1st OPEN NATIONAL FLYING CLUB MESSAC
The Club had another good entry of around 7,000 birds and this required both transporters going over to Messac, using the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Caen. After arriving on site on Friday the birds were later fed and watered and left to rest overnight. Chief Convoyer Paul Pym telephoned on Friday evening and reported fine weather at Messac. I also spoke with our weather advisor, Steve Appleby on Friday evening and he was confident that we would get the birds away, but expressed concerns over a weather front mainly in the channel and extending as far as the Midlands. (Steve's full report can be viewed separately) We also checked various other weather sites and most reported sun and cloud with west North West winds on land and in the channel. Chief Convoyer rang about 4-30am Saturday reporting fine weather at Messac and I also spoke several times with our weather advisor Steve Appleby, who remained concerned about heavy cloud, light rain and murky conditions in the channel.
A Bit of feeding and watering at the site !!
He advised delaying the liberation to allow the channel to clear and after speaking with fellow race advisor Paul Clements and Chief Convoyer Paul Pym it was agreed the liberation would be at 7-30am. Birds were released at Messac into blue skies and sunshine and cleared well. Here at Brackleshmam Bay overlooking the Solent it remained overcast but by midday we had broken cloud, blue skies and light North West winds. Our thanks again to all the Convoyers and Steve our weather advisor" John Tyerman and Paul Clements, Race Advisors.
The Birds on their way !!
1st Section B – 1st Open Wearn Bros.
The wining pigeon now named “Ramsdean Ambition Girl” has blood lines off of His direct M&D Evans Vandenbeeles, its past performances are: Young Bird 2007, 15th section B - 178th open NFC 5408 BIRDS - also 30th section 58th open CSCFC Guernsey 2007 2008 1st section B 10th open NFC Saintes. - 2009 1st section B, 1st open NFC Messac.
Jimmy has been racing pigeons since he was 17 years old, but for the last 12 years flying in partnership with his brother Ken Wearn of Wearn Bros, Jimmy manager’s loft 1 and Ken manages Loft 2. This is their sixth 1st section win, previously wining 1st section Dax - 1st section Tarbes - 1st section Saintes - 1st section Guernsey - 1st section Alencon and now 1st section Messac, also being 2nd section on several other occasions. They have also won The Langstone Gold Cup, NFC Average Trophy. Champion Old Bird CSCFC 2008, 1st GDSB NFC Tarbes and 1st GDSB Tarbes. Their feeding methods, the birds are fed the best corn money can buy i.e. Beyers Diet on return from race, High Protein on Sunday and Monday. Bosmolen PLX Vesa Laga is given with fats seeds till basketing and all usual medication when necessary.
Natural flying system used although birds were split for this race so the hens didn't become eggy. The wining pigeon had been down for a drink giving them the impression that she would be late, but what a lovely surprise when they found out that i had won it!!!!!! Ernie Deacon verified the pigeon which is nice because Ken verified his Pau National Winner in 2000.
Jimmy would just like to say a big thank you to the markers at Chichester and the clock station at Horndean and the many phone calls he has received, congratulating them on their win, especially Mr Jason Ross who was laying in 2nd position, Jason was just as happy for him as he was. Although Jimmy’s main goal is Tarbes each year what a wonderful bonus this has been for him.
1st Section A – L & G Sullivan P Potter & T Reeves
The partners timed a 2 year old Peter V.D. Merwe blue- bar widowhood hen that has previously won two firsts in channel racing and this year she has flown Guernsey twice and had both the previous NFC races. She has been very consistent and was clocked at 12-39pm, flying 222 miles, to record a velocity of 1267 ypm. The partners sent 15 pigeons and had them all home on the day. They are no strangers to success having previously won the BICC Wadebridge National and last year's NFC Angers National.
1st Section C - Mel and Sue King with “Stourcrest Prometheus” previously 7th Sect 58th Open Central Southern Classic Lessay earlier this season before returning from the British Barcelona Club Messac race minus clumps of feathers and with talon puncher wounds to his underside so he has been out of action for a few weeks. He is again from Mel & Sue’s top winning family of Gaby Vandenbeeles a full brother to “Stourcrest Pheidippides 2nd Section 2nd Open Central Southern Classic Lessay this year.
