Parkinson L.J.
In the very late 70’s I took on the secretary’s job with the Mid Cheshire Fed that was at a time when there were some real good clubs in the fed. A club that was not one of the best, but it did keep going for many years when others were struggling. The club being Weaverham which had Ray Johnson leading the way and Ray was a big supporter of the Mid Cheshire Fed.
There was also another local club to the area and that was the Acton Bridge Club who at the time were racing with the Cheshire Plains Fed. The Cheshire Plains clubs started going down and the Acton Bridge joined the Mid Cheshire Fed, but as we know at that time the sport of pigeon racing was changing and changing fast. Clubs were going down faster than ever before. Fanciers were leaving the sport and as we know the average age has been increasing for years and with age we lose a few year after year and they are not being replaced at the rate we are losing them. Yes, there are a few coming into the sport and I know that from the job I do with Elimar there are past fancier who have left and a few years later come back to the sport because they have time on their hands.
Anyway, as always, I digressed from my original report so going back to the club I started to write about. The Acton Bridge club did suffer at the time against the Weaverham club but there were a handful of members who kept at it going and in the end the Weaverham closed down through lack of members. Acton Bridge went very quiet for a few years and then there was an increased interest in the area and the lads got together and started to gain interest in the club, so they joined the Mid Cheshire Fed and started competing again. At first there were in the teens of members but once racing started and a couple of races had gone by it came over that some decided the heat was too hot and them moved their birds to other clubs. However, there were some who kept at it and even though Curtis-Wall-Lunt were dominating the club and the Fed the remaining members were still wanting to compete and try and beat the premier members in the club. At the end of the day many clubs have a fancier who stands out, but they don’t all give up that has been the problem in the sport, members running away from the top fanciers instead of working harder to beat them.
Times have changed and with Geoff Bebbington talking to members they are starting to venture out of the local racing and introduce different ways to attract fanciers to compete. They are now looking at a minimum of £1000 gold ring race which is guaranteed and starting with 1st £400, 2nd £300, 3rd £200, 4th £100 prize money. That prize money is for the first £1000 and if they sell 80 rings at £25 each there will be £2000 prize money and still pay 4 prizes so that the winners are having a good draw. They are also looking at a 5 Bird section with the Acton Bridge club to try and encourage members to compete more. They have some good idea’s that will help improve the club and encourage fanciers to join and have a go.
When you look at the birdage of 2,355 during the 2017 season which is averaging just over 166 birds a race for the 14 land races held. At the present moment the club do not send to the fed channel races because they are more or less all competing in the Nationals and specialist clubs. However, that was 2017 and for the 2018 season a few are looking at racing the channel. They have been looking at this because there is a feeling that with not competing at fed level their birds are not doing as well in the Nationals. When they do go down that road it will be interesting to see how they go in comparison to how they competed in the last season. The members also feel that with so many shorter races for the old birds in 2017 that has not helped with the channel races and the Nationals.
There are members in the club who are also discussing buying a trailer transporter to get their pigeons nearer to the coast in preparation for the National Races. There are 10 members at the moment so if they all get involved they will have a good club. There are also many more fanciers within the area of the club so an increase in membership is always on the cards. Geoff was telling me that there was a suggestion that the Gold Ring race be open to the fed but with the money guaranteed they decided to leave things as they were. I understand why they are doing that because the money is already in the club so the existing members should have a share in it, after all they are the one’s who have saved it up. It will certainly be interesting to see how the club go on because they are looking to change the way they are racing their pigeons and what is available to the members.
Nearly forgot to mention the subs for the club are £60 plus RPRA and Fed fee’s but the first 100 birds you enter are paid for. The club also stands the fee’s when there are any holdovers. So, when you work it out it is a good deal and one that has worked well in the last season. Too many organisations are more interested in a big bank balance than looking after the members and that is a part of the reason the sport is on the decline.
Les J Parkinson.
11 Rushton Drive,
Middlewich,
Cheshire,
CW10 0NJ.
Tel: 01606836036 - Mobile: 07871701585.
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