THE PORT NEWS
Alan Shinton
Featuring Stan Griffiths (J & S Griffiths)
With the last inland race from West Bay taking place on the 25th May 2013, it was expected due to a North East wind that the early birds would be timed in further up the Wirral, however there was help for Ellesmere Port fanciers as the first three in the federation were recorded in the Victoria HS. Released at 10.30 am into a North East wind, with a steady race forecast, the Victoria HS sending 356 pigeons were the first to time in with winning birds being recorded by J & S (Stan) Griffiths on 1394, with Paul Coombes taking 2nd, 3rd and 4th club recording velocities of 1392, 1392 and 1386. Stan's winning hen is a yearling blue Staf Van Reet conditioned and prepared on the roundabout system. This hen is bred from a cock and hen procured by Stan from Howard Jackson of Yorkshire, both parents being a grandson and a granddaughter of the famous "Dickens Cock". This pair has between them now bred three different individual federation winners.
Stan Griffiths with his West Bay federation winner
Feeding is Versa Laga and Natural Corns (with Bamfords Breed and Wean for the stock birds) and Stan likes to feed a good consistent feed. He also used the "Gem" products up until 2012, rating "Gemthepax" and "Trikanox" as good products. Stan believes that treatment for canker through the racing season is a must and a three-weekly treatment is adopted throughout the racing season.
Having raced his pigeons since a lad, Stan says that with his experience and time spent with his flock that to fly consistently good pigeons you need firstly to have good pigeons and secondly good management. "These two are a must (states Stan). They go hand in hand with each other. Good management will not improve poor racers and poor management will not aid good racers, you need the both to master this sport."
Breeding has also played its part with Stan's performances over the years. Stan reiterates: "The apple never falls far from the tree" and that has been the philosophy adopted when bringing in birds into the stock loft to compliment and breed his race team. That said, Stan intends to take a back seat after the old bird season and take a sabbatical from our sport, or in Stan's words "relax and relieve the pressure". It is Stan's intention to not race youngsters in 2013 and as such has sent out this year's youngsters to two close friends locally to test, namely Alby Davies of the A Davies and Son partnership and Carl Curran, two of the fanciers within our area who will ensure these birds get tested and tried this year.
Having spent quite a considerable amount over the years to put his collection together, Stan is now contemplating whether to continue or just relax and keep his pigeons as a past time or to re-invest and give it another crack with new introductions in the 2014 young bird season. We wait in anticipation of what decision Stan takes but rest assured he won't be missing from the club if he decides not to race. Not a believer of selling pigeons, it is the policy of this loft to give rather than sell birds. Stan takes pride when his birds or their progeny are reported back as winning. Even as recent as our second race this season our federation was won by A Davies and Son, Ellesmere Port with a pigeon from a pair of pigeons originally supplied by Stan.
When talking with different fanciers it is noticeable of the information and wealth of experience they hold, some give it freely and others sometimes find it hard to explain. Stan is direct and to the point but polite. His attitude is keen and he still has a sparkle when reminiscing of times gone by, and can forward advice in such a way that novices such as myself can comprehend. He is a must listen character and puts everything across by relating to an incident or occurrence from his experience. Today's speakers and presenters conduct themselves in a similar manner by repeating past experiences and occurrences, but of other peoples experience and or occurrence, however when Stan is quoted it is from his own vast experience and the occurrences that have occurred to him. Stan has kindly shared some of his experiences and memories for that fact for this report.
