WELSH SOUTH ROAD NATIONAL
by Dixey
CARENTAN YBs - September 2012
There was another wonderful race with the Welsh South Road National, and this time for their young birds from Carentan on Saturday 8th September, some fanciers even experiencing 100% returns. Liberation was delayed until 12.00 due to traffic and a misty channel and once the all clear was given their liberation of approx 1,000 took effect.
The probable National winner is the loft of Smith & Jones of Pontnewydd, nr Pontypool in the East section. They timed their darkness blue pied hen at 15.26 for a probable winning velocity of 1535 ypm. In fact they had two arrivals together and their non National entry was clocked first as she went through the trap quickly. Not that this made much difference as this nice dual performance still makes them the Welsh S.R.N.F.C. winners anyway. The breeding of this winner comes down from most of their own tried and tested family with the well known B & D Jones Bros of Blaenavon in this as well, a Van Hee being the sire. Also in the bloodlines of these winners are Westcotts from Joe Britton and Bill Lloyd of Cwmbran and Gordon Hackling of Cross Keys. Roy Jones and Norman Smith are over the moon with this win and it wasn’t until I phoned them for these details that they knew they were National winners, so it was very pleasing for me to inform them as well. Out of their 21 entries they had 18 home on the day, and much the same can be said of everyone who entered the first of these Welsh young bird Nationals.
The partnership of Smith & Jones, probable winners of the Carentan National. Roy Jones on the left is holding the club bird that arrived together with their National winner being held by Norman Jones.
Probable 2nd open winners are Williams Bros of Tredegar but unfortunately their photos have been delayed and I will post them in my next report for Guernsey in two weeks' time. In the meantime I have details of their winner and it makes pretty impressive reading. Their winner is a cheq hen with a quarter of her second flight showing. Her sire’s dam is their number one stock hen going back to John Burgham's National lines and this hen breeding their Eastbourne National winner, and grandam of their Folkestone National winner. The sire of the sire is of the Grizzle x Boschien lines going back to 499. The dam of this probable 2nd open winner was bred by Mark Gilbert and is a granddaughter of his Ted cock, being of the DeWeerdt lines.
Brian Williams with his grandson Morgan Williams holding their 1st West Section winner.
Taking probable 3rd open is John Williams of New Tredegar. John is a nephew of the famous Ned Rees of Pontygwaith, founder of the Vernal Hansennes and it was from this foundation that John has based his family. The winner is a blue pied hen, raced on darkness. The sire being 12 years old blue cock and he has been responsible for Fed, National and open winners over the years. The dam of this winner is a blue pied hen being of the Jan Arden lines bred down from Patrick Bros being a granddaughter of Somerset Lad.
Taking 4th open is the inform loft of Brian Gill & Son of Penrhiwfer. The Gill pigeons need no introduction from me. This loft is bang on form winning on a regular basis with his Pontypridd South Road Club with their team of Herbots. Brian reaping the rewards of spending more time with the pigeons with regular training having spent most of his time with his eight years old grandson and his regular treatment, and I’m glad to say he is really responding well and his doctors are very confident for the future. Brian was telling me that their timer is bred out of the race team and is a pure Herbots bred from their original stock of imports that has seen this loft race outstandingly over the years into the Rhondda Valley Federation, but a switch to the southern route didn’t make any difference to these outstanding pigeons.
Taking 1st West Section and having a wonderful weekend with a win in the BICC from Guernsey is Brian Jones and Son Antony of Ysytradgynlais. They timed a blue w/f hen bred for them by Brian Duffy of Dublin, this bird being a test pigeon that they race for fanciers from all over the UK and Ireland and then they get the credit for breeding the bird. The breeding is Soontjen x Janssen, the sire being bred by Nigel Laycock, Soontjen and the dam by John Grehan's Lolo hen. This timer has been raced every week and is on darkness but she did miss the week previous to this Carentan race. She was sent sitting eggs and homed in from the south in this race and she will go back into Guernsey in a week’s time if of course she is fit enough.
Watkins Bros of Neath were 2nd West section and R J Griffiths 3rd.
The following are the leading velocities and probable winners at the notification of this report. Smith & Jones Pontnewydd, 1535.17. Williams Bros Tredegar, 1534.39. Mr John Williams New Tredegar, 1530. Brian Gill & Son, Penrhriwfer, 1516. Mr & Mrs Durham, Gwent 1513. D &G Bruton, Tredegar 1510. W A Rees, Treharris 1510. Preece Bros & Son, Cwmtillery 1510. G & M Clayton Nr Crumlin 1507. Mr Dennis Ford Blaenavon 1505. Owens & Evans & Son Maerdy 1499. Donald Chaffe, Maerdy 1498. John & Pat Webber, Abertillery 1496. Arnold Bros, Abertillery 1492. T Jones & Son, Gwent 1486. Gregory & Davies, 1485. Padfield family, Abertillery 1484. K Donnelly, Cardiff 1482. Mr A Reed, Blackwood 1480. Mr & Mrs T Hurley, 1479. Edwards Bros, Abertillery, 1473. Mr Haydon Radford & Son, Rhymney 1471. Scammell & Peploe, Garndifaith. H & M Pullen, Fochriw 1468. Mr Mike Burton, Bulwark 1466.
So once again another successful Welsh South Road National race and our thanks to all the informants in compiling this brief report.
