JOHN DAVID'S
RAMBLINGS
Ultimate success for West Wales loft
Brian Williams & Son of Ystradgynlais wins BICC Falaise
Brian Williams holding Young Whisky
The pigeons are certainly enjoying some excellent weather conditions for racing at the present moment and with an easterly wind forecast once again for the weekend of 30th April many lofts from Wales decided to have a go at the first classic races of the season held from across the channel by both the BICC and the BBC from Falais and Carentan respectively.
Clearly the winds have a major influence on the result of such races and the leading pigeons are usually located where the wind has its biggest effect and this can prove very tempting as to win such a major event can catapult your name into the headlines and record books. On the other hand a strong easterly wind flow can be accompanied by poor visibility over the channel and result in many birds being taken off course. At this early stage of the season the pigeons fitness is limited and it is not advisable to take too much out of them so it is not a wise policy for fanciers to enter a big proportion of their team in such races but to select a few of their experienced team in such events.
Although the winds within the UK were strong and over the channel in northern France the weather was far from good on the Friday 29th of April and also delays in liberations were experienced on the Saturday morning 30th of April until the misty weather conditions eventually cleared to sunshine with the BICC liberating at 10.45am and the BBC at 11.05am respectively.
My good friend Dave Bradshaw and four times BICC winner whom I reported on recently rang to ask my advice about him sending to the BICC this time. After Dave topped the Fed in the first race disaster struck the following week his racing team was decimated by a hawk attack when they were liberated from Yeovil in Somerset. He was pondering over whether he should send in view of the nest condition of his team. Although I advised against it Dave finally decided to give it a go clearly influenced by the direction and strength of the wind. Although his birds did not win this time clearly his luck rubbed off on fellow club fanciers Brian Williams and his son Anthony who accompanied Dave to the Bath marking station.
Above and below, the BICC winner Young Whisky standing inside his loft
After liberation on the Saturday Dave rang and asked what I thought about the weather. I noticed the winds were east north east over the channel but on reaching the mainland of the UK there was a distinct south easterly flow which ran straight into West Wales and the Swansea area so the chances were high for success in the area obviously if the birds were in the leading batch after crossing the channel. It certainly came as no surprise to me that B Williams and Son of Ystradgynlais were likely winners and leading the field in the BICC and I understand that the partnership had 3 pigeons between 16.10 and 16.25pm flying 253 miles achieving a winning velocity of 1371 ypm(about 47mph) which is an incredible 113 miles further than the second pigeon clocked on the south coast down in Portsmouth. Their winning pigeon a three year old together with two loft mates showed their extreme fitness at this early stage of the season and after talking with Anthony at this year’s AGM of the WSR National discovered that the partners fly and train their birds especially yearlings right through the winter period. Anthony told me that his summer bred youngsters are trained in November and December up to 80 miles down South. He said then hawks don’t prove a problem to the birds at this time as they migrate to coastal regions during the winter period. Both Anthony (who has helped many clubs with his ETS and computing skills) and father Brian who sits on the WSRNFC committee can be truly proud of their achievement as despite putting up many great achievements in recent years they have never won a National. What a way to start by winning the BICC and I am sure Welsh fanciers will offer their hearty congratulations after this success!
Now a little bit about the winner “Young Whisky” is a 2008 bred Van Reet raced on the widowhood system. He has now won 5x 1st prizes including the Swindon race from 86 miles the week before flying in the South West Wales federation. His sire was bought at Blackpool in 2008 being an original from Crammond & Longstaff. He was aptly named after the bottle of whisky that was doing the rounds on the bus up to Blackpool but despite his inebriated state Brian still knew what he was buying in Blackpool! His dam is a blue tic eyed Van Reet bred down from their No.1 The Mealy Pied which is line bred birds purchased from Mr & Mrs Stanway from Manchester in 2000. Their 2nd bird doing a velocity of 1354 is probable 3rd BICC.
Getting back to the local scene Nigel Holloway managed to stop the hat trick of wins by Willy Bartlett in the Llantwit Fardre club by winning the Newbury race with a lovely 2 –year old blue pied cock who was photographed on basketing night for the Guildford race by my daughter Ruth (see Photo). Previously he had won a 2nd position from Newbury. He is flown on the Widowhood system with a few adjustments made by Nigel to suit his time commitments. He was bred by Nigel out of a Brasspenning cock from Frankie Steel of Abertridwr. The dam was bought from Mark Bulled of London and is a daughter of his Lerwick London Combine winner. The feeding system is such that the cocks are never broken down and always have food in front of them. This is made up of Versele- Laga Widowhood and Gerry Plus mixed 50-50. They are exercised for 2 hours each morning when the doors are left open so that they can do as they please. I must say that as long as I can remember Nigel has always had the knack of being able to condition his birds and they always handle to perfection so it is little wonder he wins more than his share of races each season.
Nigel Holloway holding his Newbury winner who was also 17th Fed (1,656) birds
John David, Havachat Bungalow, Mwyndy, Pontyclun RCT CF728PN Phone 01443-226809
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