THAMES VALLEY FEDERATION
Jo Cuthbert
Newark 26th April & Breeder/Buyer
The 596 Thames valley birds were liberated from Newark in a south wind and Watford club lead the federation from Newark this week with Ken Clark winning doing a velocity of 1234.39. Ken’s bird is a four year old blue cattrysse cross Norbert sion cock, having won previous cards this cock has now topped the fed. Ken was at the breeder/buyer sale the day after the race and with a little bit of persuasion he agreed to have his photo taken. Congratulations on your fed win Ken!
Fed winner Ken Clark
Second in Watford went to Steve Redding with his yearling blue pied cock with a velocity of 1187, this bird is bred from the stock of D Eagles. Third and fourth club went to Roy Barnes with velocities of 1180 and 1140. Roy’s birds were a two year old chec pied cock and a yearling pied cock, both being bred down from his old Busschaert stock.
George Gallagher wins at Stonebridge for the second week running with a three year old check Staf Van Reet cock doing 1209, bred by J Tufnell & Son. Dr Kumara tells me that last week’s winning bird for George was also bred by them and both birds have both won three times before! George’s second bird doing 1205 was a two year old blue soontjen cock. Henry White takes third and fourth with velocities of 1203 and 1198. Henry’s first bird is a two year old blue Dutch bird that came into Henry as a stray and his next bird is a two year old dark chec Van Lint cock who took a second position last year. Fred Taylor took 5th on 1180 with a bird bred from one of Henry’s called ‘sausage. You pigeon men pick some strange names for your feathered friends!
Last weeks fed winner Phil Gomes triumphed again at Borehamwood, taking the first three positions in the club with velocities of 1201.67, 1201.06 and 1200.90. His first bird is a two year old cock. Pip is celebrating with a break in Spain. Pete and Aaron Coomber were nipping at his heels again taking the next three positions, their best velocity being 1196. Their first bird is a two year old Staf Van Reet cock which took 5th fed last week. The partnership told me that this bird was motivated to fly home and that they hadn’t expected to do well in the south wind.
Brilliant flying again from Feltham’s Andy Camis saw him again take the first five in the club. His first bird, doing 1149 is a two year old Meulemans cross Staf Van Reet cock and this was its fourth win. What a consistent bird to have in your loft. The yearling blue cock which was third for Andy last week moves up a place into second with a velocity of 1145. This bird is a Van Lint cross Van Reet. These Van Lints seem to keep appearing in the results the last couple of weeks in clubs across the fed. Andy’s four year old Janseen blue cock takes third, having won four firsts previously. Talking to Feltham members at the sale, it seems that while we had sunshine waiting for our birds, the heavens opened for them and some of their birds came home wet.
My own club Houghton Regis saw club Chairman Carl ‘geordie’ Ellwood beat me by 4 yards to take first place doing 1178 with his yearling Grizzle cock, a Van Loon cross Geordie bird out of ‘Silver Shadow’ Carl nearly didn’t send this bird as he was just finishing basketing and noticed it was still sitting tight on his pot eggs, lucky for Carl but not for me although I had a much better race this week, taking second, third and fourth, my best velocity being 1174. My bird was a yearling blue Staf Van Reet and one of four bred for me last year by last week’s winner Bill Smullen. Following advice I had tried something different this week, taking this cock's hen away from him on Wednesday and returning her to him Friday afternoon. He also won me the £26 pool money.
Peter Parsons wins for the second week at Mill End with the same bird, a five year old bird bred by Gary Inkley doing 1087. Dave Craft takes second with a blue chec yearling having its first race.
The day after the race we were off to Mill End for the second breeder buyer, not so many birds in the pens this time around but top marks to our trusty auctioneer Roy Barnes who squeezed as many pennies out of everyone as he could. The two sales made £2330 and the raffle took £290. The raffle and 20% goes to fed funds so we are racing for £1864 split into the following four prizes,1st will be £745, 2nd £559.20, 3rd £372.80 and 4th £186.40 each split between the breeder and the buyer. Big thanks have to go to those that worked so hard to make these sales a success, fed secretary Carol Byfield, fed chairman Roy all those who helped set up and put away and all those who donated and purchased birds and anyone I have forgotten. As my fellow club member Pete Briars remarked, “it takes a good woman to organise something so well”, much deserved praise for Carol and never was a truer word spoken in my opinion! I was hoping to catch all those who put their hands in their pockets for the prize money of £100 to be raced for from Wetherby on the 10th of May but only three of the ‘fab five’ were present Roy Barnes, Tony Byfield and Carl Ellwood as Richard Llewellyn and Johnny Randall couldn’t make the second sale. I hear Johnny has recently finished work so he was probably off out enjoying his well deserved retirement. Everyone remember it is £1 a nom to race for this prize and winner takes all! Make sure you mark your birds clearly on basketing sheets for both club and fed saying ‘fed nom’!
Roy Barnes, Carol Byfield for husband Tony who wouldn’t be photographed and Houghton Regis winner Carl Ellwood
I have to end with words of thanks to the following, Keith Mott, Terry Haley and Pete Wells. Keith bred me a cracking pair of birds and arranged for Terry Haley and Pete Wells to pick them up for me to save me paying for carriage. Keith also sent me down dvds he has made with top flyers, there really are some great people in this sport and he is one of them. Big thanks also to my friend Bob Oakey of Bedfont who bought six young birds up to the sale for me. Bob has bred me birds previously and they have always raced well. I am so happy to have ‘Bob’s’ in my loft again! Bob is a spritely 81 years of age and continues to win in his club with his birds which he jokingly calls ‘van roofers’ even though he doesn’t drive and can’t always get his birds trained. To those who rang me or emailed information this week I really appreciate it and I wish everyone a successful race next week from Retford.
Email
---
