ACROSS THE MIDDLE
by Gordon Braban & John Wilkie
RIVENHALL - MAY 2013
This week the combine birds were at Rivenhall, around 229 to the middle of the combine. The birds went away as normal on the Friday, and there was a good forecast for the Saturday, but with a south-west wind, the same as last week, there would be 2 liberations with sections 1, 4 & 6 going up first and then sections 2, 3 & 5 going 20 mins later. The ETA was around 4hrs 20+ mins, which was not far wrong {my ETA was well out, I thought under 4 hrs}. I got a phone call from Keith ‘Goodcorn’ Simpson to tell me that their birds were doing 3hrs 35 mins to Skinninggrove which is 30+ miles shorter than us, so we had to add about 45 mins onto their time or before that to be doing better vels. So sections 1, 4 & 6 were liberated at 07-55 then it was sections 2, 3 & 5 going at 08-15.
Section 2 / Gateshead Fed & Newcastle West Fed
Gateshead Fed 1892 birds
Dunston h s 290 birds. Chas & Dave that is Charlie Morpeth & Davy Scott made it 2 wins on the trot in the Dunston club when they timed a 2 year old check cock in to be 1st club, fed and section and they also timed 2 more birds in to take 2nd & 5th club and 3rd & 19th fed. The first cock took 4hrs 27 mins 5 secs and was doing 1533-15, the next bird was a yearling check cock that came in 48 secs later doing 1528-58 and it wins the fed’s gold ring scheme. Their 3rd bird was also a yearling check cock that dropped 3 mins 43 secs late. In 2nd club 10th fed were the 3Gs, Gordon, Gray & Gray with a 2 year old blue white hen that was doing 1517-25. Steele & Hubbuck took 4th club 14th fed with a yearling blue cock. L&G Rose clocked a 4 year old check cock in to be 6th club 29th fed and this cock takes 2nd place in the fed’s 2bird club. 7th club 30th fed was taken by Neil {the salad dodger} Peart with a check white hen that wins 3rd in the 2bird club.
Bensham h s 299 birds. Kenny & Ged Hooker took top spot in the club this week with a 2year old check hen hat was timed in at 12-43-24 taking 4hrs 28mins 24secs to travel the 233+ miles and she was doing 1532-38 and was 2nd fed. Quinn, son, Smith & Noble took 2nd & 4th club 7th & 25th fed with 2 blue cocks. The first cock was 2 year old doing 1521-11 and the next cock was a yearling doing 1506-08. Mark Bainbridge was 3rd club 8th fed with a yearling check hen.
Wrekenton h s 452 birds. Crawford & son made it 3 wins out of 4 this week with a yearling blue MT hen. This hen was 4th fed doing 1528-45. They were also 4th club 11th fed with a yearling Zring blue hen doing 1517-23 {those few years spent with Terry & John have really paid off Big J}. Elliott & Watson clocked a yearling check white hen in to be 2nd club 5th fed doing 1527-65 and they also clocked another 4 birds in within 6 seconds to be 20th, 22nd, 24th & 26th fed nearly 4 mins after their first bird. Ions, Walker & Davison took 3rd club 9th fed with a yearling check cock. Laskey & Robinson took 3 fed positions with 3 hens to be 12th, 15th & 21st fed. F Curry & sons were the winners at the Highfeild club flying against 297 birds; he was 6th fed doing 1522-17.
Saltwell h s 153 birds. J Kippen & son clocked a yearling check hen that was 1st club 13th fed and 2nd gold ring doing 1515-38.
Mount Pleasant h s 155 birds. HJS, that's happy Ray Howourth, honest Kev Johnson & just Micky Steele took the first 3 positions this week. Their first bird was a 3year old blue hen that was bred for them by the late Keith Gawthorp from Shiney Row and she was 16th fed. Their next bird was a yearling pied cock that was 17secs later and was 17th fed and their 3rd bird was a yearling check hen. David Hulme & Craig Larvin took the next 3 positions to be 4th, 5th & 6th club.
Birtley h s 162 birds. Jeff Morris & son took 1st, 3rd & 4th club this week. Their first pigeon was a yearling pied N ring hen that was 18th fed. TB Wilkinson was 2nd club 28th fed with a 2 year old pied cock.
There were some big gaps in most lofts this week, some fanciers just getting 1 bird then waiting a few minutes for their next bird. Those that got a few within a couple of mins did well because there was a good few mins from 1st to 5th or 6th in the club. There was definitely no fastest vels in the area this week [will Barry Pearce do you a write up Charlie?}. On a slower day there was only 29 yards between 1st and 30th in the fed this week but timewise it was 3 and a half mins and the returns were good with most lofts having nearly all their birds back on the night.
