The Graham Cook Story

Where to start with the continuing story of this still relatively young fancier. Things haven’t changed, the years in-between 2009, 2014 and 2024 have not dulled Graham’s enthusiasm to be successful. He continues to be a “Dangerous Man”. His results over the years are quite remarkable. Again as in many previous years he has won his club’s “Champion Flyer of the Year Award” and has been very consistent at the federation level as well.

Graham Cook, son Oliver, SGR presenter Steven Shears.

Before going on to his biggest achievements for the 2024 season I will outline an overview of his performances at both his club and federation results.

The 2024 CCF season commenced racing from a distance of 130 km and finishing their 21 week race program from a distance of 960 km, with the Campbelltown Club starting the season with 19 members that on average sent 483 birds each week (the CCF only allowing each member to enter 23 birds per race, except for the two derbies that has a maximum entry of 5 birds per flyer).

The 2024 season was one where some races had poor returns across the whole of the federation, and as a result Graham decided not to fly the last race of the season as he wanted to keep many of his pigeons for 2 year olds, and as he couldn’t be beaten for winning the club’s average point score award for 2024 was already thinking to 2025.

Graham Cook’s Loft

In his club of 19 members he was never out of the top 10 places each week, wining 2 x 1^st, 3 x 2^nd, 6 x 3^rd, 2 x 4^th, 2 x 5^th, 3 x 6^th, 1 x 9^th 1 x 10^th . As a matter of interest over the year he timed 8 hens and 12 cocks, 9 yearlings and 11 old birds. In the federation averages competing against 231 fellow members Graham finished 27^th in the Overall Averages, 43^rd in the Short Averages and 20^th in the Long Averages.

Now to his big wins for the 2024 season, and while the heading reads “Sydney Gold Ring Winner”, Graham had another big win to top off a fantastic year, this being the winner of the $10,000 1^st Prize in the “Oatley RSL Pigeon Club Squeaker Sale” held from a distance of 555 km that saw Graham also clock 6 other pigeons in this race that only had 27 birds timed in on the day out of 233 that made it to the race out of 840 that at the beginning of the year were eligible.

Now back to his other big win the “Sydney Gold Ring Race”. Graham told me he only had 2 entries with the special life rings required to make birds eligible for this race having the prefix SGR which can be purchased for $100 each with no limit as to how many a fancier can buy.

These two rings were bought by his wife and mother as a “Father’s Day Gift”, and what a gift it turned out to be, although there was a proviso, that being that if he was to win, the cash prize would be split between his wife and mother while Graham could have the Gold Ring to proudly wear and display to all and sundry.

Graham Cook and son Oliver.

While Graham won the Gold Ring, valued at $3,000 his wife and mother shared the cash prize receiving $2,250 each. Not a bad investment for $200. Graham also clocked his other entrant taking 44^th place that unfortunately was out of the prize money calculations.

This was a great effort and a testament to Grahams ability to select the correct breeding pair that produced these two birds, as there are many fanciers that enter this race that purchase quite a few rings, with one fancier (not sure how many rings they purchased) clocking 18 birds on the day. Just goes to show that besides a lot of luck, you still need to know your bird’s capabilities.

In all there were 490 SGR rings sold for the 2024 season with only 285 making it to the race.

It’s interesting to note that since the inception of this race in 2019 three of the winners had only purchased a small number of rings that indicate that you do not need large entries to be successful. The inaugural 2019 winner only purchased 4 rings, the 2020 winner only 2 rings and the 2024 winner only 2 rings!

It’s interesting to note that Graham’s SGR winner was his third bird home on the day, with his first bird home topping the Federation. “Happy Days”, so they say.

Graham Cook’s Loft

As mentioned earlier, Graham in his early days and somewhat even today, has befriended many top fanciers asking many questions and seeking their advice and guidance that has rewarded him with the success he has enjoyed right up to the present day, never leaving a stone unturned in his quest to be at the top of his game. Finally, as an overview of Graham’s main achievements he has won his club’s “Young Bird Derby” on 6 occasions along with winning the club’s “Any Age Derby” twice and being awarded the clubs “Champion Flyer of the Year” on 14 occasions. A truly remarkable achievement.

So inclosing, I think the following Chinese Proverb is one we can all learn from as I’m sure that at times not just Graham, but many of us in our early days felt like we asked too many silly questions, but it’s from these questions that “hopefully” we learn. This Chinese Proverb goes like this:

“One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever”.

Article by: Paul Gibbs, Central Cumberland Federation Publicity Officer.