ACROSS THE MIDDLE
by Gordon Braban & John Wilkie
WETHERBY 2
Newcastle West Fed 1427 birds
The fed sheet was well split up this week with all of the clubs being represented with at least 4 or 5 members. The winning club was the British Legion h s with A&M Wharton & Porter coming out on top with a blue cock that was doing 1608-91. In 2nd place was Decca Lamb making this 2x2nd feds on the trot with a check wh SP cock that was doing 1608-76. K McKenzie was 3rd club and fed timing a blue hen in that took 1hr 22mins 26secs to cover the 75 miles doing 1602-68. K Maughan & son took 4th club 5th fed with a check wh hen 10 yards behind the 3rd fed pigeon and she was doing 1592-38. The Burns bros took 5th club 13th fed with a blue cock.
B Wallace was the winner at the Westerhope club for the second week running with the same check hen that was 13th fed last week; she was 4th fed this week doing 1599-8. Graham, son & Brown took 2nd club 10th fed with a check hen and the singing Sparkie Davy Little, son & Southgate were 3rd club 17th fed with a blue cock.
Norman Feren was the winner down at the Coxlodge club with a young blue cock that was doing 1190-36 to be 6th fed. D Rutherford took 2nd & 3rd club 9th & 12th fed with 2 hens.
Hazelrigg h s. R Mitchell was the club winner this week with a check cock that was doing 1589-00 to end up 7th fed and just half a yard behind him was I Tully with a check hen that was 8th fed. Park & Young were 3rd club 15th fed with a check cock and I Tully was 4th club 16th fed with a check cock.
The Harland bros were the winners down at the Skinnerburn club when they timed a blue cock that took 1hr 19mins 45secs to fly the 71 miles and they were 11th fed. R Trattles & son took 2nd club 14th fed with a dark cock. Oldham & Redhead were 3rd club 18th fed with a pied cock doing 1552-50. It took 59 yards to fill the fed sheet from 1610-91 down to 1551-27 and there are still quite a few birds missing.
Chester Le Street Fed 540 birds
Birtley h s. McCabe & ptnr took the red card this week when they timed in a pied cock that was doing 1607-72 to claim 1st fed. Morris & son were 2nd club and fed also with a pied cock 2 yards behind the winner and Potts & Walker were 3rd club 4th fed with a check cock it was doing 1602-55.
Perkinsville h s. J Tally took 1st & 3rd club 3rd & 10th fed with 2 cocks. First was a check cock that was timed in at 6 mins past 2 and was doing 1604-5 and the 2nd pigeon was a pied cock that was in at 9 mins past 2 and took 10th fed. J Gordon& son were 2nd club 8th fed with a check hen doing 1571-27.
G McLean was the winner at the Marquis of Granby club with a Belgie import hat took 5th fed.
Kibblesworth h s. T B Wilkinson took the top 3 positions in the club with 3 birds within 1min. His first bird was a blue cock that was doing 1583-72 to be 6th fed, then a blue hen 28secs later was 7th fed and then another blue cock was 9th fed.
Mid Tyne Federation. Wetherby 2.
For this the second young bird race numbers were much better than last week. This time we had 51 lofts sending 1,359 birds, an extra 23 lofts up on last week. What a contrast in races though. Last week pigeons were teeming in with most lofts having near 100% returns at clocks but this week there were many empty perches at the end of the day. Wind conditions were much the same, although this week we had light E.S.E. as against light S.E. last week. The leading velocities were almost identical but as said many birds adrift this week. Now let’s look at the result.
Pride of place goes to the Jarrow Alexandra HS loft of Wilson, Son & Howe for 1st club 1st fed with a velocity of 1616.29ypm. This pigeon will also win 1st “Up The Middle” Section 3. Well done Brian & Roy. Second at Jarrow plus 4th fed are Lawson & Hall this one on 1608ypm, K & T Seales 3rd club 5th fed on 1601ypm this loft was also 6th club 10th fed on 1581ypm. Scott & Son had three close together for 4th 5th 7th club 8th 9th & 11th fed these doing 1583.9, 1583.0 & 1581ypm. Scurfield & Son were at 8th club 16th fed on 1573ypm. At Boldon Colliery HS where 16 lofts sent 640 birds Walker & Greenlay came out on top to be 1st club 2nd fed on 1612.9ypm, these lads had another for 11th club 20th fed doing 1568ypm. Just behind the club winner recording a velocity of 1612.1ypm for 2nd club 3rd fed is Kevin McFarlane. Third club 7th fed to Billy Gates & Sons on 1591ypm, the McKenna Bros came next with four almost together for 4th 5th 6th 7th club 12th13th 14th 15th fed, the first two recording the same velocity, 1578.4ypm with the next two on 1577 & 1574 ypm. Colin Sheerin next for 8th club 17th fed, 1572ypm followed by Billy Gates again at 9th 10th club 18th 19th fed on 1569 & 1568ypm. Heworth HS had W & L Curry getting the double up following on from last week’s win, this time to be 1st club 6th fed on 1600ypm. It is also as you were at Hebburn East End with Ian Nelson the winner once again.
At the time of writing this there are still a number of pigeons missing with at least one being reported near Edinburgh.
Section 3 Houghton fed 2008 birds lib 13-10.
The Celtic club took the lion’s share of the positions in the top 30 of the fed with 24 and with this being the 2nd young bird race everybody had them on with some big teams away. There were over 1000 birds in the club, 1017 to be exact and with the type of day we had it was a perfect day for a race. Dyson & Nichols came out on top for the 2nd week running. This week they got 2 birds dropping together and with only 1 second in between them they took 1st & 2nd club and fed. Craggs, son & g/son snook 1 in between them to take 3rd club and fed, then Davy & Dicky timed another 3 in that were 4th, 5th & 6th club and 4th, 5th & 7th fed with vels of 1614-27 dropping down to 1593 -82 for their 5th bird.
Gardeners hs 256 birds. Gordon Tyzack was the winner with a blue cock that was doing 1594-26; it was 6th fed. Gordon also timed another bird in that was 9th fed but that 1 was for the Celtic club and was 7th club. Edmund Mitford was 2nd & 4th club 8th & 20th fed with 2 blue cocks and Mr & Mrs Trev Westoe were 3rd club 11th fed with a young cock.
Dubmire h s was won by Fletcher & Wilson. Alan Wilson now flies on his own as his partner died some years back and he has not been in good health himself over the past few years, but he still keeps his hand in with the birds when he can, and he is the only loft in Dubmire to have beaten Hughie & Colin Jackson this year {so well done for that Alan}; he was 13th fed.
Alan Pallas was the winner at the North Biddick club with a check cock that was 26th fed.
Well that’s all I can write about with the results. Those that make a fed sheet will get a mention if I can and those clubs that don’t get on a fed sheet, you will have to try harder next time as I can’t give you a write up if I have not got any results sent in. Just 1 last thing before I go. A few weeks ago I lost a few young birds with GB rings on, P rings to be exact, so if anybody gets them in can you give me a call. The numbers start from 44800s and 46100s so if anybody out there has these in let me know. There is no reward but I will breed you something next year for your trouble. Call me on 0191 4177745 or 07526267979 so until next time THAT’S ALL FOLKS – GORDON.