The old bird season is drawing to a close for both the King’s Lynn North Road and South Road clubs, with fanciers enjoying a busy run of prestigious races that produced some outstanding performances.
The highlight of the North Road programme came with the Fraserburgh race, flown in conjunction with the North Road Championship Club.
This was a particularly special event, as members were competing for the coveted Queen’s Cup, gifted to the King’s Lynn club in 2018.
For the second successive year, the trophy went to the partnership of Perry Bros & Son & Bunton, who also achieved first section and second open in the Peterborough & District Federation, and second open in the Norfolk & Suffolk Club.
Their winning mealy cock, from Van de Brooke x Kip x Gaskin bloodlines, has been a consistent performer, supported by further club placings of third and sixth.
Malcolm Bunton joined the Perry family partnership seven years ago, switching from the South to the North Road. The loft, which races naturally and on widowhood with cock birds, has established itself as a dominant force.
Also at Fraserburgh, His Majesty The King secured second, fourth and sixth with Kavangh Busschaert lines.
The success continued at Thurso, where Mike White led the way, taking first and second with two-year-old cocks bred from champion lines gifted by fellow fanciers John Adams and Graham Cook.
His Majesty The King again figured prominently with third and sixth, while Tim Collier and Perry Bros also featured.
The gruelling Lerwick race tested birds and fanciers alike, taking Perry Bros & Son & Bunton 17 hours to clock their first arrival.
They finished ninth in the Peterborough Federation, while Dennis & Campbell impressed with second, third and fifth, all from Padfield lines.
Further strong performances came at Blaydon, where William Mellett triumphed with a Herman Cuester x Flor Engles, and at Whitby, where Mellett again took first and second with his top performers.
On the South Road, the prestigious King’s Cup – donated to the club in 1924 by King George V – was won by His Majesty The King with a Hardy Kruger cross, the only bird home on the night.
Mr & Mrs Mike Payne and Philip & Wayne Vincent followed.
Other South Road winners included His Majesty The King at Blandford and Stoney Cross, with V. Apostol also featuring.
With just a handful of events left, the season has already provided memorable moments and fierce competition across both routes.
