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by Davey B » 03 Apr 2010 00:19
IN THE 4 GROUND - RE-VISITED. PART 1.
C & R GREENHOW, SUNDERLAND.
By Davey Barkel.
As part of our on going efforts to improve and create quality interest here on Pigeonland, we thought doing some loft visits & reports on our members would help us in our endeavours.
I struggle with available time at times, but with the Easter weekend giving me a little bit breathing space, I decided to make the most of the opportunity and made the effort whilst time allowed! A quick phone call made, I dusted off the old report book, found a pen that could write, and actually started to get a little nervous as I got in the car! I kid you not! Its been about twenty years since I last compiled a loft report for my old “In The 4 Ground” column in the RP. My heart was confident enough, but my brain was asking questions on whether I could still “cut the mustard“ so to speak. I scribbled a few questions in the front of my book from what my fading memory told me I used to ask! Then, along with Amanda & Phil, we set off to the Oddfellows Gardens in Hendon, a mere 5 minute car drive from us, (or a minute and a quarter overfly by pigeon!). Hendon is a place that is part of my personal life history, being that it was the birthplace of both my mother, and my Dad’s mother! My Mam was born and lived her childhood years only a few minutes walk from the Oddfellows Gardens. And, lest not forget, it is the birthplace of ex-Sunderland FA Cup winning captain and England International, Horatio “Raich” Carter!
Arriving at the Oddfellows, situated next to the Blue House pub and the old gas tanks. My first thought was how much it had changed, new road works, the gardens separated by a big car park, etc. We walked the old path through the various allotments and found the loft of C & R Greenhow pretty much straight away. Carl waved us in, warning us about his dog! To be truthfull, very few dogs spook me, and I was pretty undaunted by being confronted by the said canine. We entered the garden, and as we greeted each other, there was a booming bark, a tremendous thud on the fence and this huge brute of a head appeared! I thought it was coming over, and actually ducked and said “What the fu……….!!! “That’s Charlie!” said Carl as he laughed! An American Bulldog, rather like Spike the guard dog from Tom & Jerry. This was the first time I’d seen one in the flesh, and I was only too pleased he was locked in a fenced off portion of the garden for our visit! More so as I could see in his minds eye what he was thinking while looking, nay glaring, at me and licking his lips!
Carl took us into his main racing loft and showed us his race birds. The lofts were surprisingly spacious inside, with plenty air flow giving what I thought was great ventilation. However, Carl seems intent on renewing parts of his loft feeling it may be a little too cold. We picked out some crackers, Carl letting us handle most of them! Keep your eye on that Blue Pied Cock in the top middle box Carl, he’s a real un’! The birds are raced on the Roundabout System, squad numbers are about 65 Old Birds & 40-50 youngsters. Birds are fed on farm corn, light at the beginning of the week, heavy at the end!
The photo shows Carl holding his good Chequer Pied Hen that was 52nd UNC Maidstone, 56th NEHU Open.
We got on talking about the birds, and I was genuinely surprised to hear that he had only started with pigeons in 2004! He used to come to the gardens to help his Dad, even went into partnership with him for a while, before deciding to go it alone. Carl has managed to top the strong Sunderland Premier Fed every year bar one since he started racing! Which is pretty impressive going in my opinion considering some of the big name fanciers competing in it!
Carl showed us into his stock lofts, via a pretty high grid gantry hovering above the “getting hungrier by the minute Charlie” whose eyes I swear, never left me! I’m sure I could hear him saying “Davey Boy, I reeeaaaalllllyyy hope you to fall in here with me!” The strains housed here are Carl’s own family of Van Reet x Busschaerts, which he swears by! His No. 1 Pair had particularly impressive eyesign I must say. Other main bloodlines are from the absolute cream of both Ronnie Evans of High Southwick, and Graham, Gilchrist & Brennan of Boldon. There are a few more birds sprinkled in, like a Dark Marcellis Cock from Brian Wall, and a hen from Sammy Brown (Plains Farm) direct from his Bourges winner.
