Geoffrey Douglas Loft Feature - R Johnston
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 1:14 pm
The Geoffrey Douglas Story
On my last visit to the Coolmore Stud in Tipperary I was thrilled to be shown Sadlers Wells by stallion manager Tim Corballis. Tim was telling me that Sadlers Wells had been Champion Sire for some 14 years and had sired more Group 1 winners than any other stallion including Derby winners High Chaparral and Galileo plus Yeats winner of the Gold Cup four times. All these champions were trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O'Brien and Sadlers Wells has kept this stable at the top for many years. It can be much the same in the pigeon world and we are all familiar with the saying The Golden Couple a pair of pigeons that continue to breed 1st prize winners.
The brilliant Lurgan loft of Geoffrey Douglas has such a pair and to date, they have been responsible for some 57x1st prize winners through the family. This outstanding pair of pigeons came from Peter Fox of Syndicate Lofts to strengthen the Douglas team since 2002. Geoffrey is always in contact with his good friend George Lawrence of the Wirral who, at 82 years of age, has a wealth of experience.
The last three years, 2007, 2008 & 2009, have been very successful for the loft winning 19x1st Clubs in 2007 plus 16x2nd Clubs; 2008 it was 12x1st Clubs, 20x2nd Clubs; but I would say 2009 was a season to remember.
Let me give you some background to this fancier, you may be surprised to learn that he had no pigeon background at all. It was in 1972 that a start was made with five gift birds from Stanley Calvert, who at that time had some of the best long distance pigeons in Ireland. Geoffrey received a lot of sound advise and encouragement from a very good friend Tommy Matthews. Always on the look out for a good pigeon, he purchased a Delbar cock from Carey Bros, Moira, who had just won the INFC National from Skibbereen and a Cattrysse hen from the famous McCracken Bros, Bandbridge. This pair went on to breed a lot of good pigeons, the star being a blue hen that won 56th Open NIPA OB Derby in 1976. 1980 was a remarkable year as this young fancier was to win the greatest race of them all, the Kings Cup. Geoffrey sent three birds to Les Sables and was hopeful that they would do well, little did he know what was to be the outcome of the race.
The birds were held over for one day and liberated on Saturday morning with none recorded on the day of liberation. Geoffrey was out at the loft from 5am and watched until 5.45am before going in for a cup of tea. On his return to the loft at 5.55am a blue chequer yearling cock was waiting to get in Named Jacks Dream he won the King George V Challenge Cup, velocity 954 ypm at 583 miles. Jacks Dream showed from an early age that he was something special, flying to Skibbereen as a YB. In 1980 he flew Haverfordwest and Penzance twice flying close on 2,000 miles in his National winning year. He was 10th Club from the Penzance Yearling National 12 hours on the wing and then two weeks later 7th Club, 29th Open New North FC. Jacks Dream was not mated until the beginning of June and was sent to the Kings Cup feeding a four day old young bird. Geoffrey has continued to race well and he is a very keen fancier visiting many top lofts and reading plenty to expand his knowledge.
I am going to concentrate on his 2009 season that may well be his best ever year. Before doing this, lets have some highlights from 2007 and 2008. 2007 - INFC Skibbereen OB National 5th North Section, 27th Open 3,600 birds; INFC Sennen cove Yearling National 54th North Section, 91st Open 3,297 birds; NIPA Mallow 5-Bird 1st Section E, 7th Open 2,272 birds; NIPA Lamballe OB National 5th & 20th Section E, 24th & 89th Open 1,518 birds; INFC Friendship National Portsmouth 10th, 12th, 13th & 82nd Open 1,443 birds; NIPA Rosscarbey YB National 4th & 5th Section E, 55th & 58th Open 4,143 birds; INFC Skibbereen YB National 13th North Section, 13th Open 4,011 birds. 2008 - NIPA Rosscarbery OB National 5th Section E, 22nd Open 6,900 birds; NIPA Bude 1st Club, 8th Section E, 15th Open 8,634 birds; NIPA Sennen Cove Classic 2nd Club, 14th Section E, 34th Open 3,216 birds; NIPA St Malo OB National 2nd Club, 2oth Section E, 103rd Open 1,668 birds; INFC Sennen Cove YB National 1st Club, 56th North Section, 69th Open 1,856 birds; INFC Skibbereen YB National 1st, 2nd & 3rd Club, 32nd, 38th & 49th Open 3,489 birds.
