GWENT GREATER DISTANCE CLUB
Reports by Gareth Watkins
ALENCON RACE REPORT
The second race of the season for members took place on the weekend of 31st May from the French race point of Alencon approximately 270 miles for most members. The number of entries were somewhat reduced from the 300+ birds sent to Falaise 2 but nevertheless, almost a third of the membership entered birds to compete against our English contemporaries in the BICC. The convoy was liberated at 7.30 a.m. on Saturday 31st May and conditions were forecast to be good, with a light NNE wind blowing in the channel with some shallow fog banks forecast to clear in the heat of the sun. Conditions must have been good as the birds made light work of the task set them.
Spencer Jones of Pontypool is on a red hot streak of form at the moment as, not satisfied with winning his first ever race with the GGDC and BICC from Falaise 2, he notches up yet another excellent performance here to win 1st GGDC and also 1st West Section 12th Open BICC vel 1286. Spencer’s timer here is a 4 year old widowhood cock which has previously won 5 x 1sts. His dam is ½ sister to “That’s My Boy” which won 1st Combine 17,000 birds for Spencer and his sire is bred down from the best Robert Venus bloodlines. Mated in late February, he reared a pair of ybs in the first nest and has raced on the classic widowhood system since separation. The widowers are fed individually in their boxes and are allowed their liberty twice each day to do as they please. Once they stop flying they are called in and fed on the normal break down / build up feed system. Apart from being a top class fancier, Spencer is a keen cyclist and still holds the record for the longest bike ride from Germany to South Wales!!! Congratulations once again Spencer on another excellent performance.
In second spot in the GGDC and winning 3rd West Section 32nd Open BICC is the outstanding Cwmtillery partnership of Preece Brothers and Son. This ace loft has won no less than 7 x 1sts and 9 x 2nds in National races including 1st National Lerwick in 1986. The partners are a force to be reckoned with whether the race be long or short, fast or slow. In the Alencon race they clocked a 5 year old cock which has previously won 5th & 7th Open in Welsh Nationals plus 13th Open CSCFC from Bergerac. He is bred from Ponderosa Jan Aardens crossed with Van Geels originating from Alan Maull. One disturbing aspect of the weekend was the fact that senior partner Colin suffered a heart attack on the day of basketting and is still hospitalised at the time of writing. I’m sure that all Colin’s family and friends along with the members of the GGDC, wish him a full and speedy recovery. All the best mate.
Yet another loft enjoying excellent form this season is that of Tyrone and Kevin Arnold of Six Bells near Abertillery. This triple National winning partnership sent just two birds, got them both and clocked their 3rd Open BICC Falaise2 winner to take 3rd GGDC and 4th West Section 33rd Open BICC. This Houben x Busschaert 6 year old hen, flown on the round about system, is a prolific winner at classic level and no doubt she will be set up for one of the longer races in due course. Kevin and Tyrone would like to congratulate two of their friends, namely Dennis Ford and John and Pat Webber on winning 1st National Messac and 1st National Lillers respectively, on the same day.
As I have pointed out on numerous occasions in my previous articles on the GGDC, the membership reads like a who’s who of the greats of Welsh pigeon racing. The partnership taking 4th GGDC and 5th West Section 34th Open BICC in the Alencon race is yet another multi National winning loft, that of Colin Pearce and Son of Pontypool. Colin timed a 4 year old chequer cock flown on the natural system. Bloodlines are the old tried and tested Willy Clerebauts which have won so much for the partners in the past. In fact this cock is closely related to the hen which finished in the top ten of the BICC Open result from Falaise 2. It was the cock’s first trip over the channel this year and he was sent sitting 12 days on his second round of eggs. The birds are hopper fed barley and are then built up with a stronger mix including beans, in the final few days before basketting for channel races. Racers are exercised twice daily, forced if necessary, and allowed some free flight each day to come and go as they please.
Next we have two of the club’s stalwarts, the incredibly hard working husband and wife duo of Gordon and June Mears of Caerleon. The partner’s timer is a yearling blue hen containing all the best of Brian Kaid’s Thurso National winning blood crossed with Billy Thomas Atwell bloodlines and Dale Newcombe’s via Cliff Everard of Skegness. The emphasis in this loft is on performance in long distance races, witnessed by the fact that the partners are past winners of 1st National Lerwick and 1st National San Sebastian, 2nd National Pau. When I spoke to Gordon he was over the moon with the form in the loft so early in the season. In successive BICC races the partners have finished in the top ten of the Open result from Falaise 1 & 2 and here they take 10th West Section 60th Open. The pleasing aspect of this success is the fact that the loft’s “big guns” haven’t been brought into play yet!! Pity help us all when they are. Oh by the way the dam of this yearling hen is the partners’ 2nd Open National Pau winner of 2007. The race team enjoy a virtually semi wild existence as they have an open loft from dawn till dusk, are hopper fed Buckton’s VIP mix to which more peas and maize are added as the longer races approach, and receive private training as and when Gordon feels it necessary.
Well that’s another race over and the longer International races are approaching. Will the members of the GGDC be able to maintain this incredible level of success ? Here’s hoping the answer is YES.
In finishing this report I would, on behalf of all the members of the GGDC, wish Jan Deacon the ultra efficient and ever helpful secretary of the BICC a swift and full recovery from here recent health problems.
