Capper Bros of Bondhill - Report by Ronnie Johnston
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 5:34 pm
Capper Bros, Bonhill
The Mid Ulster area is awash with outstanding fanciers and one of the
best is Willie Capper of Bondhill racing as Capper Bros. The Capper
family are very well known in Annaghmore area and have had pigeons on
the farm for over 40 years. Willie and his four brothers were all
keenly interested in the pigeons but now he is the only one still
racing.
It was in 1999 that I first came into contact with the Capper family
after a super result from that year's Kings Cup. The race was flown
from Redon and has since become known as the Photo Finish King's Cup.
Let me explain, the winner of the King's Cup was Owen McGillivery &
Son of Balbriggan with a single bird entry. The King's Cup winner made
a velocity of 1475.1ypm. Second Open Ronnie Williamson, Bondhill on
1474.7ypm and 3rd Open Joe Adamson, Gilford making 1473.9ypm. Winning
4th Open on a velocity of 1472.5 ypm Capper Bros.
The YB Channel National in 1999 was flown from Penzance and winning
that National was the top National flyer Roy Clements, Harryville on a
velocity of 1213ypm. Would you believe it, winning 4th Open on 1188ypm
Capper Bros. From Redon the loft was flying 508 miles and from
Penzance 301 miles. Both these top winning pigeons were Williamson
bloodlines and the Capper loft enjoyed huge success with them.
In 2000 the King's Cup birds were back at Redon for the OB National
and the King's Cup winner was the Kilkenny loft of Jeff Hogan with a
winning velocity of 1290ypm. Norman Black & Son, Dromara 2nd Open; Jim
Logan, Ballyclare 3rd Open and Malcolm Robinson, Bondhill 4th Open.
Capper Bros recorded another stunning National result winning 5th Open
with a dark chequer hen, another Williamson based pigeon. The 2002
season was another good year at the highest level with the highlight
being 2nd & 4th Open NIPA Talbenny YB Derby, the Classic winner being
the well known Willie Neill of Annaghmore. The winning pigeons were
both blue cocks.
In the Annaghmore area a pair of pigeons are very well known for the
high ammount of top pigeons they have produced and are known as the
Alan Capper stock pair. Who supplied them, none other than Mr Soontjen
Frank Sheader. The 4th Open Talbenny winner is down from the
Williamson pigeons and the 5th Open winner direct from the Capper
stock pair.
The 2003 season saw the loft continue in good form and top Open
positions were won in both INFC and NIPA. The NIPA flew the OB Derby
from Lamballe and Capper Bros recorded 3rd Section, 9th Open. Willie
Capper prepared a good team for the INFC Yearling National flown from
Sennen Cove and from an entry of 4,944 his first bird clocked won 15th
Open another blue cock from the Alan Capper Soontjen pair, winning
this National was Neil Montgomery of Portadown. The 2004 season was an
outstanding year and contained many highlights - 1st Club, 1st
Section, 1st Open NIPA Talbenny OB, the Open winner a blue hen,
another one direct from the Alan Capper pair. The loft then produced a
super result from the NIPA Lamballe OB National winning 7th & 9th
Section, 11th & 13th Open. The King's Cup of 2004 was flown from
Messac and Capper Bros won 29th Open.
It was in 2004 that Willie moved to his present address and new lofts
were erected. For a few years after this move the Capper loft went of
the radar and I wonder why. It is not the first time a fancier has
moved to newly built lofts and the birds have performed poorly. Willie
Capper is a fancier I have very high regard for and always thought he
would work through this difficult period and come out the other end a
stronger fancier. The first green shoots of a recovery came in 2008
when the Capper loft won 24th, 62nd & 131st Open INFC Sennen Cove YB
National with 334,378 & 317. Keep these numbers in mind as they will
become significant later on in this article.
Willie was a lot more confident at the start of the 2009 season and
hoped that the race team would perform at the same level as the period
1999-2004. The Yearling National from Sennen Cove saw an entry of
4,134 birds liberated at 8am into a light west wind. Capper Bros
clocked a blue hen 378 to win 1st North Section, 5th Open on 1226ypm
and collect £1,008 in pools and prize money. Willie then clocked a
second pigeon, this time a blue tip hen 334 to win 93rd Open and
another one to win 147th Open.
The Triple Crown Award is for any pigeon being an Open prize winner
from the YB National, Yearling National and finally the King's Cup.
378 was 62nd Open YB National 2008 and 5th Open Yearling National
2009. 334 24th Open YB National 2008 and 93rd Open Yearling National
2009. Willie has two smashing hens in his card and he has some
decision to make come King's Cup time.
