THAMES VALLEY FEDERATION
Jo Cuthbert
Wetherby becomes Newark - May 25th
A strange few days of racing for us at Thames Valley this week and all thanks to the wonderful British weather, I guess it was the bank holiday weekend though so what more could we expect? The previous week we had all been sat waiting for our birds in the scorching heat and must have all thought that summer had arrived. We were fooled as on Friday we were told that the decision had been made to postpone the race by 24 hours and to basket Saturday for a Sunday race, so that we could stick to the race point of Wetherby. 667 birds went on the lorry but the weather was still not good on the Sunday and the birds were brought back to be liberated at Newark. They finally set off at 3.15pm in a southerly wind.
Leading the way this week and taking the first six positions in the fed is Phil Gomes. His winning velocity being 1266 and his two year old cock bird is a Bob Fenwick Coormans. Phil told me that it is the Coormans strain that mostly do the winning for him. He also said that he actually had two birds come together ‘smack on line’ and about 50 seconds later he had 4 or 5 together. When he checked his clock though, one of those first two birds had not registered and he had to quickly catch it and swipe it over his pad. The bird that took second spot is a 2 year old Janseen from Mark Evans stock that Phil bought years ago. It was the first week that Pip had sent his yearlings and they figured in the top six as well as his older experienced birds. When I rang him he was doing a spot of decorating as he’d got fed up with the weather and not being able to let his birds out. We then had a chat about the forthcoming combine race from Berwick and I told him I was unsure about sending, Phil gave me a few pointers so I may send a few just to see how they get on. Behind Phil but still making the fed sheet this week were last weeks fed winner Johnny Randall, Derek Damalie, previous two on the trot winner Peter Glenister and the father and son partnership of Pete and Aaron Coomber. Well done to all of you.
Fed winner Phil Gomes with fellow club members Pete and Aaron Coomber. This pic was obviously taken in better weather.
Ray Neale called to give me the info from Watford and taking first club, 10th fed is Peter Hoare, who Ray told me is one of the longest serving members in the club, his bird, doing 1221 is a Busschaert bred by fellow club member Roy Barnes who I am told now wants this bird back! Nice try Roy but you still took second club and 11th fed with your yearling chec Van Reet cross Busschaert cock. Mick Brimicombe takes third on 1202 and also makes the fed result with his yearling chec hen followed by winner Brian Hoare’s son Peter who I am told is also the club secretary and treasurer and has just bought a barge which he sailed down the canal from Birmingham to moor up in Watford. His bird is a Roland Janseen red grizzle cock doing 1179. A light hearted scolding from me to Mr Haley this week, next time you take the mickey out of me for asking how to spell the breed of your birds, make sure you spell it right too ha ha!
Teresa from Feltham sends congratulations to Andy Camis who took the first four positions and club pools this week. His winner, doing 1207 and taking 21st fed is a yearling Van Lint cross Van Reet blue cock which had won as a baby and taken positions this year. Another yearling takes second, a Huyskens Van Reil black cock on 1205 and his two year old mealy Van Reet is the bird that made sure Andy scooped the pools on 1179. Teresa told me about a hawk attack on her and hubby’s young birds in the week which saw them flying like ‘kamikaze pilots’ all over the place and resulted in them losing their breeder/buyer young bird! Such bad luck but you still have a chance of taking the breeder prize with the bird you put in.
Doctor Kumara from Stonebridge gives me the news that George Gallagher’s winning streak continues with his two year old Van Lint cock taking its second win of the year on 1218, guaranteeing George yet another fed position. Fred Taylor’s three year old blue pied hen takes next place on 1208. I am told this Staf Van Reet was the first hen bird home from Thurso last year. George takes third and fourth with velocities of 1195 and 1191.
Bit of a nightmare for us at Houghton Regis as we were unable to get a signal for our Bricon and couldn’t get print outs on the night of the race. Apparently this was a nationwide problem and we tried and waited for hours but to no avail. Luckily Bill Smullen was able to get a print out on the night with help from his south road club and wins, but only just on 1207 with his Mickey Nunn bird that won a few weeks back. She now takes an 18th fed position. I say only just as I am getting closer and take second on 1206. My bird was a late bred given to me by Carl Ellwood. This blue pied cock is the curse of my life as every morning when I let my birds out before work, he always refuses to come in so sits out all day until I get home. Because of this, I got the hump with him and he has gone every week, with my intention being to send him to Berwick, thinking he will want to come in after flying all that way! This week saw a change in him as he has been eager and keen nest building with his hen, flying off and returning with twigs in his beak. It is a shame they built their nest next to the bowl but not in it! He had also behaved himself, coming in when told so I pooled him, but Bill pipped me to that to! Had our clocks worked he would have got on the fed result so I am now in the dilemma of whether to stick with my original plan of sending him to the combine or not. I will see how brave I feel on basketing night.
Mill End didn’t race this week so last but definitely not least are Apsley club and P & E Cox win on 1189 , their blue cock must be on form as this is its second win of the year. E W Johnson & Son take second on 1186 with a two year old widowhood cock that took a fifth position from Retford earlier in the season. M/M P Johnson are third on 1184 with another two year old chec cock. These three flyers took all of the first six positions between them this week.
No information as yet on the combine result from Aycliffe last week so do not know how the high flyers in our fed have got on. Fed secretary Carol will let us know as soon as she hears. Here is hoping that this yucky rain disappears and we have a weekend with excellent racing conditions and no hiccups.
My 'nearly winner' on his eggs in his prized nest, next to but not in the bowl!
As always, I am still requesting photos and info, come on club and fed winners, get snapping and send me pics of your winning birds/lofts. Do not be shy and lets’ celebrate your success!
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