It’s been a good few days for Flimby HS fancier Mark Hodgson even though the season finished nearly two months ago.

For Mark has been confirmed as a Derwent Valley Federation winner after appealing against the decision to award the Wollaston race to club rivals Tinnion brothers and Aitken.

The appeal was heard and upheld at a meeting of the Cumbria Region in Workington which mean the Hodgson loft won back-to-back young bird Feds from Wollaston and Cheltenham.

So as the same bird came first for Mark on both occasions he also had the pleasure of lifting the Regional award for the Best Young Bird.

She’s a dark chequer white flight off Busschaert birds Mark bought at the Billy Garner dispersal sale. That meant there as a certain poignancy over the appeal success as Billy sadly died on the same day!

“I’m just glad it’s over because I was prepared to go all the way to Cheltenham with it,” said Mark.

The two Fed wins now put the icing on the cake for the loft – who fly as Eric Hodgson and son – as it won the coveted Derwent Valley big Cup for a sixth time.

Mark and his late father Eric won four times in 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004 and now Mark has won it twice on his own in 2006 and 2009. He’s pictured alongside with the famous trophy.

Hodgson and son were also the leading points winners in the Flimby Homing Society. Alongside the 63 top points total the loft won the Combined Average, the Young Bird average and the Channel average. The old bird inland average as won by Eddie Pape.

The points money and trophies were given-out at the club’s presentation night by Bob McAvoy – E. Hodgson and son 63; Tinnion brothers and Aitken 60; Eddie Pape 27; Keith Graham and daughters 27; Mark Little 19; Nelson and Crellin 16; George Weaver 14; Mark Cartwright 11; Bromley brothers 11; Mr and Mrs Proctor 8; Jimmy Varty 5 and Hodgson and daughters 2.

Runner-up in the Best YB award in the Cumbria Region went to David Brown of Ulverston with a youngster which had three Fed positions.

The old bird inland award went to Les Cole of Millom with a pigeon which topped the Combine from Portsmouth and scored in five other club and Federation races.

Runner-up in that section were Kevin Evans and the late Billy Abraham who won the Fed from Stafford and the pigeon had two wins and a second during inland racing.

Johnson and Lillleby of Barrow won the Channel award with a bird which had won two water races, from Lessay and Fougeres.

Runner-up was British Homing World correspondent Glenny – Stephen Glencross of Carlisle with a bird which had a first and third in his club and took two Fed positions.

The old bird channel and inland combined award was won by Mr and Mr David Wilson of Egremont with a bird which won Lessay; was second from Fougeres and also second in the club from Marlborough.

The runner-up in this section Blacklock and son of Workington Victoria with a chequer hen which was 1st club, 3rd Fed and third Amalgamation from Cheltenham a well as first club, 12th Fed and 22nd Amalgamation from Messac.

---

Bookmark with: what are these?