RHONDDA VALLEY FED
Reports by Martin Dunn
Rhondda Valley Federation
2009 Presentation Evening
The fed’s presentation evening was held recently at the head quarters, the Cosmo club Pontygwaith. There was an excellent turn out with well over 130 members and guests supporting the evening,which I believe is a record turnout. There was a lovely 4 course meal served, before the presentation began, with an outstanding comedian for entertainment, everyone had a cracking night.
Guests for the evening were M/M Derek Leonard from the West Wales fed, Derek is the race controller for this fed and works closely with our own race controller Chris Butler throughout the season, It was good of him to make the long journey up to the Rhondda for the night.M/M Jim Dyer were also in attendance, with the good news that Jim has agreed to take on the press officers role in 2010.
Main Winners for 2009 were Morris Pugh and Whitcombe of the Maerdy club. These were the Rhondda Valley Fed Champions for 2009, Plus 4 x 1st Fed, you can add most points from Overseas races to go with it , plus 2 x 1st Welsh South East Combine and 1st Welsh South East National Brussels from across the Channel, this loft can only have what can be described as a dream season. They also take the bird of the year, with the performances of their very good widowhood cock ‘Licensed to Thrill’, twice 1st Welsh Combine in 2009, plus 1st National Brussels.
orris, Pugh & Whitcombe – Rhondda Valley fed champions 2009
Butler Bros take the Individual combined averages, this trophy is a difficult one to win and you need consistency through out the year, They were also1st fed Newbury old birds to go with it, plus top prize winners In the big Treherbert club, its another successful year for Chris and Jonathon.
Best average all old bird races went to Newport’s Tony Gibbons, another very good season for this top fancier, he also topped the fed twice in 2009, from Epsom and Newbury.
Davies and Evans of Maerdy had a dream young bird season, taking the first 9 positions in the fed from Hullavington, they then went on to take 1st fed Guildford and 1st Fed Maidstone, having the first 4 pigeons into South Wales on the day, they deservedly win the young bird average trophy.
Davies & Evans 3 x 1st fed and young bird average winners
Les Vaughan can be relied upon when the going gets sticky across the channel, for the 2nd time in the last few seasons he takes the channel averages, with performances that include, 1st fed, 5th combine Huy and then one of the few day birds from Bonn, 1st club 3rd fed, 10th combine.
Les Vaughan – channel average winner 2009
Gwyn Collins of Treherbert, ably assisted by Graham Warren, flew well old birds, but even better with the young birds, they take the best average from Maidstone and Folkestone, with both old birds and young birds. They also win best 2-bird average from Folkestone young birds and best average Folkestone and Maidstone young birds. This loft flew a really good young bird, clocking many each week in the fed results.
Amesbury, Alkers and Hunphries were 1st fed Maidstone old birds, in a an old bird season where they were also Highest points winners in the federation.Others that deserve a mention include A&K Davies of Porth, another outstanding young bird season saw them take 2nd Welsh South East National at Folkestone, then followed this up the following week from Lillers, with 1st fed, 1ST Welsh South East Combine, 2nd Welsh South East National again.
Street & Hughes hit a purple patch with young birds, they topped the fed 3 weeks running, the amazing thing with this is that they were all brothers, bred from a cock from Richard Bradshaw of Jos Thone Sumo Lines. Odd thing here is that this came in as a stray and was gifted to Les and Roy, who says all strays are rubbish. The mother of the 3 cocks is bred from a cock that topped the fed and a hen that won the Maerdy single bird nom and £2000.
Gavin Keepings is another fed Member that takes 1st National in 2009, this one from the hardest race of the year, Bonn, this yearling cock was well up for the job on the day, 1st fed, 1st Combine and National was its reward, Gavin takes the A.B. Howard memorial trophy, lowest winning velocity and the John Didcock trophy for longest old bird race. Proving the birds were in top form, Gavin also topped the fed the week previous from Newbury.Dave Gore down in Kenfig hill Keeps his most points in the West Section trophy, plus 1st fed From Newbury Old birds.
Gavin Keepings – 1st fed and National from Bonn
Final trophy went to the Champion club and in 2010 it was Treherbert that returns back to the top, knocking Penygraig from its Perch.Well done to the Treherbert club.It was good to see Tommy Hughes collect the trophy and give another display of we are the champions, especially after Tommy needed help from the paramedics at the start of the evening.Couldn’t stop him picking up the top club trophy.
Old bird race Winners
Swindon – Fred Tucker – Treherbert – 3159 pigeons
Newbury – Butler Bros – Treherbert – 3681 pigeons
Guildford – T.Gibbons – Newport – 3546 pigeons
Maidstone – Akers/Humphries – Tonyrefail – 3175 pigeons
Folkestone – Gregory & Davies – Tredegar – 2151 pigeons
Newbury 2 – T.Gibbons – Newport – 2594 pigeons
Lillers – Morris Pugh & Whitcombe – Maerdy - 2134 pigeons
Newbury 3 – Morris Pugh & Whitcombe – Maerdy -2166 pigeons
Brussels – Morris Pugh & Whitcombe – Maerdy – 1035 pigeons
Newbury 4 – D.Gore – Kenfig Hill – 1264 pigeons
Huy – L.Vaughan – Cambrian – 879 pigeons
Newbury5 – G.Keepings – Newtown – 1135 pigeons
Bonn – G.Keepings – Newtown – 646 pigeons
Young Bird race winners
Hullavington 1 – Davies & Evans – Maerdy – 1202 pigeons
Hullavington 2 – Street & Hughes – Tonypandy – 2906 pigeons
Swindon 1 – Street & Hughes – Tonypandy – 4108 pigeons
Swindon 2 – Street & Hughes – Tonypandy – 4069 pigeons
Newbury – Iles Lewis & son Tonypandy – 3750 pigeons
Guildford – Davies & Evans – Maerdy – 2917 pigeons
Maidstone – Davies & Evans – Maerdy – 1714 pigeons
Folkestone – G.Honeyfield – Tonypandy – 1151 pigeons
Lillers – A&K Davies – Penygraig – 513 pigeons
Swindon3 – Morris Pugh & Whitcombe Maerdy – 1013 pigeons.
