ACROSS THE MIDDLE
by Gordon Braban & John Wilkie
LILLERS - MAY 2012
Well after the Melton Mowbray race that was held on the Tuesday after a day's hold over, i didn't think that many people would have sent the birds straight back to Lillers on the Thursday, but there were. Lillers is the first of our channel races at around 340 miles to the middle of the combine and all week the wind had been blowing from the north east, which is not a bad wind, anything as long as it is not a west wind from there. The weather started to turn for the better by the back end of the week with the sun starting to shine, so hopefully it was going to be a good day on Saturday for the race. With east in the wind you always seme to get mist on the coast and Thursday and Friday were no differant, but by the dinner time the sun had burnt it of and the temps were in to the 80s. When Saturday came around it was the same up here, early morning a little bit misty but by the time the sun came out it was clear as a bell and the only thing was it was going to be red hot and the wind was blowing east north east. A good race was on the cards. Steve Proffitt liberated the birds at 06-00 in a light north east wind over in Ffrance with the wind getting fresher en route so the E.T.,A. was around 7hrs 30 mins to 8hrs up here. It was just a matter of waiting till the phone calls started coming in from the front end and trying to judge how long it would take to get up into the middle. The birds were on their way and just hoped that we did not get any hazzards from there to here. Well that's enough drabble from me, let's get down to the race results that I have been given up to now.
Section 2 Gateshead fed 780 birds
Dunston h s 193 birds. Well after a much deserved holiday for 5 weeks Charlie Morpeth & Davy Scott realy put up a good performance out of this race. They timed 8 birds in with in 22 mins to take 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, 11th &12th club, 1st, 2nd, 8th, 11th, 12th, 19th, 22nd & 26th fed. They were 1st & 4th section with the first 2 birds and the other 6 were on the sheet { hope you enjoyed your hols, ha ha]. The first bird was a 4 year old blue cock a Spitfire x Copman that has scored before and it was 1 of the pair of birds that won the best 2 bird performance from Folkestone 2 years ago. This blue cock took 7hrs 28mins 21secs to cover the 347 miles doing a vel of 1365-33, the other was a yearling check cock that dropped 5 mins later to do 1350-97. This cock is a George Carteus strain that they got from Robert Roman from Scotland through the Euro Diamond pigeons. Their 4th bird was a yearling blue cock that wins the 1 bird club and it was doing 1323-32 {good flying}. John Jobey & Keith Main were 3rd & 10th club. First was a 2 year old check cock that was doing 1349-25 that ended up 3rd fed and 6th section. The other was a mealy cock that was 20th fed doing 1316-13. Gordon, Gray & Gray {the 3 Gs} timed 2 birds in 12 secs to take 7th & 8th club, 14th & 16th fed with 2 hens.
Bensham h s 141 birds
Kenny & Jed Hooker made it 2 wins in a row. They timed a 2 year old check cock that was doing 1340-48 and it wins the fed 2 bird club. They were also 3rd club with a yearling check wh hen that ended up 9th fed doing 1329-59. S Scullion & son took 2nd club 5th fed with a young blue hen. Quinn, son, Smith & Noble were 4th club 17th fed with a 2 year old check hen doing 1317-25. The Gray bros Bob & Mick took 4th club 25th fed with a blue hen.
Wrekenton h s 117 birds. Bowman, Scott & Kelly {B, S,K }timed a 2 year old blue cock in that took 7hrs 35mins 34secs and doing 1338-15 to win their 1st club race of the season. This cock also takes 2nd in the fed 2bird club. T Gray & son Dean timed 3 hens in within 7 mins to take 2nd, 5th & 7th club 10th, 18th & 24th club, all yearlings {2 GBs & a WHU}. Laskey & Robinson took 3rd & 4th club 13th & 15th fed with 2 cocks. The 2nd cock was bred by George Hastie from Berwick, and Elliott & Watson were 6th club 21st fed with a 2 year old check cock. Mannie Manafi made the fed sheet with a 2 year old pied cock that took 8th club 30th fed.
Mount Pleasent h s 81 birds was won by Hulme & Larvin with a young pied cock - it was 7th fed, and J Turnbull, Turnbull & Steele were the winners at the Saltwell club.