The 2009 season started well for the Douglas loft, winning 1st & 2nd Club Clonmel then 1st Club Fermoy. The opening major race was the NIPA Rosscarbery OB National winning 3rd Club, 21st Section E, 143rd Open 7,602 birds. The INFC Skibbereen OB Inland National saw Geoffrey win 1st Club, 16th North Section, 22nd Open 3,755 birds competed. NIPA Penzance Classic 2nd Club, 24th Section E, 49th Open 3,491 birds. then followed a brilliant result from the NIPA St Malo OB National, 1st Club, 10th Section E, 18th Open 1,904 birds. The following week it was to get better with a super performance, 1st Club, 18th Open INFC Vannes Kings Cup 2,619 birds.
One of the most competitive races of the year is always the INFC Yearling National, flown from Sennen Cove with 4,134 birds competing and the Douglas loft winning 1st Club, 28th North Section, 56th Open.
The 2009 season saw four YB Nationals flown and Geoffrey Douglas can be a very proud fancier as his YBs scored in each one, two on the land and two from across the Channel. Let's start with the NIPA Talbenny YB National, 1st Club, 12th Section E, 40th Open 4,183 birds. Rosscarbery YB National again with the NIPA and a result that was on the cards, 1st Club, 1st Section E, 1st Open 4,399 birds competed. One of the hardest races for a YB is the INFC Penzance National. Once again the Douglas loft performed at the highest level winning 1st Club, 14th North Section, 15th Open 2,120 birds. The final race of a long season is the INFC Skibbereen YB National and like a good wine, the best is kept to the last, 1st club, 29th, 38th, 58th 87th, 161st, 174th & 193rd - seven birds in the first 200 from 3,118 birds competed. The Yb team scored from several specialist races winning 2nd Open Corcreeney Breeder/Buyer plus £500, 2nd Open Glengormley Breeder/Buyer winning £800.
In 2009 members of the INFC competed for a new award, the Duddy Trophy - Best Average Yearling National and Penzance YB National, a three bird limit for each race. The first winner Geoffrey Douglas, Wilton Cross, collecting the trophy plus £1,000 prize money. Flying with the INFC, Geoffrey also won the President's Trophy, one of the most coveted trophies within the National Club, awarded for the Best Average Yearling National, Skibbereen OB National, Skibbereen YB National, Penzance YB National and the Kings Cup. the douglas loft has won no less than five RPRA Meritorious Awards Section E, 1975, 1994, 1996, 1997 & 2009.
A great season by a class fancier and I am in the process of completing a further article on his methods that will make interesting reading. Irish Rover.
Geoffrey Douglas from Wilton Cross was the first winner of the
Robin Duddy Trophy presented at the INFC Annual dinner and prize
distribution by INFC President Ken McConaghie.
On my last visit to the Coolmore Stud in Tipperary I was thrilled to be shown Sadlers Wells by stallion manager Tim Corballis. Tim was telling me that Sadlers Wells had been Champion Sire for some 14 years and had sired more Group 1 winners than any other stallion including Derby winners High Chaparral and Galileo plus Yeats winner of the Gold Cup four times. All these champions were trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O'Brien and Sadlers Wells has kept this stable at the top for many years. It can be much the same in the pigeon world and we are all familiar with the saying The Golden Couple a pair of pigeons that continue to breed 1st prize winners.
The brilliant Lurgan loft of Geoffrey Douglas has such a pair and to date, they have been responsible for some 57x1st prize winners through the family. This outstanding pair of pigeons came from Peter Fox of Syndicate Lofts to strengthen the Douglas team since 2002. Geoffrey is always in contact with his good friend George Lawrence of the Wirral who, at 82 years of age, has a wealth of experience.
The last three years, 2007, 2008 & 2009, have been very successful for the loft winning 19x1st Clubs in 2007 plus 16x2nd Clubs; 2008 it was 12x1st Clubs, 20x2nd Clubs; but I would say 2009 was a season to remember.
Let me give you some background to this fancier, you may be surprised to learn that he had no pigeon background at all. It was in 1972 that a start was made with five gift birds from Stanley Calvert, who at that time had some of the best long distance pigeons in Ireland. Geoffrey received a lot of sound advise and encouragement from a very good friend Tommy Matthews. Always on the look out for a good pigeon, he purchased a Delbar cock from Carey Bros, Moira, who had just won the INFC National from Skibbereen and a Cattrysse hen from the famous McCracken Bros, Bandbridge. This pair went on to breed a lot of good pigeons, the star being a blue hen that won 56th Open NIPA OB Derby in 1976. 1980 was a remarkable year as this young fancier was to win the greatest race of them all, the Kings Cup. Geoffrey sent three birds to Les Sables and was hopeful that they would do well, little did he know what was to be the outcome of the race.
