WELSH SOUTH ROAD NATIONAL
by Gareth Watkins
TARBES & NIORT JULY 2011
The weekend of 1st/2nd July saw members of this fast expanding club compete on two fronts, Tarbes and Niort. The weather for once proved to be ideal for pigeon racing with almost cloudless skies throughout France and the UK. These conditions allied to a light east/north east airflow allowed form pigeons from form lofts to excel.
The Tarbes pigeons were convoyed by the NFC in their state-of-the-art transporter and the convoy was released at 6.15 am in light and variable winds at the race point, to make their way home to all points of the UK. Pigeons started to filter into southern England flying 527miles during the late evening and there were slight hopes that some might get up as far as Wales, at close on 600 miles, before nightfall. However this was not to be and the Welsh fanciers competing had to make their way to their lofts bleary eyed on the second morning to greet the dawn chorus!
I should at this stage point out that all positions quoted are based on FIRST BIRD VERIFICATION phone times and the positions stated may change if fanciers featured clocked subsequent pigeons.
First bird on the clock at 8 am, recording a velocity of 941 ypm, was one to John Ludlam of Nelson who has been enjoying yet another successful season at club, Fed and National level. John’s timer proved to be not only the first on the clock, but also the outright winner of 1st Centre section 1st Open. John clocked a two year old hen flown natural and sent sitting 11 day eggs having dropped one flight. The National winner was down to go to Pau International but unfortunately just before basketting her mate was killed in the vicinity of the loft by a sparrowhawk. Luckily she took to a replacement mate straight off and was then pencilled in for Tarbes. She had been entered in three channel races prior to Tarbes and had three 50 mile tosses in the lead up to Tarbes. She was fed widowhood mix with the addition of peanuts and sunflower hearts in the final few days before basketting. As for breeding the National winner has a combination of Jan Aarden bloodlines via Patrick Brothers and House of Aarden in her make up with the addition of some of Paul Woolliss’ 800 mile Van Wanroys going back to Lona and Ambition.
John Ludlam
Next on the clock at 8.35 am, velocity 920 ypm, was one to the Padfield Family of Cwmtillery to win 1st East section 2nd Open. Vince and Dave Padfield have set their stall out to win these marathon events and as a result rarely fail to get one on the clock in any channel race whether it be Falaise at 200 miles or Barcelona at 750 miles. The brothers have won the Pau /Tarbes National on five occasions including 2x 1sts National Tarbes in 2010. This year’s timer is a 2 year old chequer hen of Dale Newcombe bloodlines via Andrew Loveday. She was raced on the roundabout system in the early part of the season and was entered in the Messac National flown on 4th June returning on the day after 12 hours on the wing. She was then re- mated to be sitting due to hatch for Tarbes. Vince and Dave clocked seven other pigeons from their 18 bird entry at 12.17;12.27;13.48;13.54;13.59;14.19 and 15.57. One interesting fact is that the dam of the 2nd Open winner returned a few hours after her daughter- HAVING BEEN LOST RACING TWO YEARS PREVIOUSLY. Coincidence or what?
The winner of 1st west section and 3rd Open National, velocity 912 ypm, was timed at 9.03 am way down west at Llanelli by Warren Davies. Warren timed a three year old dark chequer pied hen of predominantly Dave Goddard of Reading multi prizewinning Palamos bloodlines with a smidgeon of Invincible Spirit blood thrown in as well. With breeding like that she couldn’t fail! The hen is a previous winner of 19th National Fougeres as a yearling and 23rd National Saintes 2010. Raced on the roundabout system earlier in the season, she was sent to Tarbes sitting 14 days on basketting. Her race preparation leading up to Tarbes consisted of just two races, a Littlehampton inland race followed by Messac. These preparatory races were supplemented by seven 20 mile training tosses and plenty of home exercise in the build to Tarbes.
The partnership of Scammell and Peploe of Garndiffaith have enjoyed massive success at National level for some years now, amassing something like 8 x1sts Open, including 1st & 2nd Open National Cholet just two weeks prior to the Tarbes National. Their Tarbes pigeon, timed at 10.51 am, vel 821 ypm, was good enough for 2nd East section 4th Open. This three year old cock of Verheye x Herman x Jan Aarden bloodlines was raced on the natural system and as such enjoyed an open loft during the day, only being confined during the time that the partners’ roundabout team was at exercise. He had raced from across the channel on four occasions already this season as he had been entered in two Falaise races along with Alencon and Messac in the build up to Tarbes where he was basketted sitting chipping eggs. The partners enjoyed a super day’s racing on the 2nd July as they had three birds drop together from Niort later in the day and all three should finish in the top fifteen of the National result.
