Welsh South East Combine Presentation Night 2015

Welsh South East Combine

 

Welsh South East Combine Presentation Night 2015

The 2015 presentation night was held on Saturday 7th November at Llanharry Workingmen’s club, once again there was a first class meal served up to over 120 members and guests and a good night it seems was had by one and all.

The Presentation   started with the Welsh Homing Union Awards for 2015, Starting with the J.O.Davies trophy winner for the best performing young bird, This was won by E.O.Jones from North Wales, His Game pigeon won 1st club, 1st Federation from Coventry, then followed this up with 1st Club, 1st Section, 1st open Welsh South East National, 1st section, 1st Open Welsh South East Combine from Lydden Hill, 2897 Birds, two top class performances and richly deserved.

                E.O.Jones 1st            W.S.E. COMBINE  LYDDEN HILL

AND J.O. DAVIES TROPHY WINNER

Next up were Morris & Pugh, Rob and David, They had another hugely successful season, culminating with winning the Taffy Bowen trophy for best performances up to 300 mile with their pigeon ‘17’, who started the season with 19th Fed Newbury 4323 birds, 4th Fed Newbury(2) 3680 Birds,  23rd Fed Epsom, 3895 birds. Next up was Maidstone with the W.S.E. Combine; taking 28th fed, 3427 birds, 33rd Combine 7654 birds. They kept him for the Come back races and he duly delivered with 14th Fed Newbury (3)2048 birds, 1st Fed Newbury (4) 1753 birds and finally from Epsom he was beaten by a loft mate in to 2nd fed, 1596 birds.  A cracking set of results that were created over the length of the old bird and true champion.

MORRIS & PUGH 1ST W.S.E. COMBINE YPRES and Taffy Bowen trophy winners

Next we came to the Prince of Wales trophy awarded to the pigeon deemed to have put up the best performance on the opposite route to the Queens Cup Winner. This year’s winner was Mr C.Cook from Newport with his Pigeon that was the only pigeon on the day from Thurso, Nearly 500 miles, taking 1st club, 1st fed. another worthy winner.

C.Cook - Prince of Wales Trophy winner.

This then leaves us with the two main trophies, the Queens cup and the Glyn Buffet Memorial Trophy awarded for the pigeons with the best performances over 300 miles. In 2015 we two pigeons that must have been incredibly hard to choose between, but somebody had to win it and the Runner-up taking the Glyn Buffet Memorial trophy was The Legend that is Derek Flowers. Another massive season for Derek, winning all the average trophies in the South East National, top loft in Wales across the channel and this Pigeon had a lot to do with all this. The pigeon in question another rung’17’, came from Rosemont, 350 miles, to secure 1st club, 7th fed, 11th Combine 2297 pigeons in a race that didn’t suit the shorter flyer doing over 1600ypm.Two weeks later this cock came to take 1st club, 1st fed, 1st W.S.E National, 1st W.S.E Combine Kinzweiller 1231 pigeon in a difficult race with the wind firmly on the nose and only around 60 pigeons making it home on the day.

Dereck Flowers 1st W.S.E COMBINE KINZWEILER GLYN BUFFET TROPHY WINNER

THE TOP CHANNEL LOFT OVERSEAS IN WALES 2015

 

The winner for 2015, goes to someone who’s won virtually everything there is to win, Alan Reed, Who’s pigeon put two magnificent performances together from the two longest races. From Kinzweiler, 400 plus miles to Alan, this game 2 year old was 1st club, 4th National, 4th Combine in race that only the fittest made it home on the day from the 1231 birds entered only around 60 were actually clocked on the winning day.

Two Weeks later from Marburg, 500 plus mile, this same pigeon came again, taking 1st club, 3rd National , 3rd Combine with only around a dozen home again on the day, where once again the pigeons had to  work for 13 hours plus to make it home.  As you can see two pigeons on the top of their game and deserving of the top awards in the Welsh Homing Union 2015

ALAN REED QUEENS CUP WINNER

Next Up were the winners of the Welsh south East Combine with Eric Griffiths of Pencoed invited along to present the prizes to the race winners from throughout the season, starting at the first race, Maidstone were 7654 birds were released. The Winning pigeon was flying to the far end of the Centre section into the Ogmore Valley, to the loft of John Courts and Son. They were having their first combine race after rejoining from flying the South Route, a cracking way to return.

John and Alan Courts 1st W.S.E COMBINE MAIDSTONE

1st East Section was Andy Kidd of Newport, 1st West Section was Royston Davies and Dtr of Port Talbot, 1st Far west section was Jeff Davies and  1st North section was J.C.Roberts.

The second race in the programme was from Epsom. Birds were brought back from Maidstone because of a worsening weather situation and 6280 pigeons were released to find their way back to the Valleys and beyond. Taking 1st and 2nd East Section, 1st and 2nd Open, was Nigel Hackland flying as B.Hackland and Son. Been over due this one, Nigel’s flown an excellent pigeon for a number of seasons and finally gets the luck he deserves.

NIGEL HACKLAND & SON 1ST W.S.E. COMBINE EPSOM

1st Centre Section was my club mate, Thomas Bros and Radcliffe, or Gwynfo as he’s know as in Gilfach, 1st West Section was D.Jenkins & son of Banwen, 1st far West was Jeff Davies once again and 1st North section was B.Ross.

