MNFC Bordeaux Falls to the Daykin’s Touch of ‘Black Magic’ I wonder if readers have noticed that regardless of how the weather has been up to the final race of the old bird season that our longest race nearly always is flown with a ‘nose wind’ and hot weather. This was the case once again though the wind in England did turn from North Westerly to West South Westerly. Ian French the man in charge in Bordeaux cut the strings and got the 1,559 pigeons away at 6.30am in no wind conditions which soon warmed up and the breeze strengthened to a Northerly direction. At the home end it was very clear that the conditions would dictate that not too many birds would reach home on the day of toss which proved to be correct with just an intrepid 9 birds reaching home on day one. After a couple of changes to indicate the likely winner of the race which must be excruciating for the people concerned who I’m sure got very little sleep with wondering if they would be knocked off top place the leading bird belonged to Gary Daykin of Nottingham who timed his favourite two year old hen in at 8.56pm to record a speed of 1135. The bird was very well fancied and has won her owner in excess of £1700. When I enquired to her breeding Gary explained that she is the result of a Kipp & Son hen that is also the mother of ‘black Magic’ Gary’s multi National performer when paired to a cock purchased from Dutch man Martin Vinkenburg who is well known for his long distance exploits in his home land. Quietly the Daykin loft has been acquiring long distance lines to achieve his ambition to win from the MNFC’s longest ‘Blue Ribbon’ race. So the man that they call ‘The Magician’ has cast another winning spell on the race. Gary had promised his good lady Pat that when he won the MNFC’s ‘Blue Ribbon’ race he would take a break from active Gary Daykin with two of his grandchildren Hannah and Alex and his Bordeaux National winner 'Amazing Grace'
Transcript
MNFC Bordeaux Falls to the Daykin’s Touch of
‘Black Magic’
I wonder if readers have noticed that regardless of how the weather has been up
to the final race of the old bird season that our longest race nearly always is
flown with a ‘nose wind’ and hot weather. This was the case once again though
the wind in England did turn from North Westerly to West South Westerly.
Ian French the man in charge in Bordeaux cut the strings and got the 1,559
pigeons away at 6.30am in no wind conditions which soon warmed up and the
breeze strengthened to a Northerly direction.
At the home end it was very clear that the conditions would dictate that not too
many birds would reach home on the day of toss which proved to be correct
with just an intrepid 9 birds reaching home on day one.
After a couple of changes to
indicate the likely winner of the
race which must be excruciating
for the people concerned who I’m
sure got very little sleep with
wondering if they would be
knocked off top place the leading
bird belonged to Gary Daykin of
Nottingham who timed his
favourite two year old hen in at
8.56pm to record a speed of 1135.
The bird was very well fancied
and has won her owner in excess
of £1700. When I enquired to her
breeding Gary explained that she
is the result of a Kipp & Son hen
that is also the mother of ‘black
Magic’ Gary’s multi National
performer when paired to a cock
purchased from Dutch man
Martin Vinkenburg who is well
known for his long distance
exploits in his home land. Quietly the Daykin loft has been acquiring long
distance lines to achieve his ambition to win from the MNFC’s longest ‘Blue
Ribbon’ race. So the man that they call ‘The Magician’ has cast another
winning spell on the race. Gary had promised his good lady Pat that when he
won the MNFC’s ‘Blue Ribbon’ race he would take a break from active
Gary Daykin with two of his grandchildren Hannah and Alex and his Bordeaux National winner
'Amazing Grace'
Lee Smith the 2nd Open winner with his grandson
Rhys
3rd Open winner Don Salt with his super hen 'Anndon Gold' . Look he's smiling Phil!
participation in the sport, so with this in mind it will be very interesting to see if
he keeps his word!
