GWENT GREATER DISTANCE CLUB
Reports by Gareth Watkins
2011 PRESENTATION EVENING
The fifth annual presentation evening of the Gwent Greater Distance Club took place on Saturday 5th November at the usual venue of the Green Meadow Golf & Country club situated just outside Cwmbran. Fifty five members and guests enjoyed a lovely three course meal before getting down to the serious business of the prize presentation.
Once again this year the club was able to call on the services of two of the finest fanciers in the UK to carry out the duties of prize presentation, none other than 2003 Dax International winner Brian Sheppard who was accompanied by his cousin Geraldine and the equally successful partnership of Geoff and Catherine Cooper who, as well as winning the King’s Cup from Tarbes a couple of seasons ago, went one better in 2011 when they clocked two of their ultra successful team of widowers to win 1st & 2nd International Agen/Bordeaux against a field of 22,028 pigeons. Speeches were kept to a minimum but Geoff did emphasise the fact that the Welsh fanciers tend to send to the BICC races even when there is a west wind blowing and their chances of success in the Open and section are minimal. Even against the odds the Welsh birds invariably rise to the challenge and take good positions.
The GGDC 2011 season was dominated by one fancier – none other than Dennis Ford ably assisted by his wife Ann. Dennis and Ann won no less than SIX races and finished as runner up in one other race! The wins came in the Falaise 1 & 2 races plus firsts from Tours, Pau International and Agen /Bordeaux International and Guernsey Young birds. In each of the above races Dennis’ pigeons won the following positions in the BICC:- Falaise 1, 6th west section 13th Open; Falaise 2, 3rd west section 200th Open; Tours 1st west section 159th Open; Pau 2nd West section 43rd Open; Agen 7th West section 30th Open plus 8th section Alencon and 11th section Guernsey Young Birds. A truly outstanding season’s racing and even more remarkable given Dennis’s poor health throughout the year. Well done Dennis and Ann you have our admiration and massive respect.
Ann & Dennis Ford with Ray Strawbridge, Geoff Cooper, Brian Sheppard and Tony Coombs
The Padfield family from Cwmtillery are rarely far away from any result in long distance cross channel races and so it was again in 2011 as Vince and Dave recorded birds to win 1st GGDC 1st west section 4th Open BICC Tarbes [Agen] International; 1st GGDC 2nd west section 26th Open BICC Perpignan International plus 2nd GGDC 13th west section BICC Guernsey Young Birds. They also clocked a good one in the Barcelona International to take 2nd GGDC and 3rd section 11th Open BICC to round off another good season’s flying.
Mark Sparey of Abertillery is fast making a name for himself in National racing here in Wales – and, dare I say it, in the opinion of many, this Welsh success will soon be replicated in cross border National races!! Mark won the following prizes with the GGDC:- 1st & 2nd Bergerac 506 miles, plus 1st &3rd section 1st & 3rd Open in the Welsh SRNFC. Mark’s winner here had also taken 5th Open Welsh National 102nd Open NFC Tarbes at 604 miles just two weeks earlier. The Carentan Young Bird race proved to be another ultra successful one for the Sparey loft as the youngsters romped home from this 180 mile channel race to win 1st, 2nd & 3rd GGDC and 5th,7th & 8th section 26th, 28th & 29th Open WSRNFC.
Wilf and Janet Reed clocked a good one yet again in the Barcelona International race to take 1st GGDC 2nd section 8th Open BICC plus the Clive Hughes Sponsored pigeon portrait. Wilf was unable to attend the presentation due to ill health and all members present wish him a speedy recovery.
The multi National winning partnership of Ron Scammell and Paul Peploe clocked one of their roundabout team to win 1st GGDC 5th section BICC in the Alencon race. The partners also clocked an even better couple of pigeons some weeks later to win 1st & 2nd Open WSRNFC Cholet.
Other prize winners were Preece Bros & Sons with 2 x 2nds and a 3rd; Andrew Vincent 2nd and Gordon & June Mears 2 x 2nds these two R/U spots gained in the Pau & Agen Internationals where Gordon and June’s timers finished with 4th & 8th section BICC respectively.
Our thanks go to our sponsors who have supported the club from the outset and these are: Marie & Ray Strawbridge; R.G.Davies Animal Feeds; Sean Rafferty; Beechwood Hire; LCR Capacitors EU and last but certainly not least Clive Hughes of Clive Hughes Photographics who sponsored the Pigeon Portrait of the Barcelona winner and who also took all the photos that accompany this report. Our grateful thanks to you all.
In closing this report I would like to point out the fact that GGDC members won a total of 110 positions in the west section of the BICC and in very nearly every one of these races the Welsh birds had to battle into a westerly wind. It just goes to show that good pigeons handled by good fanciers can succeed at the highest level even against the odds. Let’s hope more Welsh fanciers decide to broaden their horizons and take up the challenge of National and International racing with the Gwent Greater Distance Club and BICC - club racing will never be the same again. The ground has been prepared for you – let’s see if you’re good enough. I firmly believe that you are.
Vince & Dai Padfield.
Mark Sparey and better half Renita.
June & Gordon Mears.
Smith & Jones.
John Smale.
Terry Gardener.
Dai Rawlings.
Geoff Cooper, Jim Bullock, Brian Sheppard, Tony Coombs [Secretary] and Ray "Don Corleone" Strawbridge [Chairman].
John Williams + guests and officials as above.
