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Copied from Facebook 18th November 2025

Federation Agenda Annual General Meeting and prize giving will take place Sunday the 7th December 2025 at 11am At Whitehills Public Hall, 2 Reidhaven Street, Whitehills, Banff AB45 2NJ (Please note venue change) AGENDA Adoption of the minute for the 56th Annual General Meeting held on the 8th December 2024 Matters arising. Balance sheet for the year to th November 2025. Presidents address Election of office bearers PresidentPaul Thomson (E) Proposed – Deveron Valley, Inverurie Senior Vice PresidentStuart Maskame (PD) Proposed – Deveron Valley, Inverurie Junior Vice PresidentAlex Fulton (DV) Proposed – Deveron Valley, Inverurie Secretary/TreasurerRuth Cordiner (PD) Proposed – Deveron Valley, Inverurie Race Controller Vacant Transport ManagerAbby Milne (DV) Proposed - Deveron Valley, Inverurie Driver John Harvey (DV) Proposed – Deveron Valley Results Co-OrdinatorGeorge Duthie Proposed – Deveron Valley SHU Delegate Sandy Milne (INV) Proposed – Deveron Valley PROSandy Milne (INV) Proposed – Deveron Valley, Inverurie Fed Show Convenor PROPOSALS The Federation reduces the annual federation fee to £50 (INV) Federation should have a savings account. Balance sheet to show where funds are housed and the savings interest rate. (FDFC) Federation to have a draft 2/3 year plan. Where we are aiming to be. (FDFC) One member from each club to have admin access to existing Fed Facebook page. (FDFC) Inverness club to have their birds picked up in Inverness from their club. (INS) If the above proposal is rejected the Inverness club members be given a membership fee concession (discount) to cover the cost of the additional expenses their club incurs having to cover a 3 hour trip which includes fuel costs every time we take part in a race. (INS) The Federation find an alternative for the Brechin lib site due to the over presence of B.O.P. (INV) 2 weeks break between the last old bird race and first young bird race. (E) 3 week break between end of old bird racing and start of young bird racing, reason being incase Old birds increase by a week due to adverse weather (DV) 2026 race season to commence the second week in May (9/5/26) (INV) Old bird racing to start 2nd May (E) Old bird racing to start 18th April (DV) Old bird racing to start 25th April (FDFC,PHD) Young bird racing to start 18th July (FDFC, DV, PHD Old bird programmes.