2nd
Open was taken by the
South East section winner in
the form of Lee Smith of Little
Harrowden whose 3 year old
Blue Hen clocks up a velocity
of 1111. I can honestly say that
my heart goes out to the man
and he must feel though 2nd
Open is a fine result just like
the guy who lost a ‘quid and
found 10p’. The error was
made when the verification
lines were checked just after
the race closed on the first
night and the race winner who
has a past history of timing in late first day birds from the race point and so he
waited until after the closure time which was well within the 60 minute ruling
before verifying his pigeon honestly not knowing who was on top of the Club’s
Leaderboard as he says “ it’s no good looking until you have one to look at”. To
my mind all of this leads me to think that our present verification rule and the
Leaderboard need serious updating. In Belgium for instance the time is within
10 minutes after an arrival. Anyway back to Lee who is an excellent flyer who
has many fine performances in the National organisations to his name and I say
well done sir on yet another fine performance.
3rd
Open and 1st North West
section is taken by a grand chap
with a wonderful racing pigeon
in the form of Alton’s Don Salt
and his 4 year old Pied hen who
recorded a velocity of 1105 after
being clocked at 9.23pm just as
the light was rapidly fading. This
hen was well expected after all
she had already clocked up a 1st
and 4th section from this
Marathon racepoint. For her
latest heroics she has won her
boss over 800 ‘Bunters’ and is the winner of the 2 Bird Nominated race.
‘Anndon Gold’ as she is known because her first section win was the same
week when Don and his wife Ann celebrated their Golden Wedding
Steve Palin the 4th Open winner in full bloom
Anniversary is a crossing of Jos Thone blood via a grizzle Cock with 5 x 1st
prizes off fellow clubmate Mick Brindley and a ‘pure’ Don Salt hen which has
previously won good positions including 4th section from the MNFC’s longest
race. She in turn is from a super cock which has 1st section and 4
th Open from
San Sebastian on his CV. With this in mind is it any wonder that Mr Salt has
earned the title of ‘Channel King’?
4th Open and 1
st South West section is
taken by a loft that rarely fails to ‘bring
home the bacon’ over recent times in
the form of Steve Palin of Bishops
Cleeve who clocked yet another hen.
This hen is 3 year old bird having her
first race from Bordeaux. She has now
been named ‘Jeannie’ in memory of
Steve’s late mother. I’m told that this is
her third race of the season with the
Mid Nat and she has performed with
good consistency. Her sire is a
Geerinckx x Vandenbeele bird that has
6 x1st club placings and 2 x 1st Fed
wins with birdages up to 2537 birds.
Her dam is another performance pigeon
with 3 x1st prizes to her name as a young bird and was then put to stock
because she was a granddaughter of ‘Trojan’ a winner of 8 x1st prizes and 4 fed
wins with the Severn Valley fed. The basis of this line of pigeons is Frank Aerts
which have performed well for Steve.
5th Open and 1
st South centre section is
won by finally a cock bird which breaks
up the dominance of the fairer sex on
1057. The owner is John Murphy of
Willoughby who clocked a Norman
Southwell based 4 year old which
highlighted the breeds long distance
capabilities after winning 17th Open in
2015. I can see this bird doing what Don
Salt’s hen has already done next season
by winning a ‘Diploma of Merit’ Award
for being 3 times in the first 100
placings. I will watch with interest John.
John Murphy with his 5th Open winner
Boulton & Harvey's grand hen that won 7th Open
Another South Centre section bird fills
6th Open for G Barrett of Shipston on
Stour who clocked his 3 year old hen
that was clearly bred for the job as she
had already won 1st Club and 2
nd
Coventry Fed from Niort when there
were only 3 day pigeons. She is bred
from a hen that won from Bergerac for
brother Gerald and a cock bought at
the Nigel Rigani clearance sale. The
hen was prepared on the roundabout
system but she coupled to another hen and the night before basketing a baby
was popped under her. Yes the classic motivation for a hen to get 100% effort
from them. Mr Barrett wishes to thank the lads who help out at his clock and
marking station also his silent partner Geoff Sheppard and his wife Sally for not
getting on to him to get the utility room completed. Finally thanks to Emily who
released the hens out every evening when she arrives back from school and with
this in mind he has named the hen ‘Little Me Me’ after her.
