ACROSS THE MIDDLE
by Gordon Braban & John Wilkie
Worksop
Newcastle West Fed. 37 members sent 1096 birds.
This week with the birdage being well up you would have expected a good race from all 3 feds within the section but that was not the case with this section. The overall winner from this fed was from the Coxlodge club and that was Norman Feren who timed a check hen in that took 1hr 34mins 43secs to cover the 91 miles doing a vel of 1697-20. In second place were B&J Potts who timed a young check cock to be 6th fed doing 1695-37, then D Rutherford timed 2 birds in to be 3rd & 4th club 14th & 17th fed about 6 secs splitting them.
British Legion h s. Decca lamb was the winner yet again with a blue hen to claim his third 2nd fed with the yongsterss so far; this hen was doing a vel of 1696-11. A&M Wharton & Porter took the next 3 positions in the club and the fed with 2 young cocks and a hen; the first cock landed on the trap after 1hr 35mins 6 secs then the other 2 birds went over the pad at the same time 1 sec later and all 3 birds were doing 1695 but decimals splitting them. K Maughan & son took 5th club 7th fed with a check hen.
Skinnerburn h s. Oldham & Redhead dropped 2 birds with 20 secs splitting them to be 1st & 4th club 8th & 16th fed. The first youngster was a blue cock taking 1hr 32mins 4 secs to cover the 88 mile then they timed another blue cock in at 1hr 32mins24secs. J Lewis was 2nd & 3rd club 10th & 15th fed. First was a dark cock then a check hen.
Graham, son & Brown took the top 3 spots at the Westerhope club with only 18 seconds splitting them with 3 cocks, a NW and 2 GBs. I Tully was the winner at the Hazelrigg club with check wh hen that was doing 1685-05.
There were quite a few birds missing from this fed on the day but some of them made their way back during the week. No Newcastle West birds made the section sheet this week.
Chester Le Stret fed. 398 birds.
Perkinsville h s. B Nixon was the winner with a blue pied cock for his 2nd fed win with the young birds so far; this cock was timed in at 10-54.47am for the 82+ miles to do a vel of 1713-91 and finish up 25th section. Mr&Mrs McGow timed a red pied cock in to be 2nd club 9th fed doing 1690-14. Birtley hs took the other 8 positions on the fed sheet with Irving & son coming out on top with a check hen that was doing 1706-34 to be 2nd fed then they timed another bird in 31 secs later to be 5th club 6th fed. Morris & son were 2nd club 3rd fed with a pied cock that was 2nd fed last week and this week it wins the Birtley 4bird club they also timed a pied hen in later on to be 7th club 8th fed. Potts & Walker took 3rd & 8th club 4th & 10th fed, firstly with a mealy cock that takes 2nd 4bird club (this cock was 2nd fed out of the first race) and then a pied hen that took 4th 4bird club. McCabe & ptnr were 4th & 6th club 5th & 7th fed. A blue hen was timed in first then 22 secs later they timed a grizzle hen in that takes 3rd in the 4bird club. 24 yards slits this fed from 1st to 10th.
Mid Tyne Federation. Worksop (1) report from John Wilkie.
