Keeble blue chequer yearling cock that made the breakthrough for him at National level winning 10th Open INFC Kings Cup from Nantes in 1969 with a velocity of 792ypm. This proved to be a very hard Kings Cup race with only 99 birds clocked in the three days. The race winner was Nelson Corry with his famous Endeavour.

The loft recorded its best National position to date when in 1972 Stanley won 4th Open Kings Cup Nantes with the blue chequer cock that contained all Tommy Harpers best breeding. The Kings Cup race was again flown from Nantes and the race winner was Tommy Cairns of Monkstown on a winning velocity of 771ypm. The Calvert pigeon made a velocity of 712ypm. At the end of the 1972 season Stanley Calvert had some 21 pigeons that had flown France, Dinard or Nantes.

Going back to the cock that won 4th Open he was a grandson of Harpers famous Iron Man flown the Channel 22 times winning 16th, 25th & 40th Open. The following season 1973 saw the Calvert loft achieve one of the best results in the history of the Irish National Flying Club. The Kings Cup race was once again flown from Nantes and Stanley went on to clock six birds in the Open result 16th, 25th, 38th, 70th, 100th & 109 Open 2,100 birds competed and the Kings Cup winner was A McDowell & sons of Newtownards on a velocity of 835ypm. The McDowells had also won the Kings Cup in 1953 form Redon. This performance by Stanley Calvert in 1973 was a modern day record for the INFC and one had to go back to the 1930s when the famous Charlie Neil of Bangor clocked six birds from Les Sables with all of them in the first prize list.

The year 1974 will be remembered as one of the hardest Kings Cup races in the history of the club but Stanley Calvert kept his name high in the prize list for the third year in succession, winning 21st Open with 2yo Alf Baker blue hen. The National winner that year was Arthur Simpson & son, Randalstown with his champion Sheen, this brilliant hen also won an INFC Hall Of Fame Diploma for Nantes, this was the third year in succession that Sheen was an Open prize winner form the Kings Cup. We had to wait until 1998 before this feat was equalled Archie Murray & son of Dundrum achieving it with the Kings Cup winner Murrays Dream.

The 1974 race saw only 23 birds recorded in three days and Stanley had sad memories of the race, his good black hen entered a loft just 30 miles short of Bleary on the third morning and died in that loft on the third evening, a tragic end for a very gallant hen. The NIPA OB Derby from Dinard saw a loft clock nine birds on the winning day in 1974. The first bird clocked was a beautiful blue Dordin cock and Stanley succeeded in getting these Dordins to fly France.

The Claverts were always on the look out for top quality pigeons to improve the loft performances. These past few years has seen Stanley purchase champion Mayfield Anniversary 6th, 39th & 68th Open in Kings Cup races for Sammy Angus of Donaghadee. The brilliant red hen 9th Open INFC Nantes and 49th Open NIPA Dinard for Gary & Lowry of Ballymena and a blue hen 5th Open INFC Nantes from the same loft, Stanley was 4th Open in the same race. A direct son of Alf Bakers champion Mick.

The Calverts want on to purchase the Vanhees and these played a big part in the loft success. Stanley had a big set up at Bleary and he was very fortunate to have a top class loft manager in Jimmy Beattie and wife Joan was a great help with all the paper work.

I loved going down to the Calverts and the hospitality was out of this world. It came as a great shock to the pigeon world when they learned that Stanley had died suddenly. This was to bring to premature end to what may have become one of Irelands great National lofts.

John Orme

Fanciers will have been shocked to learn of the sudden death of Bingo. He only kept a small team of pigeons and they will be offered for sale (price on the pen) in Newtownards clubrooms on Friday 20th February. I am told he has some very nice distance pigeons and the family need them sold.

Banbridge HPS

This club have put together a panel/supper night to be held in the British Legion Hall Banbridge on Friday 27th February. A top class panel will answer questions on the sport, health/feeding etc. A nice hot supper will also be provided and a class draft birds will be sold. All you fanciers in that area please support the club.
Tickets from any Banbridge official.

Millisle & District

The officials of Millisle and District HPS have organised a pigeon moot to be held on Friday 20th February in the Newtownards Sailing Club, Portaffery Road, just outside Newtownards (the coast road). It should be a very good evening. On the panel will be top National flyers and Michael Watts MRCVS a top vet. Tickets £5 each that will include supper, bar available. Come along and see what this top vet has to offer the pigeon sport.