Mark Sparey of Abertillery is another fancier who has enjoyed an excellent season’s racing and at Tarbes he clocked one of his entries at 10.57 am to record a velocity of 818 ypm for 3rd East section 5th Open. Mark’s timer is a two year old chequer cock flown on widowhood. This season he had competed in three cross channel races, the first of these from Carentan followed by two BICC races from Alencon and Tours three weeks before basketting for Tarbes. He is bred from a Deweerdt cock purchased from Andy Gregson of Preston and his dam was bred by Mark Gilbert from a son of Deweerdt’s “Boris” when paired to a daughter of De Bergerac of predominantly Jan Aarden bloodlines. All Mark’s widowhood cocks are exercised twice daily for 75 minutes on both occasions. They are fed Versele Laga Superstar Plus with added fat grains in the last couple of days before basketting.
John Ludlam clocked his second pigeon at 11.12 am to take 2nd Centre section 6th Open. This one once again has a strong influence of the Van Wanroys cultivated by Paul Woolliss. She is a 2 year old blue hen whose sire was bred by Paul Woolliss from Palona the cock that won 1st sect 7th Open Palamos at 815 miles. Her dam was also bred by Paul Woolliss and is a daughter of Ambition 1st sect 37th Open NFC Pau at over 700 miles. In preparation for Tarbes the blue hen had three channel races plus three 50 mile training spins in the build up to basketting when she was sent sitting 14 day old eggs.
Next on the clock at 11.22, velocity 798 ypm, to take 3rd Centre section 7th Open was one to yours truly, competing under the name of D.Watkins, Son & Cockcroft. This three year old cock had been raced on round about for the early part of the season and was re-mated to be sitting 10days for Tarbes. He had competed in most of the inland program out to 200 miles before being sent to Messac on June 4th where he nighted out, returning early on the second morning none the worse for wear. In the month between Messac and Tarbes he was unraced and enjoyed some leisurely daily exercise before basketting for Tarbes. He is a previous winner of 15th Open National Saintes in 2010 when there were only 16 birds clocked on the day into Wales. His sire is a gift pigeon from my good friend Bob Bolitho of Cornwall and contains Wim Muller and Jan Deweerdt “131” Jan Aarden bloodlines. The dam is a “pure Woolliss” bred by Paul Woolliss and contains all the best of Paul’s Van Wanroys going back to Lona, Palona and Ambition – all top prize winners at 700 & 800 miles.
Next we have the Caldicot partnership of John and Ann Rake who are previous winners of the Pau National and quite a few other Nationals including the hard Saintes race of 2010. The Rakes clocked at 11.48, velocity 769 ypm, to take 4th East section 8th Open. John and Ann’s timer is a 2 year old chequer cock a grand son of their Pau Natioanl winning cock which was sent sitting 12 day eggs. He was sent to the difficult Messac race on 4th June and returned after 11 hours on the wing to set him up perfectly for Tarbes.
The winner of 2nd West section 9th Open can be found at the Lower Cwmtwrch loft of Alan Morgan & Ken Austin who clocked at 12.58 to record 762 ypm. Alan and Ken’s timer is a two year old hen of the old Welsh Hansenne bloodlines via Terry Tregoning, which flew Saverne[600 miles] in 2010 as a yearling. She has been raced on the South East route through to Folkestone for most of the 2011 season and was then switched due south to Messac on 4th June, returning late on the day having been hawked. Sent to Tarbes feeding a 10 day old young bird, she was well fancied. Alan Morgan was telling me that a mutual friend, Terry Tregoning, is now domiciled in Eire. If you read this Terry have a pint of Beamish on me- I’ll pay for it when I see you next!
The Cwmtillery partnership of Preece Brothers and Sons is probably the most successful National winning loft in Wales with an incredible 13 x 1st Open Nationals to their credit. In the Tarbes race they clocked at 12.51, velocity 754ypm, to take 5th East section 10th Open National. The partners’ timer is a five year old cock flown on the roundabout system. This battler has loads of “previous” including 3rd Open BICC Saran;18th National Bergerac plus a number of section positions with the BICC. He had flown Falaise, Alencon and Tours with the BICC earlier in the season and his breeding shows predominantly Wim Muller Jan Aarden bloodlines via the Ponderosa stud at Weymouth. He is also a grandson of the partners’7th Open NFC San Sebastian cock.
NIORT
Next race on the agenda for the weekend of 1st/2nd July was a short “dash” from Niort a mere 389 miles to my loft in the Rhondda!! The convoy of Welsh National and Welsh South Road Fed birds was liberated on Saturday 2nd July at 5.40 am into clear blue skies and a light easterly breeze. The weather throughout France was perfect with gin clear visibility and a light east/north east breeze blowing. My estimate was that the birds would complete the first 200 miles of the journey to the French coast in 4 ½ hours and the final 190 miles to their home lofts in 4 hours due to a helping south, south easterly breeze over the channel and south west England.
The eventual winner of 1st Centre Section 1st Open was clocked on eight hours and thirty three minutes at the Nantymoel loft of Denny Phillips with a winning velocity of 1313 ypm. Denny has been a top class fancier for more years than I care to remember and was top prize winner in the massive Welsh North Road Fed during the 1980’s when that Fed boasted 1,500 member lofts and convoyed as many as 360,000 birds during the racing season. Now competing on the south route into Wales, Denny is still churning out the winners and in the Niort race he clocked a 2 year old blue hen sent feeding an 8 day old baby. This hen in 2010 as a yearling was clocked from Bergerac at 506 miles to win 1st club and 34th National. This year she had competed in most races through to Messac and was then set up for Niort. She is bred down from Denny’s old family of Logan x Alf Baker that has served him so well over many years. This is the third consecutive National that Denny has scored in this season as his timers were 9th National Messac and 15th National Cholet. The birds are hand fed a good mixture twice daily after each exercise period and are rarely trained after their pre season training is completed.