Blue Staf Van Reet yearling federation winner
Having spent the 2012 season in the doldrums, Stan Griffiths has returned to form with a bang. He is the first to tell you that by his own standards the poor season he endured in 2012 will be one he was glad to get behind him. Having now commenced the 2013 season Stan now flies under the partnership name of J & S Griffiths in memory of his late dad Stanley James Griffiths. Stan was known locally as the partnership of Griffiths and Sandland, which ended at the end of 2012 when Stan's great friend Robbie Sandland decided to dedicate more time to his son Roy's set up having flown as R and R Sandland for some time. Stan commented: "I met Robbie through my wife Joan who was a friend of Robbie's wife in the 70s. Robbie raced his pigeons on his own in those days and later aided by his then young son Roy. I remember some time ago that probably around the early years both Robbie and myself purchased birds from the great partnership of Jackson and Andrews. Robbie at this time was yet to top the federation and with the import of these birds was to build his confidence to a point that he now thought he had birds good enough not only at club level but also at federation level. Robbie was to be proved correct, but in a strike of a clock would he top the fed? I remember us flying from Chepstow (some 120 miles) when two birds came over the Port together. Both were bred by Jackson and Andrews, but both had different finishing lines, one was Robbie's and one was mine. In a turn of fate my bird trapped and Robbie's took a lap of honour. The sheet read J and S Griffiths first club first fed and second was to be Robbie Sandland, who in later years would be with me when we topped the federation on numerous occasions. Robbie Sandland has been a great partner and a very dear and close friend; we have enjoyed a lot of ups and pleasantly not so many downs. We have flown in a partnership since 1996 so in 16 years we have amassed quite a number of accolades locally and noticeably our write up in Squills in the early part of the millennium. We have lost count of the number of winners we have had over the years and for that I will be ever grateful to Robbie for the contribution he made to our success". Thanks Robbie, your great friend Stan.
Stan outside his old bird loft
When visiting Stan it was easy to listen to a man who has had some great success with his pigeons and when he reminisces of times as a lad and relayed a short story which was etched in his mind. We all know that this great hobby is the same for most of us who participate and for those who have left the hobby it is still easy to reflect and remember. This particular day was back in 1953 when as a lad Stan was in the garden waiting for his pigeons to arrive from Weymouth. His dad (Stanley senior) had more important matters on his mind; he was in the living room watching the FA cup final unfold. This was a famous tie Bolton Wanderers versus Blackpool. Blackpool were to triumph four goals to three, Stan recalls and "Stanley Mathews was playing and didn't score". Stan had to watch the final through the French windows of his parents' house until he spotted and clocked his red pied cock, taking third club he recalls. While waiting for his birds and intermittently keeping an eye on the telly through the window, Stan was popping maize into his mouth and constantly chewing, this is a trait that most pigeon fanciers could relate to, however what Stan was not to know was that he was or had an allergic reaction to it, and as such a rash broke out on his skin. Stan's mum (Lil) called the doctor out who immediately told Lil that the maize had caused his blood to overheat and as such he had a heat rash. I'm not sue what they would call that today, however not to be denied his kickabout in the street Stan kept playing out and kept having the rash. This lasted for a week or so, Stan recalls. All the attention was on the football and Stan's rash (which of course was his own fault) but Stan still remembers the pigeon and the position he finished all those years ago. Today Stan enjoys most sports. He is an avid Liverpool follower and likes his boxing and his cricket, having tried his hand at these, and he is also known to venture into the bookies for a small wager now and again.
And so we have some first early memories of a local champion flyer whose mentor with pigeons was his great late dad Stanley James, and a great legacy Stanley senior left in his son with regard to racing pigeons. Stan when asked about local great flyers from years gone by remembers flyers such as Ronnie and Harold Millington, great local fanciers in the Port area in the 70s, 80s and Ronnie through the 90's. Another fancier who Stan remembers being at the top of their game was Gus Gillespie. Names I'm sure that will stir the memories of the older local flyers today.
Racing into the Ellesmere Port area for some 60 years you would expect such flyers to forget most other than the high times of their racing career, but to be fair in what I can only describe as a levelled discussion Stan reminisces of times while working abroad in Abu Dhabi, while Joan (Stan's wife) raced the birds on her own and managed to finish runner up to the highest prize winner in the Ellesmere Port club two years in succession. Asked what is your most memorable or exciting moment you remember, Stan recalls: "I have managed some excellent performances. 2005 saw both Robbie and myself win every old bird channel race in the Victoria club, in 2001 we won 24 first prizes (both club and federation) and in 2002 we managed to improve by one and take 25 first prizes (club and federation). We have won the 'bird in hand' gold ring race, but the epitome of it all has to be a particular day in September some ten years or so ago when from West Bay (approximately 177 miles) we were first and second Shotton Gold Ring Race, first, second and third Ellesmere Port HS Club, first, second and third Victoria HS, first, second and third federation and to top it all first, second and third combine". Now that is a day to remember.
