ACROSS THE MIDDLE
by Gordon Braban & John Wilkie
Clermont - June 2013
Well this is the NEHU’s biggest race with all 4 organisations up together. Over the past few years that we have flown Clermont the whole of the NEHU have suffered heavy losses and year after year we have tried for a Friday liberation, but the weather in France has not been that good for us to have a race, so the birds went away on the Wednesday with high hopes that we would get a race on Friday. The weather did not spoil anything at all this year, but it was a good job that we did race on Friday as the other organisations that were over in France were held over for a couple of days. I know this as I was racing from Falaise with the Greater Distance Club and they weren't up till the Tuesday and not up till 11-00am in a south west wind but that story will follow the Clermont report.
So the UNC and the rest of the union liberated the birds at 06-30 in no wind. The numbers were down a lot on last year’s {why, I don't know? Heavy losses probably}. Steve and the lads let 5,434 birds go from the UNC so the race was on. I made a few phone calls to my good friends along the bottom of the coast near Brighton and the Portsmouth area, just to see what the weather was like early morning and roundabout the time that the birds would be coming over the channel. Visibility was clear but the wind was north east but not very strong. My ETA was about 10 hours plus {how wrong I was; ain’t that right Gibbo?}. I had got myself a few chicken legs and burgers to put on the fire when Big Willie phoned me up and asked where I was, so I told him I was in the cabin putting the scran on the fire ready for a long night ahead. He then told me to get my ar** outside and get ready because Skunky had timed in down at Haverton Hill which is only 20+ miles away and that they were getting faster on the way up the combine and this was just after 9 hours, so it was stuff the barbie and get outside and get ready for the birds. We did not have long to wait in our own area, so here goes for the Clermont race from the combine sheet which I have for the 3 sections that I do.
Section 2 Gateshead fed & Newcastle West fed.
Bensham h s 50 birds. Alan Wilson sent 12 birds to this 420+ mile race and did not have long to wait after the first phone calls came in when a 2 year old check cock dropped in to his loft, taking 9hrs 32 mins 52 secs and recording a vel of 1299-15 to take 1st club, fed, section and 3rd UNC {well done}. It was over 1 hour later when another check cock dropped in to his loft, and this cock was 3rd club 16th fed doing 1175-67. Quinn, son Smith & Noble clocked 2 birds in within 17 mins to be 2nd & 4th club and 9th & 9th fed. These 2 hens were both Zrings and the first hen was doing 1199-20 and the next hen was doing 1168-28. She was 2nd in the Lillers Z ring race and has a few turns to her name now. Kenny & Ged Hooker were 5th club 25th fed with a 2 year old check hen.
Wrekenton h s 84 birds. Bowman, Scott & Kelly clocked a yearling check white cock also a Zring {wrong race Steve} taking 9hrs 41mins 40secs and was doing 1272,50 and ended up 29th combine. They also clocked another 2 birds in to be 4th & 5th club and 22nd & 23rd fed nearly 1 hour later. Big Tommy Laskey & Brian Robinson were 2nd club 17th fed with a 2 year old blue hen and T Gray & son Dean were 3rd, 6th & 8th club 18th, 24th & 28th fed with 2cocks & a hen. Lons, Walker & Davison took 7th club 26th fed with a 4 year old blue white cock.
Dunston h s. Stele & Hubbock kept up the good run again this week in the club when they timed in a 3 year old check cock that took 9hrs 47 mins 57secs to finish up 1st club and 3rd fed doing 1266-96 and ended up 40th combine. Their next pigeon was also a 3 year old blue white cock 40 mins later which was 3rd club 12th fed. The 3Gs, Gordon, Gray & Gray were 2nd & 4th club and 4th & 13th fed. Their first pigeon was a yearling blue hen that was doing 1261-26 and was 51st combine and the next pigeon was also a yearling hen doing 1185-44. Colin Hutchinson took 5th club 20th fed with a yearling hen doing 1167-00 and Tommy Mollett was 6th club 21st fed with a young blue cock.
Harry Finley was 1st & 2nd at the Springwell club. The first bird was a yearling check hen that was doing 1243-90, it was 94th combine and the second pigeon was a 2 year old check white cock doing 1134-84.
