From a garden shed in Essex to one of the world's most respected racing pigeon studs — the story of the Cook family and forty years of dedication to the sport.
Tumley Lofts was started in 1984 by Derek Cook, who had been racing and breeding pigeons since the early 1950s — taking a short break only for National Service. He started with a few birds in a garden shed in Essex, racing successfully in the Essex North Road Combine against some of the top fliers in the country at the time.
In the early 1980s Derek began acquiring the original imported Leen Boers — just 12 pairs had been brought into the UK in 1981 by Stan Thorogood, Barry Fiddler and John Wright. Over time he managed to purchase eight of those twelve original pairs. With Janssens and Catrysse also in the loft, and after investing considerably in new stock, the decision was made to recoup some of that expense by selling young birds — and Tumley Lofts Stud was born in 1984.
James Cook (born 1979 — "a great year!") was immediately put to work cleaning out and grew up surrounded by pigeons. Here's photographic evidence:
At the age of 11 James had his own loft and raced against his father under his own name. James raced natural while Derek raced widowhood — and when James beat him, it didn't matter where he finished in the rest of the results, only that he'd beaten his dad. Shown below is the family at a club presentation around 1991.
Derek acquires eight of the twelve original pairs of Leen Boers imported into the UK. These sprint bloodlines would go on to form the backbone of the stud — winning everything from club races to 1st Open National. The stud also houses Janssens, Catrysse and Van Wanroys at this time.
Based 10 miles east of Okehampton in Devon, Derek and the family begin selling young birds commercially. The stud races successfully in the local area, winning everything up to and including 1st Combine on more than one occasion.
Hurricane-force gales devastate the stud. The lofts are blown over — roughly £20,000 worth of pigeons are lost, though miraculously none are killed. The roofs pop off as the lofts fall and the birds are blown free. Only one pigeon is ever found, and remarkably it makes it back to her original owner. The lofts are repaired, the stud rebuilt from scratch.
The Aarden family is brought in to replace the Catrysse and Van Wanroys for the distance. They prove an immediate success, winning at every level of competition including 1st Scottish National from 534 miles. A small group produces results that few larger studs can match.
The stud moves to its current home at Blackhill Lane, Beaworthy — 10 miles north-west of Okehampton. The move nearly sees the Leen Boers sold, but a double-booking by the auctioneer saves them. A new 5-compartment stock loft is erected, purpose-built with dowel partitions and doors — what we'd always wanted instead of wire mesh. In 2001 the pigeons win 1st Section 9th Open NIPA Arklow — 30,477 birds.
Tumley Lofts enters a pigeon in the prestigious Sun City Million Dollar Pigeon Race and finishes 1st UK, 3rd overall from 3,600+ birds. Two years later in 2010 they go one better with 25th UK 228th Open.
Tumley pigeons win 2 × 1st Open Nationals, 2 × 1st National Ace Pigeon and an RPRA Award in a single season — one of the finest years in the stud's history. The Leen Boers in particular produce extraordinary results: 1st Open Midlands NFC Fougeres and 1st National Malta with "Sonic Blue", 75% Tumley breeding.
The Dennis Ford collection is purchased at his bereavement sale — Tumley Lofts becomes the only stud in the world with a genuine Dennis Ford collection. The Dai Evans birds (including Channel Queen, 1st Open National Bordeaux) come in the same period, giving the stud a true all-round family from 100 to 603 miles.
Tumley Lofts purchases the best of the D&D McFadden dispersal — principally Pau Princess (2nd Open International Pau) and the bloodlines that would produce Queen Mary, 1st Open National Flying Club Tarbes 2019. The world's best McFadden collection is now housed in Devon.
To complement the ever-improving stud, two further elite sprint and middle distance families are added. The Woodroffe Brothers collection — top Stefaan Lambrecht-bred birds — brings consistent section and National-level performances. The Rod Sparkes family, sourced directly from Rod himself and his principal breeding partners Gibb & Byrne, adds some of the finest sprint bloodlines in the UK.
Tumley Lofts buys more GWP Macaloney pigeons than anyone else at the dispersal sale — and not just the most, but the best. The Lucky 13 represent 11 birds that have all scored at the highest level, plus 2 outstanding yearlings. 10 of those 11 have already proven themselves as top breeders. The world's greatest sprint loft legacy now lives in Beaworthy.
James and Vicky Cook run the stud at Blackhill Lane, Beaworthy. Nine elite families cover sprint to 700+ mile racing. Every bird is either a winner itself or son or daughter of a winner — an aim we get closer to every year.
The lofts have been substantially upgraded in recent years. The original stock loft sections now hold 18 pairs each, with the old pop-hole access replaced by generous 4ft × 2ft windows opening into new aviaries three times the volume of the original ones. All lofts are shiplap-boarded with box-profile tin rooves, and every aviary is 8ft wide × 10ft long with a 10ft × 10ft loft behind — giving the birds around 18ft total flight length during the day.
The aim stays the same as it always has: breed the best, prove it on the road, pass it on.
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