| Englands
John McLaren - The Nomad Of The Pigeon World
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The
subject of this article is the youngest
fancier ever, I believe, to win the English
NFC Kings Cup in 1967, and his name- John
McLaren. Apparently McLaren was always a
dedicated fancier and he won England's premier
trophy with 'Julie' who also as a producer
was not lacking in this much sought after
ability. Here I do not hesitate to state
that this is one of the greatest fanciers
that the island of Britain has produced
since the coming of the sport to its shores.
Not alone myself but many hold this opinion
about a person who is a natural when it
comes to the sport of pigeon racing. A man
who dedicated himself to long distance racing
about six or seven decades ago and whose
family has won at all distances for himself
and others over the years. It should be
noted that the Pau National win was not
the first success of John McLaren for in
1955 when racing into Petersfield he scored
16th Open Nantes National at the tender
age of 18 years. And through the years it
is reported that he has won every club race
through to Bordeaux, a distance of approximately
420 miles. In his day McLaren has had to
compete against such notable fanciers as
Les Davenport, F. H. Jarvis, Ron Mitchieson,
Norman Southwell, to name but a few of Britain's
elite.
Although
setting his sight on distance racing in
addition to his club successes this family
has won numerous Fed', 2- Bird Championship
and Open races at the short and middle as
well as longer flights in its lifetime.
Obviously much of the latter activity was
the cutting stone so to speak upon which
McLaren enhanced his natural ability in
the husbandry of the sport. The end produce
were thoroughbreds who continued to win
including amongst other awards- Best Average
all Nationals, the Young Bird National from
France, and of course the much sought after
Langstone Gold Cup, etc. John McLaren then
done what many have failed to do he took
up his tent and went and raced successfully
at another environment at a place called
Cowplain. His loft then had a wire mesh
floor with a translucent plastic front beneath
an asbestos roof. A radical, if not revolutionary,
concept for the time but then McLaren was
always the thinking type of fancier.
At
Cowplain, McLaren, concentrated on speedier
pigeons for Channel races such as Nantes
which saw him cross in some of the Vandenbroucke
strain into his old family. This resulted
in the loft winning 1st, 2nd and 3rd Section
in the Nantes National as well as other
good positions including 14th Open Pau National
(520 miles). John McLaren also raced from
another residence in a place called Horndean
with much success ( his first year at widowhood
) scoring 1st, 2nd and 3rd Petersfield and
District Club; 3rd, 9th and 11th Solent
Federation from La Reole (438 miles). Other
success included 26th Open Young Bird National
from approximately 10,000 of an entry but
it was not long before another change of
residence for in 1977 the McLarens raced
from a builders hut near to Portmouth. From
there they won the Solent Federation trophy
for Best Average all National Flying Club
races including 3rd Section Nantes National
with a bird of his Vandenbroucke family,
also being in the first 30 of the Open Pau
National with one of his old family. The
latter chequer cock was an outstanding representative
of the McLaren family for it scored three
times from Pau and once Palamos (650 miles).
Whether
of necessity or spirit, perhaps a combination
of both, John McLaren was to move again,
this time to South Africa. My research shows
no sign of pigeon involvement in the African
Continent but records reveal his arrival
back in Petersfield in about 1980 where
he built a loft and returned to his winning
ways with pigeons of his past family obtained
from friends. In fact, soon clocking a 29th
Open Grand National winner. And this inspite
of the fact that because of circumstances
of work his birds were not receiving the
attention that they should. For example,
they were lucky if they received clean water
once per week.
In
the title of this piece I used the term
'Nomad' for it was most appropriate for
our subject, for in reality John McLaren
has moved 7 times in his pigeon racing career
and inspite of this obvious upheaval he
has continued to be a master of the sport
of pigeon racing. In truth the concept of
'genius' could be applied with conviction
to this artist of our sport for McLaren
successes are too numerous to record here
but which includes a 2nd into Britain from
Barcelona at a distance of 670 miles in
1999, and the timing of a 10 months old
late bred in the Open National at a distance
of 520 miles on the day, still carrying
her nest flights. Finally, John McLaren
places the strongest emphasis on the importance
of breeding in the long distance scheme
of things in the sport and believes that
he could win the Barcelona International
if the wind was in the east. Who would doubt
such a spirit when one considers his biography?
May his ambition be realized!
by: Liam O Comain
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