BHW SHOW OF THE YEAR 2026 by Keith Mott

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BHW ‘SHOW OF THE YEAR’ BLACKPOOL 2026.

Thousands of fanciers made the drive up to Blackpool in mid-January 2026 for the main event of the Show Racer calendar, the British Homing World ‘Show of the Year’. Everyone anticipates and looks forward to this wonderful weekend in Blackpool, not only for their annual fill of ‘pigeon fun’, but mostly to meet up with good pigeon friends. This year’s event attacked a show entry of nearly 2,000 birds and ‘Best in Show’ over all at Blackpool was won by a beautiful Show Racer blue cock owned by Jill and David Fisher of Bideford in Cornwall and when I spoke to Jill after the event she said, that the partners were thrill at wining ‘Best in Show’ at Blackpool for the second time. I rang to congratulate Jill on her return from ‘the main event’ and she told me, ‘we are so pleased with our 2026 Blackpool Best in Show winner, which we have named ‘Beau’. He is a yearling powder blue cock, bred from a pair of dark chequers that have both been good winners for us and won multiple times. Previous to winning BIS at Blackpool in 2026, ‘Beau’ also qualified for the Blackpool Supreme Champion class in 2025 as he won Best Show Racer as a youngster at the South West Show Racer Society Open show in December 2024. ‘Beau's’ nest mate is another blue bar cock which has also won well for us. My younger sister Denise Kean attended the Blackpool Show with me and she has her own team of show racers which she has been doing very well with. Denise, along with her daughter April, another pigeon girl, help run our, now all girl, "Ven Lofts" stand at Blackpool and so it is still a real family affair. Blackpool 2026 was a memorable one for the whole family as Denise also managed to secure her first Blackpool class winner. We were both so chuffed with our success and I can't help but think that Dad would be so proud to see us both on winners' row’. Jill, your dad, Mervyn was always so proud of his lovely family! Congratulations to you all!

Text & Photo by Keith Mott (February 2026)