The winners of 2nd Centre section 2nd Open were Amesbury & Humphries from Tonyrefail. This partnership flying as Amesbury, Humphries & Akers won 1st National 1st Combine Folkestone in 2010 before Clive Akers retired from the sport. The partners’ timer at Niort proved to be a two year old hen which had been raced on the roundabout system for the inland program and then re mated for the channel races. She had two channel races prior to Niort and was prepared for Reims but due to bad weather in France the convoy was returned and liberated at Folkestone. Luckily she took to her eggs and was then slipped a young bird two days before basketting for Niort. Her sire was bred and raced by Clive Akers before he moved house and joined the partnership. This Braspenning cock named “The Roofer” was a big winner for Clive including 3rd National Liege he has now left a legacy of winning pigeons for John Amesbury and Dai Humphries. The dam of the 2nd Open winner is a blue hen bred by Henri Kuyper of Antwerp and contains all the best of his long distance family.
In 3rd Centre Section 3rd Open position is the partnership of Gregory& Davies who clocked a yearling chequer hen bred by John Evans of Maesteg from his M&D Evans Vandenabeeles. This same hen was 11th National Cholet two weeks before Niort and is a “widowhood” hen that is mated to another hen. Before basketting for Niort she was put in a nest box with her favoured mate and as the saying goes “Bob’s yer uncle” or in this case Roberta’s yer auntie!
Taking 4th Centre section 4th Open, it’s that man again – John Ludlam of Nelson. John’s first on the clock at Niort is a yearling chequer cock flown on the widowhood system. John’s method with the widowers is slightly unconventional as he lets the hens in with the cocks for two hours on basketting night. Cocks are fed to appetite on a good widowhood mixture which is supplemented with extra maize as basketting night approaches. He is bred from a pair of direct Patrick Brothers pigeons containing the bloodlines of M. Bieman's Invincible Leader and Bonty Lady along with Joe Raeburn’s Kings Cup winner Gwen and Perfect Lady lines.
The winner of 1st East section 5th Open is a true champion pigeon – none other than “Welshman of the Night” the 2010 Bergerac National winner and only bird on the day into Wales raced by Andrew Vincent of Llanhilleth. This cock has a mass of top National and BICC positions to his credit and is an absolute racing machine as he hardly ever misses a race and never misses the prize list.
Taking 2nd East section and 6th Open is one to the in form loft of Mark Sparey. Mark’s timer is yearling widowhood cock which has a terrific list of National turns already in 2011 with 48th National Carentan;52nd National Messac;14th National Cholet and now 6th National Niort!!! He is bred from a direct son of Mark Gilbert’s Dax International winner when paired to one of Mark Sparey’s top racing hens which won 4th National Brussels and 16th national Bonn. This game yearling went missing for five weeks as a young bird and returned flown out. He was then nursed back to full health and given a short race at the end of the season to regain his confidence. It certainly did the trick when you consider his terrific string of performances this year. All being well he will be going to Bergerac in two weeks time because as Mark said “With the problems we have with hawks here in Wales I could let him out of the loft and he could be taken at any time so he might as well take his chances in the race basket”.
At 3rd East section 7th Open is one to the Abertillery loft of R.Nicholls &Son. At the time of going to press I have no details of this pigeon as I have been unable to contact the partners.
Next, taking 4th East section 8th Open we have the top Garndiffaith partnership of Ron Scammell and Paul Peploe who had three birds drop together from close on 400 miles to be clocked within 10 seconds of each other, so all three will feature high up in the result. First over the sensor pad was a two year old M&D Evans Vandenabeele hen flown on the roundabout system which has been to each and every channel race so far in 2011. The second bird recorded, once again a roundabout hen, was 2nd National Cholet [beaten by loftmate] two weeks earlier. This same hen had also won 1st Gwent Greater Distance Club from Alencon convoyed by the BICC earlier in the season. She in turn is a daughter of the partners’ champion racer “The Nearly Cock” so named because he finished in 2nd position in three Nationals!!
1st West section and provisionally 9th Open is a yearling pencil blue cock raced on the natural system by club president Charlie Bradshaw Jnr ably assisted by daughter Natalie. This one goes back to all the old bloodlines raced so successfully by Charlie and his late father Charlie senior. These are the old Steele x Vanbruaenes which have won scores of National prizes in long distance Nationals with the Welsh SRNFC; NFC; BBC and BICC. The cock was unraced as a young bird and had two short channel races earlier in the season before going to Niort.
The other positions in the west section were won in the following order 2nd Fishlock & Roberts; 3rd A H Jones and 4th G,S & R Ashton.
