WELSH SOUTH ROAD NATIONAL
by Dixey
Guernsey - September 2012
The final Welsh South Road National took place from Guernsey on Saturday 22nd September. Judging by the entries quite a number decided to give this race a miss but of those who entered some lofts had erratic returns while others reported nearly 100%. Liberation took effect at 08.15 into a north east wind. This would probably favour the centre and west sections and so it proved with the winners being reported into the Rhondda at Penrhiwfer to the in form loft of Brian Gill & Son who timed two good ones at 12.00 and 12.07.
The Guernsey National winner Brian Gill proudly holding his National winner.
The winner, a light cheq hen, comes down from their pure Herbots that had over the years put up some incredible wins for the Gill Bros & Son set up before it was dissolved this season. This National winner being bred from their race team as all the stock birds were sold in their disposal sale last year. Brian decided to keep the family of Herbots going and their winner is bred down from that great racer and winner of the best middle distance pigeon in the UK by winning the BHW trophy, the pigeon being their famous “Drogbar”. Brian has found that it is his offspring and grand children who are now breeding the winners, not that this is a middle distance loft for they score well into the 500 miles races as well as their record into the Rhondda Valley Federation has already proven. Raced on darkness, this winner saw her sister score 7th open in the Welsh South Road National two weeks previously from Carentan. This year this loft has been really going well into the Pontypridd S.R.C. where they have decided to leave the east to west route in favour of the south route. What I find really amazing is why this loft hasn’t won a National before but there is always a first time for everyone and Brian said he was on cloud nine after this win. This season they bred 46 youngsters and nearly every one was sent to all the young bird races and they have 36 left. They raced some on darkness and the others natural. They feed a mixture of super widowhood mixed with Gem Supreme, and this is fed in open hoppers throughout the young bird season. The old bird season saw them being curtailed due to spending a lot of time with their grandson Jamie. This eight years old is suffering from leukaemia and Brian said that the doctors are really looking forward to him recovering because he is making excellent progress to his treatment. Having said that young Jamie is now in a plaster cast after breaking his elbow, but he was in very good spirits when I paid a visit for these photos and his wicked smile says it all I reckon.
The light cheq hen - 1st open National for B Gill & Son.
Taking 2nd open is the inform loft of C B & C Harris of Aberdare. Carwyn Harris writes the following: 'Here are a few details of our blue w/f hen that was 2nd open yesterday. Our opening race of the 2012 season was from Swindon on the 11th August. We had two drop together who took 1st and 2nd Abercwmboi S H S and would have appeared high on the Federation result sheet had they trapped more hastily. 04019 was 2nd club. A fortnight later we raced from Guilford on 26th August. We had three birds drop together to take 1st, 2nd and 3rd club, 22nd 24th and 29th Rhondda Valley Fed. 04019 was again our second bird clocked. The following race we specifically prepared her for the Guernsey race where she duly obliged taking 2nd National. 04019 is bred in the purple being a daughter of our excellent breeder “Wonder Brass” who is a son of the G & P Lindelauf champion “Wonder Boy”. Her dam is another excellent breeder for us “31”. She is a daughter of our 2005 Lillers National winner. 04019's siblings have put up some very good performances this year being 1st and 2nd club, 6th and 10th R.V.P.F 9th and 14th Welsh South East National Maidstone on 2nd September and 8th R.V.P.F 25th W.S.E.N Folkestone on 9th September. We entered three hens to the Guernsey race, timing in all three and 04019 also won the prestigious Upper Rhondda Valley South Road Club at Maerdy breeder buyer, winning £1.500. On a side note, our good friend Carl Cousins came to watch the race with us this weekend. Carl is good friends with the Padfield family. Just before our hen arrived Dave Padfield telephoned Carl to see if any birds were home and as the conversation drew to a close our hen came out of the south like a rocket and was clocked. I hope Dave rings us on a few more occasions next season if results continues like this.'
The blue w/f/ hen 2nd open Guernsey for C B & C Harris of Aberdare.
Taking 3rd open are John & Pat Webber of Abertillery. I have the list to report the first arrival only, but I can tell you that they had four birds drop together. These very good fanciers have won more than half a dozen Nationals in the past and can certainly put it together when it comes to the classic events and they didn’t disappoint once again. The first bird that they timed in was a red cheq and its bloodlines consist of Brian Denney x Red Barcelona. Their second timer was bred from birds obtained from Joe and Kevin Murphy, the BHW scribe from Scotland. Their 3rd and 4th timers come down from pigeons obtained from George Carteus direct and crossed with their own bloodlines. All their young birds are raced on darkness and have flown consistently all season, in fact taking the first seven open positions the week before from Salisbury with the Welsh South Road Federation, and their 3rd bird in this race was their 3rd bird last week. So they certainly have their young bird team on song this year and well done to them on really good flying at National level.
The four birds that dropped together to take 3rd open for John and Pat Webber of Abertillery.
Taking 1st West section and 7th open in the provisional result is once again Brian Williams & Son from Ystradgynlias in the Swansea Valley. Their winners is a small blue hen bred for their test loft by Steve Light of Doncaster. She is Desmet Mathews from his family he has built up over the years. They sent three to this race and all were home in the first six to the loft, small birds with big hearts. She is a darkness bird and was sent sitting eggs six days. She did not trap well but when their second bird came thirty seconds later she beat him to the trap. Their youngsters are not trained after the second young bird raced but just flagged twice a day and fed a light mixture in the morning and a good widowhood mix in the evening. The birds can eat what they like for a specific time. They are loaded with high energy in the build up to the races. She will be targeted for the channel next year and flown on widowhood. They would like to congratulate Williams & Wellington who they just piped for 1st west section.
Brian Williams of Ysytradgynlias 1st West section from Guernsey.
Taking the 3rd West section is Figgures & Son.
The following at the list of early times and velocities and are of members' first timed birds only. Brian Gill & Son, Penrhiwfer 1188. C B & C Harris, Aberdare 1175. J & P Webber, Abertillery 1145. Mike Parker, Maesteg 1142. Williams Bros & Son, Tredegar 1128. Morris & Pugh, Maerdy 1119. Mr B Williams & Son. Ysytradgynlias 1117.754. Williams & Wellington. 1117. 509. Mr G Treharne. Nantyglo 1114. Mr J Gauvain. Maerdy 1112. Raymond & Martin. Maesteg 1106. Mr & Mrs T Matthews. Tredegar 1103. Mr & Mrs Duram. Gwent 1098. Mark Sparry. Abertillery 1092. A Figgures. Skewen 1091. Thomas Bros & Radcliff. Ferndale 1090. Mr J David Pontyclun 1089. Scamel & Peploe. Garndiffaith 1086. Gregory & Davies. 1086. Mr Dennis Ford. Blaenavon 1080. Owens & Evans & Son. Maerdy 1080. Preece Bros. Cwmtillery 1068. John Gardner. Caldicot 1061. Mr P Thomas Abercynon 1057.
So this ends the season for the Welsh South Road National and my thanks to all those who have co-operated throughout this year’s racing in making my job a lot easier and I hope you have enjoyed some of the coverage. Myself and my Margaret have enjoyed putting up for you as well. Regards. Now put your feet up.
