How unusual to find two 2nd generation fanciers married together. Stan's father flew as Mr & Mrs Brimecome , mainly on the north road, while Kim's father is Pat Simmons, who although no longer flies, still keeps a few birds, and was one of the original members of the Parade club. Kim is very much a 'hands on' partner. As a young girl, it was part of household duties to clean out the birds and she is up with Stan at 0500hrs to basket the birds on training mornings, for him to take them to work. That, is of course, when he is working on a suitable site. Unfortunately, this year has seen Stan, a construction worker, assigned to the road works on the M27, only a mile away from his house. This has meant that Kim has been on the road with the pigeons. The Brimecome's started to race when their son Stanley was set up with 24 pigeons, a loft and a clock by his grandfather. Young Stanley then 'grew into girls' (don't they all?), and Stan & Kim took over the lofts. They have had some impressive results including 2nd Section, 10th Open Palamos, and 1st Fed Exeter (3001 Birds). As with all keen lofts, there have been the mistakes along the way, the worst of which was 2nd Fed Saintes. How can this be a mistake I hear you ask? Well, they had two birds land together. One bird went straight in , but the other, the nom snowball bird took his time and Stan (thinking of the money, don't all men?) waited for the second. Tut! Tut! It came to pass that if he had clocked the first bird, guess who would have been 1st Saintes fed? Stan, shame on you! The Brimecomes maintain a business like, no nonsense approach to their racing. All birds must earn their perch for the winter. Although they have been members for some time, this is the first time they have been racing mainly with the Parade club. They both feel that being in such a strong club has intensified their interest in the birds. They have had to sharpen up to stay competitive! Soon they will be racing their young bird team to a new ets timing system, again, they think this is now a necessity.
Well, it turns out that it is Stan Brimecome's works van. He saw me take the photo from my van on that particular night in his rear mirror, and thought I was someone to do with the company he works for. For the next week he was expecting an ear bashing at work for using the van in the evening unauthorised! I'd love to have seen his face when he saw it in the BHW......
2nd Club, 3rd Fed for Parade IFC where 12 members sent 104 birds, was our own intrepid race convoyer, E Wilson & Sons & Gee with their blue bar yearling hen raced naturally on 1260 ypm. Jimmy tells me that due to his federation commitments he relies heavily on his new partner, who should very much take the most of the credit for this fine performance. 3rd club, 6th fed is Hamid Laakland. This loft has been incredibly consistent this year and is joint top members points winner for the Buckingham Cup award to date. His yearling blue cheq Buschaert widowhood cock was bred by Hamid from stock birds from John Bying. This is this birds first card. The £5 club noms was won by Stan & Kim Brincombe & Sons with their fed winner.
Portsmouth Manor Park saw 6 members send 75 birds, and the result was all about one loft this week, and that was the loft of club secretary B & M Wiggins. His yearling blue cheq cock took 1st club, 8th fed on 1247 ypm. This is a celibate pigeon. 2nd club, 13th fed was his three year old blue cheq naturally raced hen, sent on 8 day eggs recording 1237 ypm. It was a two year old blue cheq natural cock that came in 3rd club, 18th fed on 1223 ypm, sent sitting 12 day eggs. Well, B & M Wiggins that was truly fine team flying into a north wind to take three top fed positions, Congratulations.
Brian Randall topped Bitterne Park this went, beatring the other 56 birds to take 1st club, 9th fed on 1244 ypm. His Buschaert blue cheq yearling hen, flown naturally has been always 1st back to the Randall loft, except when she had a week away, and then her nest mate was 1st home! A one nest box loft!?! The ever consistent Ken & Sue Francis was 2nd, 19th fed with a blue Janssen widowhood cock, already scoring in his first year on a velocity of 1217 ypm. Mark & Dean Buss were 3rd club, 29th fed with a blue Jos Thone hen, flown naturally on 1202 ypm.
Albie Webb & Son of Milton HS took top honours again this week in a club, clearly not afraid of Tours with 17 members sending 111 birds. Their yearling blue cheq widowhood Janssen cock also takes the card of 10th fed doing 1240 ypm. Albie is having a good season, with his birds seemingly in top form. Club Secretary Mick Johnson was 2nd club,14th fed with an Alf Baker x blue widowhood hen on 1232 ypm. This hen has previously been 2nd club Falaise. These two birds were affair bit in front of 3rd prize club winner John Good, with his Blue cheq De Klak x Janssen widowhood yearling on 1178 ypm, to also win 46th fed. Again, not the first card for this pigeon who has previously won 2nd club Lessay.
Alan Sutton & Son's birds are on fire lately. Taking 1st Club, 11th fed in the Romsey SRFC where 7 members sent 27 birds, this time his representative was a 3 yr old blue cheq hen sent feeding a small young bird on 1239 ypm. She is bred from the same lines as many of Alan's fed prize toppers. A Sutton & Son are joint Buckingham points leaders after this race, his fourth consecutive race in the top 15 of the federation result. Alan never had it all his own way as Charlie Vincent and Richard Bull were only 1 yard behind him with their two year old blue Janssen/Vanden Bosche hen. Taking 2nd club, 12th fed on 1238 ypm, this hen was sent sitting 10 days. She has always been there or there about, but this is her first card. A little way behind was Dave Lawrence with his two year old blue cheq hen on 1185 to take 3rd club, 41st fed. A good performance, as this was only Dave's second race of the season.
