Reims Gold Medal National
After a two-day holdover the convoy of 450 birds were released at 6.15am with no wind reported at the race point.
A fully comprehensive report from our race controller Ian Mclaren details the events leading up to the eventual liberation on Sunday morning. The conditions at Reims at 5am on Friday morning showed low cloud and rain with heavy cloud on the channel, again on Saturday morning at 5.30am conditions were not good with low cloud from Dover to Southampton while the Channel Islands had high cloud with up to 10 miles visibility. At 10.30 am Ian received an urgent phone call from Chris Pagent of Guernsey saying that conditions had deteriorated drastically and visibility was down to 700 yards.
Although conditions at the race point were good projected reports of thunder and lightning and heavy rain in southern England were proved correct and the decision to hold again for a further day were fully justified.
The Up North Combine liberated 19,000 birds at Folkstone at 11.30 am on Saturday with only 5% of the convoy making it home on the day showed just how difficult a day Saturday turned out to be. Sunday 5.20 am convoyer Mathew Boyle reported perfect racing conditions, France and the channel good with 6/8 MHP east winds.Sally Osborne convoyer from Southampton confirmed conditions on the Isle of Wight showed blue skys high cloud and light s/east winds.
The instruction to liberate when possible was given; Mathew reported that the birds cleared the race point within 5 minutes heading west. 10.15am Sally in Southampton reported that there was good visibility and light cloud. Ian then contacted Dover weather centre who reported some mist on the channel but they could see Calais and there was blue skies above the mist and there would be no problem for pigeons crossing. Further reports from Ian Bellamy Peterborough, Mick Brennan Doncaster and Fred McCluskey confirmed that conditions were favourable in their areas. Brian Denny of York reported heavy rain and thunder with some flooding on the roads clearing around 6.15pm to clear skies, Mathew confirmed on his way home that conditions in the Carlisle area were very bad but it appeared brighter to the North and East.To compile the information required takes a great deal of time and effort and this would not be possible without the help of the following people who we are indebted to once again: Chris Padgent Guernsey, Sally Osborne Southampton, Ian Bellany Peterborough, Brian Denny York, Mick Brennan Doncaster and Fred McCluskey U.N.C.
This was a difficult weekend for pigeon racing, yes good pigeons will have be lost no doubt but good pigeons get lost on seemingly good days and also in training that is the nature of the game nowadays, however on the whole we had a very good race and we have to commend our race controller Ian McLaren for all the hard work and effort he puts into the job, which I can tell you goes way beyond the call, this man puts his heart and soul into it and cares deeply about this club of ours, guys like Ian McLaren are what this club is all about.
1st Open and winners of the Gold Medal are the Haddington partnership of SH & E Butterworth, Harvey and Eileen are very worthy winners and it doesn’t surprise me one bit to see them eventually take the top honour as they have been knocking at the door for a good few years, never very far away in the Channel events.
Harvey and Eileen are hard workers for the club and are always at hand in section B on marking days to make sure things run smoothly at the check in table, they are very popular winners in deed with everyone delighted at the news of their success.
The National winner is a 2 year old Blue Cock now named “Harperdean Blue Bullet” his sire is bred the same way as their 24th Open Rennes pigeon Harperdean Stargazer the breeding of these pigeons is George Brownlie Carluke Van Hee Stitchelbaut lines.
The Dam of Bullet is a Blue hen who won 8th Sect 16th Open Reims 2006, 61st sect 95th Open Newbury 2005. Richard Combe Elphinstone bred her sire and her dam was Harvey’s Stargazer. Bullet is no slouch in club racing also he had 4 races as a youngster up to Newark as a yearling he had 7 races winning 4 club prizes this season 5 club races prior to the National winning a 1st and 3rd from Ripon. He had 4 or 5 training tosses at 30 miles before going to Reims on an 8 day old youngster. It should be noted that Harvey and Eileen had another 3 on the result winning 27th, 41st, 86th Open 14th , 17th, 25th Sect, what an outstanding all round performance.
SECTION E
2nd Open 1st Sect E Ken Buchanan of Hamilton, Ken timed his good 3 year old blue hen at 21.04 she was sent sitting a 5 day old youngster on her third flight. She is bred out his Van Hee lines her dam was 2nd West Sect 34th Open Reims 2004. Ken’s pigeons had no basket training prior to the first race only exercised round the loft building up to 35 minutes twice a day, she had three races before Reims Otterburn 81 mls, Hexam 91 mls and Wanstead Flats 335 mls. She then had three training tosses to Dunbar 63 miles. This was Ken’s fancied pigeon she has previously won 7th Sect 50th Open Arras 2008. 5th Sect 92nd Open Wanstead Flats 2009. Luck was on her side earlier in the year when she suffered an injury due to a peregrine attack.
