The Two Gary’s
“Run Riot on the Wirral”
The AMAL racing on the Wirral peninsular is now building momentum and will shortly be heading for the first North West Combine race of 2016 from Portland (21st and 28th May). The build up to these races are six inland races organised under the West Cheshire & North Wirral AMAL which commenced in 2015 and is proving to be a hit with all competitors.
The third race of the AMAL was from Monmouth which from top to bottom of the Wirral peninsular ranges from 95 mile in Chester to 112 mile in the North Wirral. With forecast of a North, North Easterly wind the conditions bode well for the more westerly fanciers in the AMAL and early times that were heard resembled that of the first two races. Early times were indicating the better times were further up the peninsular once again for a third week running.
Times that were circulating via the Chinese whisper brigade were that pigeons were on the gardens at 13.08 and 13.09 which compared to the lower Wirral of 13.01 to 13.06 were relatively quicker. The previous two AMAL races were dominated by North Wirral fanciers although in the winning stakes it stood at one each so we would get one fed nosing ahead after today.
As the results appeared it again would appear that the two “Birkenhead HS” Gary’s, Gary Atherton (G Atherton & Son) and Gary Dodd would again be caught up in a trapping match. The first two races into the strong Birkenhead club had both been won by Gary Atherton & Son with Gary Dodd taking second place. In fact the results of this pair were more serious than that with Gary Atherton not only winning the club but also taking fourth in the North Wirral Fed and putting three pigeons into the top thirty. By contrast Gary Dodd took second to fifth in the club and sixth to ninth in the fed beaten by fifteen seconds and by five yards per minute for the twenty five yard over fly.
Racing onto virtually the same blade of grass the second week would prove more of the same with the pigeons arriving onto the gardens and heading straight for the two Gary’s lofts once again. Once again the trapping match would be won by Gary (Addo) Atherton and son who would then take first and third club, second , fourth and twenty sixth federation, with Gary Dodd timing in seven seconds behind the winner to be beat by a yard and half again for the twenty five yard over fly. Gary Dodd would also take third and fourth North Wirral Federation.
(L/R) Gary (Addo) Atherton (G Atherton & Son) and Gary Dodd of Birkenhead HS
So the scene was to be set as the third AMAL race unfolded for yet another trapping match on the gardens. The birds were liberated on 23rd April at 10.45 into a north, north easterly wind and you could have probably ran a bookies account on who or where the first birds would appear. At 13.11 a group of pigeons arrive at the north Birkenhead allotments, a couple or three minutes earlier pigeons had been spotted over Tranmere allotments.
So the trapping match ensued six pigeons arrive and five drop straight on the let board of Gary Dodd’s loft, having watched for the last two weeks as birds arrived on the allotment’s Gary Dodd had to watch as Addo’s pigeon disappeared and his took a turn, but not this week, BANG five straight onto the trap and in, while Addo’s pigeon swung and then dropped. Doddy feeling quite chuffed with himself with regard to the trap conscientiously checked his clock for his time.
To his horror not one pigeon had registered on his system, desperately he caught the pigeons one by one and put them over the ETs pad, they did then register. What fickle person the fancier is, up one minute and down the next. How many of us have watched the winner arrive only to either keep going around or sit out, but to get the trap required and then not register must be what night mares are made of. Gary Dodd would eventually time in one minute and twenty five seconds behind Addo. Who would emerge triumphant again with regard to this week’s trapping match.
While this saga unfolded there were still the early birds that were on the Tranmere gardens of which it was no surprise to hear they were at the lofts of Eddie Bateman and Son again for the third week running. The drums were now beating but where would the AMAL winner be this week? As the clubs and in turn the federation secretaries prepared the results it was fast emerging that the North Wirral pigeons held sway again within the AMAL and on a velocity 1353 and beating the second pigeon by some 4 yards per minute Gary (Addo) Atherton and Son were announced First Birkenhead HS, First North Wirral Federation and First WCF & NWF AMAL with 136 fanciers competing with 2977 pigeons.