We picked out numerous top quality birds, even got photo’s of some of them! A big wattled old Blue Cock of Ronnie Evans took all our eyes. Cuttering about in the aviary like a yearling! The GGB birds as well were impressive, while his own No. 1 Pair I mentioned earlier were mouth watering.
I asked what he looked for when pairing his birds, any key factors in his selections, etc! He tries to keep his families together, is not keen on “Big” hens, and although he likes eyesign, he feels all good pigeons have good eyes! He is still learning and loving every minute of it! His hopes and aspirations are to one day top the UNC.
His advice for novices is to go to the best fliers in your area and obtain the best you can get, as their birds will have already proven they can fly and perform into your area. Carl would like to see youngsters encouraged into the sport. More help for new starters, as this is the only sport where novices are thrown straight into the “Premiership!” He admires the likes of Ronnie Evans & big Willie Brennan for helping him with not only good birds, but also with endless advice. Since obtaining their bloodlines he has not looked back.
If any of you used to read my old articles, you’ll know I was big on getting the “humorous” story from all who I wrote about. I asked Carl for one, he could only think of a friend of his who went on holiday for a few days, missing the basketing for Bourges. The lad had left instructions with his partner for a particular cock to go. Upon returning from his holiday in time for the race, he found his prized Bourges candidate still sitting in his box at the loft. Upon enquiring why the cock hadn’t gone, it became evident that the partner had sent a yearling instead! “Well that’s it, we’ll not see no more of him!“ he exclaimed! Bourges race, the yearling comes and wins!
The saddest moment in his pigeon career so far happened only a few days ago. Walking into his friend and business partner Dave Machin’s loft whose birds had been savagely murdered, and witnessing the bloodbath carnage. He has never seen anything like it, and hopes he never has to see it again!
His best moment was winning with his Cheq Pied Hen “Birthday Girl!” It was Carl’s birthday at the time, and she delivered him one of his best birthday presents ever when she chalked up 13th UNC from Newton Abbott, his best ever UNC position!
I was never one for printing an endless list of stats, but here are some of Carls pretty impressive results from the the last 3 years:
1st Club, 1st Fed, 2nd Section 6000+ Birds.
1st Club, 1st Fed, 2nd Section 6894 Birds.
1st Club, 1st Fed, 2nd Section 6000+ Birds.
1st Club, 1st Fed, 6th Section ???? birds.
1st Club, 2nd Fed, 3rd Section 13th Up North Combine. Also the same race 2nd Club, 4th Fed, 4th Section 21st Up North Combine.
1st Club, 2nd Fed, ? Section, 52nd Up North Combine, 56th Queens Cup, 24.466+ birds Maidstone Old Bird National 1, beating 24.410 birds.
Carl also bred for the Sayers Bros, 14th Up North Combine Maidstone Young Bird National 2009, 19.646 birds.
This is only a sample of his results, as he has taken many other good positions in Cub, Fed and Combine. One of his best performances being 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Odfellows H.S., and 1st, 2nd and 4th in Sunderland Premier Fed.
Carl eats, sleeps, and drinks pigeons, he’s addicted! Besides having his lofts and birds, he owns a local Pet Food shop, “Sunderland Animal Feeds” in Villette Road just along from the gardens! His shop not only sells corn and other pigeon related accessories, but it sells training crates, widowhood / breeding boxes, etc. He is right into his pigeon photography, which he has promised to put up some of his work in the photo section on the Site, and he is involved in pigeon website design too. On top of all this, he actually finds time to be a DJ! I found this a bit hard to believe mind as he wasn’t wearing a back to front baseball cap or any “Bling!”
I really enjoyed the “crack” as for me, that’s what pigeons are about. Stuff the politics! We were there over two hours talking pigeons, for something that should have taken no more than 30 minutes! Just shows, time flies when you are enjoying yourself!
Carl’s enthusiasm is something to behold, the passion he has for the birds oozes from his every pore. From what I seen today Carl, if you keep going the way you are then your dream of topping the great UNC will surely be realized!
I hope this first article is enjoyed by the readers as much as we enjoyed compiling it!
