Blue Riband Pau Race 1 st Open 1 st NWSection Rob and Maureen Kerr from Gloucester with Izzy

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1 Blue Riband Pau Race 1 st Open 1 st NWSection Rob and Maureen Kerr from Gloucester with Izzy Good fanciers are never far from the top, and on this very testing Pau Classic the same can be said. Week in and week out some of these names are there where ever you look whether it is National, Classic, Combine, Federation or Club racing. The weather conditions were studied all week by Clive Merrills and the main factors was going to be the temperature and the NE wind up through some parts of France. Unfortunately we couldn t liberate on the Friday as planned due to the rain and heavy cloud cover at Pau on Friday morning. So after a one day holdover Bill got the 594 birds (507 Classic birds) away at 5.45 am on the Saturday morning. For the second year running we held an Open Race with 22 non Classic members entering 87 birds. I would like to thank everyone who supported the Open Race and also John Garvey and Mike and Edna Shepherd for running Penkridge and Walkern marking stations for us. Thank you also to everyone who helped at all the Classic marking stations as well. Our congratulations to the Classic s 2017 Blue Riband Winners also 1 st NW Section Rob and Maureen Kerr from Gloucester with Izzy. In 2014 Rob purchased a young blue hen at the Gloucester & DFC Breeder/Buyer sale, bred by club-mate Alen Gibb from his Geoff & Catherine Cooper stock. Rob had obtained others from Alen in 2013 and was impressed with them. The partnership had decided to concentrate more on the distance and were even more impressed following a visit to Geoff & Catherine s loft where Rob handled many of the top National and International winners. Little did he know the success he would have in the next few years. The Classic winner was named Izzy after their young grand-daughter following her great success in 2016 when she was 1 st NW Section, 4 th Open from the Classic Pau race also picking up the trophy for longest flying bird at 596 miles saw her going one better when she beat the field by a big margin on a very difficult day of excessive heat and a NE wind for much of her journey. She arrived fresh as a daisy and didn t look as if she had flown from the bottom of the garden. She is a pigeon that never carries excessive weight and on return from her races, short or long, she does not appear to lose weight either. She is a small hen. She is flown on widowhood. At the beginning of the year she flies well with the other hens around the loft but as the season progresses she does little flying, preferring to flip from one sputnik to another in the search for her cock. Her preparation for Pau this year was quite simple and blows out of the water the theory that birds at the long distance need a middle -distance race to set them up. In 2017 all she as had was inland races out to 130 miles as far as Yelverton in the West and once to Battle in the east

2 every week. Most of these races have been well less than 100 miles. Izzy s sire is out of a grand-son of Mark Gilbert s Southfield Supreme paired to a sister of Cooper s JW. Her grandmother on the sire s side is a daughter of Cooper s Darkie paired to Georgia Jean. Izzy s dam is from a grand-son of Cooper s Georgeson paired to Lucky and a grand-daughter of Jordan paired to Miss Xtra down from Brian Denney s best. Rob & Maureen would like to thank everyone involved in organising the Classic especially those who run the Gloucester marking station making it so much easier for fanciers in the north of the area to compete. Rob and Maureen Kerr IZZY

3 2 nd Open 1 st SW Section is Tony Cottrell, Ollie Richmond & Son from Wimborne. GB13N53795 (Pollie). Sire is a Gay pied cock (racing) and Dam is "Ruth" (racing). Ollie's favourite to win the section out of Pau and won in the shows. Ruth was a daughter of Roger gifted from R Jones Wimborne. Roger was 1 st Section Pau 1 st bird in to Dorset. Ruth was also 1 st Section Pau, so Pollie is 3 rd generation of 1 st Section Winners from Pau. Pollie was late as two year old from Pau. Last year she was 54 th Open 13 th Section Bordeaux BBC and our first timed bird at hrs on the day from Bergerac. She has been a consistent racer for us. I was sat outside the loft at 4am with a cup of coffee. I consulted the Spirits and Ollie and I agreed a good pigeon would be back between 8 and 9 o'clock. The phone rang and it was my best mate Paul Murrell we re assessed the situation and decided a good one would be back between 10 and 11 o clock and then she came. The young birds were having their morning exercise and enjoying a bath on the landing board when she appeared, dropped in and sat on her 12 day old eggs. When I was at the marking station in Frome I congratulated Steve Slade on his winners, he has been flying out of his skin. We were stood in the queue chatting and I asked him to shake my hand to pass on some of his luck. He said he wanted to win this one and we had a laugh. Thank you Steve for the lucky handshake I would like to congratulate the winner of this race, a great performance. I would also like to thank the committee for there hard work and not forgetting our Secretary, Clare, and Martin. Ollie and I had a motto " NULLIS SECONDUS" ( never give up) Good luck to you all for the rest of the season of the season and many thanks for all the phone calls. Tony Cottrell