Mount Pleasant h s 32 birds. David Hulme & Craig Larvin timed 3 birds in within 12 mins to take 1st, 2nd & 3rd club and 6th, 7th & 8th fed. The first pigeon was a2 year old blue hen that was 174th combine, the next bird was a blue cock 37 secs later and was 179th and their 3rd bird was a yearling pied hen and it wins the fed’s 2 bird club and also wins the fed noms. Billy Mullen was the winner at the Highfeild club. He was 10th fed with a 2 year old check hen. Potts, Walker & Birlleson took the red card at Birtley when they clocked a 2 year old check hen that also takes 2nd in the 2 bird club doing 1193-54; this hen was 11th fed. Jeff Morris & son took the next 3 positions in the club. The first 2 birds were 2x2year old pied hens and they were only 46 seconds apart to be 14th & 15th fed and his 3rd bird was a 4 year old blue hen 27 mins later. There were only 7 Gateshead fed birds on the combine sheet this race and there were over 161 yards between 1st & 30th fed.
Newcastle West Fed.
A & M Wharton & Porter were 1st & 2nd at the British Legion club. Their first bird was 1st fed and 21st combine and it was doing 1276-47. Their 2nd bird was 4th fed 181st combine 27 mins later. Davy Little & Ray Southgate were 1st & 2nd at the Westerhope club with 2x2 year olds. The first pigeon was 27th combine doing 1272-73 and the next bird was 43rd combine doing 1266.29.
Section 3 Houghton fed 197 birds
The Washington Celtic club flew a good race this week, but with the most of the birds away in the fed it was understandable out of the 30 positions on the fed sheet the Celtic had 19 and the top boys this week were Stud & Buckshot {Thompson & Laidler}. These 2 lads clocked 3 birds in within 17 mins, all blue hens. The first blue hen took 9 hrs 27 mins 14 secs to cover the 417 miles and was bred by Small & Naisbit from Sunderland. She was doing 1295-28 and took 1st club, fed, section and 5th UNC. Their next blue hen was 13 mins later and took 2nd club, fed, 3rd section and 46th combine doing 1265-03. The 3rd hen was 4 mins later and takes 34th club, fed & 57th combine {good flying}. Dyson & Nichols also clocked 3 birds in 15 mins. Their first bird was a 2 year old check hen that was 3rd club, fed and 55th combine doing 1259-03, the next bird was a blue cock that was 6th club, fed and 69th combine doing 1253-18, and the 3rd bird was a check white hen who was 10th club, 11th fed and 144th combine. Braban & son clocked 10 birds in within 46 mins. Six of these birds were for the Celtic club and the other 4 were for the Gardeners. The first 4 clocked were Celtic birds and take 5th, 7th, 11th & 13th club and 5th, 7th, 14th & 16th fed. The first bird was a 2 year old check Busschaert cock that has 2 x 2nd feds to its name and this cock finished up 65th combine. The next bird was a 2 year old red Busschaert cock doing 1250-81 and was 79th combine, next was a 2 year old check Busschaert cock that was 150th combine and the 4th pigeon was Hollywood Ellen the blue white hen that topped the fed last year from Clermont; she was 212th combine and she was doing 1213. Craggs son & G/son took 8th & 12th club and 8th & 15th fed with 2x2year old hens that were 97th & 184th combine. Hughie & Colin Jackson took the first 2 spots in the Dubmire club with 2 x 2 year old cocks which were 9th & 21st fed. The first cock was doing 1235-20 and took 116th combine. Mr&Mrs Sharp were 3rd club and 30th fed with a 5 year old check white hen.
Penshaw h s. Wilson, son & dtr had the top 3 positions in the club. Their first 2 hens were only 16 seconds apart to be 12th & 13th fed and 146th & 147th combine and the 3rd hen was 26th fed.
Braban & son had the first 4 birds in the Gardeners club with 4 yearlings - 3 hens and a cock. Two of the hens were red Busschaerts that were 17th & 20th fed. The first hen was 218th combine, the next hen was from the channel family she was 246th combine.
The whole of Houghton fed was filled within 73 mins or 160 yards. Within the space of that 75 mins or so there was a good batch of pigeons which made it into the north-east, but then it seemed to dry up. Why, nobody knows.
Section 4. Sun Dist/Sun Prem/South Shields, North East Counties.
Sun Dist Fed / 186 birds. High Southwick h s, 61 birds. The loft of R&A Evans, Dixon & Gibbon are there again from the channel. When it comes to the longer distance races you can't knock this loft, they always have 1 or2 birds that are well up in the combine positions and this week in no different than any other. These lads clocked 7 birds that made the fed sheet and 6 of them made the top 250 of the combine sheet. Their first bird was a yearling blue white hen that took 9 hrs 26 mins 19 secs to fly the 417 miles doing a vel of 1297-75 to be 1st club, fed, section and 4th UNC. Their next pigeon was 16 mins later and takes 3rd club, 5th fed and 50th combine (it was a 2 year old TV blue hen) then another 5 birds were timed in within 15 mins to be 11th, 12th, 13th, 17th & 18th fed and 129th, 151st, 155th & 226th combine. Mr&Mrs Young & Thoms were 2nd club 3rd fed and 25th combine. This 2 year old check hen was well fancied for this race and was doing 1274-36.