As if just to prove that they really are winners (as if we didn't know that already) Crammond & Langstaff at took 1st prize, 17th fed at Bognor & Chichester SRFC. They have had a host of second prizes in the club this year. It's a good job that these have been interspersed with a win of their section ion the BBC Messac race, topping of the South Coast Federation and the week previous to this win they were 2nd Open NF Angers. All tip top performances. Their winner in this race was a yearling blue cheq w/flight cock on 1224 ypm. This Kypers/Van De Wegen is flown on widowhood, and this was his first race of the season. Crammond and Langstaff also won 2nd prize, 24th fed with their two year old blue Demeyere widowhood cock on 1208 ypm. This is a long distance family kept by Ian Crammond for some time, this race was part of his preparation for NFC Tarbes. R Hampton secured 3rd prize, and just managed a fed card in 49th position with a yearling red cheq Bricoux/Sion cock on 1177 ypm. Robin obtained the Bricoux/Sion birds from a fancier who lived near the Ponderosa UK stud in the early 90's and they have flown well for him ever since.
Eastleigh & Irish RPC sent 44 birds to this race. D Hayles & Son took the top spot and 26th fed with a five year old blue cheq cock on 1205 ypm. This pigeon, a '57 variety', is flown on roundabout. 2nd club was the two year old mealy cock of S Waldock. A Starview Buschaert, he is flown naturally and has already won 3rd prize, Kingsdown this year. N Elock won 3rd club with a yearling blue cheq Hartog cock, flown naturally, on 1145 ypm.
Gosport FC had 7 members send 71 birds to the second trip to Tours. Paul Ayling had the winner, 31st fed, with a really consistent 3 yr old dk cheq roundabout cock on 1199 ypm. This cock has 3 x 1sts and 5 x 2nds to his credit and is from Brian Wall's German Janssen on the dam's side and a De Klak on the sire's side. In 2nd place on 1190ypm comes Bill Edwards with a 5 yr old blue bar Staf Van Reet widowhood cock. This cock was raced by Bill as a young bird, but given to Rob Deacon as a yearling when stopped racing. It would not settle at Rob's and ended up at Mark Vince's where he won 2nd Saintes and 2nd Bergerac before Bill had him back when he started up again. John Ayling had 3rd place with a yearling blue cheq natural hen, a daughter of last week's prize winner, and a granddaughter of John's NFC Pau winner. The Gosport members have asked me, their behalf to congratulate club member Paul Ayling on his brilliant performance of winning the British sectionof the BICC Pau International.
Camrose saw 6 members send 29 birds to this race. It was a win for F Reed and Son with their four yr old blue pied Van Reet cock on 1192 ypm. Flown naturally, this bird previously won 1st Yelverton. A Finnn took 2nd place with his 2 yr old Buschaert blue w/f cock on 1178 ypm. Biily Gilbert was in the cards yet again with his 4 yr old blue Buschaert hen . She was bred by Jimmy 'only me' Webb and has previously won minor cards.
Portchester RPC was won by F Smith with a four year old cheq cock on 1152 ypm. Mr & Mrs J Genge took the 2nd spot with a yearling blue cheq hen on 1140 ypm, and 3rd prize with a two year old mealy hen on 1100 ypm.
Racecourse HS was won by L Pitney, Cronin & Freshney with their two year old blue Dordin hen on 1152 ypm. This pigeon took 1st club on 17th May from Falaise 2. This trio are pleased to be enjoying their best season ever. J Clements took 2nd place with a three year old Van Loon pencil cock on 1064 ypm. This is the first race for this bird since being hawked three weeks ago.
Wootton & Bashley WMFC was won by Ray Hoare and Claire, yes, me. It was my three yr old Bergman hen that again carded, her only 1st prize card so far. Off to NFC Tarbes for her next. Don Ellis took 2nd spot with his two yr old Janssen/Van Reet cross blue cock. Berry & Matthews were third with a yearling blue cheq Jos Thone hen, flown naturally.
Conveyers Report.. All birds watered and rested outside Caen docks for an hour and a half. Stopped again two hours later to water birds again. Arrived Tours at 1345hrs. Birds given a light feed and all water replenished. Tony called in the evening with a weather update. All was at that time looking favourable for the morning. Saturday, out at 0500hrs, weather overcast, but skies were breaking, and it was very cold. We had two other organisations who were to liberate before us as they were flying further. They started to liberate just after 0700hrs and were both gone by 0745hrs. The weather was improving all the time and by then there was broken cloud and sunshine. Having received a good line of flight from Tony, we went at 0815hrs. By this time it was a lot warmer and the birds cleared well into a Light Northwest wind.
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