4 3 rd Open 1 st SE Section is Gary Frewin from New Milton. Firstly, I d like to congratulate Mr & Mrs Kerr on a marvellous performance and to thank Clare, Martin and all the team at the marking station. My little blue hen was on only the 4 th race of her lift. She was sent to Pau on chipping eggs. Her sire came from an egg (1 of 10) that Les Kidd gave me in 2012 from his Pau Classic team that season when he sent. I floated the eggs under my feeders. Her dam was bred by Rod Berry & Eric Matthews. They kindly gifted me with 4 cracking babies in One of these youngsters was a pencil blue pied hen and she scored for us in the 2014 CSCFC Pau Race 32 nd SE Section 370 birds 52 nd Open 635 birds in a very testing race. Rod tells me he purchased pigeons from Matt Rakes of Paulton the Indy line and this hen is bred from these. Gary Frewin Mandy Loo

5 4 th & 7 th Open 2 nd SE Section is John & Tom Austin from Portsmouth. Just to say these where two Vandenabeele hens which we bred last year. The first is M and D Evans lines and the second our own breed, bit of a mix pot. We would also like to mention our first bird we could honestly say wasn't our favourite by far but that s pigeon racing a good'n can turn up for you from anywhere, never a write a healthy pigeon off! This was our last ever pigeon race as J & T Austin so it was nice after many years of trying to get not 1 but 2 good positions, we'd like to say thanks for all the racing over the years and wish all the flyers all the best in the future races! Hopefully we won't be out of the sport to long. John & Tom Austin 5 th Open is Richie Thomas from Portsmouth. Well done to the Winner and all the Section Winners. After a long hot day I was back in the garden at 4.45am waiting for a 2 nd day pigeon. At 6am my mate Mick Chalmers came to the back gate and asked if he could sit and wait for the pigeons, so both of us was sat there staring into the sky. At 9.14am Mick spotted a pigeon diving for the loft. The pigeon I timed in was an M & D Evans pigeon bred by my mate Nigel Langstaff from Fontwell. I bought the pigeon from the Central Southern Classic breeder buyer in He won 100 flying in the Guernsey race. He has two 1 st and many other minor cards. Last year he was 4 th Open in the Central Southern Classic Bergerac race. He was flown on widow hood in 2016 and this year he was flying to eggs. The corn I feed is bought from Nigel Langstaff and Kevin King. This is Richie Thomas keepin it real timing in from 522 miles.

6 Richie & Jayne Thomas 6 th Open is Kevin & Vera Cooper from Liss. The parents of GB14N63126 chequer hen. The cock bird was bred by Jim Etherington and the dam is our own breeding. She has been steady in the past but not consistent this year, she has had three races and was 12 th Open BBC Coutances race. For this race she was being chased to nest, feeding no maize mixture which is really for young birds. No training given to old birds this year (new experiment) as the loft is open dawn to dusk each day, so they are free to fly anytime. All birds fly together, young birds are not separated. Complete natural system. Kevin & Vera Cooper