Sired by Stourcrest Thetis, retired to stock this year a winner of 2 x 2nd Sect, 2 x 4th Sect & 12th Sect in National & Classic races to Bordeaux south and Carlisle north. Full brother to Stourcrest “Typhon” 3rd & 37th Open Bordeaux. Dam is Stourcrest “Tolane” full sister to 2nd Open CSCFC Truro Y/B and half sister to 1st Open National Flying Club Nantes and many other winners, being a daughter of Mel & Sue’s number 1 stock hen. In total Mel & Sue have won seven 1st Open Nationals and two 1st Open Central Southern Classics.
Prometheus is raced on widowhood to the racing loft which is 32ft, with four sections for the widowers and a centre section used as a corn store. The loft has a corridor along its length with two double door openings for open door trapping to each section. The second loft is an 8ft x 6ft stock loft with a 6ft x 6ft aviary to the front to give plenty of space for the birds. A 20ft loft houses the widow hens plus the natural young birds in the other section. Lastly, a 10ft x 8ft loft joined onto the garage houses the darkness young birds. They have tried deep litter with the young birds but Mel suffers with Asthma and finds it too dusty, so now uses grills. Mel and Sue race a standard widowhood system. The first three sections have only eight cocks each and the fourth with twelve.
The race birds are paired between Christmas and the New Year. The old birds are trained 20 miles to the coast before the season begins. Training through the season depends upon whether Mel thinks they need it or not. They do not race every pigeon every week as they prepare certain birds for certain races. The birds stay on widowhood throughout the old bird programme, not being re-paired for the long races. The cocks are mostly shown their hen on marking night and always on return from twenty minutes up to two hours.
The partnership feed a standard branded widowhood mix. This is supplemented with Gem G10 pellets at the recommended ration for three days after returning from a race. The cocks are fed individually in their own box. Most of the birds race to the 400 mile Stage.
Mel and sue are starting to build a long distance team and these are already showing their quality, winning 1st Open B.B.C Poitiers and 1st Open C.S.C.F.C Young Bird Ramsgate. The bloodlines of these are M. White and Son, Patrick Brothers (Jan Aardens), Guselbrecht, R. Vereecke and Eric Limbourg. Mel and Sue joined the B.I.C.C in 2007 and hope to test the off spring of the above families in the International races.
The main family is Gaby Vandenabeeles from M & D Evans. These pigeons bred winners from the very first nest and have gone on to win right up to 1st Open N.F.C. Nantes. They are also responsible for the majority of Mel and Sue s big winners.
The stock pairs are also paired between Christmas and New Year. They are fed a branded breeding mix and whilst rearing have all they need. Any new birds making it to the stock loft must come from a loft that is successful at national level. Preferably with current successes. New stock have two seasons to prove their worth, probably paired differently the second year. If in that time it hasn’t proved itself, then it must go. So any bird lasting for threes seasons or more will be breeding winners regularly. The loft practices all types of line breeding and cross breeding with various different pairs. Most cross breeding is done with the best race winners. Mel says they don’t keep late breds for racing they are kept for stock purposes only.
Mel and Sue prefer to have tame pigeons about the loft, but have found no difference in performance, tame or otherwise. Around eighty young birds are reared; forty five to fifty are on the darkness system from weaning until the first week in June. The remaining youngsters are raced naturally. No separation of sexes, nor fancy food and water programmes are followed here. Versele Laga young bird plus with Gem G10 pellets added, on occasion multi vits or probiotic added to clean water.
The darkness youngsters are allowed to pair if they wish in preparation for Classic and National races from the channel. The young birds pair amongst themselves. They are not encouraged by pairing them with old birds. The young birds will race every week (when permitted), some young cocks will be stopped after the 100 mile stage and some are selected for the longer channel events with the bigger clubs.
Winter time all birds are separated after weaning late breds from the widowers. After young bird racing has finished all birds go on a moulting mix until the moult is over, then it’s time to prepare for breeding again.
Mel says he likes all pigeon racing short and long but has not sent to too many of the longer races over the last few years, having concentrated on their middle distance team.
In recent years winning 16 x 1St and 12 x 2nd section Classic and National, over 80 times in the top ten in their Classic and National section, over 20 between 2nd – 15th Open National and Classic, several Open race winners, 2006 Best Average all races B.B.C and 2006 Best Average Y.B C.S.C.F.C.
1st Section D - Mr and Mrs Brian Smith.
