CHRIS GIBSON
Sheffield & District 5 Bird Championship
Warwick April 2011
Well here we are again with the 2011 racing season under way in what will be the club's third year. During the winter months the club had a few resignations but with people on the waiting list and new applicants the club has still managed to keep close to the 40 member mark. I wish all the new members all the best for the season. This is a real top club and getting in the prizes is very difficult as I’m sure every member will tell you but, believe me, it’s worth it when you do. This year the club is paying out nine prizes with similar prize money as last year plus the usual large amount of pool money, so again some huge amounts of money up for grabs every week.
The first race of the 2011 calendar was from Warwick and looking at the weather throughout the week running up to the Saturday it was forecast to be a cracking day with a light South Easterly wind. Due to my shifts at work I was unable to help brother Daz with the birds on the Friday night with the basketing either at the Championship or at our new club Darnall HS but I made sure I was up at the loft to help time in on Saturday despite only having a few hours' sleep.
As forecast Saturday was a beautiful day with blue sky and not a cloud in sight with a light breeze so it was a good day for the first race. The result from Warwick 9/4/2011 was as follows: 160 birds liberated at 12:15hrs in a light South Easterly wind: 1st Garner&Morton 1602, 2nd D&C Gibson 1596, 3rd Atkinson&Grayson 1567, 4th&5th J M Hobson 1559 1554, 6th Thomson&Son 1553.6, 7th Catherwood&Orme 1553.1, 8th A Burton&Son 1550, 9th M&A Sherwood 1543, 10th Garner&Morton 1542.
I would like to congratulate Trevor Garner on what was a good weekend for him as not only did he win the Championship club but he also won in his normal club Park HS that fly with the Stocksbridge Federation. The winner of the Championship club was a Gaby Vandenabeele X Van Reet which won 2x2nd in Park HS last year only beaten by decimals both times and both times was well up in the Fed. The cock that won Park HS was a Keith Arnold Van Reet. Well done on a great weekend Trevor. Several other of the lofts in the Championship had a fantastic weekend as four lofts took 15 out of the first 20 places in the Derby & Burton Federation from 1,700 birds in their first race with the fed. It was also a good weekend for myself and Daz as the nest mate to the cock that won 2nd in the Championship won our first ever race in Darnall HS 306 birds and also topped the big Barnsley Federation against a massive 5,700 birds. Needless to say having put in a performance like that in the Fed this week this cock will be joining his bother in the crates for the 5 Bird Championship next week.
Trevor with the Championship winner
That’s it for this week. Can I just say that although I managed to visit this week's winner and take a photo this is not always possible. So anyone who either wins or gets in the prizes please feel free to email me at the address below with brief details of your prize winner/s and attach a photo for the article.
Also just one last thing, in recent weeks I have been asked if I would put other club results in my article. I’m sorry but I have to say no. Please don’t take this personally but my writing is not here to put reams and reams of normal club results in what is a write up for the Championship Club and the lofts that fly in it. Also I simply don’t have the time what with working 10 hour shifts and other commitments I have, so as I say please don’t take this personally. Thanks for reading.