By: Liam O'Comain This particular strain of distance-racing pigeons flourished on the Jan Aarden dynasty tree and is undoubtedly one of the sport's greatest families. A truth confirmed by the countless successes of the founder, Janus van der Wegen, and his children (Jac and Anton) and the numerous fans around the world who have succeeded with it. In fact, it may be possible to be the beginning of a new dynasty of sport in the present century. The strain had its origins in the Dutch city of Steenbergen, which is the source of many outstanding varieties and families such as Jan Aarden, Ligtenburg and van Agatmaal, among others. Obviously there must be something in the air of that Dutch atmosphere that has produced such giants and greats of the sport. Janus van der Wegen, who laid the foundations of the strain was old school and by all accounts he was a born pigeon. The strain has been developed from pigeons that have flown the tough Dutch program of Bergerac, Dax, St.Vincent and Barcelona, including Tinus de Meer, who won in 1971 1 or St. Vincent Nacional with a Jan Aarden. Piet de Weerd once wrote that one of the first pigeons to start Van der Wegen out was Tinus. In fact, some commentators think that the strain was the best in the Netherlands during the last 50 years of the 20th century and the first 5 years of the new millennium, for reports around the world keep throwing the name over and over. Starting in the 1950s, van der Wegen obtained birds from Jan Aarden, although one of his most famous was the one from Ligtenburg. This was a black rooster known as the 'Oude Doffertje' (H. 58.314573) and besides being the foundation of the strain is one of the most famous names in sports history. Part Aarden and part Delbar blood, he was the brother of Toontje Ligtenburg's famous '10'. As a producer, the 'Oude Doffertje' was the second of all, being the father of, among others, the famous 'Lamme' that scored 7th, 10th and 11th of Dax in the Netherlands National and 6th of St. Vincent.The 'Lamme" was born the 1st Barcelona National and the 14th St.Vincent National; this same bird also scored 5th Barcelona National and 2nd Dax National. A son of the 'Oude Doffertje' known as '152' won 14 national awards and two grandchildren won 1st San Vicente National and 1st Bergerac National. Other strain producers included Dax's hen, 1r's hen, Barcelona's hen, Crickets' hen, 83' and Oude Knollekop to name but a few. The Van der Wegens are a great family to cross with. For example, Willegers in 1983 was the 1st to Barcelona International with a cross and Simons won 1 or Barcelona Nacional with a cross. So did Thei Crommentuy who won the first Nationals St Vincent and Pau in the hot bed of Dutch Pigeons. There are many other examples. Therefore, it was a lucky day in 1958 when a son of Janus van der Wegen, Anton bought two eggs from Toontje Ligtenburg, who in his own words recorded the occasion: In '58 Anton van der Wegen came to me and bought two eggs from the third round. Two roosters were born out of them. She showed them to me when she was six weeks old. They just radiated quality. A young man I believe lost near the attic. The other became the famous 'Oude Doffertje'. He was a full brother to my '10'. A champion for sure... " Little did Toontje or Anton realize that fate or what he had put in the birth of a great tension, a strain that remains a leader in the entire world of pigeondom. Van der Wegen's lofts have achieved Barcelona's first Nationals, Dax, Pau, Marseille (and Dax with ZLU). Regarding your contribution to the successes of others, the following list shows the percentage of blood in national and international winners: H.Brinkman, Tuk 1e Nat.St.Vincent 100% of the road H.Hazelaar, Zutphen 1st Wet Ruffec 100% of the way W.Coenen, Nuth 1st Nat.Barcelona 100% of the way J.Buurma, Peize 1st Wet.Dax 100% of the way Van der Wegen, Steenbergen 1st Nat.Barcelona 100% van der Wegen Van der Wegen, Steenbergen 1st