THAMES VALLEY FEDERATION
Jo Cuthbert
First holdover of the year from Ripon
Houghton Regis members Carl, Robin and Matt on basketing night.
Thirty nine members sent 507 birds to Ripon on the 28th of June but once we didn’t get an early liberation it became clear we could all be in for a long wait. With thunder and hail storms reported at the race point, the decision was made at 3pm to hold over the birds with an early lib expected for the Sunday. The birds were liberated at 10am in a North West wind and with the wind behind them it was a fast race.
Stonebridge lead the way this week and take the first four positions in the fed with George Gallagher taking first and second. His winner flew the 186 miles home in three hours and five minutes to do a velocity of 1771. This bird is a two year old blue pied cock. Its loft mate, a two year old blue cock is close behind on 1669 and takes £55 pools. George has had a great season this year with his name regularly on the fed result, well done George! Henry White takes third club, third fed on 1758 with his two year old chec cock and club scribe Dr Kumara takes fourth with a yearling blue hen on 1757.
Ripon is usually my favourite race point but I couldn’t keep up with the big boys this week over at Houghton Regis and it was a close race with Bill Smullen taking the red card on 1756 and fifth fed with the consistent three year old blue cock bred for him by fellow member Carl Ellwood. This bird has been on the result many times this year and took club pools of £20. Bill had four races on the go this weekend but had a stinking cold and was off home to dose up on some brandy, hope you feel better soon Bill! Carl must be getting sick of being beaten by his own bred birds but had a good week taking second, third and fourth club, sixth, ninth and eleventh fed. His first two birds were yearlings and his blue hen was doing 1749 and his Pied cock 1723. Both these birds are bred down from his original ‘Geordie’ stock crossed with his Van Loons. No Offence to my pure white hen but when I saw her come in first I thought I was well late but she did manage to get me on the fed result, albeit scraping in near the bottom, so I can’t complain.
Gary Witherall takes top honours at Apsley this week on 1742 with the consistent partnership of E W Johnson and Son taking the next three positions in the club. Gary told me that his blue cock takes its second first of the year and he bought it two years ago at the fed breeder/buyer sale. Gary had been racing him on the round about system but paired him up last week as a treat. He obviously liked his treat and the chance to be in a ‘proper’ relationship as he has done the business this week and takes seventh fed!
At Borehamwood Derek Damalie takes top spot this week doing 1726. Johnny Randall is in the frame again with two birds doing 1684. Johnny told me that it is his widowhood cocks getting all the hard work and training but his hens that keep doing the business. Its girl power! Phil Gomes just pips A and R Byfield into fourth place by a decimal point.
Ray Neale rang with Watford’s result and Ken Clark takes first with his four year old Cattreyse cross Norbet Sion blue hen on 1680. In second this week is the ever youthful Terry Haley with his three year old chec white flight hen on 1677. Roy Barnes is next with a five year old Busschaert cock who was second from Berwick this year and has also had a second and third from Berwick in previous years.P and J Harrison take the first three in Feltham this week. The winner being a three year old Grizzle Van Vault cock doing 1672. This grizzle won Berwick and was second club Wetherby and is bred by Jim’s brother in law Tom Kyle. His two year old chec white flight cock doing 1670 goes back to R Hills pigeons. Jim lost this bird as a baby and it went into the loft of his good friend Geoff Byles (sorry if these names are not spelt right Jim!) His bird that takes third club is a blue cock doing 1668 and has had a second from Berwick and from the last Newark (which was meant to be Ripon) and this bird is bred down from a Dean Garratt bird crossed with a Tom Kyle and R Telfer And Son bird named’ Black Jet’ . Jim also won all the pools and the snowball this week with fed delegate Alan Burse also winning another club nom.
All the clubs got on the fed result this week which is always good to see.
Thanks to our convoyer David Petitt who looked after the birds so well and who has offered to take the birds to Newark for an extra race the week we race from Stone haven. That should give us all something to do to pass the time while we wait for the 350 plus miler birds to get home.
I got brave and took my twenty one oldest young birds for their first training toss today, always a scary time but they all made it back in one piece, will still be keeping everything crossed the next time I go! Also thanks to my Scottish buddy Brian who sent me down six young birds last week. They are all settled in nicely and ventured out for the first time today. I hope they race as good down here as they do for you up there Brian!
Carl Ellwood's loft
Thanks as always to those who gave info. Still wanting photos people, hence why you just get to look at Houghton Regis people this week. All the best to everyone for the next race from Newark.
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