RHONDDA VALLEY FED
Reports by Martin Dunn
Before we go onto the Young bird results, I would just like to review the old bird season. This year we transported almost 33000 pigeons to the old bird races, an average of 2332 pigeons per week. This is 700 birds a week less than 2007, which doesn’t help income into the federation. Possible reasons for this are the poor returns in the Maidstone and Ramsgate old bird nationals and the way the programme was set up. Racing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, affected the numbers due to Defra restrictions. The race programme certainly needs looking at for 2009, the set up of the overseas races and we must ensure that the first 3 young bird races are doubled up or we will have the same problems encountered in 2008.
Onto the racing, which showed that over 130 of the federation 250 members appeared on the old bird results and no club really dominating the fed, Individually, Enoch son Enoch of Glyncorrwg topped the fed and combine out of Maidstone, Adrian Ware topped the fed and National from Ramsgate. Tony Gibbons was 1st fed Lillers and 2nd fed Brussels with the same pigeon, Brussels was where Mal and Darron Woodland completed a successful few days when winning the fed from here and Newbury and another double fed winner was Kenfig Hills Richard Stokes.From Huy, Port Talbot’s Joe Obryan and Steve Jones had a cracker to top the fed and west section of National And Combine and onto the main event from Bonn, where the National Secretary, Graham Thomas was 1st fed, 1st section in the combine and National and 2nd National over all. Final Chanell race was from Giessen, best classed as a disaster of a race with 25 home from 1400 pigeons, Paul Owen of Maerdy clocked his excellent hen for 1st fed and 1st section Combine.
From here we go onto the points trophies and for the 3rd year in Succession Brian and Mike Gill are top in the East section and David Gore is top in the West section, below are the top 10 Old Bird Fanciers :-
GILL BROS SON |
236 |
M.WOODLAND |
194 |
BRET JONES |
133 |
D.GORE |
133 |
DUNN SON SEAL |
121 |
A.WARE |
118 |
T.GIBBONS |
111 |
D.PHILLIPS |
110 |
T.SOUTHWOOD |
102 |
STREET & HUGHES |
101 |
MORRIS & WEBB |
101 |
The top 5 fanciers in the Channel Points are:-
GILL BROS SON |
94 |
T.GIBBONS |
71 |
WILLIAMS BROS & SON |
71 |
A.WARE |
68 |
D.PHILLIPS |
58 |
|
|
Penygraig Con held on to their Title of top club for 2008 old birds, just edging the Tonyrefail club into second place. Obviously these are all my own calculations and are subject to confirmation.
Brain and Mike Gill - Top Fed old bird points winners in 2008 - 3rd year in succesion
Now Onto the Young bird racing, First race was from Hullavington and after the weather we have had, It’s wonder that any training had been done. There were 1376 pigeons entered by 68 members. Again the weather played its part and after waiting for the sun to break through the birds were released into a North West wind at 12:05.
Typical first race it turned out with the pigeons being well spread out, nearly 200 yds a minute separated the first 30 and unfortunately there were a large number of pigeons missing, a fate that seemed to be par for the course on the day with the other Welsh Feds who were racing with Young Birds, with no apparent reason.
Onto the Winners and these were John & Wood of the Pontypridd club.They clocked after 1 hour 19 minutes for a velocity of 1135, they were also 3rd club with their second arrival. Dai Rowlands taking second club at Pontypridd.
Into 2nd and 3rd fed was Abercwmboi’s Philip Sheldon, Phillips certainly knows how to Fly a good young bird, 3 x 1st fed with them in 2007, he starts off 2008 in the same vain. Phillip clocks 2 more for 10th and 11th fed, cleaning up in the club.
Dean Webb of the Ynyshir club, transfer their old bird from into the young birds 1st/2nd club 4th/19th fed to start off with. R.Hartshorn and son of the Newtown club start off in style 1st club 5th fed up in the Cynon Valley.
A&J Green of Tonyrefail have a great start to Flying on their own in 2008, they are 1st club 6th fed, this I believe came through Former partner Brett Jones who’s had to finish this year .Fred Tucker gets an early one up in Cwmparc, taking 1st club 8th fed and Street and Hughes get 2 together for 2nd/3rd club, 20th and 23rd fed.
Up at Maerdy, this club is probably the biggest club in the Rhondda Valley Federation and Steve (Jacko) Williams clocks the winner here for 7th fed, taking 2nd club 9th fed are Davies, Dixon and Williams, while I’m at it I have to give a big Thank you to John Dixon or ‘Dixey’ as he’s better know, for giving me photographs of the winners to send in with my articles in 2008, much appreciated John.3rd club at Maerdy are S.Williams and 12th fed followed home by Tudor Jones for 4th club 22nd fed.
Up at Aberdare and some new names to Myself, K.Traynor wins here just beating Walters and Pritchard into 2nd club, these2 take fed positions of 13th/18th. Satying at the top end and R.Price takes the first 3 positions at Glyncorrwg and Tops the West section to go with it.16th ad 30th fed.
Back into the Rhondda and to Tylorstown, where I.Jones and Son clean up taking the first 3 positions and 14th/15th and 17th fed to go with it.From Tylorstown we go down to Trebanog and Andrew Jones wins this club, clocking one from Dunn son Seal, this takes 24th fed, closely followed home by 2 for new starter flying as Daniel and Grandad, these 2 take 27th and 28th fed.
Final 2 pigeons on the result go to the Ferns winner M.Lewis, 21st fed and the Treherbert winner, John Evans, who takes 26th fed.In my own Club, Penygraig, for the first time in around 2 seasons, they didn’t have a pigeon on the fed result, the winner this week are Dunn Son Seal, who clocks a young Galaxy Rietvink hen, grand daughter of their Maidstone National Winner, taking 2nd club were the Gill Bros and Williams Jones and Davies clearing the next 3 positions for a good start with young birds.
Down at Tonypandy, Dunn son Seal get their 2nd win of the day, this time they clock young hen bred by Tommy Chorlton of Manchester, just edging Keith and Liam English into 2nd place with Street and Hughes coming in for 3rd club. Just a mention for new starter Lee Davies, flying in his first race, who beats his father Gary when taking 5th club, well done Lee.
Maerdy Single bird Nomination from Ramsgate
Organiser Charlie Silver has phoned with the prize money and details for the above race, 1st will receive £2500, 2nd place will have £700, 3rd will have £300 and 3 further prizes of £100.The first prize is up £500 on last years payout, so moving in the right direction.
Charlie will need the ring number in writing on or before the night of Basketting for Ramsgate, if you have any problems give Charlie a ring on 01443 732654.
Please make sure that you phone your arrival time into Charlie within 2 hours of clocking.
When the result is know, can the owners of the first3 pigeons give me a ring with the details of the winning pigeons, we can include the reports. My Phone number is 01443 440 953 or Mobile 07920 101 980.