Nat.Dax 100% van der Wegen Van der Wegen, Steenbergen 1st Nat.Pau 100% van der Wegen Van der Wegen, Steenbergen 1st Nat.Marseille 100% van der Wegen Van der Wegen, Steenbergen 1st Nat.Dax ZLU 100% van der Wegen L.Hoogervorst, Women's Corner 1st Nat.Perpignan 100% of the Way Ron.van de Werff, Westzaan 1e Nat.St.Vincent 100% van der Wegen A.Simons, Roosteren 1e Nat.Perpignan 75% van der Wegen Th.Crommentuyn, Velden 1e Nat.St.Vincent 75% of the roads Th.Crommentuyn, Velden 1e Nat.Pau 75% of the roads Bakker & Zn, Portugal 1st Nat.Perpignan 75% of the Road L.Smid, Goes 1e Nat.Perpignan 75% of the way C.Blokdijk, Hoorn 1e Nat.St.Vincent (S2) 75% of the Roads D. Barberio, Weert 1e Internat.Marseille (H) 75% van der Wegen C.Vanoppen, Alt-Hoeselt 1st boarding school. Barcelona 50% of the way G.Frazer, Ulft 1e Nat. St.Vincent 50% of the road A.Simons, Roosteren 1st Nat.Barcelona 50% of the way A.Simons, Roosteren 1e Nat.Marseille 50% of the road P.Paulussen, Roosteren 1st Nat.Dax 50% of the road Jacob Keun, Donderen 1e Nat.St.Vincent (S4) 50% van der Wegen D.Rotman, Mussel Canal 1e Nat.Ruffec (S4) 50% of the road P.van Bergen, DeLier 1st Nat.Dax ZLU 50% of the road C.Vertelman Zn, Hoogkarspel 1e Nat.Bergerac 50% of the road M.Schuurman, Doorn 1st Nat.St.Vincent (S3) 50% of the road J.Torreman, Rockanje 1e Internat.Barcelona 50% van der Wegen J.Vercauteren, Schimmert 1e Nat. Soustons 50% van der Wegen J.Bruine de Bruin, Aalsmeer 1st Wet Berger Race 50% of the Roads. G.de Jong & Zn, De Heen 1e Wet.Perpignan 50% of the road. Cor.van Dijk, Hagestein 1e Nat.St.Vincent (S3) 50% van der Wegen W.en B Terhoeven, Zeist 1a Nat.Tarbes (S2) 50% of the roads Roger Florizoone, Nieuwpoort 1st Nat.Barcelona 50% of the Road Flip Steketee, Yerseke 1e Nat.Dax ZLU 50% of the Wegen truck Van Gils de Nijs, Oosterhout 1st Nat.Soustons 50% of the road Jelle Outhuyse, Harlingen 1st Nat.St.Vincent (S4) 50% of the road Jo. Lardenoy, Maastricht 1st Nat.Barcelona 50% of the way G.Keesmaat, Krimpen y / o Lek 1e Nat.Dax 50% van der Wegen Cor.Hermans, Geulle 1e Nat.Bordeaux (JL) 50% of the way P.Boers, Goesbeek 1st Wet Mountain Race 50% of the Roads C.Willigers, Steenbergen 1st boarding school. Barcelona 50% of the way Hendrix-Meijberg, Heerlerheide 1st Nat.Mountain Race 50% of the Roads Frans Molenaar, Ulft 1st Nat.Bergerac 50% of the roads Biemans, Teteringen 1st boarding school. Barcelona 50% of the way JLvan Roy, Ronse 1st boarding school.Barcelona 50% of the way P.Schlangen, Kerkrade 1st Nat.Barcelona 25% of the way P.Schlangen, Kerkrade 1e Nat.St.Vincent 25% of the roads Van Zelderen, Aalsmeer 1e Nat.St.Vincent 25% of the roads Van Zelderen, Aalsmeer 1e Wet.Bergerac 25% of the Roads Vogten-Lardinoye, Maastricht 1st Nat.Marseille 25% of the roads Wijnands & Zn, Maastricht 1st Nat.Perpignan 25% of the roads B.Walpot, Steenbergen 1st Nat.Barcelona 25% of the road Cor.Hermans, Geulle 1e Nat.Marseille 25% of the roads Jos Thone, Como 1e Nat.Barcelona (H) 25% of the way F.Bleylevens & Zn, Simpelveld 1e Nat.Marseille 25% of the road Willems-Thone, Eijsden 1e Internat.Barcelona 25% van der Wegen Hein.Brasse, Nuth 1e Nat.Pau 25% of the road H.de Jonge, Weiteveen 1e Nat.Bergerac (S4) 25% of the Roads H.de Jonge, Weiteveen 1st Nat.Ruffec (S4) 25% of the Roads Harry Faassen, Illikhoven 1st Nat.Marseille 25% of the road H.en A Kivit, Vinkel 1e Nat.Dax 25% of the road Gebr. Shaschkow, Wiesvillers (Fr) 1e boarding school Barcelona 25% of the road From Ouwerkerk-Dekkers, Brasschaat 1e Nat.St.Vincent (JL) 25% of the roads H.van Helmond, Predictor 1 Wet. Pau 25% of the road B.Homma, Beam 1e Nat.St.Vincent (S4) 25% of the road The above list records what some of the best European lofts owned by masters of the sport such as Thone, Schaschkow, Florizoone, Hermans, Keesmaat, Wijnands, Biemans, Schlangen and Brinkman owe to the van der Wegen variety. And needless to say, the experience is not over yet! Yes, I think we are witnessing the birth of a new dynasty.

