RHONDDA VALLEY FED
Steve Bright Of Beddau
Welsh South East National Overseas Average Winner 2009
Although Steve is not a Rhondda Valley federation member, I believe that he deserves credit for his performances not only in 2009, but as you will read, Steve as been at the top the sport in Wales for as long as I can remember.2009 was another very successful season, which ended with Steve winning the Overseas averages in club, fed and National, Highlight of which was from Bonn where Steve was 3rd Open national with his very good Sootjen cock that has won a number of top fed and National positions over the years.
Starting at the Beginning, Steve first entered the sport as a 10 year old in shares with his father, this only lasted for one season, Steve’s father was a Coal miner and the strike meant that the pigeons had to go. Steve restarted at the age of 21 on his own. Success was instant with his first wins coming in the young bird season. Steve has always flown on his own, with Wife Pat helping out with the birds if Steve is in work and unable to get home. Pat as clocked a fair few winners on her own, and Steve said that she’ a big help and ‘Very Understanding’ when it comes to the pigeons.
Steve Bright picking up the Channel averages at the South West Glam fed presentation night
As I said at the start, 2009 as been another excellent season, but you can go back as far a you want, you will find Steve at the top of the results. Examples of which include 1st Open Welsh North Road fed with 24000 pigeons competing, and 1st Section Stromness 500 plus miles on the North Road. When Changing over to the South east, again Steve was at the top of the results, 1st Welsh South Road National came in 1998, with ‘Hatrick’ claiming 1st National Tours, this when the Welsh South Road National had everyone competing in Wales.
Another highlight included his very good widowhood cock, ‘05414’. This cock was sent with the National Flying club to San Sebastian, timed after 14 and half hours on the day, coming in the rain, for a top national position and then two weeks later back again to the same race point and once again home on the day and well up in the results.
When I said to Steve what does he think was his best performance, I really thought that 1st National Giessen and the Queens Cup would have been his choice. Suprisingly it wasn’t pigeon related. Steve also enjoys Combat Ju jitsu, 3 years ago he became a 1st Dan in this tough sport. Currently he’s training to make 2nd Dan at the age of 52.
Talking of the Queens cup, just take a look at the performances of ‘ Sir Patrick’ in 2005 that lead to this. Starting at Ramsgate, 209 miles on the 14th May, this Van reet cock came to take 10th Welsh South East National, 3500 plus pigeons, Velocity 1741ypm. This didn’t count for the Queens cup, which is awarded to performances over 300 miles into Wales. I just wanted to show how well he flew and in all types of races. Then onto Bonn on 30th June, only around 60 pigeons on the day in the National from 463 miles, this cock came to take 9th Welsh South East National velocity 1106ypm.
Most People would have left him there for the year, after being twice in the first 10 of the national in two completely different winds. Steve doesn’t work like that and he was confident of having him from the final National race of the season from Giessen, this is 527 miles to Beddau. The birds were liberated early into a really hot day, with Only 11 out of the convoy making it home on the day. This cock was out in front, 15 minutes clear of the next pigeon he came to take 1st Welsh South East National and Combine 1290 pigeons and awarded the Queens cup for Best Performances in the 2005 season.
Moving onto 2009 and again Steve had another outstanding channel programme, Starting at Lillers, a really quick race, first bird home was 55th Welsh South East National, Two weeks Later and onto Brussels 350 miles and first timer was 14th Open Welsh South East National. Next up, Huy 380 miles and Steve clocked 4 sharp ones to slot into 23rd, 36th and 67th and 68th open Welsh South East National.
Final old bird National was from Bonn, again this was a tricky one, birds were liberated into a fresh North Westerly wing and the convoy had it on the Nose all the way home. Only around 22 gallant pigeons made into Wales on the day and Steve was at the front, he timed his very good Sootjen cock for 3rd open Welsh South East National. This 2006 cock is a top performer he’s been 1st club 1st fed 5th Welsh South East National Huy 380 miles in 2007. He’s been 20th National Brussels and this year he came to take 67th Welsh South East National Huy two weeks before Bonn. Steve say’s that he’s won other positions inland but doesn’t have them to hand. This cock is bred down from Pigeons brought in from Alun Roberts from Chesterfield in Derbyshire. Unfortunately Steve has tried to contact him to let him know how this cock as done, but as lost his number.
Moving onto the family of pigeons itself, and the base of the loft is Steve’s tried and tested Busschaert family that has stood him in good stead over the years. The last few seasons Steve has added the Van Reets and Vanderbeele’s, for sprint racing plus a few Willy Thas pigeons. Around 13 pair of stock birds are kept, and are paired mid to late December.
The race team is usually made up of 24 widowhood cocks which are the main stay of the lofts. Steve has kept a few spare hens for racing but doesn’t have much luck with them, he prefers the widowhood cocks. He did say perhaps in the future and he finishes work, with more time he may consider the roundabout system.
The cocks have around 5-6 training spins before the first race and are let out morning and night for an hour. They are re-paired for the first channel race, where they are sent sitting and then go back onto the widowhood system for the rest of the season. When sitting the cocks are trained, but will then go back to the normal system when back on widowhood.
The cocks are fed on Gerry plus, with Marimans extra protein added when the channel races are looming. They are fed individually in their boxes and they receive as much as they want. Steve uses vitamin B12 and Orego Stim to give them a boost during racing. As for health, Steve leaves nothing to chance, he has his own Microscope and will check the pigeons regularly throughout the season and will then treat accordingly.
The young birds number around 60, and are flown on the darkness system. They are kept together and allowed to go to nest for the Young bird National races. When the young birds are exercising well they are trained privately until well schooled and will then go on the local transporters to teach them to break. Steve trains his young birds well, with the local peregrine less than 800 yards away, he says that he loses too many young birds around the lofts to exercise them daily.The young birds are fed Marimans high protein after weaning and then go on the Gerry plus for racing. They are also given B12 and Orego stim like the old birds.
Talking to Steve, he says that he as keen as ever and can’t wait for the first race of 2010, the only thing he dislikes is pairing the yearlings which does his head in. As for 2010 Steve has made the brave or foolish decision to move the birds from his back garden to the allotments down in Llantrisant where 3 other club mates fly from. He will have to break the old birds in, but knowing Steve he’ll probably go and win another national in 2010 buy doing this!!.
Report by Martin Dunn
