Ridley's parents were mated together for the first time in 1990. Because they were on my double widowhood team, they were allowed to raise only one youngster before being widowed. The youngster raised was AU 90 CAF 200 RCH. She was my first or second bird in young bird flying that year three times. She also finished third in points against 21 lofts. Her loft mate and relative, AU 90 JJS 2360 RCH finished first.
In 1991, the flying of his sister the year before convinced me to enter Ridley and buy him back for this years Stoneham Club Auction race. I also nominated his brother AU 91 NSF 1191 for the race. When the day for the race was at hand, Ridley performed the way I hoped. He was clock first with two loft mates seconds behind. Those three birds finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd almost 100 yards in front of the next bird in the race. His brother 1191 was on the loft of the fourth place bird 10 miles short of us. When the man finally chased the bird off his loft, 1191 was clocked by me in the money at 48th in the race.
The following year as an old bird AU 91 NSF 1191 scored in the 600 New England Open. He placed 3rd Greater Boston Concourse against 119 lofts-1353 birds and 14th New England Open against 284 lofts-3668 birds. While 1191 was being clocked many times Ridley was a slow learner at widowhood and hadn't made up his mind on even having a mate.
During Old Birds of 1993, Ridley was in the clock many times. He was a club winner at 500 miles and my first bird at 600 that year. However, his best year was yet to come!
In 1994, the year he won the A.U. Old Bird Hall of Fame award against 151-200 lofts his performance was: