ACROSS THE MIDDLE
by Gordon Braban & John Wilkie
MELTON MOWBRAY - APRIL 2012
Hello and welcome. This is the 3rd race that the UNC has had and if you read the ending part of my last report you would have seen that I put a bit in about the decision the delegates made to send the birds away on the Friday. The voting went 4 to 3 to go and I was one of those people that was saying that you would never have got a race on the Saturday, and Sunday and Monday were even worse then the Saturday, but as I said before I am not a weather man so I know nowt. But that was on the Friday and as Saturday morning came round it was a different day than everybody expected with broken clouds and the sun was starting to shine through the clouds. This was about 5.30 in the morning, but as the morning got on it was getting colder and the clouds got thicker and it was the same down the country as far as York and Mansfield. It was expected to break around 9 or 10 so there was a good chance of getting the birds away. Word came back to me that Steve was going to cut the strings and liberate the birds in 2 cuts - sections 1, 4 & 6 and then sections 2, 3 & 5 - but it was just a matter of when. Quite a few lads phoned me up to see if the birds were away as it costs too much money to phone the lib line, so I got a call saying that the birds were going up as follows: Secs 1, 4 & 6 at 10-00 and Secs 2, 3 & 4 at 10-25. The birds were expected to do around 3hrs 20+ mins to the middle so let’s get down to fed results that I have been sent.
Section 2 Gateshead Fed. 1732 birds lib 10-25, west south west wind.
Wrekenton HS 228 birds. Big Tommy Laskey & Brian Robinson notched up their 2nd win of the season with a yearling check hen that was doing 1403-39. This hen could be the nest mate of the one that won the first race from Bubwith? She was a good 100 secs in front of his next pigeon which was a check cock for him to take 1st & 2nd club and 1st & 4th fed doing 1391-21. Elliott& Watson time 2 birds in with only 2 secs between them to take 3rd & 5th club 18th & 20th fed. First was a 2year old pied cock doing 1367-81 then a yearling check wh cock that was doing 1367-58. T Gray & son Dean slipped in between them with a yearling check hen to take 4th club 19th fed. Saltwell HS 283 birds. Turnbull, Turnbull & Steele were the winners this week with a 2 year old blue hen that was 2nd fed dong 1399-80 and they were also 3rd club with a 3 year old pied hen that was 26th fed. D Pearson & Bell were 2nd & 4th club, 22nd & 27th fed with a pied hen and a check cock. Bensham HS 299 birds. The Gray brothers Bob & Mick claimed their first win of the season with a 2 year old check hen that was doing 1395-22 to claim 3rd fed and they were also 6th club 10th fed with a yearling blue cock. Quinn, Son, Smith & Noble took the next 4 positions in the club with 4 cocks to take 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th fed and another bird later on that took 11th fed; these lads won the fed 2 bird club with their 3rd pigeon, a 3 year old blue cock. Dunston HS 314 birds. Phillipp, Steele & Hubbock were the winners with a yearling blue cock doing 1390-03 and claim 4th fed. The 3 Gs, Gordon, Gray & Gray took the next 2 positions with a 2 year old check hen and a yearling Belgie cock that were 12th & 13th fed. Tommy Mollett was 4th club 15th fed with a yearling blue hen and Morpeth & Scott were 5th club 30th fed with a young blue cock. Highfield HS 318 birds was won by the Hay Bros for his 2nd win of the season with a yearling check cock. Davy Hulme & Craig Larvin were the winners at the Mount Pleasent club with 189 birds away and this pigeon was also 2nd in the fed 2bird club doing 1365-25. The top 30 birds in the fed were taken up within 42 yards but on the Saturday there were still a canny few birds missing, which have since returned.
Newcastle West Fed. 1319 birds.
British Legion HS. Decca Lamb went 1 better than last week when he just toped the fed; this week he got 2 yearling blue wh cocks that hit the house roof before they trapped and with only 1 second in between them to take 1st & 2nd club and fed doing 1396-71 &1396-60. These 2 cocks will be 3rd & 4th section. A&M Wharton & Porter timed a yearling blue wh cock in to take 3rd club 4th fed 8th section doing 1390-60. The Burns Bros timed a couple of yearlings in to be 4th, 5th &7th club 5th, 9th & 12th fed. All 3 birds were timed in under 1 min. Coxlodge HS. D Rutherford timed 3 cocks in under 2 mins to take 1st, 3rd &4th club 3rd, 8th & 14th fed. The first cock was 5th section just behind Decca, being timed in on the manual clocking system doing 1396-52. K. Cave was 2nd club 7th fed with a yearling blue cock with a vel of 1387-22. Skinnerburn HS. R. Trattles & Son were the winners with a 2 year old check wh hen doing 1387-31 to take 6th fed. Oldham & Redhead took the next 2 positions in the club with 2 x 2 year old birds that were 17th & 18th fed. The Harland Bros were 4th club 20th fed with a yearling blue wh hen. Westerhope HS. B. Wallace & Son took the top 2 positions in the club and were on the fed sheet with a 3 year old blue hen and a 2 year old blue hen to take 10th & 16th fed.
