ACROSS THE MIDDLE
by Gordon Braban & John Wilkie
Huntingdon
Hello and welcome to yet another great week of pigeon racing in the north east of England (or not). Last time I told you about the birds being held back 24 hours on the saturday morning, well the 7 delegates decided to vote for a race so the birds went away on the Sunday afternoon for a race from Huntington, which is around 185 miles to the middle. The forcast for the Monday was plenty of sunshine but with a stiff head wind. Well Monday morning came and the forecast was totally wrong for the whole of the north east, it was thick fog all the way from East Cleveleland up to the borders. The mist was one of those rolling mists that came in as fast as it went out, but apart from the north east the rest of the country was in total sunshine so there was no chace of a lib on the Monday. The cheif convoyer decided to bring the birds nearer the home end for a race on the Tuesday but that did not happen either so they were brought all the way back home. The birds were in canny fettle for being in the baskets for 2 days. I think it's one of the only times we get all the birds back from going away to a race, so that was it for the first Huntington race.
The combine should have been going to Rivenhall for the 5th race but it was decided just to go back to Huntington for another go. For the last 5 or 6 weeks the weather up here has been crap with rain, snow, north east and north west winds and it's been hard on the birds as well, but the season still has to go on no matter what the weather throws at us. The birds went away on the Friday as normal with a good chance for a race early on Saturday morning, and that was what we got, from Huntington all the way up to the start of the Up North Combine but withh a cold north wind. So Stevie Proffit and the rest of the convoying crew got the birds ready for a quick start, with sections 1, 4 & 6 being liberated at 06-50 and then letting sections 2, 3 & 5 go at 07-20. My eta for the birds was about 4hrs 30+mins {how wrong me and a few others were}. There was some funny times knocking about with some gaps in the birds but most of them making it home on the day. I had my Bourges birds on for the first time and as far as they had been was a few 40+ mile chucks. Most of them made it home on the day and I got the rest on the Sunday dinner time and there not much wrong with them either. Well that's enough drabble for now, let's get down to the results for the 3 sections that I do.
Section 2
Newcastle West Fed 1320 birds
British Legion h s Decca Lamb made it 3 club wins and 3 fed wins in a row. He is certainly flying better. The first week he only had 1 bird then he was 1st & 2nd fed and this week he takes the first 3 in the fed and has other birds that were close at hand. This week he timed all hens in, the first a yearling blue hen that took 4hrs 24 mins 51secs doing 1288-34 then a yearling dark hen 6 secs later doing 1287-85 and then a 2 year old blue wh hen 25 secs later and it was doing 1285-83 these 3 birds were 1st, 2nd &5th section. His other birds were 6th, 7th, 8th & 11th fed and 9th, 11th & 24th section. A&M Wharton & Porter were 4th club 4th fed and 6th section with a yearling blue hen that was doing 1281-18, the Burns bros were 5th club, 5th fed and 7th section with a yearling blue hen that was doing 1280-75.
Skinnerburd was won by R Trattles & son with a 2 year old blue cock that ended up 9th fed doing 1262-38, 2nd club 17th fed were the Harland bros timing a 2 year old dark cock. In Westerhope h s Graham, son & Brown took the top 2 spots in the club this week, his first a yearling check wh cock that was 10th fed and then a 3 year old check cock to take 12th fed. B Wallace & son were 3rd & 4th club and 14th & 18th fed.
Gateshead Fed 2204 birds
Saltwell h s 187 birds J Turnbull, Turnbull & Steele went 1 better then the last race when they were 2nd fed with a blue hen and this week they take 1st, 2nd & 4th club 1st, 2nd & 16th fed and 3rd & 4th section with a yearling pied hen doing 1287-49 then a 3 year old check hen on 1286-50, then a 2 year old check hen some 4 mins later. D Pearson & Bell were 3rd club 14th fed with a yearling blue hen.
Bensham h s 488 birds. The Gray bros Bob & Mick took the top 2 spots this week and were 3rd & 4th fed 8th & 10th section. First was a yearling check cock that was doing 1279-21 then a yearling check wh cock that scored out of Worksop 3 weeks ago.Quinn, son, Smith & Noble timed 2 birds in mins to take 3rd & 4th club and 6th & 17th fed here. First bird was a yearling SS check cock that has a good few fed turns now then a yearling check cock. Kenny & Jed Hooker were 5th club 19th fed and M Bainbridge was 6th club 27th fed.