3rd Open 2nd Sect E Billy Davidson and Son of Coalburn, another top West of Scotland loft. Their 2-year-old mealy cock was timed at 20.45 he was racing to his box having lost his hen prior to Reims his sire is a stock pigeon bred by J & I Alston down through his old mealy lines that originated from Jock Allan, yet another winning pigeon to come from the loft of Jock Alston. The Dam of the 3rd Open winner is a chec hen from the partnerships own family crossed with a Steve Wright Jan Aarden.
7th Open 3rd Sect E Wilson & Jack of Lanark last seasons Messac National winners are not far off the mark again in this hard race the partnerships 3 year old blue hen was home bred the sire being J & I Alston X W Watson and the dam was a present from club mate John Frood her bloodlines going back to Jock Trails 1996 Niort winner and J Donaldsons 1995 Sartilly winner. The partners commented that her breeding was a bit of a mixture, aye but what a mixture it is gentlemen jam-packed with top channel names. She was sent sitting 12 days third flight half up she had 3 races up to Leicester and 4 training tosses the week before Reims this was her first time over the channel.
Section B
1st Sect B 1st Open S H & E Butterworth Haddington
2nd Sect B 4th Open is the ever-consistent Brian O’Neill of Edinburgh Brian was 4th Sect 8th Open at Reims last season. This Cheq hen has been very lightly raced, she was un- raced as a youngster and had 3 races as a yearling this season she was sent up to 220 miles and as sitting 10 day eggs before going to Reims. Brian’s pigeons enjoy the open hole and are out all day keeping them selves fit, her dam is a KoNipius hen which has won twice at the channel for Brian the sire is a Jannsen
3rd Sect B 5th Open is W & M Smith of Macmerry
Here is another top East Lothian loft; Willie and Maureen have had some Excellent results in recent years and are now fast becoming very consistent distance flyers indeed, with much more to come I would suggest.
This must be one of the best performances in the race with 6 out of their 7 entries timed and on the Open result.
The sire of the 5th Open cock is Silvere Toy / Staff Van Reet he was 3rd Sect Wanstead Flat 07 and the Dam is a hen bred by John McLaren Fareham.
As a youngster he was trained with the Up North Combine as far as Bourne then flew the SNRPC YB National from Leicester. As a yearling he was raced the full fed programme also the Wanstead Flats National then Arras National where he won 122nd Open. This season he had every club race and the Wanstead National before Reims.The birds are all flown on Roundabout.
1st Sect 9th Open Stuart Bowman Cowdenbeath
Stuart is another fancier who’s loft is in a rich vein of form at the moment carrying on from where he left of last season his section winner “Misty Lady” is a two-year-old chec pied hen she was sent sitting a 4 day old youngster previous to the National she flew four races up to Leicester where she was first in the clock. The sire of Misty Lady is a full brother to “Mrs Mack” 1st Open Kingdom Association, 2nd Sect 4th Open SNRPC Arras. Her Dam was a blue hen winner of 48th Open Maidstone 370 miles as a late bred she was bred from a gift from Tommy Gilbertson Carlisle a grand Daughter of Tommy’s great pigeon Jay Bee. Denis Dall pigeons feature in the breeding of the 48th Open Maidstone
2nd Sect 13th Open Garry Hall Thornton
This was Garry’s 2-year-old Chec Pieds first time over the channel it is a home bred pigeon and was sent sitting 16 days on eggs. Prior to Reims it flew the programme up to Leicester 1 then the come back race from Berwick-Upon-Tweed then trained.
3rd Sect 15th Open James Anderson Cardenden.
Jim’s two-year-old chec cock was sent sitting on 10/12 day eggs his breeding is Jocky King/Jan Aarden cross he went to Leicester before being sent to the National.
SECTION F
1st Sect 12th Open Ian Ross Kirkintilloch
This 2 year-old late bred hen was bred by Tony Bates of Huntingdon and gifted to Ian she is a 100% Houbens the sire was berd off direct pigeons from Houbes loft and the dam was purchased at his sale in Manchester. She was trained as a youngster sent as far as the coast as a yearling, this season she has had four races to Leicester and 5 training tosses at 35 miles. She was sent sitting 15 day eggs.
2nd and 3rd Sect 26th and 29th Open Patrick McDonald Glasgow
What a great performance from this young man 17 minutes between his birds two in the first 30 of a very hard National out of 3 entries, this is terrific flying in anyone’s book.
The 2nd and 3rd Sect winners are full sisters bred by Patrick from a direct son of Super Bordeux winner of 1st International Bordeux from Menne & Daughters Germany when paired to a blue hen bred for stock from a hen from Walter McGaffney Leshahagow from his distance birds when paired to a cock obtained from Heinz Seegmuller Germany this cock is a grandson of 1st International Dax 1998. The 2nd sect hen previously won 2nd club Otterburn.
The 3rd winner has a good 5th Sect position from this years Wanstead Flats Inland National.
Section D
1st Sect 43rd Open Frank Baillie Clackmannan
In section D Frank Baillie of Clackmannan continued his Wansted Flats win by timing his 2 year old blue cock at 14.13 to give him his second Bronze medal this season, achieving 1st section D and 43rd Open, Frank also timed another Blue cock at 17.31 to be 2nd section D and 80th open.
Franks 2 year old section winner was flying nearly 577 miles, this pigeon was flown to 175 miles as a young bird, then as a yearling went all the way to 350 miles during which period it was a very consistent flyer being 2nd or 3rd bird to the loft in most races.
This year he was flown on the round about system to 150 miles then re- paired, before racing started he had reared one nest of young birds, He was then timed out of 266 miles, was Franks last entry from 350 miles at 7pm and was given one 70 mile mid week race and 2 by 60 miles tosses then sent to Reims sitting on 14 day eggs and on his 2nd flight
The sire of 1st section D was bred by the late Tommy Shields of Greenock this Blue cock himself had four diplomas at the distance including 65th open Reims Frank lost this pigeon at 378 miles last year, the dam was Franks Blue Chequer hen that was 25th open Reims and 36th open Alencon she also flew Lessay her sire is a Van Eiden stock cock that has bred some good distance birds
2nd Sect 80th Open Frank Baillie Clackmannan .
2nd Section D was a 2 year old Slatey Blue cock that was bred by club member Bert Sharp from his Outstanding Slatey Chequer cock that has really won out of turn. As a young bird the 2nd section was hawked badly in training and could not be raced, as a yearling he was raced to 266 miles, this year he was on round about to 150 miles then paired up he then went to 266 miles and 350 miles plus a couple of 70 mile mid week races though he was sitting on 14 day eggs Frank gave him a 14 day old young bird which he really took to the 2nd section was on his 1st flight.
Frank has 3 going to Andrezel one of which is his Wanstead Flats winner and he will have 2 for Lilliers from his Van Eiden stock. We watch with interest.
3rd Sect 81st Open Joe Lewcio Alloa
3rd Section D went to Joe Lewcio of Alloa, Joe was 3rd and 7th Section, 57th open and 69th open from Wanstead Flats and he again is on the result from Reims at 81st open.
Joe is President of the Forth Bridges independent racing pigeon Club and is never far away in these hard distance races his blue hen has already been on the open result at the distance and is bred from his own winning family of distance blood line, Joe also timed another Bird a chequer pied hen to be 7th in the section and 103rd open this pigeon also had been on the results at the distance before.
On 4th section D and 82nd open was John Mack of Alloa with his blue hen that was 7th open last year, this pigeon could be winning one of our first Bronze Champion Awards John had another 2 birds appear on the result.
Other good performances to note are Norman Renton Foulden 4th Sect 6th Open with 2 of his 4 entries on the open result. George Archibald of Bilston timed his good hen Meadow Lass taking 5th Sect, 8th Open and with this being her third diploma merits a Bronze award.
Peter Virtue of Co’Path not far off the mark at 11th Open 7th Sect. Peter had a great race with seven on the sheet. John Callan of Lesmahagow two in at 16th and 21st Open, John’s first bird scored last season at Alencon with the SNFC he is a Van De Weggen/ Steve Wrght Jan Aarden.
John Ellis Wellbank 6 on the result, Pete Patrick Thornton 3 birds. Davy Burns Kirkcaldy 6 out of 8 on the result. George Anderson Scone near Perth flying 586 miles 3 birds winning positions on the Open sheet.
This short list indicates what kind of returns some of our members had on this again a very hard Reims Gold Medal National and I am sure when you see the full result published you will appreciate just how well we have faired.
Duncan Knox
Press Officer
Scottish National Racing Pigeon Club