Gary Atherton is no stranger to winning and winning in top quality company, two years ago Gary pigeon Georgie Boy (named after Gary’s late father) won the West Section RPRA sprint award after topping the NWF on three separate occasions. This season it would be the turn of the son of Georgie Boy who had won his club on two consecutive weeks from Hereford taking First Birkenhead HS (19/467), fourth fed and fifth AMAL. First Birkenhead HS (18/461), second fed and fourth AMAL. This would be heritage to be proud of but it doesn’t end there. The pigeon who now would take first club first federation and finally first AMAL is none other than Georgie Boy himself. Huge congratulations to Gary Atherton and Son on some uniquely outstanding performances over the first three weeks of the season and also huge congratulations to Gary Dodd for pushing and going so close on each of the first three races.
Its pleasing as a scribe to sometime read remarks of fellow fanciers opposed to listening to what is said at clubs and pubs around the country, in this instance it was extra special top see fellow fanciers acknowledging not just the winner in this instance but also the runner up,. Nobody ever remembers who came second only the person that came second, however you keep coming second and we all remember. There were some great comments from fellow club members at the Birkenhead club and although highly competitive area and club people to the time out to send their own personal congratulations to both Gary’s on what can only be described as some extra special performances over the start of the season.
Also I must thank Stephen Milner (of the S & B Goulding partnership, Liverpool) as without his quote on face book that weekend I would not have had my head line for this article. Steve’s quote was “the two Gary’s are running riot on the Wirral” and he was correct thanks Stephen.
West Cheshire and North Wirral Amalgamation, Monmouth 1 23rd April 2016 136/2977. With the North Wirral Fed shading the dominance 21 to 9 in the top thirty of the result the birdage has increased and racing is as competitive as ever on the peninsula. First AMAL is Gary Atherton & Son. Gary also twenty third AMAL with his second pigeon. Second and third AMAL is the ever present Eddie Bateman &Son with two different federation pigeons a yard apart to take second NWF and first WC Fed, well done Eddie and Son brilliant as usual. Gary Dodd then takes fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh AMAL the first time we have had four in the top ten this season. Great team performance with his full quota of four taken. Eighth position we have J Barchha who also takes fifteenth with his second pigeon. Steve Williams is next in ninth who also takes eleventh and twenty seventh place. Closing the top ten is T Anderton and Son. Bob Tudor takes twelfth, fourteenth and thirtieth AMAL with John Wheadon in thirteenth place. Roy and Jean Parkinson take sixteenth along with twenty fifth and twenty sixth for good measure. T Walton and Sons take seventeenth place with the partnership of Casey & Rainbow taking nineteenth and twenty second place. Andy Mayers takes twentieth position with K McGrath in twenty first place. R Lang is in twenty fourth place just ahead of Mo Ward and Mick Cullen in twenty eighth position. And closing the top theory in twenty ninth place is Shaun Evans. Congratulations to all the winners and to the organisers and controllers’ excellent racing.
Notable performances besides the winner, Gary Dodd four in the top ten of the AMAL a first this season. Eddie Bateman & Son three in the top twenty of the AMAL. Steve Williams three in the top thirty of the AMAL. Bob Tudor three in the top thirty of the AMAL. Roy and Jean Parkinson three in the top thirty of the AMAL. A special mention for a pigeon that appeared in twentieth AMAL that of Andy Mayers of Chester, the pigeons on the top thirty are all bar one flying 106 miles or further with the longest flyer being the winners on 111 mile, Andy’s pigeon deserves a mention as he takes his position flying the shortest at 98 mile dome going that on a tough day for the shorter fanciers well done.
Eddie Bateman (Bateman Bros & Son) winner of first club first West Cheshire Federation second AMAL and First Club second North Wirral Federation second WC & NW AMAL.
Around the Feds
NORTH WIRRAL FEDERATION (Monmouth 1)
Birkenhead HS (22/507) First G Atherton & Son, second G Dodd and third G Atherton & Son. Prenton HS (11/270) First and second Bateman Bros and Son, Third Jones & Thomas, Wallasey HS (7/147) J Barchha First and second, Third Ward & Cullen. Bebington (19/318). First R Tudor. Second K McGrath and third R Tudor. Notable performances are Gary Dodd four in the top six of the fed. Bateman Bros and Son four in the federation top thirty for the second consecutive week. J Barchha putting three pigeons in the top thirty of the fed. Jones & Thomas four in the top thirty of the fed. Roy & Jean Parkinson three in the fed top twenty. Casey & Rainbow three in the top thirty.