Millom social flying clubs first show of the year was held today. Heres the winner of the kids class where a total of 14 kids showed there favourite bird. Big well done to all the kids that showed brilliant turn out. 1st Riley 2nd savannah 3rd Mason 4th ivy With a big thanks to the Judge richard martindale Future is looking bright up in Cumbria 👏

“Willie’s Legacy” — A Story of Dedication, Bloodlines & Real Channel Grit 🕊️🇮🇪🇫🇷 I recently came across a brilliant piece in Squills 2024 that captures the incredible journey of Darren Hamilton, his late father Willie, and their outstanding Channel racing pigeons. The article really shows the decades of learning, the hard graft, and the passion behind their success — so here’s a detailed rewrite for anyone who enjoys a good Channel racing story. ❤️🕊️ ⸻ 🔥 The Thrill of the Channel Darren has always said Channel racing is what makes his pulse race. It was something he shared deeply with his late father Willie. Over the years, the pair built unforgettable memories sending birds across France — but 2023 gave them something truly special. Within just 13 days, Darren clocked his blue bar cock “Willie’s Legacy” twice from St Malo, achieving remarkable results against big competition. A once-in-a-lifetime fortnight! 💥🕊️ ⸻ 🏆 Willie’s Legacy – A Bird That Earned His Name From St Malo (504 miles): • 2nd Section H • 83rd Open NIPA from 1,309 birds And again in the INFC St Malo Friendship National: • 3rd South Section • 23rd Open from 993 birds A pigeon flying 504 miles twice in less than two weeks… absolutely incredible. Darren said he was “over the moon”, and who could blame him? This is the kind of performance fanciers dream about. 💫🐦 ⸻ ❤️ A Lifetime Apprenticeship The article highlights that this success didn’t appear overnight — it represents 30 years of learning. Darren was introduced to pigeons as a child by his father, whose first love was Channel racing. That apprenticeship gave him the foundations he still relies on today. Being raised around old-school Channel men built his understanding that true Channel-quality pigeons are rare and must be tested hard. When you find them, you breed around them and keep only the ones that prove themselves. No shortcuts. No sentiment. Real fanciers know. 💪🐦 ⸻ 🇮🇪 Ireland’s Channel Greatness The article reflects on how, years ago, Ireland produced some of the toughest Channel birds in the world — legends like Iron Man, Black Magic, and pigeons from the Smyths, Kirkpatrick, Harper, Hunter and many more. These families were forged through the hardest races from France to Ireland, often through brutal headwinds and long hours on the wing. Darren notes that many modern lofts don’t race past 150 miles anymore — and as a result, some of that special grit has been lost. The Hamilton birds were built to keep that tradition alive. 🌬️🌊🕊️ ⸻ 🌬️ The Challenge of the Derry Route Racing into Derry is no small feat. Birds face: • The Sperrin mountains • Harsh crosswinds • Heavy bird-of-prey pressure • And the Irish Sea Many top English birds fall short at these obstacles — too soft, too continental, not suited to the extreme testing of the northwest corner of Ireland. Only the strongest survive, and the Hamilton loft sought out exactly those types over decades of careful selection. 🏔️🐦 ⸻ 🧬 Willie’s Pride – Another Jewel Another top performer from the loft, “Willie’s Pride”, proved the strength of their bloodline with results like: • 1st City of Derry Fed • 1st Foyle Valley Combine • 1st Section H • 16th Open NIPA (1,980 birds) And strong results from Talbenny and Roscrea. Two pigeons — Legacy & Pride — representing the years of work father and son poured into their Channel line. 🏆 ⸻ 🔍 Building the Family – The Hard Way The Hamilton loft didn’t just buy birds for names. They tested everything hard — only the tough ones survived. Over the years they brought in pigeons from: • Denis Dall • John Traill • Dale Newcombe • Arthur Rigby • George Taylor And more. Many birds faltered. Only a handful proved worthy. Those became the backbone of the Hamilton Channel family — a family created by selection, not luck. 🧬🔥 ⸻ 🕯️ A Tribute to Willie – The Master One of the most emotional parts is Darren talking about losing his father Willie earlier this year. Willie wasn’t just a parent — he was his best friend and mentor. Every day around the birds keeps Darren connected to him. Willie believed in calm loft management: “Walk slowly, don’t bang about, let them love where they live… poke about for good pigeons, they’re out there.” Simple, old-school wisdom that still works today. ❤️ ⸻ 🏁 The Legacy Continues Darren now hopes to breed more birds like Willie’s Legacy and Willie’s Pride, carrying on the bloodline his father spent a lifetime shaping. The foundation has been laid — and Darren intends to build on it. In his words, pigeons are a year-round commitment. Watch them. Learn them. They will tell you when they’re ready. And if a bird comes home tired but determined from the Channel, you never forget it. This is real Channel racing — heart, heritage, hardship and pride. 🕊️🔥

it wasnt denvale dougie myreside i think

Nice birds

Bird flu control zones have been brought in around Lanark after a severe outbreak at a farm. On Friday, the chief veterinary officer for Scotland concluded that the highly pathogenic avian influenza had been confirmed at Whitelees Poultry Farm in Cleghorn. Disease control zones around the infected site, along with a wider surveillance zone. These areas are shown on an official map and carry specific legal restrictions, which remain in place until they are amended or withdrawn by a further declaration. Bird keepers are being urged to check whether they are inside one of these zones using the official online map. Anyone keeping poultry, such as chickens, turkeys, ducks or geese, or captive birds like pigeons or birds of prey within the control zones has been told they must register or update their details on the Scottish Kept Bird Register.