Farrington h s 26 birds. K Dawson flew a good race from the Farra club taking 1st & 2nd club, 2nd & 9th fed and also 6th and 113th combine. The first bird was a 2 year old blue hen that was doing 1293-24. The next bird was a yearling check hen doing 1236-02.
Cornhill h s 73 birds. Billy Mooney and his helper Mark took 1st, 3rd & 5th club 4th, 7th & 16th fed and 38th, 81st & 224th combine. Their 3 birds were all yearlings, the first 1 a check hen doing 1268-21, then a red hen doing 1250-31 & then a check cock and it was doing 1207-62. Jimmy & John Powell were 2nd club, 6th fed and 70th combine with a yearling blue GB hen doing 1253-03. The Woodroffe bros took 4th & 6th club and 10th & 19th fed. Their first bird was a yearling blue hen that was 114th combine.
Town End Farm h s 26 birds. John Smith was the winner this week with a young check white hen that was 8th fed 109th combine. T & A Kibble were 2nd club 20th fed with a 2 year old blue white hen.
North East Counties. The Seaham club came out overall winners of the fed this week with Ruddock, son & Ruddock taking the red card with a 2 year old pigeon that will be 7th combine doing 1292-60. Richardson, son & Young bros were 2nd & 3rd club and 6th & 10th fed. Their first bird was a 3 year old FUT bird that was 180th combine and their next pigeon was a 2 year old that took 233rd combine.
Murton h s. Mr John Ward came out on top in the club with a yearling that took 9hrs 20 mins 24 secs and was 8th combine doing 1289-59 and Naylor, sons & Richardson were 2nd club 8th fed and 189th combine.
Wearside h s was won by J & B Ayre who were 3rd fed & 91st combine with a yearling and 5th club 9th fed and 202nd combine doing 1216-02. The Casssidy bros took 2nd club 4th fed and 133rd combine. T & G Armstrong were 3rd club, 5th fed and 156th and Tippling bros & son took 4th club, 7th fed and 188th combine doing 129-74.
Sun Prem fed 323 birds.
Sportsmans & Comrades 53 birds. Thurlow & Strong were the club and fed winners with a yearling Zringer doing 1271-35 to take 33rd combine. These lads clocked another bird in 27 mins later to be 3rd club 16th fed and 208th combine. P Haswell clocked 4 birds in about 7 mins to take 2nd, 4th, 5th & 6th club and 15th, 17th, 19th & 20th fed. The first 3 birds were 205th, 223rd & 248th combine and the 4th bird just missed out on getting onto the sheet. Oddfellows h s 65 birds. John {Joster} Foster won his second channel race of the year. This week he timed a yearling cock in to be 2nd fed 35th combine doing 1268-45. It was well over 1 hour before he got another pigeon. Mr & Mrs Collingson & son just got pipped for second place by decimals doing 1268-31 and they were also 3rd club 5th fed 3 mins later; these 2 birds were 36th & 49th combine.
Plains Farm h s 73 birds. John Wharton also won his second channel race. John won Lillers when he was 4th combine 2 weeks ago and this week he takes 4th fed and 42nd combine doing 1266-89. Armstrong & Shergold were 2nd, 4th & 6th club clocking these 3 birds in 23 mins. The first bird was a 3 year old that was 66th combine and it wins the Ford 2 bird club. The next pigeon was also a 3 year old and it was 13th fed and 136th combine and the 3 bird was a 2 year old and was 18th fed and 234th combine. Robinson, son, Johnson & Moon were 3rd club 9th fed and 104th combine with a yearling doing 1241-16. Hammond, Webster & Webster took 5th club 14th fed and 182nd combine.
Westside 6 bird club was won by D Atkinson with a 2 year old this bird was 7th fed, 96th combine and 2nd in the Ford 2 bird club. Tommy Carr & son took the next 2 positions in the club with just 14 seconds between them to be 10th & 11th fed and 112th & 115th combine, Tommy Ayscough was the winner at the Deptford club with a yearling GB and was 103rd combine and Mr & Mrs Lavelle & Lavelle were 2nd club 12th fed and 121st combine doing 1233-98.
South Shields fed.