As Stan contemplates his future with regard to pigeon racing he reflects on what could be construed as the down side to his cherished hobby-sport. Stan will not miss the pressure he has applied or put himself through for over twenty years when trying to compete at the top level, getting to the top and then maintaining that level. Stan says that the endless sleepless nights contemplating and worrying what to send, asking himself have I done this correct, should I try this? He says it can become never ending and then when you take a huge sigh of relief at the end of the season, you then fret over pairing and what and when to pair up. Talking to fellow fanciers it is apparent that not all are the same; some can relax with birds and appear to accept that if they get lucky it's a bonus, but when Iask one or two of my fellow club members “how do you feel?” while waiting for their arrivals they can relate and sympathise with Stan when he says that waiting for the pigeons can be traumatic. Is it butterflies? “Not, it's nausea, the butterflies arrive after you have clocked and if you are lucky get worse at the clock strike, but even before and during basketing the birds, waiting for the birds, after the arrival of the birds, all can produce stress! This can be hard to describe to fellow fanciers who don’t go through this. However there are a small band of flyers who also feel the same when racing.” Stan, all I can say is that you are not alone as speaking to a number of people (but not all) it would appear that if the fancier is not motivated with his pigeons then neither are his pigeons and to win in those circumstances is hard or just lucky, but to be driven and to be driven to dominate your chosen sport for the last twenty years must take its toll. And in Stan I am sure he is feeling these effects.
Stan with his old cocks
Whatever Stan decides about his own personal future, he states that "my club is in great shape with 20 members". The club, controlled by Morris Thornhill and aided by his nucleus of willing helpers, is in good hands. The future bodes well. We have some real good flyers within our club and although we win our share in the federation we also have some real good and enjoyable people to relax and socialise with on Friday nights and long may that continue. Stan whatever you decide from us all at the Victoria HS, a big well done on topping the fed yet again, and we all to a man wish you well in whatever you decide to do, but if you need a lift to go and collect a round of late-breds there will be a queue to take you.
West Cheshire Federation
Liberated at West Bay into a North East wind the West Cheshire convoy of some 1722 birds headed North into an anticipated steady race. Again the race controlling and convoying were exact and a good race ensued with an average of some 175 miles into the centre of the federation. The winds were apparently slightly favouring west side fanciers. However the majority of the leading birds were to be recorded in Ellesmere Port. Leading the way is J & S (Stan) Griffiths who wins the Victoria HS along with first West Cheshire Federation. Paul Coombes again gets a team performance taking second and third club, second and third fed. Steve Williams splits the Ellesmere Port birds taking not only the first three positions in the Rock Station but also taking fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth federation, when it would appear conditions were against him. Brian Jones wins the Hooton and again gets birds into the federation top ten by taking sixth and seventh federation. Closing the top ten this week is W H Cottrell & Son who is also taking third in the Hooton Club.
West Cheshire Federation raced from West Bay on Saturday 25th May (89/1722). Club Results: Victoria (14/356) J and S Griffiths 1394, P Coombes 1392, 1391. Rock Station (13/257) S Williams 1390, 1390, 1389. Hooton (17/293) B V Jones 1390, 1389 W H Cottrell & Son. Willaston (8/224) R Tudor 1385. R & R Sandland 1383, 1371. Chester (9/161) R Dodd & Son 1383, 1380. K Turner 1377. Neston (12/225) G Leighton 1372. Favager & Son 1370. Burkey Bros 1357. Moreton (10/108) R Lang 1357. J Rixon 1324. R Lang 1317. Christleton (6/98) D Griffiths 1351. L Moore 1327. D Griffiths 1322.