7th Open on 1038 is a 2 year old
Vandenabeele x Koopman hen belonging to
Boulton & Harvey. As a yearling this ‘little
trooper’ showed her class by winning two
races including one from Carentan as a
young bird. As a yearling she won 6th
section and 16th
Open from Bordeaux with
the MNFC and so was sent back this time
well fancied and she didn’t let her owners
down who told me “As the time was nearing
14 hour our hopes started to dwindle of
getting a day bird. Then over the roof she
came and we can’t put that feeling into
words!!”. All pigeon men will understand what you are saying there lads.
Graham Barrett who won 6th Open
Long distance enthusiast Paul Dewsnap 9th Open
Right up behind in 8th Open is Gavin Duggan
who timed his 2 year old chequer cock on
1035 some 2 ½ yards behind the 7th placed
bird. The bird was acquired from McCartan
& Woodside who are successful flyers in the
East Down Combine. The bird is flown on
the Campden roundabout system and was
competing in his third channel race of the
year and Gavin is delighted that he got him
on the day along with three other Evesham
DFC members providing ample proof of the
calibre of birds in the Evesham club as
highlighted by John Fretwell who clocked a
yearling cock in a son of ‘Caesar’ who was
purchased at the Patrick Brothers clearance
sale in 2013. He is a son of ‘Ettabak’’ and a
daughter of ‘Chretian & Porcha’ the lines of
H & R Wijnards and Wim Muller. The dam
of John’s latest performer is a hen off Nick
Adshead and she is a half-sister to his great
hen ‘Milly’. John who it should be remembered took 1st & 2
nd last year from
Bordeaux says this bird has flown very consistently this year and has competed
in every MNFC this year.
9th Open and 2
nd NW section is Paul
Dewsnap a fancier who concentrates
on the longer races. This is
highlighted in the breeding of his
2014 Pied hen with the sire being a
bird from Padfield Brothers crossed
with a Matt Rakes bred hen being a
granddaughter of ‘Indy’ his 1st Open
Tarbes National winner. The bird
clocked a velocity of 1021 and
knowing Paul she will have already
have been earmarked for a crack at
Tarbes in 2017.
10th Open and winning the North section is Nigel Laycock and his hen that he
timed will now win the prestigious MNFC ‘Diploma of Merit’ for the following
performances from the ‘Blue ribbon’ race point. This fine 2011 Blue hen in
2013 won MNFC 1st section and 3
rd Open Ace Pigeon after winning 3
rd section
46th Open 1,351 birds and then followed up with 2
nd section 37
th Open against
Gavin Duggan with his 8th Open winner
Nigel Laycocks fine Bordeaux hen which will now claim her Diploma of Merit
Nigel Shaw with his 3rd NW section winner
1,486 birds and now 1st section and
10th Open. Without a doubt she is a
pigeon to cherish. If my memory is
correct she is through stock off
Gary’s mate Paul Stobbs going back
to Carlisle’s Tom Gilbertson & Son
loft. In 2nd
North section and finishing
just behind the Laycock bird is a Dark
cock belonging to Nick Adshead on
1015. This loft has been making quite
a name for itself over the last few
years as is proven once again in this
latest result. G Inger and son Neil
who are once again well to the fore
and take 2nd
North East section with a 2014 Blue cock that records 998 and
judging by the pools on him was fully expected. This performance rounds up a
superb season for the loft very well done.
Another bird that was sent with confidence was
the chequer w/f cock that was flown on
widowhood system and this confidence was well
and truly rewarded with a cheque for close on a
£1000 that will be dropping on the doorstep of
Mr & Mrs Nigel Shaw for clinching 3rd
North
West section. Nigel informs me that the bird
was bred by his pal Terry Williams who bought
the parents a few years ago from a Battenburg
sale. The bird won 18th Open a week or two
before from Ancenis in the NFC. This will be
both Nigel and his bird’s last race because the
2014 bred cock is going into the breeding loft as
the Shaws will soon be moving house. I hope
that it proves to be a good move for both
parties!