Chester le Street Fed. 507 birds.
Birtley HS. Morris & Son made it 3 out of 3 in the club and the fed and this week’s winner is the same blue cock that topped the fed last week and it also wins the 4bird club with a vel of 1380-04. McCabe & Ptnr timed a yearling check hen in to take 2nd club 3rd fed and 2nd in the 4bird club. Potts & Walker took 3rd & 5th club 4th & 6th fed with 2 hens and these 2 hens also took 3rd & 4th in the 4bird club on 1265-75 & 1358-58. Skillcorn & Son were 4th club 5th fed with a 3 year old blue hen. Perkinsville HS. W. Loan was the winner with a yearling pied hen that was 2nd fed; it was doing 1378-16. Kibblesworth HS was won by T. B. Wilkinson with a 2 year old blue hen that was 7th fed doing 1354-32 for his 2nd win of the season. Marquis of Granby HS. Brian Caley was the winner this week with a blue cock that took 9th fed doing 1352-67 and Mr & Mrs Weldon, Son & Beadle took 2nd club 10th fed with a yearling check hen.
Section 3 Houghton Fed. 1596 birds lib 10-25.
Dubmire HS. Hughie & Colin Jackson made a clean sweep of the first 5 positions in the club this week, making it 3 wins out of 3. The first pigeon is a2 year old blue hen that was well out in front of the fed and club by some 8 yards doing 1406-19. Their next bird was a 2 year old blue cock that was 2nd club 10th fed the first race so it is creeping up the fed table with a 7th fed this week. Their 3rd & 5th pigeons were both 3 year old cocks that took 17th & 30th fed and the 4th bird was a yearling that took 23rd fed {are you the only 1 flying over there Hughie?}. Washington Celtic HS. 698 birds. Braban & Son timed a 2 year old check cock in to take 1st club 2nd fed doing 1398-25. That’s 2x1st clubs and 2x2nd feds to the Jacksons this Busschaert cock has. Then he timed 2 yearling hens in to take 7th & 9th club and 14th & 16th fed, both birds doing in the mid 1370s. Craggs, Son & G/son were 2nd, 6th, 8th, 10th & 13th club 5th, 13th, 15th, 18th & 24th fed. The first bird was a yearling blue GF hen that was doing 1397-17, the next was another yearling blue hen that was doing 1381-02. Thompson & Laidler were 3rd club 9th fed with a yearling check wh cock that was doing 1387-61 to take 9th fed. Gordon Tyzack was 4th & 5th club 10th & 12th fed with 2 yearling cocks. Gardeners HS. Makepeace & Surtees got their 2nd win of the season with a young blue wh cock that was doing 1398-12 to take 3rd fed. North Biddick HS. The Fort Bros were the winners this week with a young check wh cock that was doing 1397-83 to be 4th fed. Alan Pallas was 2nd club 8th fed with a check hen and Ian McKinnon was 3rd & 4th club with 2 yearling cocks. Shiney Row HS. Laidler & Simpson made it 3 out of 3 wins in the club so far. This week he took 1st & 2nd club 6th & 11th fed with a blue cock then a blue hen. Penshaw HS. Stevie Wilson Son & Dtr took the top 2 spots in the club that were on the fed sheet with 2 young cocks. It took 47 yards to fill the top 30 positions in the fed with still some birds missing, but at the end of the day we got a race. I am still 8 short and it is Thursday and the rain has never let all morning.
Mid Tyne Federation. By John Wilkie. This week we only saw 35 lofts send 910 birds, this being 14 lofts and 450 birds down on last week. This being due to the fact that the weather forecast for the Saturday was not 100% and following on from last week’s holdover followed by a stiff race on the Sunday put a lot off from sending. Taking pole position, and making it two club wins on a trot are the Jarrow Alexandra HS partnership of Scurfield & Son with a flying time of 3hrs 16min for the 156 mile trip and a velocity of 1402.6ypm, not bad for the conditions that the birds faced as showers prevailed at the home end as the birds arrived home, not knowing what they faced on their journey. The lads were also 4th & 7th club 8th & 17th fed, these two doing 1368 & 1353ypm. In at 2nd club 5th fed we had K & T Seales 1374ypm, Wilson, Son & Howe next for 3rd club 6th fed 1371ypm, Scott & Son 5th club 9th fed 1365ypm, John Brown 6th club 11th fed 1361ypm and Lawson & Hall at 8th 9th club 18th & 20th fed on 1352 & 1351ypm. Boldon Colliery HS had 17 lofts send 542 birds and here Walker & Greenlay were the winners recording 1398ypm for 2nd fed. Next McKenna Bros 2nd 3rd & 7th club 3rd 4th 13th fed, these on 1386, 1384 1357ypm; their second pigeon was 5th fed last week. Hilton Bros came next for 4th & 8th club 7th & 14th fed, 1370 & 1356ypm, J Blackburn & Son 5th 10th club 10th & 16th fed 1364 & 1353ypm, Ray Surtees had two close up for 6th & 9th club 12th 15th fed these on 1359 & 1354ypm. Colin Sheerin timed for 11th club 19th fed 1351ypm. Steve Archer was the victor at Heworth HS and Ian Nelson made it three wins from three races at Hebburn East End.