One of the main races in the NIPA programme is the Penzance Classic
and victory for Capper Bros, 1st Club, 1st Section, 1st Open with a
super blue pied cock, I can tell you he is a cracker. Willie has used
some top pigeons to produce this pigeon, the Alan Capper pair, Willie
Neill's 2002 Derby winner in both sides of the pedigree. The big one
was next up Vannes King's Cup and another stunning result for the
loft, 2,619 pigeons were liberated at 6.15am in a light west wind. A
bit of history was made in this race as the first three home were all
yearlings - 1st Open and King's Cup to T & T Moorehouse, 2nd Open Glen
Buckley & son, 3rd Open Malcolm Robinson. Capper Bros clocked a lovely
blue cock to win 5th North Section, 7th Open on 1378ypm and this class
pigeon is bred in the purple being from two NIPA winners. The dam won
1st Open Talbenny for Willie and the sire 1st Open Talbenny YB Derby
for Willie Neill.
The Capper loft has enjoyed success from the YB Channel National and
in 2009 the race was flown from Penzance and in a very hard race
Capper Bros won 27th Open on 844ypm and 46th Open on 753ypm. The 27th
Open winner is another Williamson Busscahert and the 46th Open winner
a Jeff Greenaway cross that was bred by good friend George Larmour,
Cookstown.
The brilliant National season that Capper Bros enjoyed was reflected
at the National diner held in the Stormont Hotel when they collected
the Gilmour Cup - Best Average Vannes King's Cup and Sennen Cove
Yearling National plus the Diamond Cup - Best Average Vannes King's
Cup, Sennen Cove Yearling and Penzance YB Nationals. 2009 will be a
year to remember for the Capper family with a Classic victory and two
major trophies won at the highest level.
The Bondhill club was formed in 1974 with Malcolm Robinson the man to
get it started and Willie has been a member ever since. The Soontjens
and Williamson Busschaerts have been very successful and Willie has
had great success with pigeons from Willie Neill, Annaghmore, and a
cross from his good friend Robert Telford. It has been a pleasure to
record Capper Bros outstanding year and I would say the loft is well
and truly back to its best.
Tommy Brennan of Hillfoot received bad news from his hospital doctors.
For some time now he has experienced breathing difficulties and the
doctors have told him the pigeons must go. With fanciers now at the
mating season Tommy will have some excellent pigeons available and
also his ETS. Contact him at 90448315, mobile 07887587095.
The Mid Ulster area is awash with outstanding fanciers and one of the
best is Willie Capper of Bondhill racing as Capper Bros. The Capper
family are very well known in Annaghmore area and have had pigeons on
the farm for over 40 years. Willie and his four brothers were all
keenly interested in the pigeons but now he is the only one still
racing.
It was in 1999 that I first came into contact with the Capper family
after a super result from that year's Kings Cup. The race was flown
from Redon and has since become known as the Photo Finish King's Cup.
Let me explain, the winner of the King's Cup was Owen McGillivery &
Son of Balbriggan with a single bird entry. The King's Cup winner made
a velocity of 1475.1ypm. Second Open Ronnie Williamson, Bondhill on
1474.7ypm and 3rd Open Joe Adamson, Gilford making 1473.9ypm. Winning
4th Open on a velocity of 1472.5 ypm Capper Bros.
The YB Channel National in 1999 was flown from Penzance and winning
that National was the top National flyer Roy Clements, Harryville on a
velocity of 1213ypm. Would you believe it, winning 4th Open on 1188ypm
Capper Bros. From Redon the loft was flying 508 miles and from
Penzance 301 miles. Both these top winning pigeons were Williamson
bloodlines and the Capper loft enjoyed huge success with them.
In 2000 the King's Cup birds were back at Redon for the OB National
and the King's Cup winner was the Kilkenny loft of Jeff Hogan with a
winning velocity of 1290ypm. Norman Black & Son, Dromara 2nd Open; Jim
Logan, Ballyclare 3rd Open and Malcolm Robinson, Bondhill 4th Open.
Capper Bros recorded another stunning National result winning 5th Open
with a dark chequer hen, another Williamson based pigeon. The 2002
season was another good year at the highest level with the highlight
being 2nd & 4th Open NIPA Talbenny YB Derby, the Classic winner being
the well known Willie Neill of Annaghmore. The winning pigeons were
both blue cocks.
In the Annaghmore area a pair of pigeons are very well known for the
high ammount of top pigeons they have produced and are known as the
Alan Capper stock pair. Who supplied them, none other than Mr Soontjen
Frank Sheader. The 4th Open Talbenny winner is down from the
Williamson pigeons and the 5th Open winner direct from the Capper
stock pair.