Davey B. AKA Dicky Darky
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IN THE 4 GROUND - RE-VISITED. PART 1.
C & R GREENHOW, SUNDERLAND.
By Davey Barkel.
As part of our on going efforts to improve and create quality interest here on Pigeonland, we thought doing some loft visits & reports on our members would help us in our endeavours.
I struggle with available time at times, but with the Easter weekend giving me a little bit breathing space, I decided to make the most of the opportunity and made the effort whilst time allowed! A quick phone call made, I dusted off the old report book, found a pen that could write, and actually started to get a little nervous as I got in the car! I kid you not! Its been about twenty years since I last compiled a loft report for my old “In The 4 Ground” column in the RP. My heart was confident enough, but my brain was asking questions on whether I could still “cut the mustard“ so to speak. I scribbled a few questions in the front of my book from what my fading memory told me I used to ask! Then, along with Amanda & Phil, we set off to the Oddfellows Gardens in Hendon, a mere 5 minute car drive from us, (or a minute and a quarter overfly by pigeon!). Hendon is a place that is part of my personal life history, being that it was the birthplace of both my mother, and my Dad’s mother! My Mam was born and lived her childhood years only a few minutes walk from the Oddfellows Gardens. And, lest not forget, it is the birthplace of ex-Sunderland FA Cup winning captain and England International, Horatio “Raich” Carter!
Arriving at the Oddfellows, situated next to the Blue House pub and the old gas tanks. My first thought was how much it had changed, new road works, the gardens separated by a big car park, etc. We walked the old path through the various allotments and found the loft of C & R Greenhow pretty much straight away. Carl waved us in, warning us about his dog! To be truthfull, very few dogs spook me, and I was pretty undaunted by being confronted by the said canine. We entered the garden, and as we greeted each other, there was a booming bark, a tremendous thud on the fence and this huge brute of a head appeared! I thought it was coming over, and actually ducked and said “What the fu……….!!! “That’s Charlie!” said Carl as he laughed! An American Bulldog, rather like Spike the guard dog from Tom & Jerry. This was the first time I’d seen one in the flesh, and I was only too pleased he was locked in a fenced off portion of the garden for our visit! More so as I could see in his minds eye what he was thinking while looking, nay glaring, at me and licking his lips!
Carl took us into his main racing loft and showed us his race birds. The lofts were surprisingly spacious inside, with plenty air flow giving what I thought was great ventilation. However, Carl seems intent on renewing parts of his loft feeling it may be a little too cold. We picked out some crackers, Carl letting us handle most of them! Keep your eye on that Blue Pied Cock in the top middle box Carl, he’s a real un’! The birds are raced on the Roundabout System, squad numbers are about 65 Old Birds & 40-50 youngsters. Birds are fed on farm corn, light at the beginning of the week, heavy at the end!
The photo shows Carl holding his good Chequer Pied Hen that was 52nd UNC Maidstone, 56th NEHU Open.
We got on talking about the birds, and I was genuinely surprised to hear that he had only started with pigeons in 2004! He used to come to the gardens to help his Dad, even went into partnership with him for a while, before deciding to go it alone. Carl has managed to top the strong Sunderland Premier Fed every year bar one since he started racing! Which is pretty impressive going in my opinion considering some of the big name fanciers competing in it!
Carl showed us into his stock lofts, via a pretty high grid gantry hovering above the “getting hungrier by the minute Charlie” whose eyes I swear, never left me! I’m sure I could hear him saying “Davey Boy, I reeeaaaalllllyyy hope you to fall in here with me!” The strains housed here are Carl’s own family of Van Reet x Busschaerts, which he swears by! His No. 1 Pair had particularly impressive eyesign I must say. Other main bloodlines are from the absolute cream of both Ronnie Evans of High Southwick, and Graham, Gilchrist & Brennan of Boldon. There are a few more birds sprinkled in, like a Dark Marcellis Cock from Brian Wall, and a hen from Sammy Brown (Plains Farm) direct from his Bourges winner.
