Guernsey OB Race

Roger Lowe of Reading

1st Open 1st NE Section

With “The One”

With all the British Isles celebrating VE day’s 70th

Anniversary weekend, Guernsey was no

exception with the Channel Islands also celebrating 70 years since their liberation from the Germans.

As most of you are aware the Channel Islands were completely taken over and ruled by the Germans

for 5 long years. The Classic this year were fortunate enough to be able to join in with the

celebrations and local photographer Chris George was there for our liberation of almost 3,000 birds.

After holding over on the Saturday due to such interchangeable weather the birds were released on

Sunday 10th May at 9.30am in to a south, south westerly wind. It was a very hard race with once

again the weather and wind changing on route. The first verification, coming in from the Dorchester

area and then working their way along to Poole and Bournemouth.

Thank you to everyone involved at the marking stations for all your hard work. I would like to

personally thank everyone at Southampton marking station for the extra 700+ birds we had to mark

and also due to the voting for the election, we were marking in a smaller room.

PLEASE COULD ALL MEMBERS USING ETS MAKE SURE THEIR PREVIOUS RACES

ARE CLEARED FROM THEIR ETS CLOCKS BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE MARKING

STATIONS. IT IS CAUSING UNNECESSARY DELAYS FOR THE MARKERS AND

OTHER MEMBERS WAITING FOR THEIR BIRDS TO BE PUT THROUGH.

THANK YOU.

Winner of the Guernsey OB race is the household name of Roger Lowe from Reading 1st Open

1st NE Section Sending 21 birds, 11 cocks and 10 hens (which included 16 yearlings) my 1

st bird a

hen now called “The One” is a 1st Fed winner from last season 2,327 birds.

She is bred from the “Main Man” also a 1st Fed winner and winner of many prizes including 2

nd and

3rd

Open Saintes National Flying Club. “Main Man” is bred from “My Little Diamond” who is now

responsible for a 1st prize winner in all the Nationals and Classic races I am able to fly in. She is with

out doubt the best pigeon I have owned.

The sire of the “Main Man” was a direct Marcel Aelbrecht of the Raw Sablon blood sold on Pipa

(my biggest regret). The dam of “The One” is “Lucky Supreme”” given to me as a egg by Mark

Gilbert from his “Southfield Supreme” winner of 1st International Dax.

“The One” was having her second race of the season as she had been scalped earlier in the season by

another hen as she was being raced on the double widowhood system when two hens are paired to

one cock. She is now in the stock loft having earned her corn.

(“My Little Diamond” as a young bird won the National Flying Club Young Bird race in 2007.

This being the only race she has ever flown in. She has gone on to produce through her

children and grandchildren many Federation, National and Classic winners. Soon to come is

an article on “My Little Diamond” possibly the best breeding hen in the Country. Clare

Norman)

Runners up to Roger and another top loft are Steve & Paul Kulpa from Reading 2nd

Open 2nd

NE Section Steve & Paul Kulpa of Reading clocked their 6 year old hen to win 2nd NE section 2nd

Open classic Guernsey.

‘54870’ is a double inland winner plus scorer of regular positions in the Federation result. She won

1st Section E 17

th Open NFC Old Hens 2014. She has also scored well in the CSCFC, she won 5

th

Section 16th Open Classic Old Hens 2014, she was also 9

th Section 11

th Open Classic as well.

She is bred from our old lines of Meulemans via Ponderosa UK Stud crossed with De Hough

pigeons from Holland. Her full brothers and sisters have won multiple 1st prizes and scored well up

to 450 miles.

All our birds are fed Verse Laga corn and Aviform products added to the water.

We would like to congratulate our Caversham Club member Roger Lowe on winning the classic.

3rd

Open 3rd

NE Section Mr & Mrs Vic Hall from Oxford We would like to start by

congratulating Mr Roger Lowe and S & P Kulpa.

My 3 year old blue Chequer cock was sent driving hen to nest. The cock & hen that bred my 3rd

Open was purchased from Ron and Angela Crook of Henley.

The Sire being a red chequer from Brian Shepherd, Red Barcelona & Leon lines. The Dam a blue

chequer De-Klak from birds of Spracklen & Thomas & Brian Long .

We would like to thank our friend Mr Ken Page and our son Mr Leon Hall for their help as Mr Hall

has been unwell .

4th

Open Club Chairman Clive, & Wendy Merrills from Swindon There is a first time for

everything and writing this is a first for me. My wife, Wendy, and I are a partnership although I

mainly look to the birds and she is the admin person and "the finest thing since sliced bread".