Was that not the year he timed a good pigeon from SNFC Nantes ?

Big Dan, great picture of him, out side his lofts in Denvale Gardens Kennoway. Wonder what trophys they are Brian.

Copied from Facebook 14th November 2025

The late Jack and John Newell of Feltham. I was very sad to hear of the passing of Jackie Newell in March 2020, just a few weeks short of his 98 birthday. He was a true gentleman and a legend of pigeon racing in the Middlesex area for over 70 years. Jack was simply the best! The Newell’s are a pigeon racing family through and through and have won it all in Federation, Combine and National events over many years. Jackie raced very successfully in partnership with his late son, John, for many years. The 1991 National Flying Club Pau Grand National was the highlight of Feltham’s, Jack and John Newell’s successful 70 year racing pigeon career. They won the greatest prize in British pigeon racing, with nearly 5,000 birds taking part, recording 1st, 4th and 36th open. A fantastic performance! Their Pau National winner was their Marriott dark chequer hen, Champion ‘Betty’s Choice’, so named because Jack’s wife, Betty, picked her out for the National. This hen was on her second time at Pau and was sent to win, feeding an eight day old youngster. Jack and John’s second bird was clocked over one hour later to record 4th open and was a Marriott blue chequer hen called, ‘Carrie Ann’. This was this hen’s sixth time at the Pau National, sent sitting 14 day old eggs and had previously won 1st club Nantes. In recent seasons the Newell loft had recorded many positions from the NFC Pau Grand National race including: 112th, 148th, 160th, 180th and 199th open. The Newell’s race natural and widowhood, with the main ‘H’ shaped racing loft housing stock birds, young birds and the natural racers. This loft had a slate pitched roof and open door trapping. Their widowhood loft was built on top of the garage and this loft housed eighteen cocks, with most of these being Janssen based, and fly the card through to Bergerac (450 miles). They were fed a standard widowhood mixture and were broken down. The cocks reared two babies each, being paired up at the end of January, and flew out one hour morning and evening. The loft had won its best positions from the Pau National with natural hens, sent sitting about ten day old eggs and small youngsters. In its long and highly successful racing career the Newell loft had won 1st Federation countless times and 1st open Combine from France several times. One of the all-time great lofts! Ron & Jim Newell of Feltham. Ron and Jim Newell are sons of the Feltham ‘ace’ fancier, Jack Newell and started their pigeon partnership in 1976 with late breds from their father and some stock from Jack Jackson of Southall. The brothers were novices until young bird racing in 1978 when they had four races in the Ashford SRFC and recorded: 1st club, 1st Three Borders Federation (1,456 birds) Weymouth, 1st club, 1st Three Borders Federation (1,091 birds) Exeter, 1st club, 1st Three Borders Federation, 1st open BTB Combine (2,656 birds) Plymouth and 6th club Weymouth. Brilliant young bird racing! The first two Federation winners off the Newell and Jackson bloodlines, and the BTB Combine winner, ‘Johnny’, was bred from two gift birds from their friend, John Lister of Feltham. After three races, Ron and Jim, stopped the main team with 1979 racing in mind and the 6th club was chalked up when sending a team of late breds flying their first race. The brother’s three section loft was 24ft long, with a low trapping system, and the 20 pairs of racers were raced on the natural system. All the old birds were paired up the second week in February and about 40 young birds were bred each year. Ron and Jim fed the birds on a good sound mixture and they were trained twice a week. Ron told me his most thrilling experience in pigeons was in 1970, when his dad left him to clock his Pau National single entry, a pied cock, and recorded it at 20.05hrs on the day, to be the second of only three birds clocked on the day in the London Metropolitan area. Jack was at the local club marking the birds for a Federation race and Ron said it was a great feeling when he went to the club and told his dad he had clocked the pied cock, as no birds were expected home on the day. Brilliant pigeon racing by the Newell family! Text & Photos by Keith Mott (November 2025)

Copied from Facebook 13th November 2025

One of the legends of the sport, mr. Dirk Van den Bulck, together with his son.

Copied from Facebook 12th November 2025

Congratulations all