7 8 th Open is Tony Hounsell from Portsmouth. I would like to congratulate all who timed their birds in on a very testing race and well done to Mr & Mrs Kerr on winning, flying a very good pigeon into Gloucester that was 4 th for them last year. The pigeon that I timed has flown this race 3 times. In 2015 she was my second bird 22 nd open 13 th Section, in 2016 she was my first bird 21 st Open 10 th Section and this year she's provisional 8 th Open 6 th Section. I ve named her Birthday Girl because it was my partner Lynn s birthday this weekend. Birthday Girl is bred out of my Cattrysse family flying roundabout. Also I would like to thank Barry Robertson for taking my birds to marking and Clare and her team of helpers for the great job they do. Tony Hounsell 9 th Open is Tony Leggatt from Havant. Congratulations to Rob and Maureen Kerr, what a wonderful Pau Classic winner to be very proud of. Also to all the gallant pigeons timed, under difficult circumstances. My own pigeon is again from my very good friend Calum Edmiston, of Horley. That's two now from the baker's dozen. I did fancy him and carries my single nom. I must say how I have enjoyed working with them pure and crossed with my own Southwell based stock of genuine distance birds. I met Calum at the Zaragoza marking and we enjoyed a good conversation, I did ask what would be a good name for him, he said I don't name pigeons, but Calum in Gaelic means white dove. I said I can't call him that and we laughed, so we are going for Gaelic Lad. Thanks to Clare and all the CSCFC great team, for all the hard work behind the scenes.

8 Tony Leggatt 10 th Open is Tony Jerrett from Gosport. My bird is a three year old Blue Chequer Hen sent sitting more than 20 days. I feed Gem Cowood mix in the morning, Gem Premier in the evening. This hen has been a minor card winner in the Club, consistent and first time at this distance. The Sire was bred by Jimmy Walsh, Durham a de Rauw Sablon. The Dam was bred by Tom Sherwood of Crewkerne, a Rick Cools Vandenabeele. Both stock bought originally by Mick Owen of Gosport and supplied to me three years ago. The vast majority of my current prize winners are from this source. Tony Jerrett

9 2 nd NW Section is Steve Slade from Calne. Firstly I'd like to congratulate Mr & Mrs Kerr on winning the race and also all the other section winners who managed to time in, in what turned out to be a very hard and testing race. I've decided to call the pigeon Julie after my late wife. The pigeon is a John Halstead breed, a granddaughter of Big Bucks which is the son of Ashley. Previously this year she was 5 th Open CSCFC Messac, 4 th Section and in 2015 from Pau she was 5 th Section, 69 th Open. She came back in perfect condition thanks to Bill Travers, and a big thanks to Clare Norman as she hasn't been in the best health but has still continued to do the job. Steve Slade 1 st & 2 nd NE Section is John and Sally Mauger from Aylesbury. We are absolutely delighted to have won the NE section today. What a truly hard day for birds to race on. We measured 35 degrees of heat just before our pigeon landed! Our first pigeon today is a two year old cock bred from our Chris Hebberecht stock pigeons that were originally purchased from Barry Winter of Howden in Yorkshire. Barry is a successful long distance flyer who won NFC Pau himself several seasons back. Like our first pigeon, he is also a real hero for making it home in such hot flying conditions. He is a liquorice all-sorts of a breed, so

10 cannot be specific about his background, but last year he flew the CSCFC Pau race as a two year old, returning within the first week. He's done considerably better this year! Both returning pigeons were in excellent condition and full of life. We felt that they both could have flown a bit further if they had needed to! The photo shows John holding their successful pigeon 'Paul' along with Sally, their sons Chris and Jack and their girlfriends Izzy and Ellie and daughter Kelly holding John and Sally s new grandson Arnie. Everyone came to celebrate 'Father's Day' with John and we had a lovely family barbecue together. The Maugers 2 nd SW Section is Andy The Sniper Parsons from Salisbury. First of all I would like to congratulate Mr Kerr for his fantastic performance and good friend Tony Cottrell, who topped the South West Section. My pigeon has previously won 8 th Open Tarbes with the Classic and minor positions in the NFC Tarbes, she is a celebate hen which has now flown the distance 5 times. She is named Sooty as she returned from an early training toss last year after 2 weeks with bent flights and black with soot, which meant I rested her for the whole year and she repaid me with this result, she is mainly off my old Cannon/Burgess family. Finally the two birds which have returned are both in exceptional condition, so I would like to congratulate Bill Travers on looking after the birds so well and giving us an early morning liberation.