Newcastle West Fed {still no fed sheet - Jeff]
1st Decca Lamb flying another good race making it his 6th first fed in a row. This week he timed in a yearling blue hen in doing 1362-85 out of his good Andrezel hen that has got a canny few wins for him now. She will end up 2nd section 35th UNC, and he also timed another 2 birds in 6 mins later to take 2nd & 3rd fed, 7th & 8th section 90th & 101st UNC {good flying}. A&M Wharton & Porter took 4th club 4th fed 13th section 155th UNC with a yearling. Grant Robson took the top 2 spots in the Hazelrigg club with a 2 year old and a 3 year old to end up 5th & 6th fed 15th & 17th sec and 168th & 197th combine.
Chester le Street fed 140 birds
Perkinsville h s. B Nixon timed 2 cocks in to take 1st & 2nd club, 1st & 3rd fed, 3rd & 18th section and 48th & 215th combine. First was a 4 year old check cock that was doing 1356-34 then a 2 year old blue cock doing 1325-85. Gordon & son took the next 2 positions in the club with 2 yearling cocks 2 mins apart and ended up 4th, 5th & 9th fed. The 3rd pigeon was a 3 year old check hen. Mr& Mrs McGow were 5th club 6th fed with a yearling blue hen.
Birtley h s. Irving & son were the winners with a yearling pied cock that was doing 1350-46 to be 2nd fed 5th section and 66th combine; this young cock also wins the 4bird club. Their 2nd pigeon was a 4 year old check hen some 7 mins later to take 2nd club 7th fed. Morris & son were 3rd club 10th fed and 3rd in the 4bird club with a 2 year old check cock. T B Wilkinson was the winner at the Kibblesworth club with a blue hen that takes 8th fed and 2nd in the 4bird club.
Section 3
Houghton fed 652 birds
Washington Celtic h s. Dyson & Nichols were the winners in the club & the fed with a 2 year old dark cock that took 7hrs 17mins 57secs to cover the 344 miles doing a vel of 1382-64 and take 2nd sec and 9th UNC. Braban & son timed a yearling Busscheart hen in to be 2nd club, 3rd fed, 5th section and 47th UNC {all I can say is thank God for the ETS system, I never saw her go in]. Peter McMann was 3rd club 4th fed 72nd combine with a young blue hen. Peter Wilkinson took 4th club 7th fed 154th combine with a 3 year old check cock. Dyson & Nichols were also 5th & 7th club 9th & 11th fed and Braban & son were 6th club 10th fed with a yearling blue hen bred by Hollywood Kev Parson {I saw that 1 go in}.
Shiney Row h s. Laidler & Simpson took the top 3 positions in the club again this week. The first pigeon was a young blue wh hen that was doing 1381-33; it was 2nd fed 3rd sec and 10th UNC. The next 2 birds were both yearling hens only 25 secs apart that ended up 14th & 15th fed. Mr & Mrs Tucker Wells were 4th club 20th fed with a 2 year old check wh cock.
Dubmire h s. Jackson & son took the top 2 positions in the club that made the fed sheet. First was a 2 year old check cock that ended up 5th fed and then a 4 year old check cock that was 8th fed. The Fort bros were the winners at the North Biddick club with a yearling blue cock that was 6th fed and Clennel bros & Curry were 2nd club 16th fed with a young dark cock. Stevie Wilson took thhe top 2 positions at Penshaw with a check wh hen and a red cock that was 17th & 24th fed. Braban & son took the first 4 positions at the Gardeners club [ but was not on the fed sheet}.
Mid Tyne Federation, Lillers (1)
For this the first channel race of the season 35 lofts sent 479 birds. Unfortunately this was 100 down on last year, which reflects what this year has been like. Taking top honours is the Jarrow Alexandra Hs loft of Davy Wilson. Davy did in fact have a very good race as he was 1st 3rd 7th 11th 12th in the club and 1st 4th 8th 16th & 17th fed. His winning pigeon a yearling blue hen recorded a velocity of 1383.3ypm which will also be very high up in the U.N.C. open result, so well done Davy. His other velocities ranged down to 1305ypm for his pigeon in 17th fed position. Jarrow club put up one of their best federation showing for quite some time as the following results will also show. In at 2nd Jarrow 2nd fed were Surtees & Blackburn on 1379ypm these lads had another for 10th club 15th fed 1314ypm. 4th club 5th fed went to K & T Seales on 1345.7ypm, Scott & Son were next at 5th & 6th club 6th & 7th fed these doing 1344 & 1342ypm John Brown was in for 8th & 9th club 12th & 13th fed these on 1322 & 1318ypm. As I mentioned before, a good showing by the Jarrow lads with 12 pigeons in the top 17 fed positions. At Boldon where 17 lofts sent 277 birds Ken Young came out on top with a 2 year old cock that was actually 36th open at last years Lillers (2). This time it recorded 1366ypm for 3rd fed position, I’m sure once again this will show a good open position. Ken also had another three good timers for 2nd 5th & 7th club 9th 12th & 20th fed the last of these recording 1299ypm. Walker & Greenlay took 3rd club 10th fed on 1329ypm, Tom Ridley 4th club 11th fed 1325ypm and Miller Bros & Kyle 6th club 19th fed 1301ypm. Heworth HS had Jimmy Bone in top spot for 1st club 18th fed on 1302ypm. Unfortunately all the lads from Hebburn club gave this race a miss.