Dunston h s 354 birds. L, G&W Rose timed 2 cocks in to take 1st & 3rd club 5th & 9th fed 12th & 19th section. Their first bird wins the fed 2 bird club doing 1274-53 then a yearling blue cock that was doing 1269-21. Phillip Steele & Hubbuck were 2nd & 5th club 8th & 13th fed with 2 yearling cocks, Morpeth & Scott were 4th& 7th club and 10th & 22nd fed with 2 yearling cocks, Tommy Mollett was 6th club 21st fed with a 2 year old check cock.
Wrekenton h s 483 birds. Big Tommy Laskey & Brian Robinson notched up their 3rd win of the season with a yearling black cock that ended up 7th fed doing 1271-59 and they were also 6th club 26th fed with a yearlng check cock. Darren Richmond was 2nd club 11th fed with a check cock. Elliott & Watson timed 3 birds in to take 3rd, 4th & 5th club. Their first bird was a yearling check cock doing 1268-07 who wins the fed gold ring scheme and is also 2nd in the fed 2bird club. Their 3rd bird was 2nd in the gold ring scheme {that will keep a smile on your face Terry}.
Highfield h s 375 birds. The Hay Bros took the top spot for the 2nd week running with a yearling blue hen that ended up 15th fed, F Curry & sons were 2nd club 18th fed also with a yearling blue hen.
Chester le Street fed 489 birds
Birtley h s McCabe & ptn were the winners with the same check hen that was 3rd fed from Melton Mowbray 2 weeks ago and this week it wins the fed and the 4 birds club doing 1273-15. Morris and son took 2nd & 4th club and 2nd & 8th fed, first was a yearling check hen that was doing 1272-49 then a 2 year old pied cock. Potts and Walker were 3rd & 5th club 6th & 9th fed.
Perkinsville h s. B Nixon took 1st, 3rd & 4th club 3rd 5th & 7th fed. First was a yearling blue hen then a 4 year old check cock and then a 2 year old blue hen. Gordon & son were 2nd & 5th club 4th and 10th fed with 2 yearling hens.
Mid Tyne Federation. Huntingdon
After last week's postponement it was back to Huntingdon, and what a difference it was. Liberated in a cold Northerly wind at 7-30am a tough race was in prospect. Forty-eight member lofts sent a total of 1,280 birds.
Boldon Colliery HS had 20 lofts and 661 birds, with one particular loft having a great day with ten pigeons in the top twenty of the fed result. That loft being that of Walker & Greenlay to be 1st 2nd 3rd 5th 9th 10th 11th 13th 14th 17th club and fed, all except the pigeon in 17th club, this one was 18th fed. The first of these had an AFT of 4-15-13 recording 1293.17ypm and the last one on 4-23-20, 1253.32ypm. I’m sure you will agree, excellent flying. Graham, Gilchrist & Brennan were in at 4th 6th 8th in both club and fed these recording 1275.8, 1271.0 & 1270.0ypm. Seventh club and fed went to McKenna Bros, 1270.99ypm, and they had another to be 15th club 16th fed on 1256.2ypm. Ray Surtees kept his decent start to the season going to be 12th 16th club 12th 17th fed these on 1261 & 1253ypm, keep it up Ray. Most of the Boldon lads agreed, yes it was a tough race but in general returns were very good, with just the odd pigeon missing from some lofts while others had 100% returns. At Jarrow Alex HS Davy Wilson took top spot to be 1st club 15th fed on 1258ypm. This was in fact Davy’s first race of the season - you picked a toughy to start on Davy. Hebburn East End had Ian Nelson making four wins from four, well done Ian. Another loft going well is that of Billy Lynn at Heworth HS now making it three wins from the four races to date. For those of you who did not know, Billy Curry had a major operation earlier in the year and as yet has not started racing, but is hopeful to get going soon. In the meantime he has asked me to give Sid Rushton a big thank you for all the help he is giving him. So Billy, get them going soon.