Brian has been racing since 1972 winning his first race from the longest y bird race that year also topping the Devon fed from Margate 216 miles. with some breaks over the years this partnership are now coming into their own, with fantastic wins in young bird racing over the last two seasons also topping the fed in consecutive weeks with their Busschaert family, still trying to build their team, as not many birds are kept they sent just two hens to Messac with the NFC .These two hens also went to the first national Fougeres and the section D winner was timed in the section, but they were not raced after and had a five week break from any racing. The partnership then prepared the two hens with some training and flying around the home. Brian had confidence in the section winner by her past performance and said given a fair wind, she would have a good go. With a head wind all the way home the partnership fly natural and the section winner was sitting 9 days eggs. Her past performances being lightly raced 1st club 1st fed Salisbury 658 birds 1st club 3rd fed 452 birds, 2nd club 4th fed 205 birds all as a y bird only 2 races as yearling because of an injury and having to be stitched up 2nd club Fareham 106 birds. Brian and Chris are now retiring the hen to the stock loft.
1st Section E – Mr & Mrs Jeff Hull.
Jeff has been racing pigeons since 1974 with his dad at Stopsley club. They have raced as Mr & Mrs Hull since 1992, always raced on the widowhood. He feeds Bayers Elite. This pigeon was breed for me by Mr M Carrick; it is a late bred last year but has an old ring on. It’s a Jap don dink x kellen been raced every race this year. Its full sister was 23rd open for Mr Carrick last week from Poitiers with the British Barcelona Club.
Jeff would like to thank his wife Pauline for all her help as without her he would not be able race and Mr Carrick for all his help in the past.
1st Section F – Tony Crook
Tops section F with a Staff Van Reet now named Sooty’s Pride; this family of birds are based on T. Mardon, Mark Caudwell, Brownlee-Dee-Ward and Mike White of Poole. The birds are raced on widowhood and are fed Bamfords corn. Tony was 8th section from Fougeres this season. This family of birds have won at club, fed and now National level from day one.
1st Section G - Geoff and Catherine Cooper from Peasedown St John clocked a two year old blue widowhood cock called “Shuddah”” to win 1st sect G. As ever, they sat patiently looking southwards waiting for their birds, when as usual the first bird appeared from behind them. As so often happens, the early birds come high and appear from behind. This was unexpected due to the strong north westerly wind; they thought the birds would be arriving low and from the south.
“Shuddah” has been a very consistent racer for Geoff and Catherine, bred out of their stock loft. He won 1st HLFC Guernsey as a young bird and 22nd section. N.F.C Alencon as a yearling. This season he has flown Lessay with the Central Southern Classic, Fougeres with the NFC and was 19th sect, 94th open NFC from St. Nazaire/ Alencon when he was beaten by a loft mate who was 2nd section 67th open.
The Cooper’s have been pleased with how the loft has been performing so far this season, they have won 4 x 1st, 3 x 2nd and a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, in local clubs and a 7th Fed, plus 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 15th, 16th, and 19th sections in National and Classic racing, provisionally 10th, 11th open BBC and 67th open NFC.
The birds are all raced widowhood, paired in December and rear one or two young birds. They are parted when sitting eggs and repaired in the spring, allowed to sit a few days then the hens are taken away and they start their widowhood regime of exercise twice a day. They race one or two inland races then most of their racing is National and Classic racing with the odd club race if needed in between.
Geoff has been very pleased with the condition of their birds on return from the National Flying Club races and he would like to thank Paul Pym for the care he gives to the birds.
1st Section H – Dominic Gruzelier
Dominic started racing pigeon in 1991 with his Dad who had been racing since1986 they split when his father moved to Cornwall to set up his own farm. Since then Dominic has been around the world and when he came back he got straight back into pigeons moving three times breaking them in every time his present address is where he has been at since September 2004. Over the year he has raced open hold roundabout widowhood hens and cocks.
His line of pigeon are Hagen that came from R Strain northern Ireland witch were bought in Blackpool 2005.The rest are from Rob+Peter Montila and Pieter Oberlster they gave him pigeon when he moved here, all of them are good friends of mine and have taught me alot about pigeons and he had pigeons off there best which he thanks them for.