In 4th section we see the team that sound like a
dodgy solicitors these being McGraw Clegg &
Preece. The lads in fact clocked a few very decent
birds the first one being a hen bred off a cock from
Buxton’s Mantle Bros x a hen off the lads good
friend Bill Williams of Walsall who has I know
been supplying them with good birds for years.
In the East section Ian Cameron had an excellent
race taking 1st 2
nd and 6
th places. The first bird is a
2013 bred Blue hen being bred from a Camphuis
based cock off MacAloney stock which himself
had previously scored from Saintes. The dam is a
Premier Stud bred Hardy Kruger bird. Ian’s hen
had never before knighted out often dropping
after up to 15 hours on the wing. The second
arrival which came just 8 minutes later on 966.
This one a 2 year old Mealy hen is a crossing of a
German introduction crossed with a Van de
Merwe from the ‘Dazzler’ himself Darren Peters.
Your IT skills might not be too hot Ian but your
pigeon skills more than make up for it mate.
S & M Cook of Barton on Humber are at it
once again from the MNFC’s longest race with
a 2 year old Blue hen that recorded 950 doing
the job on this occasion. The Louth loft of Mr
& Mrs Wagstaff saw home a 2014 chequer
cock take 4th section on 938.
Two fine Longton lads Keiran & Ricky with their first three timers from Bordeaux - people shouldn't be allowed out in public with shorts like those Kee!
Ian Cameron 1st & 2nd in the East section
S & M Cook 3rd East section this year
Tidying up now around the sections first up is
the North East section where we see another
good team in Turner & Pallatt take 3rd
section
with a yearling Blue hen of Van Lint
breeding. She has flown all season on the
‘jealousy system’ and is now named ‘Charity’
after Richard came back from having his hen
printed off and put his pocket clock into the
base and went to watch a charity football
match and on his return was delighted to see
the clock had timed 3 more arrivals but
horrified to see that they had come up as
trainers! So don’t forget in future folks print
off ‘race in progress’ to continue to clock
more pigeons. In 4th slot is another G &S
Daykin & Son pigeon this time a 3 year old
Blue cock recording 961. In the next slot in
the NE we see Barry Baker who timed a 2014
cock being bred from House of Aarden stock.
The parents being full brother and sister and
are grandchildren of Champion Vlekje. Barry
tells me that he started up only three years ago and got the Jan Aarden lines to
race from the longer distances
along with youngsters off his old
friend John Norris a past Kings
Cup winner. The bird was sent
racing back to a 10 day old baby
and fed on Versele laga Energy
Plus. Barry also said that he found
the MNFC’s Training a great help
to get the birds down to the coast
in preparation for the channel
races as he is a ‘one man band’
and from the three trainers had
100% returns each time.
Richard Turner of Turner & Pallatt with their 3rd NE section
winner
Barry Baker up there with the leaders in the NE section
On to the South East section and in 2nd
section we see Smith & Wilson of
Whittlesey. I got a nice email off Badger Wilson’s wife Mandy as her husband
had a stroke five years ago and though Badger exercises the birds and feeds
them all of the other work is carried out by his ‘better half’. The bird that scored
on this occasion is a 2014 Blue cock that was their first timer from both Ancenis
and Portsmouth and so he was the favourite this time and he didn’t let them
down recording 924. Mandy made me laugh out loud when she wrote “I can’t
tell you how he was bred because I just pop them in a box and hope for the best!
Wait for the eggs and put a ring on the babies”. Perhaps we would all do better
is we followed your example madam. In 3rd
5th and 6
th section we see a man
who enjoyed a fine race in the form of Pete Chamberlain who clocked a 3 year
old chequer hen who was bred from two birds off his good friend the ex- BHW
Editor one Cameron Stansfield Esquire with Graham Baker’s ‘Meritman’
running through their lines. Sandwiched in between we see Farrington Brothers
of Denton on 895 with a 6 year old pied cock just 4 yards behind the 3rd
placed
bird.
