Les J Parkinson what’s going on this week.
As many will know, for one reason or another I was off the scene; I had hoped that someone would turn up compiling the local notes but that did not happen. My intention was to stop writing altogether but then I thought as a matter of interest I would compile a few lengthy articles, the first of which I finished a couple of weeks ago after starting it when racing in 2024 had finished, so a long wait for the finished article. As most of you will know this year has not gone well after Elizabeth missed her footing on the top step of the stairs. With all that happened including 2 broken bones in her neck etc. the Doctor at the hospital where we took Elizabeth informed her that she was a very lucky woman, after he had seen the x-rays. Anyway, a few weeks down the road and she is still suffering but getting on with life, Elizabeth is not one to let a few pains here and there get her down.
What’s happened.
There is no doubt a lot has been happening while I have been away as I once again start putting a few notes together we are only a few weeks away from the end of the old bird season. Thank you to all those who have encouraged me to return to the pages of the BHW. I have been asked on many occasions how we are getting on at Elimar Lofts where we have probably won more than our share of prize cards including 1sts with what is a mixed bag from here, there and everywhere as the saying goes. The original pigeons from Slav over in Macclesfield are still winning, these are based on the Curtiss-Wall-Lunt pigeons, winning each year. There is a very good Chequer hen who has won a few prizes including 1sts and is 99th open in the Fougeres National this year. The pigeons from Ian French for Ebony are still winning 1sts, especially the grizzles. I am not used to these new lines of pigeons that are seen on the pages as top winner’s week after week. We are not in a big club; there are not many of those to be seen with numbers decreasing year by year but what members we have are all trying to win. I think the days of pigeon fanciers racing pigeons for a hobby are gone, if fanciers are racing pigeons now, they are going out to win and not just racing them as a hobby. But I must add, as with everything in life there are a minority who probably still compete whether they win or lose, as long as they are competing, these are the pigeon fanciers who keep the sport going. Our aim in the club has been to get on the fed result where there have been some top racing fanciers who are working on the pigeon hard all week. Peter Latham, Mark Smith and Elimar Lofts have been seen as regulars on the fed result. Billy Wilson started off well but then suddenly dropped off the radar. At the start of the season, he was one of the main fanciers we were looking at. However, the fed has gone down, and the numbers are now less than half of what they were 2/3 yrs ago. I am hearing talk of the MCF decreasing even further with more clubs leaving at the end of the season. This was the main fed in the area when I started racing in 1969 with Middlewich FC. This was at the height of the late Dennis Gleave being the fancier to beat, which split the competition in the area. This has happened again with Ray Lunt being the mastermind behind an exceptional team of pigeons that dominate the fed results wherever they go. We do of course have Gary Wall and Alan Curtis making up a partnership that have won more than anyone else I know. I am of course considering that the MCF have a gentleman’s agreement that only the first 4 from each member loft goes on the fed result. As most will know I have mentioned this before, we have heard many say that this is not giving a true result, might not be the case but at least it has kept an interest to many members. However, in the case of the CWL partnership on face value it looks as if they have taken the top 4 too many times and many have left the federation with numbers down to about a third of what they were. What is going to happen for the 2026 season which we are going to be looking at in a few short months’ time. It does look as if racing locally could go full circle and the MCF be replaced by the SWCF, the two being in competition for most of the same members. Will this happen, personally I see no other option that would work for the local fanciers, that is if they want to increase the numbers they are competing against.
Odd day.
Just as I started these notes there was a race from Cheltenham 89mls to these lofts that saw a proper mixed bag of vels. The fed winners were well up in the 1900s but other club winners were 500ypm behind, same lib same race point. There were also many losses reported on what the weather forecasters reported to be the hottest day of the year to date. With that in mind the decision was made to go for early liberations, and they started early with 15min breaks between organizations. It does look as if they had left the lib site but not continued to head homewards further down the road. I remember going to Mangotsfield with the transporter one year and seeing the other side of liberating racing pigeons. I was green to this side of the sport as I had not seen a 3000-bird liberation before. The strings were cut and already to go as soon as the lib before us had cleared. They had gone and the sky was empty; I asked why the delay in our birds going out into a clear blue sky. I was told to be patient; it was then that I realized racing pigeons need a decent amount of time before the next batch is released. There in the distance were hundreds of pigeons heading back towards the transporter. I was amazed when a couple landed on the transport as the batch once again turned and headed towards home with the two on the transporter being shifted and headed off down the road after the batch. A lesson learned, when liberating pigeons, you need to know what you are doing and give the birds plenty of time to make their minds up as to which way they are going. All that aside, I am now wondering if those pigeons liberated on the day in question had not returned towards the transport but started to circle further down the road, something we will never know. Something had certainly happened to those pigeons that were liberated at Cheltenham on Saturday 22nd June 2025.
Photos.
There is not a lot of info with these photos, but we have one of the get together for the fanciers who mark their pigeons at Middlewich. This is an off-the-season get together organized by club secretary Lesley Moss who is doing a good job with both the club and federation. The photo is of the winning team known as the “Flying Squad” who are looking for challengers next year. We have one of Kenny Lamb who no longer races as he is quite happy in a home in Winsford. Oscar and Noah are keeping dad Craig's pigeons tame for the coming young bird season.
“Flying Squad” Kenny Lamb Oscar and Noah are keeping dad Craig's pigeons tame
Les J Parkinson. 15 Rushton Drive, Middlewich, Cheshire, CW10 0NJ.
Tel: 01606 836036. Mob: +44 (0)7871 701585.
E-mail:
Web site: http://www.elimarpigeons.com
