LEICESTERSHIRE NOTES
by John Ghent
Leicester Continental Club Coutances Full Report
As we have seen across the various National clubs and the Federations that have gone over the Channel this season, racing from France has been difficult through the first part of the season. This was no different for the first race of the season for the Leicester Continental Club in conjunction with the MNFC. 10 members entered pigeons for this first race and below we have the full rundown one where we stand after Race 1 of this 7 race season.
GOLD RACE
The gold race is a single bird nomination race where clocking your nominated pigeon not only gets you in the running for the prize money, it also score you points for the Super League. 5 of our 10 members clocked their Nominated pigeon and the fancier on top of the pile was Jerry Wright with a 2 year old pigeon doing 1056 YPM. In the runners up spot was Jerry's good friend, flying under the name J&T Gateley. This partnership clocked a 5 year old veteran, no doubt a reliable pigeon for the Desborough duo, to record 1039 YPM. The other 3 clockings were all 2 year old pigeons, showing how difficult a race it was and how tough it can be "picking" your pigeon. In 3rd was Derek Leitch on 886, 4th was the Melton partnership of Crossley and Truszowski on 869, and the final single bird clocked in the Gold Race, earning 72 points for the league, was Mick Lennon on 788 YPM.
Jerry Wright, winner of the Gold Race from Coutances and Super League Leader
SILVER RACE
The aim of the game here is a top 10 finish to secure prize money, your first two birds count, and ALL members get league points for the first two birds they clock in the race. There is no doubt that we have a strong club, and the Silver Race proves that, 9 members made up the first 10 places, and Derek Leitch topped the pile, also clocking for 16th Open in the MNFC, a superb performance Derek, well done from all the members. In 2nd place and again, a great Open performance, 105th, was Mick Lennon. Last year's Super League champion, John Murphy, clocked for 3rd place, with another South Leicestershire fancier, Johnny Gilbert, in 4th. Jerry Wright was the only fancier to clock two birds in the first 10, to take 5th and 6th. Crossley and Truszowski scored 7th place, Chris Watts grabbed 8th and Rob Glover of Earl Shilton scored in 9th place. Completing the top 10 in this difficult Channel race was the Gateley pairing.
Derek Leitch, winner of the Silver Race from Coutances and provisional 1st place from Bedhampton in the Silver Race
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
Looking into the Super League in detail after 1 race is a little early but nevertheless, to see the difference made this year by including the Gold Race in the points on offer is obvious to see. It will take an almighty effort to win this Super League title and we can see the fanciers with points on the board below.
- Jerry Wright - 306 points
- Derek Leitch - 234
- Mick Lennon - 222
- J&T Gateley - 204
- Crossley and Truszowski - 192
- John Murphy - 168
- John Gilbert - 156
- Chris Watts - 126
- Rob Glover - 114
- Sturgess, Son and Grandson - 12
Fougeres Race (flown from Bedhampton) Provisional Report
Well.........where do I start with this one! Surely the weekend of what should have been the Fougeres National will go down in history as one of the worst weekends in recent pigeon racing history! Following after what was no doubt a very difficult week for all concerned on the MNFC race committee the birds finally took to the skies from Bedhampton to race home after 9 days in the basket. I think a general theory, or myth depending on what your thoughts are, about holdovers changing the winners, especially when they have been this long, seems to have been disproved in this instance! The reason I say that is because Derek Leitch has put in another superb performance by not only being Provisional 1st Continental Club but also 1st Section in the MNFC. After that it was over to the South East Section where the next 3 places provisionally have been secured by Crossley and Truszowski, the Gateley partnership and Sturgess, Son and Grandson. The westerly wind really came into play in this race! Chris Watts appears just ahead of Mick Lennon for 5th and 6th, with close neighbours Jerry Wright and John Gilbert in 7th and 8th respectively. Just dropping under the 1000 YPM mark was John Murphy and the 10th place on the provisional leader board for the Bedhampton Silver Race was Rob Glover.
The races come thick and fast at this stage of the season so whilst I shall be looking forward to watching the result of the Barcelona International unfold, the Leicester Continental Club flyers will be battling it out from Ancenis.
Good luck everybody!
John Ghent