We picked out numerous top quality birds, even got photo’s of some of them! A big wattled old Blue Cock of Ronnie Evans took all our eyes. Cuttering about in the aviary like a yearling! The GGB birds as well were impressive, while his own No. 1 Pair I mentioned earlier were mouth watering.
I asked what he looked for when pairing his birds, any key factors in his selections, etc! He tries to keep his families together, is not keen on “Big” hens, and although he likes eyesign, he feels all good pigeons have good eyes! He is still learning and loving every minute of it! His hopes and aspirations are to one day top the UNC.
His advice for novices is to go to the best fliers in your area and obtain the best you can get, as their birds will have already proven they can fly and perform into your area. Carl would like to see youngsters encouraged into the sport. More help for new starters, as this is the only sport where novices are thrown straight into the “Premiership!” He admires the likes of Ronnie Evans & big Willie Brennan for helping him with not only good birds, but also with endless advice. Since obtaining their bloodlines he has not looked back.
If any of you used to read my old articles, you’ll know I was big on getting the “humorous” story from all who I wrote about. I asked Carl for one, he could only think of a friend of his who went on holiday for a few days, missing the basketing for Bourges. The lad had left instructions with his partner for a particular cock to go. Upon returning from his holiday in time for the race, he found his prized Bourges candidate still sitting in his box at the loft. Upon enquiring why the cock hadn’t gone, it became evident that the partner had sent a yearling instead! “Well that’s it, we’ll not see no more of him!“ he exclaimed! Bourges race, the yearling comes and wins!
The saddest moment in his pigeon career so far happened only a few days ago. Walking into his friend and business partner Dave Machin’s loft whose birds had been savagely murdered, and witnessing the bloodbath carnage. He has never seen anything like it, and hopes he never has to see it again!
His best moment was winning with his Cheq Pied Hen “Birthday Girl!” It was Carl’s birthday at the time, and she delivered him one of his best birthday presents ever when she chalked up 13th UNC from Newton Abbott, his best ever UNC position!
I was never one for printing an endless list of stats, but here are some of Carls pretty impressive results from the the last 3 years:
1st Club, 1st Fed, 2nd Section 6000+ Birds.
1st Club, 1st Fed, 2nd Section 6894 Birds.
1st Club, 1st Fed, 2nd Section 6000+ Birds.
1st Club, 1st Fed, 6th Section ???? birds.
1st Club, 2nd Fed, 3rd Section 13th Up North Combine. Also the same race 2nd Club, 4th Fed, 4th Section 21st Up North Combine.
1st Club, 2nd Fed, ? Section, 52nd Up North Combine, 56th Queens Cup, 24.466+ birds Maidstone Old Bird National 1, beating 24.410 birds.
Carl also bred for the Sayers Bros, 14th Up North Combine Maidstone Young Bird National 2009, 19.646 birds.
This is only a sample of his results, as he has taken many other good positions in Cub, Fed and Combine. One of his best performances being 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Odfellows H.S., and 1st, 2nd and 4th in Sunderland Premier Fed.
Carl eats, sleeps, and drinks pigeons, he’s addicted! Besides having his lofts and birds, he owns a local Pet Food shop, “Sunderland Animal Feeds” in Villette Road just along from the gardens! His shop not only sells corn and other pigeon related accessories, but it sells training crates, widowhood / breeding boxes, etc. He is right into his pigeon photography, which he has promised to put up some of his work in the photo section on the Site, and he is involved in pigeon website design too. On top of all this, he actually finds time to be a DJ! I found this a bit hard to believe mind as he wasn’t wearing a back to front baseball cap or any “Bling!”
I really enjoyed the “crack” as for me, that’s what pigeons are about. Stuff the politics! We were there over two hours talking pigeons, for something that should have taken no more than 30 minutes! Just shows, time flies when you are enjoying yourself!
Carl’s enthusiasm is something to behold, the passion he has for the birds oozes from his every pore. From what I seen today Carl, if you keep going the way you are then your dream of topping the great UNC will surely be realized!
I hope this first article is enjoyed by the readers as much as we enjoyed compiling it!
Davey B. AKA Dicky Darky
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