The birds were held over for one day and liberated on Saturday morning with none recorded on the day of liberation. Geoffrey was out at the loft from 5am and watched until 5.45am before going in for a cup of tea. On his return to the loft at 5.55am a blue chequer yearling cock was waiting to get in Named Jacks Dream he won the King George V Challenge Cup, velocity 954 ypm at 583 miles. Jacks Dream showed from an early age that he was something special, flying to Skibbereen as a YB. In 1980 he flew Haverfordwest and Penzance twice flying close on 2,000 miles in his National winning year. He was 10th Club from the Penzance Yearling National 12 hours on the wing and then two weeks later 7th Club, 29th Open New North FC. Jacks Dream was not mated until the beginning of June and was sent to the Kings Cup feeding a four day old young bird. Geoffrey has continued to race well and he is a very keen fancier visiting many top lofts and reading plenty to expand his knowledge.
I am going to concentrate on his 2009 season that may well be his best ever year. Before doing this, lets have some highlights from 2007 and 2008. 2007 - INFC Skibbereen OB National 5th North Section, 27th Open 3,600 birds; INFC Sennen cove Yearling National 54th North Section, 91st Open 3,297 birds; NIPA Mallow 5-Bird 1st Section E, 7th Open 2,272 birds; NIPA Lamballe OB National 5th & 20th Section E, 24th & 89th Open 1,518 birds; INFC Friendship National Portsmouth 10th, 12th, 13th & 82nd Open 1,443 birds; NIPA Rosscarbey YB National 4th & 5th Section E, 55th & 58th Open 4,143 birds; INFC Skibbereen YB National 13th North Section, 13th Open 4,011 birds. 2008 - NIPA Rosscarbery OB National 5th Section E, 22nd Open 6,900 birds; NIPA Bude 1st Club, 8th Section E, 15th Open 8,634 birds; NIPA Sennen Cove Classic 2nd Club, 14th Section E, 34th Open 3,216 birds; NIPA St Malo OB National 2nd Club, 2oth Section E, 103rd Open 1,668 birds; INFC Sennen Cove YB National 1st Club, 56th North Section, 69th Open 1,856 birds; INFC Skibbereen YB National 1st, 2nd & 3rd Club, 32nd, 38th & 49th Open 3,489 birds.
The 2009 season started well for the Douglas loft, winning 1st & 2nd Club Clonmel then 1st Club Fermoy. The opening major race was the NIPA Rosscarbery OB National winning 3rd Club, 21st Section E, 143rd Open 7,602 birds. The INFC Skibbereen OB Inland National saw Geoffrey win 1st Club, 16th North Section, 22nd Open 3,755 birds competed. NIPA Penzance Classic 2nd Club, 24th Section E, 49th Open 3,491 birds. then followed a brilliant result from the NIPA St Malo OB National, 1st Club, 10th Section E, 18th Open 1,904 birds. The following week it was to get better with a super performance, 1st Club, 18th Open INFC Vannes Kings Cup 2,619 birds.
One of the most competitive races of the year is always the INFC Yearling National, flown from Sennen Cove with 4,134 birds competing and the Douglas loft winning 1st Club, 28th North Section, 56th Open.
The 2009 season saw four YB Nationals flown and Geoffrey Douglas can be a very proud fancier as his YBs scored in each one, two on the land and two from across the Channel. Let's start with the NIPA Talbenny YB National, 1st Club, 12th Section E, 40th Open 4,183 birds. Rosscarbery YB National again with the NIPA and a result that was on the cards, 1st Club, 1st Section E, 1st Open 4,399 birds competed. One of the hardest races for a YB is the INFC Penzance National. Once again the Douglas loft performed at the highest level winning 1st Club, 14th North Section, 15th Open 2,120 birds. The final race of a long season is the INFC Skibbereen YB National and like a good wine, the best is kept to the last, 1st club, 29th, 38th, 58th 87th, 161st, 174th & 193rd - seven birds in the first 200 from 3,118 birds competed. The Yb team scored from several specialist races winning 2nd Open Corcreeney Breeder/Buyer plus £500, 2nd Open Glengormley Breeder/Buyer winning £800.
In 2009 members of the INFC competed for a new award, the Duddy Trophy - Best Average Yearling National and Penzance YB National, a three bird limit for each race. The first winner Geoffrey Douglas, Wilton Cross, collecting the trophy plus £1,000 prize money. Flying with the INFC, Geoffrey also won the President's Trophy, one of the most coveted trophies within the National Club, awarded for the Best Average Yearling National, Skibbereen OB National, Skibbereen YB National, Penzance YB National and the Kings Cup. the douglas loft has won no less than five RPRA Meritorious Awards Section E, 1975, 1994, 1996, 1997 & 2009.
A great season by a class fancier and I am in the process of completing a further article on his methods that will make interesting reading. Irish Rover.
Geoffrey Douglas from Wilton Cross was the first winner of the
Robin Duddy Trophy presented at the INFC Annual dinner and prize
distribution by INFC President Ken McConaghie.