Ray Moore & Geordie Gleghorn were the winners down at the Whiteleas club and also the fed winner with a 2 year old that was 100th combine doing 1242. M Caruthers {Charlie Gallahgher} was 2nd club 3rd fed doing 1230-55 to be 134th. Jimmy Nicholson was the winner at the Central club and was 2nd fed 118th combine and Taylor & Ali were 2nd club 4th fed at the central.
Mid Tyne Federation. Two reports this week from John Wilkie.
Firstly Clermont, here 28 federation lofts sent a total of 249 birds with Boldon Colliery Hs sending the lion’s share, this being 177 birds from 15 lofts. With the Walker & Greenlay loft coming out on top to be 1st Boldon HS 1st fed with a velocity of 1272.8ypm and the lads had another for 7th club 8th fed on 1224.8ypm. These lads don’t normally fly these longer races, in fact this is probably the first time in the last ten years but Jonny Greenlay has been playing with a few hens for the distance this season. In at 2nd club 2nd fed, following up his 1st fed out of Lillers however is a guy who loves the distance, this being Kevin McFarlane. Kevin had seven pigeons in the top 20 fed positions, the first one at 2nd fed doing 1248.5ypm going down to 20th fed doing 1146ypm, plus he had another five on the night. Other Boldon members on the fed sheet were John Gilhespy at 3rd club 4th fed 1238.3ypm, Ken Young with a couple at 5th & 9th club 6th 12th fed 1237.9 and 1196ypm. John Blackburn & Son 7th & 10th club 9th 13th fed, Miller Bros & Kyle 8th club 10th fed, W.Gates & Sons 14th club 17th fed, also Graham, Gilchrist & Brennan at 16th club 19th fed. Heworth HS also has a loft that likes the distance in pole position, this being Birks, Frail & Birks for 1st club 3rd fed doing 1242.6ypm this again following their 1st club Lillers. I know Colin Birks’ favourite is Bourges so it will be interesting to see what happens next. At Jarrow Alexandra Hs it was once more a double, but this time with the same pigeon. Scott & Son at 1st & 2nd club 4th & 11th fed on 1240.8 & 1202.2ypm, the winning pigeon being 1st club 15th fed Lillers. George Thompson was the winner at Hebburn East End.
Now onto Melton Mowbray, flown on Sunday, here 30 lofts sent 490 birds. This time it was Heworth HS that took the honours with Owens & Barnes at 1st club 1st fed recording 1416ypm, in for 2nd club 2nd fed was Denny Munro this one doing 1412.3ypm. At Jarrow Alexandra Mr & Mrs Davy Mills chalked up their fifth win of the season for 1st club 3rd fed 1409.5ypm plus another couple at 3rd club 8th fed 1403.9ypm & 5th club 17th fed 1383.2ypm. Third club 7th fed to Stevie Whitehead 1405.8ypm and Wilson Son & Howe 4th club 16th fed 1385.7ypm. At Boldon Colliery Hs two lofts dominated the result, these being, yes you may have guessed, at 1st 2nd 4th 5th 6th 7th 9th 10th 12th 14th club 4th 5th 9th 10th 11th 12th 14th 15th 19th fed we had Walker & Greenlay, then it was Graham, Gilchrist & Brennan at 3rd 8th 11th 13th club 6th 13th 18th 20th fed.
Well that's just about it for the Clermont race for the 2013 season. There are still quite a few birds missing. To our fellow fanciers down the south that get our birds in and give them a feed and a drink then hopefully let them go either in the morning or if they are tired a couple of days later, a very big thank you from the lads in the NEHU.
A couple of quick notes before I go. In my Lillers report I mentioned how well that Phillip Steele & Hubbuck had been flying, well I missed the fact that they were 2nd & 8th combine and that they won the Joe Hunter Memorial trophy for the best 2 bird performance. Once again well done, keep up the good flying Phil {will that do Charlie?}. Another note that has been passed on to me is about the sad death of Mrs Quinn, wife of old Phil Quinn and mother of not so young Phil. Old Phil had not been getting up to the loft that much over the past few years {he must be in his 90s} and since his wife’s death he has started to get back into the garden and is putting in a lot of time with the birds. Thanks to old Phil the birds are coming better {will that do Kev? ha ha.}
Well the next channel race will be from Bourges and with the losses that we have been having it will only need a transit van to take them, but all joking aside, this is not a race for the faint hearted, 570 miles to the middle so you will need all the help that they can get on the day. A bit of help in the wind would be nice plus clear blue skies and most of all a good clear channel crossing, which is very unlikely with the weather they have been having down on the south coast. Well that's it from me for this week’s report so from me THAT'S ALL FOLKS, GORDON.
