The Woodyards
By Liam O'Comain

When I returned to the sport a few years ago after decades of departure this family of long distance and marathon bloodlines provoked a very strong interest. This wasn't based upon their numerous successes alone but because of the owners obvious prior thought about the lines which they required if they wanted to succeed on the tough route into Britain or more specifically England. The pigeoners who are our subject in this piece are Mike and Beryl Woodyard, a couple who bought some of the best European bloodlines i.e. Martha van Geel, Wim van Leeuwen, Wim Muller, and the Kuyper Bros: Jan Aarden based blood of the highest order. Yes, there were others such as the Busschaerts and Geerts who gave off their best for the
Woodyards but the Aarden dynasty were the basis of their success. And this had to be so for the aims of the partnership were to breed a family capable of winning from 500 miles to the marathon stage of distance racing.

Inspite of moving home on a number of occasions the Woodyards had one of the best records in a number of clubs and the North Road Championship Club. In 1993 in one of the sport's weeklies it was recorded that their career up until then netted 166- 1st prizes,139- 2nd prizes, plus 482 prizes in the first six- 'a total of 787 prizes in club, Fed and NRCC with upto 5,423 birds competing.' It was also confirmed that the husband and wife team had won sixteen 1st prizes over 500 miles. Since that date there were also succeeding successes at the distances but the above quotation confirms the greatness of their participation in the sport of all sports then and since.

Some of their most notable thoroughbreds included 'Pyrenee Pearl'- 46th Open NFC Pau; 'The Broadsman' - 43rd Open Lerwick at 527 miles- 17 hrs and 25 mins on the wing; 'The Norfolk Man' - 1st Open Thurso; and 'Highway Gem'- 2nd Open Bourges 543 miles. There are many more like the latter which the space available prevents mentioning. And in those winners were the bloodlines of the 'Dolle', the 'Lange', the 'Bonte 62', 'Vlekje' and the 'Favoriet', etc,. The family also contained the genes of the Kuyper Bros world famous Champions Barcelona 1, 2 and 3; who won 1st and 4th Open National, 2nd and 21st Open National and 3rd and 13th Open National from the Spanish race point, respectively. Also the best of the Van Leeuwen 'Smaragd 1' and 'Smaragd 2'- the dual 1st Open International winning brother and sister. And as referred too the Wim Muller bloodlines added to and ensured the existence of one of the best pools of long distance and marathon blood in the world. Of that I have no doubt.

Alas life's circumstances and the demands of modern living apparently ensured the sale of the majority of the Woodyard's stock and the partners re-settlement in Ireland with a core of their best. Yes, the Woodyards now race in partnership in the south of Ireland where unfortunately the demands of daily living prevents the necessary commitment to the sport that they would
wish. For when the sport dwells in the blood its hard to ignore. In fact arising from recent correspondence Mike Woodyard wrote: 'one day in the not too distant future I hope to be able to concentrate on the distance racing and re-kindle that buzz that only one gets when a pigeon arrives from Pau, Marseille and Barcelona.'

Well Mike and Beryl, I hope your dream will be realized as I look forward to your successes in the future for the lines that you have are 'A One'.Your past success confirms this.

by: Liam O Comain