Badger Wilson 2nd section in the SE
Pete Chamberlain had a great race with 3rd 5th and 6th SE section
Up to the East North East section
we see Alan Sarel who I am told is
along with his wife Flo a reformed
sprint flyer who now concentrates on
the longest races and chooses to train
his own birds privately. The section
winner is a 4 year old Van Bruane x
van Loon widower cock who was
sent to the MNFC’s Mayenne race
which were brought back to
Portsmouth and so Bordeaux was his
only cross channel race. This
obviously didn’t put him off and he
recorded 848. In 2nd
spot we see
Bridlington’s Mr & Mrs Sellars who
clocked their 4 year old Dark hen on
788. Mr & Mrs D P Gray of Owstwick clocked a 2014 bred Blue cock on 653
takes 3rd
place for the 613 miles flight. 4th section place is taken by T Meek of
Out Newton with a 3 year old hen getting on to result.
Finalising the Eastern side of the Club we see the
East South East section is won by the Kings
Lynn loft of Perry Brothers who are well known
in the South East of England for their exploits
from the longest races. Their winner is a 2013 Red
Cock on 909. 2nd
section goes to Willy Beckett
who is a regular prize winner in the ESE section.
Willy’s bird is a Mealy cock of Staf van Reet
breeding which I’m told has been the loft’s first
arrival from Bordeaux for the last three years.
That takes some doing doesn’t it? Downham
Market is the location of the 3rd
section winner to
Simon Emmerson & Son. A 2012 bred dark cock
doing the business for the partners. Then it’s back
to Kings Lynn once again for the 4th
placed bird
belonging to H G Cook son & Grandson which is
yet another cock bird so it is obvious that the hen
invasion hasn’t hit the Norfolk area yet.
Alan Sarel the ENE section winner
The Beckett clan celebrate 2nd ESE section
3rd
section in the North is filled by Steven Field of Purston whose 5 year old
Chequer hen clocks up a velocity of 860. While 4th place goes to John
Scratchard’s dark 2013 cock which records 761 and will win his owner a few
bob in pool money too.
Slightly further west now and a team that had
a good race in the North centre section is
that of Spavin & Highley who took 1st and 3
rd
section places first of all with a cock bred
from a van Wanroy cock loaned to the
partners by Tommy Boland and a Jan Polder
hen. The bird has been a consistent performer
never first to the loft but never the last either.
This is the norm I find with good long
distance performers. The bird had been
repaired after flying on the roundabout earlier
in the year and was sent racing to a 9 day old
baby that I’m told he was really keen on.
Their second bird was sent in exactly the
same race condition and this 2 year old has
won a few minor prizes previously and is a Jan Polder x a Wilson Deken hen.
John has a saying “that if you pair slow pigeons together you will breed really
slow pigeons”. That may be true but from 600 miles is there such a thing? The
lads were full of praise to the MNFC and sent their congratulations to all who
timed an arrival on what was once again a tough race. The Mr & Mrs Brian
Fisher team are once again up there taking 2nd
section this time with their 5 year
old Blue cock keeping the flag flying to record 742 and win a nice cheque of
nearly £250 for his efforts. Yet another Todmorden fancier in the guise of Lee
Brennan takes 4th section with a 2 year old cock bred by Rochdale’s G & G
Buckley with the bird coming from their van Elsacker family.
Spavin & Highley 1st and 3rd in the NC section
Mr & Mrs Fisher & Son 2nd NC section this time
Lee Brennan with his 4th NC section winner
Mike Locke on 'cloud 9' after a wonderful weekend here with his 2nd west section winner
The South Centre section and in the 3rd
slot we see a man who is used to
performing from the long races and that man is Lol Turner of Coventry who
timed a 2012 Blue hen that is the sections 2 Bird Nom race winner on 912 while
the 4th position is filled by L & J Haywood of Dordon who clocked a 3 year old
hen on 848.