It makes me wonder why, but this week the fed saw a drop in both the number of lofts and the number of birds sent. In total there were 42 lofts and 1088 birds, a drop of close to 300 birds compared to last week. This week’s race was more like the first young bird race with good returns and pigeons arriving in batches. Boldon Colliery H.S. had 16 lofts send 592 birds. One Boldon member who did miss this race was Ray Surtees who spent the Friday in hospital following a bit of a wobbler, hope things are OK now Ray. Pride of place goes to McKenna Bros to be 1st club 1st fed with a velocity of 1715.09ypm. This pigeon coming out of a group of pigeons that hit the Station Road gardens together and just beat the loft of Graham, Gilchrist & Brennan. These lads had five drop together for 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th in both club and fed. The first three were all timed on the same second recording velocities of 1714.95ypm, the first one of these shown on the ETS clocking sheet is the same pigeon that was 1st club 2nd fed at the first young bird race, it’s now named “Usain” as it runs to the trap to be first over the line. The next two timed recorded 1714.70ypm and 1714.21ypm. Kevin McFarlane, on the same set of gardens also had one for 7th club & fed doing 1711.73ypm. All three lofts had other pigeons recorded in the fed top twenty. Walker & Greenlay also had two drop together to be 8th 9th club & fed these doing 1709.6 & 1709.4ypm. Tom Ridley came next at 10th club & fed 1707.4ypm. Billy Gates had a couple for 12th 14th club 12th 15th fed on 1705.8 & 1703.6ypm. Billy Miller was in for 18th club 19th fed this on e doing 1694.4ypm. At Jarrow Alexandra H.S. Mr & Mrs Mills were 1st club 13th fed their pigeon recording 1705.3ypm, Denis Walton was in for 2nd club 20th fed 1693ypm. At Heworth H.S. it was Birks, Frail & Birks who were the winners and at Hebburn East End, Ian Nelson once again had the club winner.
A couple of late results that have just come in to me from section 4, Sunderland Premier Fed to be exact. No sheets from the other 3 feds in section 4 but not to worry about that. The first sheet was from the 2nd Bubwith when 2428 birds were liberated at 12-15 in a east south east wind. This fed sheet is the only 1 that I get with no times or colour or sex on it so all I can print is the winner from each club and the velocity that is on the sheet, but let’s not complain about that, at least they are getting a mention, so here goes.
Plains Farm h s 434 birds. Kev Armstrong & Paul Shergold dropped 2 birds together with only a couple of seconds splitting them to take 1st & 2nd club & fed. The first pigeon was well fancied as it wins the fed noms and the Ford 2bird club with a vel of 1650-40 then the 2nd pigeon was 2nd fed noms and it was doing 1650-07 flying the 76+ miles. Wormleighton & Swinney took the next 2 positions in the club and finished up 5th & 7th fed with vels of 1644-156 & 1643 -48.
Castletown h s 231 birds. Chipp & Kibble were the winners and had the only pigeon from the club on the fed sheet. They ended up 3rd fed doing 1645-23 and take 3rd in the fed noms.
Sportsmans Arms h s 656 birds. Murphy & Ayre got 2 birds nearly together as there is only 1 yard splitting them and they are doing 1645-16 & 1644-15 to take 4th and 6th fed. Last week’s club and fed winners Joe & Stephen Barnes were 3rd club 8th fed doing 1642-36, then Les Thurlow & Frankie Strong dropped 4 birds together with only seconds separating the first 2 and the second 2 birds going over the pad together to take 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th fed; their 3rd pigeon was 2nd in the Ford 2bird club.
Oddfellows h s. 703 birds. T Armstrong & son took the red card this week doing 1633-8 to end up 14th fed and the Duffy bros took the next 2 positions just behind him to be 15th & 16th fed.
Tommy Ayscough was 1st & 2nd in the Deptford club flying against 223 birds and was 19th & 20th fed.
I don’t think that the returns were that good from this race with most people having dropped a few birds going off the reports that have been coming in.
The next result I got from these lads was from Worksop 1 when 1984 birds were liberated at 11-00 into a south, south east wind, a drop of nearly 400+ on last week’s race but that’s Bubwith race point for you {my own opinion}.
Oddfellows h s 552 birds. C&R Geenhow took the red and blue card when they timed 2 birds in with only seconds between them to take 1st & 2nd fed and 1st & 2nd fed noms doing 1742-9 & 1742-6. Greenhow, bros, Walton & Dove were 3rd club fed & fed noms doing 1740-9 just decimals in front of T Ferguson & son who timed 2 in to be 4th & 6th club and 4th & 7th fed. S Potts & sons took 5th club & fed. All these lofts were flying around the 109 miles.
