WARWICKSHIRE WITTERINGS
DREW CALLAN
Taunton (Cheltenham)
The third race on the programme saw the transporter setting of to Taunton in Somerset with the hopes for a race on Saturday which would be around the 130 mile mark to the boys in the middle of the fed. As Saturday dawned it quickly became clear that we would not be getting a race from Taunton as the weather pattern predicted to move in from late morning had swept in early as the east winds had picked up speed overnight. Shortly after 8 o clock after numerous conversations along the line of flight it was decided to pull off that site and head for Cheltenham. We had looked at Bath as the first alternative but after talking to fanciers around Bath and convoyers on site there the odds of getting a lib were no better than we had been faced with at Taunton. Results from organisations who libbed from the site only go to prove this. I know some fanciers were not happy at this decision as Cheltenham is only 30 odd miles to the first drop and one fancier went so far as to say we should have libbed at Taunton and let the birds sort themselves out!!! However it must be remembered that all those fed members who are involved in the process that ensures a liberation and race have birds on the lorry and so always have the birds' best interests at heart and so with this being the case we ignored the occasional bleatings from some members and took the necessary actions.
So Cheltenham it was and Keith had the birds away at 12.20 into full cloud cover which was as high and bright. The day was not as warm or sunny as we would have liked but it was as good a set of conditions as we were going to get, and definitely good enough for a race and most fanciers had very good returns with only a few out on the night. On reflection we called it right going when we did as neighbouring feds and feds nationwide got a real kicking.
The top of the pile this week goes to the Whitnash loft of Keith Arnold & Son who also had a second one to keep it company. I suppose if there were laws that determined where a wining pigeon would be on the day then it is no surprise that the winner was in the bottom south west corner of the fed to one of the first drops given the strength of the East/North East wind. Factor in to this that Keith is a past national sprint champion then it was a day tailor made for his team of widowhood cocks to take top honours from this 32 mile sprint. The first cock to have his rubber removed was 15 yards clear of his loft mate to take first fed on 1151ypm - a working velocity on a real working day, with the 2nd fed bird on 1136 ypm. No details on the breeding but it's likely that they are from his Van Reet family although he has gathered up a good family of distance birds and it was certainly a day for them to come to the fore so you never know.
Taking the next 5 positions is Mick O'Rourke who had a drop of 5 cocks to take the positions on velocities ranging from 1121 ypm down to 1111.05 ypm. Mick, Sharon and Nigel clearly had the birds right for the job and must be proud of the teams efforts especially as they were flying almost double the distance of the first droppers in to a head wind that was growing in strength as the afternoon continued. These Soontjen based birds clearly thrive when velocities are in the low end of the scale and luckily for the O'Rourke loft aren’t solar powered, as they haven’t seen much sunshine on their journey home in the past 2 weeks. A top performance worthy of a top sprint loft with the birds racing as a team to the loft.
Keeping Mick's birds company on the trip home this week again it is the loft of M. Slater with a good bird on the clock again for 8th Fed on 1105.137ypm, just a fraction behind the fifth O'Rourke bird. This consistent loft must be due a win in the near future.
We go to the centre section of the fed now to Barras Green where DJ Duffin & Son win this strong club and claim 9th Fed on 1099ypm, a bird that is good enough to win their section of the fed.
Completing the top ten in the fed and recording the furthest flying bird on the sheet is Coalville member John Havens who records 1098ypm with a bird that gave its all on the day with a cold, fresh wind to contend with over the 63 miles journey.
So the federation top ten looks like this:
73 members sent 1,115 birds. Liberated at 12:20 hours in a Light East North East Wind
Pos Name Club Distance Velocity
1 K Arnold & Son Warwick & Dist 32:0987 1151.011
2 K Arnold & Son Warwick & Dist 32:0987 1136.929
3 S O'Rourke Monsell SR FC - 60:1061 1121.370
4 S O'Rourke Monsell SR FC - 60:1061 1121.174
5 S O'Rourke Monsell SR FC - 60:1061 1120.781
6 S O'Rourke Monsell SR FC - 60:1061 1111.245
7 S O'Rourke Monsell SR FC - 60:1061 1111.052
8 M Slater Monsell SR FC - 60:0530 1105.137
9 D J Duffin & Son Barras Green - 42:1204 1099.950
10 J Havens Coalville & Dist SR - 63:1201 1098.474
Around the clubs now.
Barras Green HS
Dj Duffin & son 1099.950ypm
R Lee 1087.991ypm
W Gair, son & G/son 1067.854ypm
Coalville and District
J Havens 1098.474ypm
D Page 1068.791ypm
J Burton 1059.529ypm
East Leake SR FC
M Leckie 1019.587ypm
Thompson & Daughter 1013.741ypm
K Bowley 1000.443ypm
Hinkley FC
M Lennon 1088.762ypm
T R Murrell 1076.120ypm
T R Murrell 1075.275ypm
Monsell SR FC
S O Rourke & Son 1121.370ypm
S O Rourke & Son 1121.174ypm
S O Rourke & Son 1120.781ypm
Mick and the team had another top performance with a drop of 5 birds on a real flying day. These are likely to be Soontjen based but there may be some of the old herman blood in there as well.
Nuneaton NR HS
K Lane 1094.055ypm
Lloyd Bros 1086.231ypm
J Gilbert 1083..711ypm
Southam and District
R Williams 1006.236ypm
D Callan & Son 1003.471ypm
D Callan & Son 1001.429ypm
Rob has a Geveart roundabout cock to take top honours this week ahead of 2 roundabout hens for D Callan & Son, the first a yearling distance based hen and the second an 08 Grondelaar based hen who has been over the pond a few times.
The Boat HS
D Manders 1047.890ypm
Mr/s Clay 1004.155ypm
Mr/s Clay 1001.381ypm
Cometh the hour and cometh the man - a good win here for Dave who wins the club with time to spare. Dave has a good team of Deschact-Denduyver birds based on direct imports and a sprinkling of Soontjens as well. The consistent loft of Mr & Mrs Clay are there again with a couple of good timers.
Warwick and District
K Arnold and Son 1151.011ypm
K Arnold and Son 1136.929ypm
K Arnold and Son 1094.236ypm
The Whitnash lofts take top 3 honours and secure 1st and 2nd Fed this week taking full advantage of the wind.
That’s your lot for this week. Once again it would be nice to have a few details on the top 3 birds as it is good to give credit where it is due. It would be helpful if someone from each club could forward me some details. Many thanks to the clubs who are already doing this. Anything at all to
Bogtrotter
