By Adie McCormick
http://www.pigeonnetwork.com
NO BETTER ‘STOCK MAN’
A visit to Harry Stockman of Ballynahinch
I first met this outstanding fancier in 1969 after the NIPA Derby from Dinard and the INFC Nantes. I was impressed by the fancier and his birds and it was no surprise to me that he had a truly magnificent season in 1970, a follow up to his clocking of 8 birds in an hour from Dinard 433 miles, winning 28th Open EDC and 15th Open INFC Nantes, 533 miles. Harry started racing in 1950 and was a member of the old Rosetta Club and when it disbanded he went on to race in the Ormeau Club. He raced with average success and even clocked a bird from Redon National on the 3rd day with no tail and a broken leg. The bird also had a note attached to its leg written in Spanish which Harry retained as a souvenir. However to move on, he sold out in 1958 but always had the urge to start again. In 1964 he and his wife moved to Ballynahinch where they had purchased licensed premises in the town. For the next couple of years Harry kept watching the Pigeon Press and national results to find a consistent fancier at the distance. The person he chose was Bob Harkness of Glenavy, so he visited this fancier and purchased 8 youngsters from him. Six of these turned out to be cocks so he went back to Bob’s and purchased four more hens. In 1967 his first breeding season, he didn’t have to wait long to see that his choice was a wise one, because he won 2 Wexford races and also 30th and 31st Open EDC Haverford Derby.
Harry is pictured here holding his excellent racing Blue Cock winner of 29th Open EDC Dinard, 433 miles in 1969 and 13th Open Nantes 533 miles in 1970.
In 1968 Harry used deep litter consisting of builder’s sand and lime. As the birds were always sneezing he took this out and has kept the loft scraped spotlessly clean ever since. To add to the sneezing the birds weren’t racing well, but as soon as he changed to scraping and keeping a clean loft the birds started to go, winning 1st and 5th Club Haverford (2), and 3rd Open EDC (2,928 Birds). The following week 2nd and 4th Club, 8th Open EDC Okehampton (2,140 birds) then onto Dinard to take 2nd Open EDC with a yearling Red Cock one of the best eyed birds ever seen at that time, Harry also finished runner-up for the Miller Gold Cup and the following week he won 78th Open Nantes 1,487 birds. In 1968 his best Y/Bird placing was 26th Open INFC Y/Bird National Penzance 2,030 pigeons competing. You may think that I am giving a lot of figures but I think they make excellent reading and they were only a shadow of what was to follow in 1969 and 1970. In 1969 Harry concentrated on Channel racing and in particular getting birds fit for the Derby and the National. At Haverford (“0 he won 2nd Club, 20th Open EDC and at Dinard he clocked 8 birds in an hour from a distance of 433 miles winning 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 12th Club and his first bird winning 28th Open East Down Combine. This was the same Blue Cock which was 20th Open EDC from Haverford. The week following the Derby, Harry won 15th Open INFC Nantes Kings Cup with 2,289 pigeons competing and was the 2nd EDC bird timed from the race. Another great season by any standard but the very best was yet to come and in 1970 Harry put up a record that was to take some beating for many years to come. This is only detailing his channel performances all flown with the East Down Combine. 4th Haverford (1), 6th Haverford (2), 2nd Club, 12th EDC Haverford (3) 3,376 birds; Penzance (1) 1st, 2nd, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th and 13th Club only 13 birds on the day; 9th, 11th, 17th, 30th, 36th, 42nd, 59th and 64th Open EDC Dinard 438 miles and then 29th Open Irish Section of the Vaux-Usher Beauvais race 484 miles. From Ashford he clocked the only bird in race time with the East Down Combine clocking at 11.30am on the third day. He finished the 1970 O/Bird season by winning 13th Open Nantes 533 miles, 2,107 birds with his Blue Cock, a previous winner of 20th EDC Haverford and 28th EDC Dinard.
Harry’s system is again simple, like most of the long distance winning lofts he prefers the open hole. In fact the birds are free day and night so that they can get out and fly at will at dawn. There is no forced flying at all but as the season progresses a couple of 20 mile tosses per week help to sharpen the birds up. If he has the time they get a single up but if time does not permit they all go up together. Feeding by hoper is of beans, beans and more beans all year round. Hemp seed is used for a trapping mixture and the water is changed 3 or 4 times per day. The very well ventilated loft is kept spotlessly clean and although the loft is large and the birds have plenty of room, they are kept under control at all times. One only has to look at the way Harry Stockman started again in 1966 to find part of they to his fantastic success. He purchased birds from a man who was consistently doing well in National and Derby races, a man who kept a family of pigeons.
Harry Stockman has added no birds to the originals he purchased from Bob Harkness, one only has to look at the birds to see that they are a family, a family of excellent distance performers and I have often heard it said “Blood will tell”. After visiting the loft I have no doubt about that! Take for example, some of his winning birds in 1970: his 1st Club Haverford 17th EDC is a Red Cock which won 2nd Open EDC Dinard as a yearling. He in turn when mated to a Black W/F Hen winner of 15th Nantes in 1969, is the Sire of two Blue Cheq Cocks, one cock is winner in 1970 of a Meritorious Medal for best performance from Haverford (2nd Club, 12th Combine) and Okehampton (1st Club, 4th Combine), the other Cheq Cock was the only bird in race time from Ashford in the East Down Combine. The Blue Cock 13th Open Nantes 1970 is nest mate to the 29th Open Beauvais in 1970. This pair where bred from a pair of the original Harkness birds. Black Cheq Cock and Blue W/F Hen. His 9th Open EDC Dinard winner of 1970 is a ½ sister to the 2 Blue cocks just mentioned being from the same Sire. His 11th Open EDC Dinard winner again in 1070 is bred from his Black Cheq Cock who was winner of 78th Open Nantes in 1968 and so I could go on and on.
Harry started with the correct tools for the job and he also knew how to use them and use them he certainly has in the years mentioned in this report penned by “The Copper” in 1970. During that time Harry Stockman was raising eyebrows all around the country and I notice that he was getting closer and closer up the prize list every year from Nantes, in 1968 with a yearling he finished 78th Open, 1969 he finished 15th Open and in 1970 13th Open. Exceptional racing by one of the greats of the 1970’s era.