ACROSS THE MIDDLE
by Gordon Braban & John Wilkie
Eastbourne - May 2014
Hello and welcome back. What a month we are having. May should be starting to get hotter and hotter, as they say never cast a clout till May’s out, and that's just about right. A couple of days of hot weather and we think summer is here, and that's about it, on with the winter gear again. Well we can only blame the big man upstairs. It is the middle of May and the combine have only had 3 races, what with putting back races and calling them off, but we will just have to put up with the climate change and the strange seasons.
This week the Up North Combine were going to Eastbourne for their first of 3 inland nationals. Leading up to the weekend the weather had been a bit iffy, so the delegates along with the rest of the NEHU delegates decided to put the race back. We were supposed to be going away on the Friday, but did not start baskketing till the Sunday. The weather forecast for the Sunday was for it to rain in the morning and get out later on {well that was all wrong again, wasn't it!}. The birdage for this National was a lot down on years gone by. I guess that's due to people that have to go to work, not sending. The forecast for Monday 12th was not that much better than it had been over the past few days, but at least the birds were away, and now it was just sit tight and wait till word came that they would be up or not {not this day - holdover again}. So along came Tuesday {a lot better} and the birds were liberated at 7-10 in a west wind, so the race was on. It was just a matter of how long it would take and where the combine winner would be. The day was pretty much the same as last year’s race, which proved a good day for the lads up in the middle of the combine but that's a story for later on, so let’s get on with the story at hand.
Gateshead Fed 1197 birds
Bensham h s 194 birds. The Gray bros Bob & Mick pulled 1 out of the bag this week when they clocked a 2 year old blue hen in which took 6 hrs 22 mins 54 secs to cover the 301+ miles to record a vel of 1385-42 to take 1st club, fed & section. Their next pigeon was 10 mins later for 6th club & 28th fed. Quinn, son Smith & Noble were 2nd club 4th fed with a yearling blue hen that was doing 1374-70. Kenny & Ged Hooker took the next 3 positions in the club. Their first bird was a 2 year old blue hen that ended up 8th fed doing 1371-00. Dunston h s 204 birds. The top loft was that of Phillip Steele & Alan Hubbuck who took 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th & 9th club. The first pigeon was a 4 year old check cock that took 6hrs 26 mins 9 secs doing 1375-65 and the next 3 were all 2 year old hens that were 7th, 12th & 13th fed, then 15th & 17th fed with 2 yearlings. The 3Gs were 3rd & 4th club and 10th & 11th fed. Their 2 birds were both yearling blues both doing 1360s. The newerly formed partnership of John {the Godfather} Jobey, Mark Bainbridge & David Scott {formerly of Morpeth & Scott} were 7th club 14th fed with a young blue hen.
Wrekenton h s 377 birds. Crawford & son were the winners again this week and had 6 on the fed sheet. The first pigeon was a slatey hen that was 3rd fed doing 1375-06, the next bird was 3rd club and 6th fed it was a yearling blue cock, the other pigeons were 4th, 5th & 6th club. Terry Elliott & John & Watson took 2nd, 7th & 8th club and 5th, 20th & 21st fed. Their first pigeon was their good 2 year old blue hen that has a couple of fed 1st up to now. This hen was an all pooler and wins just about all she was in {shows and championship clubs}.
Mount Pleasant h s 86 birds was won by HJS, that's Ray Howourth, Kev Johnson & Mickey Steele. These lads took the top 6 positions in the club for the 4th week running. Their first pigeon was a yearling blue hen that ended up 18th fed. Their next bird was a yearling pied hen that was 25th fed.
Jeff Morris was the winner at the Birtley club flying against 67 pigeons and Pearson & Bell were the winners down at the Saltwell club. The fed sheet was filled with in 35 yards with good returns.
Newcastle West fed 383 birds
Decca Lamb was the fed winner this week winning at the British Legion club and was 36th section. A Wharton took the top spot at the Coxlodge club and was 47th section, and the Harland bros were the winners down at the Skinnerburn club taking 50th section. I must say sorry to the lads in Newcastle West for the lack of information as I can’t get a fed result from Mr Jeff Wallace so if anyone can forward it on to me I will try my best thanks.
Section 3 Houghton Fed 863 birds
Washington Celtic h s. T Craggs was the club and fed winner with the same blue white Belgie hen that topped the fed from Huntington. She was doing 1376-20. Dyson & Nichols were 2nd & 3rd club and 3rd & 5th fed with 2 x 2 year old check hens. The first hen was doing 1368-52 then the 2nd hen was doing 1366-02. Steve Wilson, son & dtr took 4th & 5th club and 9th & 10th fed doing 1350 & 1349. Herron & sons were 6th club with a yearling blue cock.
