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Willenhall Invitation Flying Tippler Society |
Brief History |
Published: NTU Yearbook 1986 |
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Willenhall Invitation Flying Tippler Society
(a Brief History)
The Willenhall Club was
founded when, having left the Springfield Club and still wishing to fly his
Tipplers, Roy Dowen formed his own club and named it after his home town. That
was back in 1973, now thirteen years on, due to all the hard work put in by
members past and present, the Club offers perpetual trophies for eleven Flys
per year, six aggregate trophies and two loft-knockout cups. The club also has
its own show cages and stages at least five shows each year.
The Willenhall Club has four main officials:
Secretary - C. Bristow, who joined the club in 1974, Chairman - K. Potts who
joined in 1976, and Show Manager and Assistant - M. Loftus and A. Freeman.
These four make up the committee, though some effort is made trying to involve
all members in the club's affairs. One other important factor is that all
members take part in competition. There are no non-flying members, with the
exception of life member, Albert Hartshorne, now in his eighties. Albert was a
good friend of Wilf Lovatt, the first man to do 20 hours in competition.
Tipplers descended from those record pigeons still have a place in Albert's
loft today.
The club has never had a large membership, but its
individual members have shared a great deal of success and brought several
honours to the club. It was in 1977 that the club had its first N.T.U. prize -
a section win in the Easter fly for Roy Dowen, but since then there has not
been a year in which the club has not had something to be proud of, with
Willenhall names appearing in the first four places of the N.T.U. on no fewer
than thirty occasions. One good year was 1980, when on the first N.T.U. fly the
Willenhall club had four competitors in the first eight, and on the Easter fly
had three members in the first six. That year ended with the club taking one
2nd place N.T.U., two 3rd places, two 4th places, five times a section winner
and winning four out of the seven N.T.U. shields. These honours were gained by
the dedication of some fine Tippler men, some no longer with the club, but who
left their mark. For instance, Frank Allsopp, who left in 1983 still has his
name against three club records.
More recently Willenhall club has been the home of
the 7 fly aggregate, won by Roy Dowen in 1984; the Les Curry Cup, won in 1984
by Roy Dowen and 1985 by Ken Potts; the young bird aggregate cup won by Ken
Potts in 1984 and 1985; and the novice and 5 bird cups won by A. Groucutt in
1985.
Now a few words about each
of the current Willenhall club members:
Roy Dowen, founder member,
was Secretary for ten years and also one of the tirst Willenhall members to do
over l9 hours. Infact, Roy took the club record in 1983 with l9hrs. IS mins.
with the Boden type Tipplers
which he has developed
himself. Roy keeps a different strain for the young bird flys, similar to K.
Potts' birds, these have flown 17 hrs. 30 mins for him.
Ken Potts, well known for his impressive young bird
record now holds both the clubs old and young bird records, 18 hrs. 04 mins young
birds and 19 hrs. 20 mins. old birds. Ken has always been Willenhall Club
Chairman and is now N.T.U. Chairman.
Present Secretary, Colin Bristow had his first
competition Tipplers of~f Roy Dowen of the Lovatt type, but today keeps a
family of Badges in blues and blacks. These birds have proved themselves by
flying over 19 hours as old birds and over 16 hours as young birds in N.T.U.
competition.
John Stokes keeps mainly Boden type Tipplers, and
whenever a visitor arrives there, you can be sure that his loft and birds are
in immaculate condition. In 1985 John had his best fly to date when he was one
of four Willenhall members who reached the l9 hour mark. John has also tlown
his youngsters over 15 hours.
Mac Loftus is the newly elected Show Manager and replaces
Harry Clifton of the Busby and Clif~ton partnership, who have also given a lot
to the club over the years and, unfortunately, have just given up competition
flying. As Show Manager, Mac has already proved an asset to the club and has
been a member for just two years. In 1985 Mac had a kit of youngsters tly over
14 hours and also won an earlier fly with 13 hrs. 14 mins.
Mac is helped with the shows by Alan Freeman, who
only keeps a small number of Tipplers, including some nice yellows. Alan has
been in the club for three years and has had his name on the cup for the early
old bird tly for the last two years.
The other club members are Alan Groucutt, Keith
Groucutt and Fred Eaton. Alan has just completed his first year of competition
tlying, and what a year! He won the N.T.U. Novice Cup, 5 Bird Cup and tlew ovcr
19 hours as well. Literally a flying start to thc sport. Although a novice
flyer, Alan has kept Tipplers for more years than most Willenhall members.
Fred Eaton has also just completed his first competitive
year, and kept racing pigeons before his Tipplers. Fred had some success when
he won a club young bird tly with the nice time of 14 hrs. 22 mins. Fred's
Tipplers are mainly from Ken Potts and Roy Dowen.
Finally, a new member for 1986, Keith Groucutt, has
joined from the ranks of private members to have a go at competition flying.
Like his brother Alan, Keith has kept Tipplers for a number of years. Keith
keeps a few Boden type birds, a few Badges and one or two yellows.
There has always been a will amongst the Willenhall
members to do wcll for the club, as well as individually, and the recent
addition of novices, keen to take part, will maintain the competitive spirit,
which has played a major part in the success of the
Willenhall club.
Yearbook 1986 – NTU Zeljko Fajdetic - Croatia
Willenhall Invitation Flying Tippler Society
(a Brief History)
The Willenhall Club was
founded when, having left the Springfield Club and still wishing to fly his
Tipplers, Roy Dowen formed his own club and named it after his home town. That
was back in 1973, now thirteen years on, due to all the hard work put in by
members past and present, the Club offers perpetual trophies for eleven Flys
per year, six aggregate trophies and two loft-knockout cups. The club also has
its own show cages and stages at least five shows each year.
The Willenhall Club has four main officials:
Secretary - C. Bristow, who joined the club in 1974, Chairman - K. Potts who
joined in 1976, and Show Manager and Assistant - M. Loftus and A. Freeman.
These four make up the committee, though some effort is made trying to involve
all members in the club's affairs. One other important factor is that all
members take part in competition. There are no non-flying members, with the
exception of life member, Albert Hartshorne, now in his eighties. Albert was a
good friend of Wilf Lovatt, the first man to do 20 hours in competition.
Tipplers descended from those record pigeons still have a place in Albert's
loft today.
The club has never had a large membership, but its
individual members have shared a great deal of success and brought several
honours to the club. It was in 1977 that the club had its first N.T.U. prize -
a section win in the Easter fly for Roy Dowen, but since then there has not
been a year in which the club has not had something to be proud of, with
Willenhall names appearing in the first four places of the N.T.U. on no fewer
than thirty occasions. One good year was 1980, when on the first N.T.U. fly the
Willenhall club had four competitors in the first eight, and on the Easter fly
had three members in the first six. That year ended with the club taking one
2nd place N.T.U., two 3rd places, two 4th places, five times a section winner
and winning four out of the seven N.T.U. shields. These honours were gained by
the dedication of some fine Tippler men, some no longer with the club, but who
left their mark. For instance, Frank Allsopp, who left in 1983 still has his
name against three club records.
More recently Willenhall club has been the home of
the 7 fly aggregate, won by Roy Dowen in 1984; the Les Curry Cup, won in 1984
by Roy Dowen and 1985 by Ken Potts; the young bird aggregate cup won by Ken
Potts in 1984 and 1985; and the novice and 5 bird cups won by A. Groucutt in
1985.
Now a few words about each
of the current Willenhall club members:
Roy Dowen, founder member,
was Secretary for ten years and also one of the tirst Willenhall members to do
over l9 hours. Infact, Roy took the club record in 1983 with l9hrs. IS mins.
with the Boden type Tipplers
which he has developed
himself. Roy keeps a different strain for the young bird flys, similar to K.
Potts' birds, these have flown 17 hrs. 30 mins for him.
Ken Potts, well known for his impressive young bird
record now holds both the clubs old and young bird records, 18 hrs. 04 mins young
birds and 19 hrs. 20 mins. old birds. Ken has always been Willenhall Club
Chairman and is now N.T.U. Chairman.
Present Secretary, Colin Bristow had his first
competition Tipplers of~f Roy Dowen of the Lovatt type, but today keeps a
family of Badges in blues and blacks. These birds have proved themselves by
flying over 19 hours as old birds and over 16 hours as young birds in N.T.U.
competition.
John Stokes keeps mainly Boden type Tipplers, and
whenever a visitor arrives there, you can be sure that his loft and birds are
in immaculate condition. In 1985 John had his best fly to date when he was one
of four Willenhall members who reached the l9 hour mark. John has also tlown
his youngsters over 15 hours.
Mac Loftus is the newly elected Show Manager and replaces
Harry Clifton of the Busby and Clif~ton partnership, who have also given a lot
to the club over the years and, unfortunately, have just given up competition
flying. As Show Manager, Mac has already proved an asset to the club and has
been a member for just two years. In 1985 Mac had a kit of youngsters tly over
14 hours and also won an earlier fly with 13 hrs. 14 mins.
Mac is helped with the shows by Alan Freeman, who
only keeps a small number of Tipplers, including some nice yellows. Alan has
been in the club for three years and has had his name on the cup for the early
old bird tly for the last two years.
The other club members are Alan Groucutt, Keith
Groucutt and Fred Eaton. Alan has just completed his first year of competition
tlying, and what a year! He won the N.T.U. Novice Cup, 5 Bird Cup and tlew ovcr
19 hours as well. Literally a flying start to thc sport. Although a novice
flyer, Alan has kept Tipplers for more years than most Willenhall members.
Fred Eaton has also just completed his first competitive
year, and kept racing pigeons before his Tipplers. Fred had some success when
he won a club young bird tly with the nice time of 14 hrs. 22 mins. Fred's
Tipplers are mainly from Ken Potts and Roy Dowen.
Finally, a new member for 1986, Keith Groucutt, has
joined from the ranks of private members to have a go at competition flying.
Like his brother Alan, Keith has kept Tipplers for a number of years. Keith
keeps a few Boden type birds, a few Badges and one or two yellows.
There has always been a will amongst the Willenhall
members to do wcll for the club, as well as individually, and the recent
addition of novices, keen to take part, will maintain the competitive spirit,
which has played a major part in the success of the
Willenhall club.
Yearbook 1986 – NTU Zeljko Fajdetic - Croatia
04/11/2002 Zeljko Fajdetic - Crikvenica
© Copyright 1998 by Zeljko Fajdetic - C R O A T I A