Many, if not most, Classic members will have come across me at some time or another as I have

been a committee member for 30+ years, was Secretary for 13 years, and could never usually fly a

kite. To be highly placed in any race is a bonus as our pleasure is simply keeping the birds and

watching them at home and coming home from races.

We moved to Upper Stratton, Swindon three and a half years ago which no doubt has influenced

how the birds have improved - I have no idea why. Same birds - same management, but better

returns and consistency albeit mostly "off the pace".

The last time I had any recognized success was in about 1980 when Jock Caldwell (rest his soul)

looked after and trained my young birds when I was working away from home. I won the NE YB

Section from Guernsey. I cannot, therefore, claim it was all my own doing.

I suppose I should add that the bird is a Dark Chequer Pied Hen, 3 years old - bred mainly from De

Weerdts (Guy Reed IOW) with a Ponderosa Cock in the mix. Three tosses before the race, one at 20

and one at 30 miles and then one toss at 40 miles. My thanks to all involved in putting on the race. I

had a "full house" 22 out of 22 by tea time.

All birds are flown separate being allowed together on Saturday after the race and separated after a

bath and open loft on Sunday morning. Both sexes exercise once a day - locked out for one hour.

Congratulations to Roger Lowe, and I will be interested to see the photo he sends in.

1st & 2

nd NW Section 5

th & 6

th Open Tony Jenkins from Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham I have

been racing pigeons since 1980. I fly the roundabout system.

My two pigeons I clocked on the same second, a 5 year old Van Reet blue cock off Bert Hession

bred pigeons and the other a 3 year old blue pied cock bred off Mick McMurchies Van Loon

pigeons. I entered 8 and clocked 7 within the hour.

Runner up to A R Jenkins in the NW Section is Classic Life Vice President Richard Blackburn

from Chippenham. I timed a 2 year old blue cock which is ¾ Peter Fox. Syndicate Lofts and ¼

Verreckt Arien. The Sire was bred by Andrew McFenton of Swansea from a Son of The Young

Couple x a daughter of Dylan & Joy (Drum/Kannibaal lines). The Dam was bred by Crowley &

Green from a Son of Galveston & Jasmine x a Direct Verreckt Arien Hen.

He was only trained as youngster and as a yearling was always consistent winning 3rd

Club, 13th

West of England South Road Combine Portland 2,809 Birds.

His nest mate as a youngster won 4th Club Yelverton, 1

st Club, 39th Combine Truro 2,227 Birds. 1

st

Club, 41st Combine Sennen Cove 1,360 Birds.

I would like to thank Andrew & Richard for breeding me the Parents.

I have always been interested in distance flying and with work commitments not allowing me to

spend as much time as I would like to with my birds, I thought I would try these Syndicate Lofts

birds on the roundabout system and feed them Jerry Plus, don’t think I’ve mastered the roundabout

or the feeding yet so I must give full credit to the pigeon.

1st SE Section is awarded to Ken & Sue Francis from Southampton. Ken is a very good

supporter of the Classic. He races in the Sarisbury Club whose headquarters are where the Classic

hold their marking days and also auctions. Ken makes sure the hall is set up and ready to go for

whatever function we have on.

Well done to all of the winners, it was a difficult one to start the season off.

Our pigeon is a 4 year old blue cock flown on the traditional widowhood known as ‘The 51’. He’s a

most consistent bird who seems to prefer the difficult races and likes an east wind. He’s from our

Fountainhead Janssen based family, with the one exception being his grandfather on his dam’s side

who is a direct son of ‘Don Leo’ and was selected for us by Stuart Wilcox to put some distance

blood into our team; hopefully to make them go further. Unfortunately he has stopped filling his

eggs and is no longer with us but his children and grandchildren go on.

The photograph shows Ken outside our loft with one of the two cat deterrents. The other one didn’t

want his photo taken!’

2nd

SE Section Maury Collins from Southampton My second section winner is a two year old blue

Busschaert cock – one of six youngsters sent to me by my good friend Trevor Sheavills of Romney

in Kent.

He was a consistent young bird that flew most of the race programme. He was not raced as a

yearling but I decided to put him on the road this year as a two year-old. He was my second bird

from Battle (80 miles) last weekend so I thought he might do well from Guernsey.

Although I race mainly Van Reets I have always kept a few Busschaerts. They have won for me

from Thurso and in the Solent Federation from Bergerac and the Section in the Young Bird National.