Newcastle West Fed 1059 birds
British Legion h s. Flying 237+ miles to the Kenton bar area of the west side of Newcastle is the loft of Decca Lamb and clocking a 2 year old check cock to record a velocity of 1528-74to take 1st club, fed and 3rd section. Decca also timed a yearling check cock in 2mins plus to take 5th club 6th fed. The Burns Bros timed 2 hens and a cock bird in to be 2nd, 3rd & 4th club 3rd, 4th & 5th fed. The first bird was a 2 year old check cock that was doing 1519-68 taking 4hrs 35mins 6secs. The next pigeon was a 2 year old blue hen some 21secs later and then a yearling check white hen 2 seconds later. The British Legion club had 10 birds on the fed sheet with D Lamb and the Burns Bros taking them between each other.
Westerhope h s. B Wallace & Son {Jeff} were 1st & 2nd club this week with 2 hens. The first hen was 3 year old taking 4hrs 34mins 14secs then 2 mins 17secs later a yearling check hen dropped in to be 2nd & 7th fed. Copeland & Bolam clocked a yearling check hen to be 3rd club 9th fed doing 1505-05. Davy Little, son & Ray Southgate clocked a 2 year old blue hen that took 4hrs 38mins 34 secs to be 10th fed nearly 5 mins behind the fed winner. Graham, son & Brown took 5th club 11th fed with a yearling check hen.
Skinnerburn h s was won by Oldham & Helsdon with a yearling check cock when they were 8th fed doing 1513-30.
Coxlodge h s. D Rutherford clocked a yearling check white cock to take 1st club, 11th fed. Mr & Mrs Anderson took 2nd club 13th fed with a check cock and Harvey & Hammond were 3rd club 14th fed with a blue hen. There were 6+ mins to fill the top 20 in the fed or 32 yards with good returns.
Section 3 Houghton fed 1384 birds
Dubmire h s 117 birds. Winning their 4th race on the trot was the father and son partnership of Hughie & Colin Jackson. This week they timed in a yearling blue cock bred for them by Ronny Evans and partners. This young cock took 4hrs 17mins 43secs to be 1st club fed & 6th section doing 1534-79. They also took the next few positions in the club and their next pigeon was also a yearling SP blue cock that took 11th fed doing 1525-90, then their 3rd bird was a yearling HET blue cock doing 1515-38.
Penshaw h s 190 birds was won by Mr & Mrs John Bell, but John flies outside our fed boundary, so in 2nd, 3rd, 4th club and 2nd & 4th fed were Wilson, son & dtr. Steve and family timed in the same pigeon that they timed in last week bred for them by the 2Js Soderlund & Maddison. This hen was doing 1531-04 then their next bird was also a yearling blue hen and their 3rd hen was their 3 year old blue SS hen that they timed in the first race.
Celtic h s 655 birds. Craggs, son & G/son were the winners with a yearling blue hen doing 1530-44 to be 3rd fed. Braban & son took 2nd club 6th fed with a 2year old check Busschaert cock that took 4hrs 24mins 16secs doing 1527-44. Dyson & Nichols were 3rd club 7th fed with a yearling check hen. Thompson & Laidler clocked a 3 year old blue hen to be 4th club 8th fed doing 1526-62. Herron & sons took 5th club 9th fed with a yearling check pied cock. John Scott timed a yearling blue cock in to take 6th club 10th fed.
Shiney Row h s 147 birds. This week’s winners were Bily Laidler & Ian Simpson who timed in 3 yearling hens. The first hen was 1st club 5th fed, the 2nd hen 2nd club 13th fed then their 3rd hen was 3rd club 17th fed. The first hen was doing 1527-84 and the 3rd hen was doing 1510-79. R & K Emery were 4th club 18th fed with a yearling checker.
Biddick h s 141 birds. The Fort bros took the top 2 positions this week with 2 yearling blue cocks that were only 1 second apart doing 1506. J & N Robson & Moon took 3rd club 25th fed with a 3 year old check white cock.
Gardeners h s 134 birds was won by Braban & son with a yearling check white Zring hen.
There were 38 yards between 1st fed and 30th fed and also good returns this week.
Sunderland Dist Fed Peterborough 1160 birds
Town End Farm 194 birds.This week’s club and fed winner was Geordie Kelly who timed a 2 year old check white cock that took 3hrs 57mins 2secs and was doing 1265-73. He was also 10th fed with a 2 year old blue 4+ mins later.
Cornhill h s 377 birds. Gordon Coulson took 1st & 2nd club and 2nd & 3rd fed with a 4 year old blue hen doing 1262-74 and a yearling mealy cock doing 1260-87. This mealy cock was 13th fed from Newark. Billy Mooney was 3rd club 4th fed with a 2 year old check hen.