Within the North Wirral federation the Birkenhead HS stole the honours by virtue of the two Gary’s along with others to total seventeen in the top thirty of the fed. With J barchha holding up the Wallasey HS end along Ward & Cullen putting four pigeons in the top thirty. The Prenton HS put eight into the top thirty courtesy of Bateman Bros and Son along with Jones & Thomas. The Bebbington put four into the top thirty courtesy of Bob Tudor and K McGrath.
WEST CHESHIRE FEDERATION (Hereford 2).
Rock Station HS (10/264) First Bateman Bros & Son. Second and Third Steve Williams.Willaston HS (11/287) First Bob Tudor, Second Stephenson Bros
and Third Bob Tudor. Chester (9/144) First and Second A Mayers with third K Turner. . Moreton HS (6/100) For the second consecutive week First, second and third go to R Lang. Thornton Hough (15/336) First is Sean Evans with D Greenhalgh taking second and third. Victoria HS (12/331) first for the third consecutive week is Mr & Mrs AJ Price, with Arthur Wilde taking Second and Mr & Mrs AJ Price taking third. Hooton HS (14/282). First place we have W Hosie with second and third place occupied by WH Cottrell and Son.
Notable federation performances this week come from Bateman Bros and son yet again putting four pigeons in the top thirty of the federation. Steve Williams putting four pigeons into the top twenty. Dave Greenhalgh putting four pigeons into the top thirty.
Local Club Results:
Victoria HS: (12/321) with the birdage slightly up on last week and another steady race anticipated into Ellesmere Port a trapping match (which we had experienced in the first two races ) was not anticipated but yet again we have a decimal separating three pigeons from two lofts. This week saw Mr and Mrs AJ Price (Sue and Archie) take the win for the third consecutive week just touching off the clubs shortest flyer Arthur Wilde who was defending his crown having won this race the previous year. Archie having previously stated he had reverted back to pure widowhood this season was one of the paper favourites which proved justified.
Archie had promised to revert back to just racing cocks on pure widow hood after trying the roundabout system last year and it the partnership are reaping the rewards. In fourth this week is Paul Coombes only a couple of yards off the pace with his brother Alan, A Coombes &Son in fifth. Sixth and seventh are A Davies and Son with Wesley Ellis in eighth. Sharon Thurston takes ninth place with Carl Curran taking tenth. Richie and Ronnie Denny take eleventh place while Freddie Davies and Son take twelfth. Kenny Johnson takes thirteenth just beating his good friend Joey Ellis who closed the result in fourteenth.
The Rock Station HS: (10/264). This week’s winner at the Rock Station is probably the most consistent loft in the area which is that of Batman Bros and Son taking first, eighth and ninth and tenth club. In second and third we have the consistent lofts of current federation champion Steve Williams. Occupying fourth and fifth place is club secretary John Wheadon. In Tenth place is Brian Hughes with A McNicholas in twelfth. Thirteenth position is occupied by Trix & Bather while R Charles comes in at thirteenth. G Rogers finished in fourteenth while F McNamara finished in fifteenth. Closing the Rock Station result this week is James Farnworth in sixteenth.
Prenton Social HS: (11/270) Over at Prenton Social with an increased birdage produced the same result as the first two weeks with regard to the top four positions. Eddie Bateman Bros and Son are still bang in form taking first and second for the third consecutive week and as soon as they get their conditions we can predict an AMAL win for this formidable team of pigeons. Led by the General this family are proving their worth and competiveness against any competition. The ever present loft of Jones & Thomas take third and fourth again for the third consecutive week with Club secretary Mark Croker taking fifth and tenth place. In sixth and eighth position we have the partnership of Rix and bather and in seventh and seventeenth we have the Western Region and North Wirral federation secretary John Waters.
J Heggarty takes ninth and eleventh position with the partnership of F McNamara & son taking twelfth and thirteenth place. C Smith is in fourteenth and sixteenth position with Clark & McGettick if fifteenth and eighteenth place. In nineteenth and twenty second place we have K Moss and closing this week’s result table we have R Donnelly taking twentieth and twenty first position
If any clubs want their results included in this column please email to