Gardeners h s Mr Brian Swinburne took the top 4 positions in the club. All 4 birds were yearling hens. The first hen was doing 1372-70 then down to 1341-09 taking 2nd, 4th, 14th & 16th fed. Braban & son were 5th club & 21st fed with a yearling mealy Busscheart hen and Jeff Jobling took 6th club 22nd fed,
Laidler & Simpson had a clean sweep at the Shiney Row club. They took 6th, 3th & 17th fed. Clennell bros & Curry were the winners at the North Biddick club with a 2 year old check hen that was 7th fed. Jeff & Neil Robson & Neil Moon were 2nd & 3rd club 20th & 27th fed. The Fort bros were 4th club 29th fed with a yearling blue cock. Wilson, son & dtr took all the positions in the Penshaw club. Their first pigeon was their good 4 year old SS blue hen.
Mid Tyne Federation, Eastbourne writes John Wilkie
For this the first National of the season we only had 27 lofts send 557 birds, this down to the fact that basketing was delayed until Sunday. Boldon Colliery H.S. had an entry of 396 birds from 12 lofts and it was from these that the winners came. In pole position were the Miller Bros & Kyle partnership with a good show to be 1st 3rd 4th 10th 11th 12th in both club and federation. Their winner, a yearling blue cock, recording a velocity of 1375.19ypm, their second one on the clock doing 1372.1ypm was recording its third showing in the fed top twenty out of the four races to date. Their sixth one on the clock recorded 1349.3ypm. In at 2nd club & fed were Walker & Greenlay doing 1373.3ypm, the lads also had another three to be 8th 15th 20th fed the last of these doing 1340.7ypm. Another loft with multiple timings were Graham, Gilchrist & Brennan to be 5th 6th 9th 13th & 18th fed the first of these doing 1363ypm and the last 1344.1ypm. Seventh club & fed went to McKenna Bros on 1359.8ypm J. Blackburn & Son 14th 1346.9ypm. Ken Young 1345ypm came in at 16th club & fed with W. Gates & Sons at 18th club 19th fed on 1341ypm. At Jarrow Alexandra where 6 lofts sent 83 birds John brown was 1st & 2nd club, his first one on 1344.5ypm for 17th fed. At Heworth H.S. Ray Cooley took top spot doing 1331.7ypm 25th fed and at Hebburn East End it was Goerge Thompson on 1329.8ypm for 27th fed.
SECTION 4
Like I said at the beginning of my report, this race was nearly the same as last year’s but the positions were a little different. This year’s winner was the loft of R & A Evans, Dixon, Gibbon & Smith {that's a mouth full}, yes with their first UNC win since being formed. They have had many near misses but in the end they did it so well done lads. Last year these were 2nd combine out of this race to the Woodroffe bros. The bros took 3rd combine this year just missing out on a very close finish.
Sunderland Prem Fed 1287 birds
Castletown h s 152 birds. Summers bros & Rose were the winners this week. Their winner was doing 1381-60 and wins the fed noms. Sportsmans & Comrades hs 300 birds. The Dunn bros were 1st & 5th club 2nd & 19th fed. Their first bird was doing 1377-93 and then 1347-71. Davy McSween & Jim Sexton were 2nd club and 13th fed and win the Ford 2 bird club. S Brown was 3rd club 16th fed doing 1352-15, and Potts & sons took 4th club 18th fed. Oddfellows hs 303 birds. W Cummings clocked up another club win this week. His pigeon was 3rd fed doing 1369-44. John {the Joster} Foster was 2nd club 5th fed doing 1365-01. W Mullen & son took 3rd & 4th club 11th & 14th fed doing 1355 & 1353 and Armstrong & son were 5th club 17th fed. Plains Farm hs 387 birds was won by Wormleighton & Swinney who are having a cracking start to the season again. They also took 4th & 5th club, 4th, 9th & 10th fed. Hammond & Webster took 2nd club 7th fed and Thompson & Kell were 3rd club and 8th fed. T Ayscough was 1st & 2nd club and 6th & 12th fed from the Deptford club.
Well that's just about it for the first of the UNC nationals. Most of the fanciers around the area got most of their birds back on the day with only a few birds being reported missing. Let’s hope that they return home soon. Like I said in 1 of my early reports, if I don't get information on the birds I can not put colours, sexes and ages on my report, so try and help me out please. Next week the combine will be at Melton Mowbray, so I will try and get full reports in for the article with your help. Call me on 0191 4177745 or 07526267979 or email me at
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