The 2003 season saw the loft continue in good form and top Open
positions were won in both INFC and NIPA. The NIPA flew the OB Derby
from Lamballe and Capper Bros recorded 3rd Section, 9th Open. Willie
Capper prepared a good team for the INFC Yearling National flown from
Sennen Cove and from an entry of 4,944 his first bird clocked won 15th
Open another blue cock from the Alan Capper Soontjen pair, winning
this National was Neil Montgomery of Portadown. The 2004 season was an
outstanding year and contained many highlights - 1st Club, 1st
Section, 1st Open NIPA Talbenny OB, the Open winner a blue hen,
another one direct from the Alan Capper pair. The loft then produced a
super result from the NIPA Lamballe OB National winning 7th & 9th
Section, 11th & 13th Open. The King's Cup of 2004 was flown from
Messac and Capper Bros won 29th Open.
It was in 2004 that Willie moved to his present address and new lofts
were erected. For a few years after this move the Capper loft went of
the radar and I wonder why. It is not the first time a fancier has
moved to newly built lofts and the birds have performed poorly. Willie
Capper is a fancier I have very high regard for and always thought he
would work through this difficult period and come out the other end a
stronger fancier. The first green shoots of a recovery came in 2008
when the Capper loft won 24th, 62nd & 131st Open INFC Sennen Cove YB
National with 334,378 & 317. Keep these numbers in mind as they will
become significant later on in this article.
Willie was a lot more confident at the start of the 2009 season and
hoped that the race team would perform at the same level as the period
1999-2004. The Yearling National from Sennen Cove saw an entry of
4,134 birds liberated at 8am into a light west wind. Capper Bros
clocked a blue hen 378 to win 1st North Section, 5th Open on 1226ypm
and collect £1,008 in pools and prize money. Willie then clocked a
second pigeon, this time a blue tip hen 334 to win 93rd Open and
another one to win 147th Open.
The Triple Crown Award is for any pigeon being an Open prize winner
from the YB National, Yearling National and finally the King's Cup.
378 was 62nd Open YB National 2008 and 5th Open Yearling National
2009. 334 24th Open YB National 2008 and 93rd Open Yearling National
2009. Willie has two smashing hens in his card and he has some
decision to make come King's Cup time.
One of the main races in the NIPA programme is the Penzance Classic
and victory for Capper Bros, 1st Club, 1st Section, 1st Open with a
super blue pied cock, I can tell you he is a cracker. Willie has used
some top pigeons to produce this pigeon, the Alan Capper pair, Willie
Neill's 2002 Derby winner in both sides of the pedigree. The big one
was next up Vannes King's Cup and another stunning result for the
loft, 2,619 pigeons were liberated at 6.15am in a light west wind. A
bit of history was made in this race as the first three home were all
yearlings - 1st Open and King's Cup to T & T Moorehouse, 2nd Open Glen
Buckley & son, 3rd Open Malcolm Robinson. Capper Bros clocked a lovely
blue cock to win 5th North Section, 7th Open on 1378ypm and this class
pigeon is bred in the purple being from two NIPA winners. The dam won
1st Open Talbenny for Willie and the sire 1st Open Talbenny YB Derby
for Willie Neill.
The Capper loft has enjoyed success from the YB Channel National and
in 2009 the race was flown from Penzance and in a very hard race
Capper Bros won 27th Open on 844ypm and 46th Open on 753ypm. The 27th
Open winner is another Williamson Busscahert and the 46th Open winner
a Jeff Greenaway cross that was bred by good friend George Larmour,
Cookstown.
The brilliant National season that Capper Bros enjoyed was reflected
at the National diner held in the Stormont Hotel when they collected
the Gilmour Cup - Best Average Vannes King's Cup and Sennen Cove
Yearling National plus the Diamond Cup - Best Average Vannes King's
Cup, Sennen Cove Yearling and Penzance YB Nationals. 2009 will be a
year to remember for the Capper family with a Classic victory and two
major trophies won at the highest level.
The Bondhill club was formed in 1974 with Malcolm Robinson the man to
get it started and Willie has been a member ever since. The Soontjens
and Williamson Busschaerts have been very successful and Willie has
had great success with pigeons from Willie Neill, Annaghmore, and a
cross from his good friend Robert Telford. It has been a pleasure to
record Capper Bros outstanding year and I would say the loft is well
and truly back to its best.
Tommy Brennan of Hillfoot received bad news from his hospital doctors.
For some time now he has experienced breathing difficulties and the
doctors have told him the pigeons must go. With fanciers now at the
mating season Tommy will have some excellent pigeons available and
also his ETS. Contact him at 90448315, mobile 07887587095.