High Southwick h s 395 birds. R & A Evans, Dixon & Gibbon were 1st & 2nd club 5th & 6th fed with a blue cock and a blue hen only 1 second apart doing 1251. Prest, Snowdon & Prest were the winners at the Farrington club flying against 194 birds. The fed noms were won by G Kelly and 2nd & 3rd were G Coulson.
Sunderland Dist Fed Rivenhall 1032 birds
Cornhill h s 316 birds. Andy Shepherd took the top 2 spots in both club and fed with 2 hens, first a 2 year old mealy doing 1573-18 then a yearling blue hen doing 1572-88. These 2 hens were only 3 secs apart for his 2nd fed win of the season. The Woodroffe bros took 3rd & 4th club and fed with a blue cock and a dark hen only 2 secs apart and Gordon Coulson took 5th & 6th club and fed with 2 x 3 year olds that were also secs apart.
High Southwick h s 384 birds was won by Gilly Young & Paul Thoms with a yearling blue hen that was doing 1554-36 to be 7th fed and R & A Evans, Dixon & Gibbon took the next few positions in the club with a mixture of cocks & hens but all of them were yearlings and they ended up 9th, 13th, 16th & 19th fed.
Farrington h s was won by Prest, Snowdon & Prest for the 4th week running. Andy Shepherd was 1st & 2nd in the fed noms and the Woodroffe bros were 3rd. Gilly Young & Paul Thoms were the winners in the 2 bird club and Jimmy & John Powell were 2nd.
Mid Tyne Federation, Rivenhall.
For this race we saw 46 lofts enter 1,084 birds. The winning pigeon is one that I wrote about last week belonging to the Jarrow Alexanrda loft of Wilson, Son & Howe, this being Brian Wilson and the Jarrow secretary Roy Howe. Their pigeon being 1st club 1st fed 1st “Up the Middle” section 3 with a velocity of 1546.43ypm is the same two year old hen that was 2nd club 14th fed last week. More importantly though this is the third time she has topped the fed. Last season it was 1st club 1st fed 2nd section 3 Peterborough 2, then 1st club 1st fed 1st section 3 Melton Mowbray 4, and with this weeks result now having 3x1st club 3x1st fed 2x1st section 1x2nd section plus a couple of lesser turns. I’m sure you will agree it’s turning out to be some pigeon. All of the other positions in the top twenty of the fed result were to Boldon HS lofts. Here Walker & Greenlay had a field day to be 1st 3rd 5th 6th 7th 10th 11th 12th 13th 15th 18th club with velocities ranging from 1545.9ypm down to 1514.4ypm, just knock these places down by one nd that is also their fed positions. McKenna Bros were 2nd & 8th 17th club 3rd 9th 18th 1541, 1526 & 1514ypm. Miller Bros & Kyle 4th club 5th fed 1535ypm W.Gates & Sons 9th club 10th fed 1525ypm, W. Miller 14th club 15th fed 1517ypm K. McFarlane 16th club 17th fed 1514.8ypm and K. Young 19th club 20th fed 1514.3ypm. At Heworth HS Owens & Barnes took top spot as did Ian Nelson at Hebburn East End.
Section 4 Sunderland Prem Fed 1965 birds
Sportsmans Arms h s 611 birds. This week's fed race was decided on a decimal point with only one-hundredth splitting the first 2 birds in the Sportsmans Arms club, with Joe & Stephen Barnes coming out the overall winner doing 1577-68. In 2nd club and fed were Hindmarsh & Butler on 1577-59, these 2 birds taking 1st & 2nd in the fed noms. Thurlow & Strong came in 3rd club 7th fed doing 1555-67, and H Potts & son clocked 2 birds within seconds to take 4th & 5th club and 8th & 9th fed.
Plains Farm h s 297 birds. Wormleighton & Swinney won the 3rd race of the season this week and they also clocked another bird in to be 2nd club. These lads were 3rd & 4th fed doing 1576-19 & 1557-89. Hammond, Webster & Webster came a close 3rd club 5th fed doing 1557-51.
Oddfellows h s 442 birds was won by W Cummings. His bird was 6th fed doing 1556-65.
The Ford 2 bird club was won by J & S Barnes (this bird was 11th fed) and F Murphy was 2nd in the 2 bird club and 16th fed.
Still sorry about the results for Sun Prem Fed. There are no colours, sexes or years on the fed sheet. Help me out Nigel. Well that's just about it for me this week. Next week's race will be the first inland nat. This race will be from Eastbourne which is 297 miles to my loft. The weather leading up to the weekend has been very funny - sunshine, rain, mist and wind - all we needed was snow and we would of had a full house. Just hope it clears out for Saturday but I can't see it. OK lads, don't for get about the Lillers Z ring race which will be here in 2 weeks time and for all those fanciers who still have birds left don't forget to send me your velocities as quick as you can, and best of luck for the inland nat, so from me THAT'S ALL FOLKS - GORDON.