Section 4 Sunderland Prem Fed 1802 birds lib 10-00
Plain Farm HS 428 birds. Armstrong & Shergold were the clear winners in both the club and the fed. They take the first 3 in the club and take 1st, 2nd & 5th fed. The first bird was bred through a Tony Mardon Staf Van Reet cock and a Gordon Braban hen. This bird wins the club and fed by some 15 yards and it also wins the fed noms doing 1407-43. The second bird, now called Big Billy, is also 2nd fed and fed noms doing 1392-47 and the 3rd bird was doing 1374-6. The first bird looks like topping the section. Parkinson & Hindmarch were 4th club 6th fed doing 1371-02. Deptford HS sent 139 birds and it was won by M/M Levelle & Ptnr who ended up 3rd fed and 3rd fed noms doing 1377-27. Tommy Ayscough was 2nd club 7th fed on 1369-29 and Adams & Sons were 3rd club 19th fed. Oddfellows HS. 272 birds. Brown, Bros & McKinnie were the winners for the second week in a row. Their bird was doing 1375-62 and ended up 4th fed. T Ferguson was 2nd club 17th fed on 1357-95, and C&R Greenhow were 3rd club 20th fed. Sportsman & Comrades. 610 birds. Tyler Bros, Pearson & Son took the top 2 positions in the club this week and finished up 8th & 1136 & 10th fed doing & 1364. Murphy & Ayre took 3rd club 11th fed. Castletown HS. 202 birds. Summers Bros & Rose were the winners this week taking 12th fed and winning the Ford 2bird club. T Carr was the winner at the Westside 6 bird club winning against 51 birds. The 20 position in the fed were taken up with in 52 yards
Sunderland District HS. 918 birds. Cornhill HS. 255 birds Andy Shepherd made it 2 fed wins in a row. This week he timed a yearling mealy hen in that was doing 1402-267. Woodroffe Bros took the next 3 positions in the club and were 4th, 6th & 10th fed with 3 cocks, 2 x 2 year olds and a yearling. The first bird was doing 1396-04 then 1381-48 & 1361-46. High Southwick HS. 326 biirds R A Evans, Dixon & Gibbon were the winners for the 2nd week in a row, timing a yearling check cock in that was just a gnat's whisker behind the fed winner and it was doing 1402-06. Ray Atkinson & McDonald were 2nd club 3rd fed with a yearling check wh cock that was dong 1396-04, and M/M Young & Thoms were 3rd club 7th fed timing a yearling blue cock in to take 7th fed. Town End Farm sent 1771 birds and it was won by Geordie Kelly who timed a 3 year old blue cock in that ended up 9th fed. T & A Kibble were 2nd club 13th fed with a 2 year old check cock and C Wright was the winner at the Farrington club with a 3 year old blue cock against 166 birds.
North East Counties fed 1208 birds. Seaham HS 302 birds. Walton & Bresnan were this week's fed winner with a yearling check hen that was doing 1397-35 just in front of Colin Chapman & sons who nearly made it 3 wins in a row but could only end up 2nd, 3rd & 5th club and fed timing all cocks in to finish up 2nd, 3rd, 5th fed and with another couple further down the fed sheet. The first bird was doing 1395-77 & 1388-5. B Alderson took 4th club and fed wiith a GB blue cock. Richardson, son & Young bros were 6th club and fed with a yearling blue cock bred by the Jacksons from Dubmire. Dawdon HS 257 birds was won by the Oates bros who timed 2 year old check hen in to end up 8th fed doing 1372-77. Wearside HS 451 birds. Tipling & Robson took the first 2 positions in the club with a yearling blue hen and a 2 year old check hen. Murton HS. 198 birds. Naylor, sons & Richardson made it 3 out of 3 wins this week with a yearling check cock that was doing 1356-52 and ended up 11th fed. Archbold, Wilson & Gray were 2nd club 12th fed with a check hen. This fed was filled in just 60 yards for the top 20 positions.
Well that's just about it from me this week. It is saturday morning and the decision makers that say wether we go or not held the race back 24 hours on the Friday because it was a bad forecast on Saturday. The brave WDA lads went away for a race from Thursby Hall, which is around 115 miles to most of them. Ray Anderson & John Rumney had there distance birds away at about 200 miles with the Yorkshire lads for a training toss and had no word about there birds being liberated yet at 9-30. The word for the Saturday was that the race would be put back another 24 hours so that we might get a race on sunday. I doubt that either but we shall just have to sit and wait.
I have mentioned this sale a couple of times in my article so far. It is coming up on the 7th of May at the Stormont Main club in Wrekenton. This sale is for the Royal Marine Association charity supporting families and soldiers killed or injured in combat. This will be a great sale for a good cause so get along and help out and may be pick up a couple of good young birds because the sale list is full of great names who have kindly donated a youngster. A special thanks to Lawrance Hann and the rest of the sale team for their help.
Keep your fed sheets coming in and let us hope that we get better weather for the next week as it is still bitterly cold. Drop me a line or email me at