Since starting racing on the North Road in 1947 I have mainly raced on the South Road and have

won prizes at Club, Federation and at National level. In addition, I have made many friends pigeon

racing so I think I have been very lucky.

I didn’t think it would be too long before we would see this member popping up, even though it’s

always lovely to have Julie in the photograph. Leading the SW Section and also 3rd

Section we

have Mark and Julie Gower from Fordingbridge The section winner is a Vandenabeele bred from

my best ever racing hen who has now bred over 7 x 1st winners. She herself won 2

nd, 6

th & 23

rd Open

NFC and 3 x1st & 1 x 2nd

Section wins. She is a grand daughter of the famous M & D Evans

Shadow.

The 3rd

Section winner is a Paul Stobbs pigeon of the Gypsy x Bob's choice lines, one of a kit I

purchased from him.

Both had 4 races as young birds and this was their first race this season after 10 training tosses.

Returns were good with 15 of my 16 entries home in reasonable time.

Well done to Roger Lowe "Mr Consistency " another great performance.

2nd

SW Section Roy and Val Christopher from Shaftesbury. It was such a pleasure to

congratulate Roy on taking 2nd

South West Section. Roy is a Life Vice President of the Classic,

serving on the Committee and has always been a very hard worker for the Club.

Roy timed his 5 year old chequer hen who is a sister to GB11N56772 who was 20th Section NFC

Carentan, sister to GB11N56777 1st Dorset CC 2014 Guernsey and 20

th Section C Carentan 2013.

She is bred from Roy’s original Van Den Broucke.

Convoyers Report

The first race for the classic saw a good birdage considering that the forecast did not look very good

for this weekend, with the 3,000 birds loaded we made our way to the docks for the 10 o'clock

sailing arriving in St Peter Port early the next morning and once on site the birds we all watered and

settled for the day until feeding at 3 o'clock.

Having re watered the birds I set about obtaining the weather for Saturday and all indications were

that it was not good with low cloud cover and intermittent rain and an ever increasing westerly wind.

As predicted Saturday was awful and the wind was so strong that that when our driver opened the

lorry door in the morning it was torn out of his hand almost pulling him from his seat. I walked up to

the coast road around the harbour and of the many small islands in St Peter Port bay only one was

clearly visible, I held off cancelling the race until 11:30 but the wind was increasing all the time and

with low dark clouds and poor visibility I had to call it off.

Sunday dawned clear bright with little wind but by 6:30 the cloud cover was 100% and a light SSW

wind, Having spoken with our weather advisor and Albert, Guernsey’s weather guru the information

was that the cloud was just over the island the coast and the channel were clear with very good

visibility as could be seen from the lib site.

After many phone calls I made the decision to liberate at 09:30 into a light SSW wind but with 95%

cloud cover. The birds cleared the site well but once the hit the coast they broke into five batches and

began to circle but heading out to sea all the time. This is a typical of a Guernsey lib when there is

cloud cover over the island.

As always on the island the fanciers were fantastic and could not be more helpful, namely Rene,

Albert, Glen for the best fish and chips on the island and for looking after all the strays and getting

them repatriated to the mainland, Tricky Dickie “do you ever stop smiling”? Mick, Ginger and all

the others which made our trip so enjoyable, thanks to you all.

Nigel Rigiani

Messac

We are off to Messac for our 2nd

Old Bird race on Saturday 30th May with marking taking place on

Thursday 28th

May. This race is the Yearling Derby Race and is kindly sponsored every year by

Brian Wall of Gem Supplements. All marking times and addresses are in your handbook. Your last

posting date for this race is Saturday 23rd

May.

Breeder/Buyer

The breeder/buyer this season has had great support from the two auctions with 159 birds being

entered in the Young Bird breeder/buyer race from Guernsey on Saturday 22nd

August. The £4,800

prize money will be paid out as follows: -

Breeder/Buyer Breeder/Buyer

1st £1000/£1000 11

th £50/£50

2nd

£250/£250 12th £50/£50

3rd

£175/£175 13th £50/£50

4th £125/£125 14

th £50/£50

5th £75/£75 15

th £50/£50

6th £75/£75 16

th £50/£50

7th £50/£50 17

th £50/£50

8th £50/£50 18

th £50/£50

9th £50/£50 19

th £50/£50

10th £50/£50 20

th £50/£50

Clare Norman. Tel: 023 8057 3919 Email: secretary@cscfc.com