Dominic got married in April this year to his long time girl friend Tracey and after their honeymoon he had a lot of training to catch with to get the pigeon ready for the national racing my birds only had two inland races and this was there 1st national getting ready for MNFC Bergerac race. He started the season with 15 widowhood cocks and feed with Gerri and Champion plus with Hormoform and depurative after long races, letting the pigeons out for an hour in the morning and hour at night unless they wanted to keep flying, he sent nine to the national. The pigeon itself is a 07 cock called willow that raced the channel as a baby and two channel races as a yearling were he won 6th open MNFC Saints 08. He is a small body pigeon with a big heart and all ways puts every think in to what he does. The father came from Pieter Oberlster and was bred from Welsh Harmony Sun City 18th average winner and the son of 76 father of 8th tours young bird open race 08, 415 miles on the day. The mother is from the original Hagen pair I got in 2005 which is reasonable for three good national pigeons in my loft.
1st Section I - Daykin & Son are one of the best partnerships in the country and in this race they take 1st section 45th Open, their winning bird a yearling cock is 50% Soontjen x 50% a new introduction. This bird is a Great Grandson of Blue Sabre on the Soontjen side.
The new introduction Gary says that he believed there is only one other fancier in the U.K. flying this strain. His performances to date are; Lessay 11th Open yearly National; MNFC; 5th NS Section yearling National MNFC. Alencon 30th Open yearling National; MNFC; 3rd NE Section yearling Nation MNFC; Messac 45th Open NFC.
1st Section J – Vaughan Bros & Sons
The bird is a 4 year old Gaby Vandenabeele bred from stock , from M & D Evans direct The winning bird is 100% Gaby Vandenabeele being a Grandson from Shadow Princess , National Fideel and Belle, previous performances in 2009 include 40th Open MNFC 5888 Birds, 63rd Open NFC, 9686 Birds. Dave’s father Dave and his brother John have been flying for over 50 years Dave became interested and involved at around the age of 10.The race team consists of 40 widowhood cocks and around 35 widowhood hens.They feed with a general widowhood mix and add vitamins to the water building up to the race. The birds are trained accordingly to the race programme. When the cock arrived he seemed fresh and in good condition with another 11 loft mates following him in within good time.
1st Section K - R J Pickering
Topping Section K by 40ypm from Messac is Bob Pickering his winner was also 2nd sec from Alencon from the last NFC race from Alencon only beaten by 8 seconds. Bob has named him Kuthbert with a K after Steve Cuthbert who bred him. Bob would like to thank Steve for breeding him Bob has several with similar blood lines both at stock and racing. He is direct off a pigeon called Broken Wing breeder of many winners, Steve said about 17 but maybe more Steve has a brother that has 6 firsts. He is Cor Lietens bloodlines.
This bird had not scored before Alencon only 2 races as a YB and raced through the year as a yearling with one channel race from Falaise ready for a good seasons racing this year he showed some good form the previous couple of weeks prior to Alencon so with form rising he went putting up a tremendous effort being 2nd sec K beaten by just a few seconds by a bird 6 miles to the west of him in an Easterly wind he was then put back in to the club race from Buckingham last week with perfect conditions forecast it was an excellent work out for this week’s Messac race where he has excelled himself.
Preparation Bob’s, are always prepared with National racing being a priority exercised twice a day weather permitting full trough before them about an hour or more morning and night Gerry Plus Super Widowhood and peanuts with a few Gem pellets are normally in the mix. The health of his birds is monitored by Libby Harrison of Retford Poultry Services advice is always followed, normally with very good results. Bob would like to thank to all who have called, texted, emailed and spoken to congratulate him.
He is not sure where he will go next but feel Tarbes is not what he is made for, he is preparing his Little Miracle and a few others for that one.
Bob would like to congratulations to all the section winners in what has to be regarded as a tough but fair race some fantastic performances in all parts of the
1st Section L – Richard & Margaret Grayston.
The bird is a 2 year old on widowhood, fed on Versa Laga, low pro max with added dog tooth and peanuts.
He was bred for us by R and B Smith and he is the grandson of their champions Dearn cock and Wigan cock. They fly in North Yorkshire with Bentham Homing Society. They live approximately 1 mile from Clapham and 6 miles from Bentham. As you can see from photos, all around us is open moorland and behind the lofts is Ingleborough, 1 of the 3 peaks.
Richard and Margaret would like to thank everybody for their congratulations on winning Section L.
Well done to all winners
Ron Crook
Email roncrook@virgin.net
Telephone 01491 613477