WARWICKSHIRE WITTERINGS
DREW CALLAN
HONITON & EXETER - MAY 2012
Morning folks, glad to see that we are having some sunshine at last as the poor old birds have had it tough since the season began but now with a bit of sun on their backs they should enjoy their racing a bit more. Now that they are racing off the south coast I only hope they don’t stop off for an ice cream and a day on the beach. Apologies for being a couple of weeks behind but work has been manic lately so I have been pushed for time but I will catch up over the next couple of weeks and every one who has flown a good fed pigeon will get a mention so don’t worry.
Right let’s crack on. On Saturday the 5th of May the federation were in Honiton in Devon which is a distance of around 135 miles to the middle lofts. With a clear line of flight it was a case of letting the air warm up a bit but with the wind being a fresh north easterly there was never going to be a lot of warmth. Keith had strings cut and birds away at 10 o'clock for the journey home with the wind on their nose for the duration of the flight. The strength and direction of the wind should always determine where the lead birds are and this week is no different with a cluster of birds close together in to the middle of the federation taking the 10 top spots with a drop of less that 14 yards. Top of the pile this week and doing it style is Lloyd Bros who fly close to the hospital in Nuneaton and at 133 miles are pretty much bang on in the middle of the fed. There are very few advantages for being in the middle of the federation and those guys who are have to grab their opportunities when they come along, and that is exactly what Lloyd bros have one with 3 cocks over the pad to take the top three against 852 birds on a real flying day. When I spoke to Albert he was over the moon especially as they have been putting together a new family of birds over the past 3 seasons and they are starting to show their worth. The main stock pair in the loft are made of a Vervloesem Bros cock supplied by Neil Inger and a Vandenbrande Bros hen from Simon Snook from east Yorkshire. The fed topper is off this pair direct as is the bird in 3rd fed, with the second fed being a Vervloesem x Demeyer… top sprint lines in Belgium at the minute. Well done gentlemen you have a good family of birds who like it a bit hard as the 3 velocities of 1243, 1242 and1240.3 show.
In 4th spot is Mr/s Broadaway with a good bird on 1240.2. John has pushed the fed topper this week but has had to settle for the bridesmaid's spot which is unfortunate because he doesn’t make a very good one!! Staying in the middle of the fed we have Tim Collier with 5th fed and winning the strong Barras club on 1239.5 and another close up for 8th fed on 1238. Lloyd bros have another on the clock for 6th fed on a velocity of 1239.2 to keep his loft mates company. The always present Gair partnership take a close 2nd Barras club and 7th fed on 1239.1. G and A Huddlestone are on the sheet for 9th Fed racing in to the Hinkley area with another pigeon up with the leaders on 1230.08 and finally K Arnold and son complete the top ten toping the Warwick club on 1230.021.
The Fed result for Honiton looks like this:
1 Lloyd Bros 1243.262
2 Lloyd Bros 1242.386
3 Lloyd Bros 1240.311
4 Mr/s J Broadaway 1240.230
5 T Collier 1239.539
6 Lloyd Bros 1239.222
7 W Gair & Son & Grandson 1239.121
8 T Collier 1238.508
9 G & A Huddlestone 1230.089
10 K Arnold & Son 1230.021
11 M Slater 1227.693
12 S O'Rourke 1226.622
13 S O'Rourke 1217.571
14 S O'Rourke 1216.903
15 S O'Rourke 1212.243
16 W Gair & Son & Grandson 1212.107
17 T Johnson 1211.362
18 W Gair & Son & Grandson 1210.927
19 D J Duffin & Son 1210.367
20 W Gair & Son & Grandson 1209.856
The following week saw the federation at Exeter where the 1429 birds sent by 88 members were sat in perfect conditions on site awaiting liberation. We just needed to catch up with the Welsh boys who were at various spots along the M4 corridor to make sure our birds didn’t meet. Once this was done Keith had the strings cut and the birds on their way home which would be around 160 miles to the middle of the federation. With the wind being light northerly, turning north westerly en route a good steady race was on the cards.
Setting the pace again this week and giving a master class in how to race a team of sprint birds is the Leicester lofts of S O’Rourke and sons. The partnership had seven over the pad in only a 10 yard drop to take the first 7 in the federation, and at 170 miles right out on the eastern edge of the federation these birds had to have been the front runners all along the course of the race. This was a proper team performance from a partnership who do not race a massive amount of birds but they were clearly fed right, bred right and sent right for the job being asked of them. The nucleus of the team is the Soontjens bloodlines that have come from a number of sources over the years and have been moulded in to a family based on performances. Recently a fresh injection of blood has been added from the all conquering Stobbs lofts from he north east and these new Soontjens are starting to make their mark in the race team. Alongside these are a few birds from anew family that Mick and Sandra are trying out and the results are promising so far. I remember seeing some old Warwick federation results sheets from 20 years ago and there was one loft back then who was racing a team of sprinters with the same style and skill being demonstrated by the O’Rourke loft today, and that loft was F and A Tasker when they lived and raced on the outskirts of Leamimgton Spa. I think that based on the results being amassed by this Leicester loft they would surely have had Frank looking over his shoulder and firmly up on his toes if he were racing against them today. The velocities range from 1371- 1351ypm.
8th Federation goes to a loft better known for channel and national racing, W Marbrow wins the strong Coalville club on 1347ypm. This is another of the further flying lofts at 172 miles. We drop in to the middle of the federation now for the final 2 lofts in the top ten. It was a tussle for the top spot in the strong Barras club between these 2 lofts with Tim Collier just nudging it on 1346ypm to take 1st club and 9th Federation. The Gair loft having to be happy to be bridesmaids on 1345ypm for 2nd club and 10th Federation.
Warwickshire & District Federation
Results of the Exeter (4033) race flown on 12 May 2012.
86 members sent 1,429 birds.
Liberated at 07:50 hours in a Light Northerly wind turning North West en route.
1 S O'Rourke GB09Z24018 03:38:47 1371.476
2 S O'Rourke GB10Z41360 03:38:49 1371.267
3 S O'Rourke GB10Z41355 03:38:49 1371.267
4 S O'Rourke GB08Z65334 03:39:00 1370.119
5 S O'Rourke GB10Z41349 03:39:39 1366.064
6 S O'Rourke GB10K17102 03:39:42 1365.753
7 S O'Rourke GB09Z24015 03:42:04 1351.198
8 W Marbrow GB11C47019 03:45:27 1347.084
9 T Collier GB11B19898 03:16:34 1346.530
10 W Gair & Son & Grandson GB08Z56165 03:20:03 1345.744
Right folks, that’s me back on track with the federation results, apologies for not including individual club results but time has been in short supply this week. My dad always says that the man who made time made plenty of it but that is not the case this week. I am of on half term next week so hope to catch up the club results as well. Until then anything to:
