RHONDDA VALLEY FED
Reports by Martin Dunn
Welsh Homing Union Transfer cards
To start this week, we have a message from Gail Jones at the W.H.P.U. office who would like to remind everyone that they should be using the transfer cards with the following address:- The Weslsh Homing Union, Old Timothy’s Yard, Llanfoist Street, Ton Pentre, Rhondda. CF41 7EE. Make sure you are not using the transfer cards with the old address at Barry or even older ones with the old Secretary Terry Ash’s address. The mail re-direction has now stopped and you run the risk of not having your birds transferred. Any Questions then give Gail a ring on 01443-441010.
NEWBURY
Saturday 7th June and the Rhondda Valley Federation were at Newbury, where 1570 pigeons were liberated into a North West Wind. The Leading pigeons made good time, just under the 2 hours for the 95 mile Journey, with the rest of the birds tumbling in behind them.
Taking Top spot this week are Tonyrefails’s, Mal and Darron Woodland, This Father and son partnership have enjoyed a superb Old bird season, it’s been just a matter of time before the eventually topped the fed, they have been knocking on the door since the first race where they had 6 in the first 11 of the fed, second race they were 6,7,8th fed , up against nearly 4500 pigeons you can see how well they have flown all season.
Darron Woodland left and Mal right – Double fed winners
This week they clock one of their 2yr old roundabout cocks that has been 2nd fed from the same race point in 2007, this cock is bred from their top stock cock that has bred numerous winners in the 10 years they have had him, Mal said that he paid the huge sum of £6 for this cock from Lier market and what a bargain it’s turned out, with another Full sister coming from Ramsgate 2008 and taking top national and Fed honours with it, for good measure they clock their second pigeon for 2nd club 4th fed. Hugh Jones is 3rd club at Tonyrefail, taking 22nd fed.
Runner – up this week and taking 1st club at Penygraig are Brain and Mike Gill, these 2 have also flown well in 2008, although incredibly this is their 1st win in the club they clock a yearling Herbot x Leo Van Rhijn cock flown on Natural, Brian Said they have started to come better now he’s stopped training them every day,They also Take 3rd club 11th fed this is a Herbots x Pouw bros Janssen. , with another 2 in at 26th/27th fed Runner- up at Penygraig is Brett Jones and slips into 9th fed for good measure with another roundabout. Completing the Penygraig result is Arnold and Keith Davies who take 4th club 13th fed.
Next week go up to Maesteg where Evans son Evans get another cracker for the second Newbury on the trot, last time they were second fed this week they take 3rd fed, on this wind it really is a very good performance to take 3rd position.
Staying in the West section Dai Gore takes 1st and 2nd at Kenfig Hill, first one is 7th fed 2nd West Section, second pigeon is 14th fed, this relegates Richard Stokes down to 3rd club 21st fed, with Payne Parry and Davies completing the Kenfig Hill result with 4th club 5th section.
Taking 6th fed and another cracker on the wind is Nantymoels Bayliss, Walker and Nolan, Alan Bayliss and His two 10 year old helpers Ryan and Shay clock a yearling pied cock. Another good performance from these 2 youngsters.
Bayliss, Walker and Nolan – 6th Fed Newbury
First Pigeon into the Rhondda Valley itself Goes to Dean Webb at Ynyshir, Dean is another that’s been flying a good pigeon with around 5 x 1st club already this season, he takes another win and 5th fed, with Brown and Jones just holding off Roger Webb for 2nd/3rd club 19th/20th fed by decimals and Garland and Slade finish the result with 4th club 23rd fed.
Just up the Valley to Tonypandy, where Dunn Son Seal clock another yearling M&D Evans Vandenabeele hen, this one is down from O’bryan and Jones Shadow lines, this hen was flown on roundabout, 8th fed. Runner- up at Tonypandy is Keith and Liam English, they clock a yearling widowhood cock from their old Janssen family, these two take 10th fed. Gareth Watkins is 3rd club 12th fed in a extremely tight finish, Roy Street and Les Hughes eventually clock 2 widowhood cocks, when they turn their battery on for the ETS, for 4th/ 5th club – 16th/17th fed.
From here we go up the top of the Rhondda Fach, where Morris Pugh and Whitcombe take 1st club 18th fed at Maerdy, This partnership is competitive from the first race to the last race, again another good pigeon on the result considering the wind. D.Chaffe is in for 2nd /3rd club. Back over the Valley to Cwmparc and it’s another win for the Butler Bros, another partnership that’s enjoyed a good old bird season, 30th fed. Rhydian Matthias comes in for 2nd /3rd club. Tony Southwood wins Cambrian again after last weeks cracker from Lillers, this week he clocks another yearling widowhood cock for 1st club 24th fed. From Cambrian we go to Trebanog and Glyn Sibley takes the red card here and 28th fed, with his second pigeon in for runner-up and Bernard Lawrence taking 3rd club.
Brussels
Just 3 days later and we find ourselves at Brussels, this mid week race is caused due to the Belgium authority stopping us from flying out there on certain days during the week and after the racing we had in 2007 we know that racing on weekends is a no go area.
So the 1463 pigeons were liberated at 06:00 into a North West wind, the early birds made good times in a race where some had good returns and some had poor returns, the leading pigeons were home after 7 hours 43 minutes for the 350 miles.
Incredibly Mal and Darron Woodland make it 2 wins in 3 days, this time they clock the nest mate of the Newbury’s fed topper, this yearling cock takes 1st club, 1st fed, 1st centre section Welsh South East National 4th open National Another top performance from these two, the birds are raced on Roundabout, and they seem to get them in form through out the season on this method. They also clock another two close up for 2nd and 3rd club, 9th/17th fed to complete and amazing 3 days racing, well done both on 2 top performances.
Runner – up was Newport’s T.Gibbons, again another loft in top form, this yearling was 1st Fed Lillers 2 weeks ago and now follows up with 2nd fed Brussels, you can’t ask for much more than that out of pigeon, with 2 top combine positions as well. He also clocks another for 2nd club 27th fed. Staying in Newport, this time the Ferns club, Jake Fletcher takes the red card here 4th fed and 3rd club 19th fed, with club mates the Lynn Bros 2nd club 14th fed.
3rd fed goes to the Cambrian club and it’s a tight finish here with Les Vaughan clocking a yearling cock just edging Tony Southwood into 2nd club 5th fed, both these fanciers do well from across the Water, Les won the Channel averages In 2006, Tony was 2nd fed Lillers 2 weeks ago, his widowhood cocks have kept at the top end of the results all season.
Tredegar are next, new members of the fed in 2008, they have been unfortunate with the Northerly winds that do them no favours where they are situated in the fed, this week the Further distance plays its part, the Williams bros take 1st club 6th fed from Gregory and Davies who are right behind them in 2nd club 12th fed.
Back to the Rhondda for the next pigeon and it’s Cwmparc and the Butler Bros, they clock their very good widowhood cock for it’s 8 x 1st prize, this cock was bred by Treherbert’s Wayne Howard and gifted to the boys, its Janssen based from Chris Balsom Pigeons I believe, take make things even more sweeter it nest mate has also won well, right through to Bonn in 2007.This cock will also win the Rhondda Valley 2- bird club to go with it.2nd club at Cwmparc are Hughes and Griffiths, they take 20th fed and 3rd club are Street and Hughes.
Next pigeon in is down in the West Section where Payne Parry and Davies, take 1st club 1st west section in the fed with a yearling Hansenne hen that’s scoring for the first time, runner up in the West Section are the form lofts of Evans son Evans when winning again at Maesteg, 18th fed and Dai gore takes 2nd cub 3rd section at Kenfig Hill.
Denny Phillips takes the first 2 at Nantymoel, 10th/22nd fed, last years Channel average winner is getting higher up the sheet the further in distance we go. 3rd club is 14 yr old Josh David, he takes 25th fed. From here, over we go over the Cynon Valley and the first pigeon up here goes to Newton’s G.Knott and Son, 11th fed, with Wilkins and Phillips taking 1st at Aberdare,15th fed, these are doing well this year.
Back to the Rhondda Valley, and Penygraig where Brian and Mike Gill make it 2 wins in 3 days, clocking a yearling Houben natural, with Brett Jones clocking a 2 year old round about for 2nd club 16th fed and A&K Davies 3rd club 21st fed.
At Tonypandy its Street and Hughes in the winners enclosure, they take 23 rd fed, with their second arrival in 3rd club. Leyton Isles takes 2nd club, this pigeon is a 5 yr old that started Leyton off with pigeons, he swapped this cock and a few more with Mike Summers for his stud of Budgies and has broken him in to 3 different locations always doing well for him, 4th club are Norman and Jason Bright with a widowhood cock and completing the result are Dunn son Seal with a 2yr old hen that was 22nd national Maidstone.
Completing the result are Tonyrefails Ken Evans at 26th fed and Les Vaughan with his 2nd arrival at 29th fed and Ynyshir’s Mike Kettley who takes 2nd club 30th fed.
Any information on the winners or any other news you want to see included then give me a ring on 01443 440953 or 07920 101 980