Deptford h s 149 birds was won by Mr&Mrs Lavelle & Ptnr doing 1732-0 and his 2nd pigeon was 3rd club to end up 6th & 11th fed. Joe Adams & sons were 2nd club 9th fed.
Plains Farm h s. J Wharton was the winner doing 1729-19 and Ended up 8th fed {well done Mr Wharton}. Hammond, Webster & Webster took the next 2 turns on the same yard doing 1723.82 & 30 and they were 13th & 14th fed. Wormleighton & Swinney took 4th club 16th fed also doing 1723-11.
Castletown h s 213 birds. Watson bros & son took the top 5 positions in the club this week but none of them made the fed sheet. There was only 24 yards splitting the birds this week which, when you think about it, is nothing as times go but that’s all you need, seconds to win a race.
I did hear that the returns were not that good from this week’s race, and last week’s fed winner is still missing belonging to Armstrong & Shergold but that’s pigeon racing for you.
A little thing has come to my attention over the past 2 or 3 weeks, that is the pigeons are getting the dreaded fat eye lids. Now this is a very serious thing for the birds and it spreads very quickly, especially when the infected birds are mixed with others that go in the baskets with them. Some people say that there is no cure for this virus and you just have to let it sort itself out. Well, I am no doctor or vet but I have had a lot of trouble with m own eyes over the past 35 years and there is 1 treatment which I have found out that does help the fat eye lid and that is a simple thing called OPTREX INFECTED EYE DROPS. You can get this from any chemist and it is only about £5 a bottle. It is always helpful to have a bottle handy just in case you do ever get a problem with this thing or a picked eye. This product is not a banned substance and it has CHLORAMPHENICOL in it is for the teatment of accute bacterial conjunctivitis. If there is anybody out there that has a better cure drop me a line and I will let the pigeon fanciers know what it is.
Section 3 Houghton fed 1523 birds lib 10-45 Worksop 1.
Penshaw h s. Stevie Wilson, son & dtr clocked a check cock in after flying the 108 miles home to be 1st club 1st fed taking 1hr 54mins 2 secs to record a vel of 1678-08 then 1min 42sec later timing another cock in to be 2nd club 21st fed. Mr&Mrs Bill Bailey & son were 3rd club 22nd fed.
Celtic h s 714 birds. Craggs, son& g/son took top spot in the club with a blue hen that was doing 1677-45 then Dyson & Nichols took the next 5 positions in the club and fed with 4 hens and a cock birds with only 4 seconds splitting then.
Gardeners h s was won by Gordon Tyzack with a check hen to be 13th fed. Hughie & Colin Jackson took the top 2 positions in the Dubmire club with 2 checkers to be 16th & 17th fed and the Clennel bros & Curry were 1st, 2nd & 3rd down at the North Biddick club.
This was a fast race with the fed sheet being filled within 30 yards and the returns were pretty good with only a few birds being missing on the day.
Well that’s just about it for this week’s write up. One last thing just to remind those who purchased the £10 Z rings at the beginning of the season there will be £9,000 to fly for over the 2 races which will be the 2012 YB NAT and the 2013 Lillers. The money will be split £4,500 for each race. There will be £3,000 for the main prize which will be split into 6 prizes from 1st = £1,100, 2nd =£700, 3rd = £500, 4th = £400, 5th = £200 and 6th will get £100. The 3 sections will be split with the remaining £1,500 which will be split as sections 2 1st = £200, 2nd = £125, 3rd = £75, Section 3 1st = £200, 2nd = £125, 3rd = £75, Section 4 1st = £300, 2nd = £200, 3rd = £125, 4th = £75. Jeff Leighton will be running a section 4 £10 nom so if you are in sec 4 and fancy your chance with a bit of a gamble, contact Jeff.
That’s it from me this week. Next week’s race will be from Worksop again for most of us and it will be when the rest of the combine will all be together for the first time. Just hope it will be a good race, but I can’t see it myself as it has been raining hard on and off this week, so let’s hope that we get a good weekend for the race. Until next time, THAT’S ALL FOLKS from GORDON.