GWYNFO THOMAS 1ST SECTION EPSOM

Race three was the first Channel race, 4564 pigeons went to the new race point of Ypres,15% increase on last year’s  birdage, testament to the good racing inland from our race Controller Chris Butler and  Chief convoyer Wayne Wilcox, good working day with the wind on them to set them up for further on, typical first channel race, the pigeons came in waves. Leading three pigeons were around 10 minutes clear of the field, taking 1st and 3rd Open and centre section were Morris and Pugh of Maerdy, with Steve Moulds just down the road in Tylorstown 2nd Open, just seconds separating all three.

 

1st East section was M/M Kevin Upham of Newport, 1st West section was Dave Gore of Kenfig Hill, 1st Far west was S. Davies and 1st North Section was A. Wilkes

DAVE GORE 3 X 1ST SECTION IN 2015 OUTSTANDING CHANNEL SEASON

Second Channel Race was from Rosemont, around the 350 miles mark to the centre of the radius, up early with the wind with them the birds made good time and tumbled in to the competing lofts. Taking 1st West section, 1st Open Welsh South East Combine were our Good friends, Joe Obryan and Steve Jones from the Port Talbot club. Top class fanciers with top bloodlines the winner was bred for the Job.

JOE OBRYAN 1ST W.S.E COMBINE ROSEMONT

1st East Section was J.Yendle of Hengoed, 1st Centre section was G.Davies & son of Ynyshir, 1st far west was V.Morgan and 1st North was  E.O.Jones.

Moving on to Kinzweiller, 420 miles to the home lofts, this time the 1231 pigeons were liberated with the wind on them for the full Journey. This made a big difference, with around 60 home on the day. Taking top honours and 2nd Place, having an absolute dream race was Derek Flowers. Derek showed the rest of us how to do it, clocking 11/16 if memory serves me correct on the day when most lofts and some clubs didn’t have an arrival. A Tremendous performance by anybody’s standard well Done Derek.

1st centre section were Clive and Carwyn Harris of Abercwmboi,1ST West section for the second time across the channel is Dave Gore of Kenfig Hill, 1st Far west is Graham Davies of Ammanford  and 1ST North Section is Ewan Stevens.

Final Race of the Old bird Programme was from Marburg, 530 Miles to the home end. Once again an early liberation and the wind against them. The winner of the Longest race was Wilf Higgins of the Torfaen club, taking 13 hours 23 minutes for the 514 miles, this 5 year old hen made the race her own, nearly 30 minutes clear of the field this hen was sent sitting and showing good form during the week . Exercising well around the loft, the rest is history as they say.

Wilf Higgins 1st W.S.E. COMBINE MARBURG 514 MILES

Taking 1st centre Section was Mark Casley of Pencoed and the South West Glamorgan Fed, I think this was Mark’s last race before finishing in the sport, if so He’s going out in the best way possible. Taking 1st West Section for the second time with old birds is Royston Davies of Port Talbot, the winner, a 2 year old cock was 1st fed 2nd section Rosemont 2014, 1st fed 2nd section Kinzweiller two weeks previous and now 1st fed 1st section Marburg. Some pigeon this when you take into account it was hit by the Hawk at the start of the season. Completing the sections winners is the Far west and this was won by Tony Jenkins of Lliw Valley.

That completes the old bird winners, next to come is the winners of the three young bird races. First up was Maidstone, I have not been able to cover these races due to not yet receiving the results, an area that really needs to improve in 2016.Moving onto to the race 3913 birds were liberated at 11.00 and the winning pigeon found its way to the Aberbargoed loft Paul Hares and silent partner Danny, flying in the Gwent South East club. They clocked a Roland Janssen flying on the darkness. This is another loft that’s been knocking on the door for a combine win and eventually it comes to those that wait. 1st East section 1st Open W.S.E Combine.

PAUL HARES, left and silent partner Danny 1stW.S.E. COMBINE MAIDSTONE Y/B’S

Taking 1st Centre section is Williams and Gosling of the Penywaun club, this loft having flown and excellent young bird in 2015. Taking 1st West Section is C.Miller from Swansea and 1ST Far West Is Dai Charles. Final section winners is North and this goes to Rob Fryer

Second Young bird combine race was from Lydden Hill, 3222 pigeons liberated at 08.35, just over the 200 mile mark to The Rhondda Valley, the winners dropped to the top Flyers Clive and Carwyn Harris, who clocked one from their No.1 breeding pair, the hen of this pair has now bred a third combine winner for the partners, an outstanding pair of stock birds this.

C,B,C, HARRIS AND FAMILY 1ST W.S.E. COMBINE LYDDEN HILL

Taking first East section were the Bedwas partnership of Crook & Smith, no strangers to winning top honours, this time had to settle for an extremely close 2nd W.SE.Combine. West section winner was D.Raymond from Maesteg, flying with the South West Glamorgan Fed and the Far west section was won by S,Davies for the second time in 2015.Final section winner once again is in the North and this one goes to J&M Hughes.

Final Race of 2015 was once again from Lydden Hill, the 2897 birds were delayed until the Monday due to the poor forecast for the weekend and with a strong South East wind behind them, the birds romped home, the winning pigeons doing mid 1800ypm.The winning pigeons for the first time in 2015 were to be found in North Wales, with first and second breaking clear for E.O.Jones, with the winner going on to pick up the J.O.Davies trophy for the best performances by a young bird in 2015.

1st east section went to Gwent South East Brian Price. Centre section fell to Alan Winder, completing a very successful season for Alan and nearly completing the double after winning the corresponding race in 2014.West section once again went to Dave Gore, that’s three times first section in 2015 for Dave and this after an outstanding channel campaign. Final section winner of 2015 goes to the far West and taking first section is Jeff Davies for his third section win as well.

Report By

Martin Dunn