Around Middlewich
Early June started well and then fell apart towards the end of the second weekends racing with heavy downpours that caused almost all organisations to hold over. The weather was not much better on the Sunday when there was a lot of cloud hanging about and again the rain came down, I suppose this all depends on what part of the country you are living in because there will be areas where they had very little rain. I know in Middlewich there was more than enough rain with gardens flooding and some roads causing tic to slow down, where they didn't they were spraying the gardens with more water than they wanted. Sunday was no better so it was another holdover and again we were having to wait to see what happened on Monday so the birds have so far had 4 nights in the basket, I wonder how many birds this affects condition wise and would some have done better if liberated on the normal day. One thing is for sure they would not now be racing from over the channel because an email came through early Monday morning to say they were bringing the birds back to the UK. The pigeons were brought back to Cheltenham where they did not have the best of races.
The Middlewich 5B pigeons were up on the Saturday so needed umbrellas while up in the sky and waders when they landed, the vels. did show that they had hit some bad weather somewhere along the line of flight as did other organisations that liberated on the same day. At this time of the year the birdage is very often down because there are the channel and specialist races being held and in the case of the 5B the fed hold a land race when they are across the channel. This race was from Bath (an aptly named race point on this day) when 8 members sent 85 birds that were liberated at 14.00hrs. The red card went to Ken & Stan Bosson the father and son partnership who clocked a 2yo blue cock on 1454ypm The winner was also 11th fed when 58 sent 693 birds with the South West Cheshire Fed. Mark & Heather Smith had a good race with 2nd & 3rd and picked up the first share of pools with their third pigeon who finished 5th. First in the clock for the team was a yearling followed by granddad a 7yo both being blue cocks on 1216/1179ypm. Ron Woodward clocked a 2yo blue pied cock for 4th position recording a vel. of 1169ypm. The last share of pools went to Alan Groom. Had a good picture sent to me so I will add it on this occasion. The 5B should also have been across the channel but they were brought back and had a race from Cheltenham where Carol & Robert Carson topped the list with a yearling dark cock on 1235ypm that was also 20th South West Cheshire Fed when 38 sent 205 birds. Ken & Stan Bosson collect another card being 2nd after seeing home a 2yo blue cock on 1225ypm. This is where the vels nosedive down to 1101ypm for 3rd placed Mr & Mrs Dave Healey who clocked a 3yo blue cock ahead of Mark & Heather Smith on 1081ypm with a 6yo blue hen who also won the pools. The only other members on the result for this race are W Wilson & Son who recorded a vel. of 766ypm with a 2yo chequer cock.
In the Middlewich 2B who were also brought back for a land race Mark & Heather Smith are 1st & 2nd. The Middlewich 2B were also brought back from across the channel and liberated at Cheltenham, again the vels. are unusual from a 90ml race. Mark & Heather Smith are 1st & 2nd clocking 2 in a second with a yearling and 4yo recording vels. on 1406 ypm. 2nd goes to John Peever who saw home a 5yo on 1329ypm followed by Sid Latham Son & Daughter on 1002ypm with a 3yo.
Westlands