Section 4
Sunderland Prem Fed 1047 birds
Plains Farm h s 159 birds. Leading the way this week in the club and fed was the partenership of Kevin Armstrong & Paul Shergold. These lads flew a good race in not just the club but in the overall combine by taking 1st, 3rd, 4th & 6th club 1st, 8th, 12th & 16th fed, 1st section & 5th, 43rd, 63rd & 82nd UNC. The first bird was a 2 year old FUT pigeon that wins the fed noms doing a vel of 1394 -60, the next 2 were also 2 year old and then a 3 year old. Brown & Stubbs were 2nd club, 7th fed and 36th combine with a yearling doing 1362-18, Hammond, Webster & Webster took 5th club 13th fed and 75th combine with a 3 year old.
Deptford h s 109 birds. Mr & Mrs J Bell also flew a great race taking the top 5 positions in the club and just narrowley being beaten for the fed by a gnat's whisker. They took 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10th &18th fed and 6th, 11th, 22nd, 53rd &112th combine. The first 2 birds take 2nd & 3rd in the fed noms doing 1394-44, 1381-07 & 1373-80. Tthe other 2 birds were not that far behind them.
Castletown h s 108 birds. Rush & Partners were the winners this week with a yearling bred through birds they got of Keith Blake from Bear Park and a Red Danial Staf van Reet from Ireland. This was a yearling doing 1371-75, to end up 5th fed and 24th combine. Next were Watson bros & son with a 2 year old that wins the £1 fed noms doing 1366-68 and takes 6th fed 27th combine. Chipp & Kibble were 3rd club, 9th fed 46th combine and it wins the Ford 2bird club doing 1356-49.
Sportsmans & Comrades h s 367 birds. Tyler bros, Pearson & son took the red card this week in the club doing 1352-90 and end up 11th fed and 57th combine with a yearling. H Potts & sons were 2nd club 20th fed.
Oddfellows h s 197 birds. D Corner & son were the winners doing 1348-82 and taking 14th fed and 77th combine. T Armstrong & son were 2nd club 17th fed and also were 2nd in the Ford 2bird club.
North East Counties fed.
Dixon & sons were the winners with a 2 year old HOU pigeon in the Wearside club and took 23rd combine doing 1373-05. Wilkinson & son were the winners at the Dawdon club and took 2nd fed 60th combine with a 2 year old doing 1352-44.
Sunderland Dist fed.
R&A Evans, Dixon &Gibbon were 1st & 2nd club at High Southwick and 1st & 4th fed 25th & 133rd combine with 2 bred in Tees Valley pigeons. C Wright was 1st, 2nd & 3rd in the Farrington club and 2nd, 3rd & 5h fed & 45th & 96th combine.
Cornhill h s was won by Mr & Mrs T Stewart who were 74th combine. 2nd club was Woodroffe bros, Mooney & Smith were 3rd club.
South Sheilds fed.
Whiteleas h s. Carrothers, Hanson & Gallagher were the club and fed winners this week doing 1367-15 ad ended up 26th fed, Gudgeon & Adamson took 2nd club and fed on 1362-08 with a yearling that was 37th combine.
Raglan &West park was won by Robertson, Short & ptn and was 3rd fed & 50th combine. Mr & Mmrs Elliott & Ward were 2nd club 88th combine and Robertson, Short & ptr were 3rd club.
T Leck won the Central club and was 183rd combine.
Well, that's it for the first channel race of the season and let's hope the others are better races that this one for returns. As I write these notes I am still 15 missing, but that's pigeon racing for you. Next week the combine will be at Rivenhall which is around 230 miles to my loft and the forecast for the weekend is rubbish so let's hope that they get a good race. I will not be sending. Not that I have not got inland pigeons, it's just that as I am not a weather man I can see that it is going to be a hard race and I will only be keeping them off to go to Clermont the following week. For all those fed secretaries out there that have not sent me any results lately, these short results are off the combine sheet, so help me out lads, give me a call or email me with them. Until next time, THAT'S ALL FOLKS.