Out to the West section we see
Kirkby fanciers Nairn & Brown
grab the glory with a 2014 bred
hen flying 602 miles for a speed
of 896 with guess what? A bird
bred out of Mike Locke
bloodlines who finished in the
2nd
section place and he is the
same gentleman who enjoyed a
dream weekend and is the same
Mike Locke who as well as his
great result from Bordeaux won
the NFC Tarbes race the very
same day. Mike’s bird is a 2
year old Latebred hen that was trained using the John Clement’s training
programme. As a yearling she had 2 channel races winning a 2nd
prize in one of
them show her potential. Now named ‘Lady Rose’ she is full of Albert Bennett
National winning van Bruane blood of his Tarbes winning ‘Champion Hermes’
lines and also Van Bruane lines from Bob Mayo. ‘Lady Rose’ is in fact a full
sister to his National winner ‘Phoenix’. There mum is a superb racer breeder
that has a 1st & 2
nd place in the Beeston castle 2B Specialist Club from Messac
and Carentan respectively and 6th
section L from Tarbes in 2015. Grandsire of
these two winning hens is ‘Bordeaux Wiggins’ which won 1st west section and
7th Open from Bordeaux. 3
rd section is taken by J Richards & Sons of
Whitchurch who welcomed home a yearling Red
cock on 840.
4th section is filled by Bauress & Murray who
regularly pop up when Bordeaux comes along.
This is highlighted by the fact that their 2014 bred
timer is directly from their cock that won 2nd
4th
and 6th section from Bordeaux as the loft’s single
entry over these years while his mother is a hen off
Andrew McFenton of Swansea and she is also the
mother of the partners 2nd
section winner last year.
Highlighting yet again that like breeds like.
Bauress & Murray 4th West section
Plenty to smile about the Noblett family 2nd and 3rd NNW section
Moving in a Northerly direction now up to the North North West section and
the section topper is Joe Livesey of Bamber Bridge who clocked his winning
bird a 2 year old Dark cock that is
bred from gift birds off Dave Impett
of Blackpool who Joe says has been
a good mate for many years. The
bird achieved a velocity of 858. 2nd
and 3rd
section places are filled by
the Lostock hall flyers J L Noblett &
Son whose first timer was a 3 year
old Blue cock bred by Maskame &
Mackie being a son of their ‘Double
Delight’ which won 1st section 11
th
Open SNFC Tours 708 miles when
she was coupled to a cock from d &
D McFadden containing the blood of Eric Cannon and R Hammond. The dam
of the 2nd
section winner is a Bruggeman Brothers hen gifted to the partners by
Dave Impett. Joe Livesey said that Dave is a nice man I would go as far as
saying that he is in fact a very very nice man!. This cock previously took 392nd
Open in the NFC from Saintes. The 3rd
section winner is a Dark hen her sire
being off Joe Livesey of Eric Fox x Brian Denney lines. While her mother is a
Roosen of Jelle Jellema and Saya Bros blood. 4th section is taken by ODJ
Harrison & Son with a blue Pied hen being of the old Barker x Busschaert
family lines. This hen won 9th Fed from Niort as a yearling. Also well up there
in the NNW is a 6 year old Dark cock
belonging to Alan Raby that has a
plethora of good performances to his
name including 5th fed Fougères, 6
th
Fed Messac and 2nd
Ashton 2 Bird
from Niort and in 2015 he won 75th
Open in the Mid Nat Bordeaux race.
For those wondering what his breeding
in wonder no more as it’s a Bruggeman
off that very very nice man Dave
Impett.
That’s about it for the last race of the old bird season but I would just like to
thank people who congratulated me for timing two birds to take 12th and 16
th
section and 37th and 63
rd Open so as they say hopefully it’s a case of ‘mighty
oaks from acorns grow’
Mike Lakin
Alan Raby another good result from Bordeaux up in the NNW
