1st Irish Section Vaux-Usher Beauvais 1973
On my journey out to see the Fleming Bros I called at several well known fanciers but it was a pleasant surprise to find that they were Jim 15 years, Ian 14 years, Alan 13 years and Robert 11 years, all schoolboys. However, there is nothing I like better than writing up young successful fanciers.
Jim, Ian, Alan and Robert Fleming of Crumlin with their winner of 1st Irish Section Vaux Usher Beauvais 1973.
All the brothers take it in turn to do loft chores and when I arrived it was spot-less and the birds were a credit to them. However, I must give credit to father who is no mug as far as pigeons are concerned for exactly 20 years ago this season he won the Y/Bird National from Skibbereen. At the moment there are 5 Section Diplomas in the house. And take it from me, winning the N.W. Section is no easy thing. Mr Fleming works shifts so on some race days the boys are left on their own. The Beauvais race was one such occasion and when their Black Tip cock arrived Jim clocked him in. Now timing the bird was easy but when it came to filling in the verification card out his hand started to shake as he knew he had an early one. The Tip cock has won several 1st’s in Club racing with a distinct liking for Arklow which he has won on more than one occasion. Up to Beauvais he had won £138 racing having won the Hill Street Open. He was sent to Beauvais feeding a four day old Y/Bird and at the time of my visit some 5 weeks after the race he was still chasing around after the Y/Bird in fact, it’s impossible to keep him away from it.
Another good bird I handled whilst at the loft was a Blue Cock – winner of 7 x 1st’s in Club racing plus 18th Open Beauvais and 95th Open Nantes. The Flemings are exceptionally good club racers and last season won 5 x 1st’s in a row to set a new Club record, so winning is not something new to them. In fact, the first Y/Bird race is over as I write this article and yet again Fleming Bros appear at the top of the sheet winning 1st Club and all pools and DTW.
The feeding consists of No 1 mixture all year round and the only seed given is RICE. Training consists of exercise early in the morning and again in the evening and if possible a couple of tosses per week.
All this seems simple but why then are the young Fleming Bros winning out of turn? I don’t know maybe that will be the subject of an article sometime in the years to come. (Many fanciers in Northern Ireland will know that Fleming Bros are a bigger force now in racing some 36 years later and perhaps that Article may be a step closer following this excellent one written by the late Millar McAllistar. I will mark it down Adie)
Savage Bros of Castledawson
2nd & 3rd Irish Section Vaux-Usher Beauvais 1973
The Savage Brothers, Charles and Dan of Castledawson and also brother Jimmy of Crumlin are good workers for the sport and deserve everything in the way of success which comes their way. Jimmy, who is recovering from an illness at the moment, is a Committee Member in the NIPA and is usually in charge of the centre in NIFC races. Charles is Secretary of his club Castledawson and would rather the publicity be given to their Club whose members have done really well in the French races in the past couple of years. Watson & Gilmour 3rd Open Beauvais 1974, also 87th Open National this year with the same bird and Jack Bradley 41st Open National this year also. So the Castledawson fanciers are beginning to hold their own badly positioned and all as they are.
Charlie Savage of Castledawson pictured holding 2nd and 3rd Open Vaux Usher Beauvais 1973.
However, back to the Savage Bros. They timed a mated pair at Beauvais to take 2nd & 3rd Open with Vels of 1242 and 1172 winning £43. The 2nd Open winner is a Dk Cheq Hen, a previous winner from Arklow straight through to Okehampton. She is bred from a Dk Cheq Hen containing the King’s Cup winning blood of Larry Burns, John Blair and R McKnight through their good friend and mine, Kirker Porter of Crumlin, also ‘Lancashire Rose’ and ‘Townfoot Goodboy’ from their brother, Jimmy. Sire of the Beauvais Hen is a Red Charlie Neill Cock.
The 3rd Open Beauvais bird is a Red Pied Cock bred by Brother Jimmy, a winner of 97th Open Skibbereen Y/Bird National. This bird, contains much the same bloodlines as the hen but with more of the McKnight blood which has been doing well for the Savage Bros from Beauvais, Nantes and Dinard in the past 3 years. The Bros ended the O/Bird season by timing a Red Hen, a nest-mate of the 2nd Open Beauvais winner, to take 46th Open Nantes and a further £31. A good season by the Savage Brothers and I’m sure their endeavours will be richly rewarded in the future.
The following is the result from the above Vaux-Usher International Irish Section Beauvais flown on the 16th June 1973 with 90 members sending 128 birds. 1st Fleming Bros, Crumlin Vel 1301 £81; 2nd Savage Bros, Castledawson Vel 1242 £23; 3rd Savage Bros, Castledawson Vel 1172 £20; 4th Nelson Corry, Dunmurry Vel 1149 £20; 5th Harry Stockman, Ballynahinch Vel 1104 £20; 6th C Cameron, Ballyclare Vel 1103 £18; 7th H A Dunlop, Banbridge Vel 1097 £4; 8th Holywell Hospital, Antrim Vel 1085 £4; 9th A Greenwood, Cullybackey Vel 1061 £4; 10th A McDonnell, Coleraine Vel 1059 £4; 11th J Patterson, Cregagh Vel 1059 £4; 12th Houston & McDonald, Londonderry Vel 1054 £3; 13th V Thompson, Ballyclare Vel 1021 £3; 14th W Clements & Son, Portadown Vel 1019 £3; 15th A Kane, Antrim Vel 1019 £3; 16th T O’Rorke, Lisburn Vel 1012 £2; 17th W J Walker & Sons, Monkstown Vel 998 £2; 18th A Bell, Randalstown Vel 973 £2; 19th G Casement, Belfast Vel 962 £2; 20th Kennedy & Swail, Moira Vel 918 £2; 21st Hall & Parker, Moira Vel 751 £2; 22nd J Hamilton, Lisburn Vel 728 £2; 23rd J & R McCracken, Banbridge Vel 688 £2; 24th W & J McMaster, Vel 669 £2; 25th J Hutchinson & Son, Ballymoney Vel 555; 26th Kelly Bros, Greyabbey Vel 529 £2; 27th J Robinson, Ballywalter Vel 446 £2; 28th Smyth Bros, Carryduff Vel 443 £2 and 29th L Moore, Newtownards Vel 412 £2.