11 Andy Parsons Next to John and Sally Mauger in the NE Section is Geoffrey Brown from Swindon. I am a 75 year old Cornish man who has lived in Wiltshire for 45 years. I got my first pigeons at the age of eight by swapping an old pair of football boots with a classmate. They were two cocks but I soon found their mates. Four years later I was involved in the Redruth RPC setting Toulet clocks and on the ringer. On Monday evenings I assisted a Club member on collecting the baskets from the station, cleaning and preparing them for next time. In 1963 my apprenticeship finished and I was told by my employers they had no work for me in Redruth, so I uprooted to Cheltenham leaving my birds to a friend who raced them successfully for a few years. I never gave up hope that I would one day have pigeons again. My wife s friend worked with a lady whose husband raced pigeons. They must have told of my interest as she came home with a carrier bag full of British Homing Worlds. I was hooked. I read an article by Maurice Alexander on Smyth Bros of Ballymena, Northern Ireland Kenyan fame and decided these were the birds I wanted. I wrote to Ronnie Johnson asking for help in contacting Bobby Smyth and I had a lovely letter from Ronnie advising that he had passed my letter on to Bobby Smyth. One Saturday evening I answered the telephone to a really deep Irish voice who said You want to buy some of my pigeons. This was Bobby Smyth who was in his 80 s, he explained because of his age he would have difficulty arranging the transportation but he would however put me in contact with a younger man who he had mentored and had his pigeons. Hence I got acquainted with Leslie Woodside from Ballyclare, he bred me 6 young birds and June 2004 after 41 years I was the proud owner of some pigeons. They went in to a 6ft x 6ft shed where I had attached an aviary. (I have since progressed to a 12ft x 6ft Blakes loft). The pigeon in question is a dark chequer cock who has been a bit of a star for me since he took 2 nd in our Club from Nort sur Erdre in 2014 when we only got 4 in the Club on the day also

12 taking 4 th Club. The following 2 years he won the Club from Bergerac, so after last years win I felt I had to send him to Pau. As long as he kept safe I knew I would get him. His sire is one of the original 6 pigeons I got from Leslie in 2004 and his dam is a hen Leslie sent over to me in 2006 as I was short of hens. Unfortunately Leslie has had to give up his pigeons through health problems, he has been good to me sending me a pair of young birds each year and still keeping in touch. I am sure he will be pleased to hear what this pigeon has done in such difficult conditions. I would like to thank my local Club colleagues who have kept on to me to join the Classic because of the type of birds I have they have been most supportive. Pau Open Race Some information from the non Classic members who timed in our Open race. 7 th Open Dick Burgin & Tom Marshall from Hemel Hempstead. Dick and Tom have been in partnership since they were boys. They raced separately in 1963 and Tom kept thrashing Dick so in 1964 they joined forces and started their first racing season together in Tom takes more of a back seat now but Dick is still full on, especially behind the scenes as President of the Inter Counties Federation, Transport Manager and General Dogsbody. A quote from Mike Shepherd Dick is one of a kind. You name it, Dick does it. Flying 578miles, the pigeon they timed is a 4 year old blue cock with Van Loon origins. Dick Burgin

13 10 th Open Mal Hope from Telford. Flying 654 miles.the Gascon my Pau pigeon s breeding is Colin Lloyd Cattrysse and my old family from the late Colin Brough of Congleton. He is half brother (same dam) to "Piaf" my Bordeaux/Tarbes hen. He was sent on a 12 day youngster and he has flown BBC Coutances this year. He had given his all when he arrived. I could ask no more. The photograph was taken 2 hours after clocking. Mal Hope s cock bird Guy Mullen & Son Matthew from Horley. We clocked a 2 year old red chequer cock raced on full widowhood. He was bred for us by our good friend Daryll Luxford of Horley. The sire is his 2010 cock who flew Tarbes, 548 miles twice and was a Puddephatt x Desmet Matthys from Duke 10 th & 1 st National Section x Prince 2 nd, 2 nd & 3 rd Section. The dam was a hen bred from Marco Wilson s Tony s Boy x Nicole. She was a silver pied hen who raced only once and was 46 th Open LSECC. The second pigeon home was clocked at 2 minutes to 8 and was another kindly gifted to me. This time from Steve Gadd of East Grinstead s number 1 stock pair. Guy & Matthew Mullen