Section 3 Houghton fed 1804 birds
Washington Celtic h s, R Herron & sons timed a yearling check hen in that took 4hrs 12mins 11 secs to cover the 184 miles to record a vel of 1289-51 to take 1st club and fed. A couple of weeks ago Richie's loft was nearly burnt to the ground and he could have lost all his birds so like the phoenix he rose from the ashes and this is how the birds have repaid him. Smith & Longstaff timed a yearling blue cock in to take 2nd club and fed doing 1286-28, then Braban & son timed 2 yearling cocks in to take 3rd & 5th club and 3rd & 6th fed, the first was a check cock that was 9th club and 12th fed the first race from Bubwith, then 2 mins later a red Busscheart cock. Dyson & Nichols timed 2 cocks in to take 4th & 6th club 4th & 7th fed, the first was a 3 year old check cock that has a couple of good turns to its name doing 1273-09 then a 2 year old blue cock doing 1263-67. Dubmire h s. Hughie & Colin Jackson took the top 7 positions in the club this week with 4 of them making the fed sheet. The first was a 2 year old check cock that was 5th fed doing 1268-06, the next was a 3 year old check cock that has been on the fed sheet this year - it was 12th fed, then a yearling blue wh cock that was 13th fed. Gardeners h s. Braban & son timed a yearling blue hen that was bred by Geordie Miller through his tinnerman family of birds to take 1st club 8th fed. Trev Westoe timed a young blue hen in to take 2nd club 23rd fed and Davy Lowery was 3rd club 26th fed with a 4 year old blue cock. North Biddick h s. The Fort bros keep up there run of good flying again this week by taking 1st, 2nd & 4th club. The first 2 birds were 9th & 14th fed. Alan Pallas was 3rd club 25th fed with a yearling check cock. Penshaw hs was won by Stevie Wilson with a 2 year old SS blue hen that was 18th fed and the Shiney Row club was won by Billy Laidler for the 5th week running. This week's race was filled within 60 yards with good returns for another hard race.
Section 4 North East Counties fed 1319 birds lib 06-50 north east wind
Seaham hs 301 birds. Colin Chapman & sons made it 3 club and 3 fed wins out of 4. This week he time 3 cocks in to take 1st, 2nd & 5th club, first was a yearling blue cock that took 3hrs 58mins 4secs to cover the 179 miles and doing a vel of 1324.86, the next was a young check cock 2mins 30secs later that was 2nd club 3rd fed, then a 3 year old blue cock that was 3 mins later to be 5th club 6th fed. Ruddock, son & Ruddock were 3rd club 4th fed with a 2 year old blue cock that was doing 1302-00 and B Alderson was 4th and 7th club and 5th and 11th fed with 2 yearling cocks, Richardson, son & Young bros took 6th club 10th fed with a young blue cock. Wearside hs 408 birds was won by Dixon & sons who had the only bird from the wearside club on the fed sheet and it must have won the club by a long way, it was 2nd fed. Murton h s 288 birds. Naylor, sons & Richardson took the top 3 positions this week with 3 birds dropping nearly together, 2 hens and a cock to be 7th, 8th & 9th fed. Archbold,Wilson & Richie were 4th club 13th fed with a young check hen and P&K Metcalf were 5th club 15th fed. Dawdon h s. Wilkinson & son took the top 2 positions in the club this week and were 12th & 14th fed, this fed took 60 yards to fill for the top 20 positions with some big gaps in the birds.
Sunderland Prem Fed 2331 birds.
Plains Farm h s 443 birds. Thompson & Kell got there first club and fed win of the season this week. Their bird also wins the fed noms doing 1308-48. Hammond, Webster & Webster were 2nd club 3rd fed and 3rd fed noms and this bird wins the Ford 2bird club doing 1297-21. Wormleighton & Swinney took 3rd club 8th fed on 1291-00, K Patterson took the next 3 positions in the club taking 10th, 12th & 13th fed. West side 6bird club 261 birds. Gibson, son & Jones took the top 2 turns in the club and were 2nd & 16th fed. The first bird also takes 2nd fed noms doing 1307-61. Sportsmans & Comrades h s. Murphy & Ayre got 2 birds together to take 1st & 2nd club and 4th & 5th fed. Small, Nisbet & Bewick were 3rd club 6th fed doing 1295-20, Hindmarsh & Butler took 4th club 9th fed. Oddfellows h s 470 birds. Brown, bros & McKinnie got their 3rd win in a row this week they were also 2nd club. The first bird was 7th fed and the next 1 was 14th fed. Castletown h s 230 birds was won by Morse & son who were 11th fed and Chipp & Kibble were 2nd & 3rd club 15th & 17th fed. It took 36 yards to fill this fed sheet from 1308-48 down to 1272-10.
Well that's just about it for this week. The sale of young birds that was held on Monday afternoon in the Stormont Main club that was for the Royal Marines raised over £4000 so thanks to everybody that was there and to all who helped.
Well its the first of our old bird nationals this next week from Folkestone and the forecast is for a good racing day with a north west wind so it will be a steady race. Let's hope that we get all the birds back in good time. That's it from me. Give me a call on 0191 4177745 or 07526267979.