14 Steve Gadd from East Grinstead. Firstly I would congratulate the winners and all who clocked in from what turned out to be a severe test for the birds. Thank you also to the CSCFC for opening this race up to others and giving people like myself the opportunity to send. I clocked a 2015 Blue cock from my George Burgess stock, bred down through Rosemead George (5 times Pau/Tarbes including 16 th Open NFC). This season I have flown only cocks on a loose form of Widowhood specifically to try and concentrate on one or two distance races and then bring my hens out for the old hens races. Lastly, thanks to the members of Horsham & Reigate Clubs for all the help and advice over the past few years and to George Burgess for supplying my base stock birds. Steve & Samuel Gadd Terry Smart from West Molesey. Firstly I must congratulate the CSCFC for their organisation skills, and all the fanciers that have been fortunate to time in from this very testing race. I must say I was shocked to be asked to submit details of my timer, but here we go. I have returned to the fancy after almost 20 years, determined to do it as a hobby, not a religion. My loft is the same size as a sheet of plywood 8ft x4ft only 10 pairs retained each year flown naturally with no stock birds kept. I restarted with a few young birds in My only claim to fame was that I was an OK secretary of the London & South East Classic Club from the second year of its inception, for some seven years, late 80 s to mid 90 s. During those years, and right up to 2017 the most consistent small team fancier from the distance races Pau, Dax and Tarbes was Ray Hammond of Godalming, sending between 4 and 6 birds he won the Classic some three times and was rarely out of the top ten. A fantastic fancier. When I decided to call it a day, Ray telephoned me, to thank me for my efforts over the years, and should I ever feel like starting again to make sure I contact him. True to his word I contacted him in 2014, without hesitation he told me to come and see him. He

15 gifted me a young bird granddaughter of Simply the Best his Classic Pau Champion, a son of two bird average winners from Barcelona. A daughter of his BICC section winner from Falaise and a son of his SMT Combine winner from Bordeaux with strict instructions to race them. My timer was the blue cock son of the 2 Barcelona Pigeons, now named Rays Choice! The granddaughter of Simply the Best arrived mid day Monday I have called her Simply OK! and whilst I was posing for the camera, l had a third arrival from my 8 birds sent. When I telephoned Ray, l think he was as excited as me. Monday the 19 th was his 82nd birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLD LAD thanks for your down to earth honesty and integrity. You're an inspiration. Terry Smart Dinner & Prize Presentation Dinner & Prize Presentation 2017 to be held at The Marsham Court Hotel, Russell Coates Road, East Cliff, Bournemouth, BH1 3AB on Saturday 21 st October Tickets are 35 per person. Please book your accommodation direct with the Hotel on Mention the CSCFC as there are special rates. Award Winners from the Messac Race flown Saturday 27 th May S Slade (NW350) The Nantes Cup, Reg & Rene Heynes Memorial Trophy, NW Section Trophy, a replica and a framed photograph of the winning pigeon. P Quainton (NW197) The Runners Up Trophy and replica. M/M D Waterhouse (SE310) - SE Section Trophy and replica

16 B & D Young (SW509) NW Section Trophy and replica. T Burns (NE286) NE Section Trophy and replica. Messac Yearling Derby winner S Luff & P Walker (NW141) Wins the Yearling Rose Bowl. Charity Cup Winners. 1. B & D Young (SW509) Charity Cup. 2. M/M G Lloyd (NW340) Charity Cup. 3. C A J Riley (SW782) Charity Cup. Bergerac Bergerac is just around the corner on Friday 7 th July with marking on Tuesday 4 th July. Your last posting date is Saturday 1 st July. Clare Norman. Tel: secretary@cscfc.com