Wrexham Writings - 18-06-25

Wrexham Writings

Welcome to the Fourth instalment of the Wrexham Federation season. The recent weather is lovely, let’s hope it doesn’t have a negative impact on our summer. Please keep sending me details, as to make it interesting I need that information from the clubs.

The Fourth Race of the 2025 season for the Wrexham Federation saw the birds released at 9:30am on Saturday 10th May from Hullavington in a Light East wind.

59 members sent 1495 birds.

1^st R.B. Jones, Rhyl 1648

Brian Jones 1st Fed (1495 birds) Hullavington

2^nd G&G. Williams & Son, Llay 1632                             

3^rd P. Hughes, Bagillt 1632

4^th P. Hughes, Bagillt 1629

5^th R, T & K. Hughes, Leeswood1617

6^th S. Burgess, Wrexham 1615

7^th Talent & Westbury, Cefn 1613

8^th E. Richards, Brymbo 1602

9^th A. Antrobus, Brymbo 1601

10^th Hale, Langa & Roberts, Cefn 1590

8 mins 12 seconds covered the first 40 birds in the fed. I always like to look at number of yearlings on fed sheet and there was 12 of the 40 this week, maybe the East wind influenced this number.

Well done to the Fed Race Controller Brian Jones who has help from his brother Tommy and Tommy’s Grandson Jackson of Rhyl on topping the fed. Some photos included.

Brian and Tommy Jones and Tommy's Grandson Jackson

In the 4 races this is the fourth club to top the fed, so good to see it going around.

Rhyl saw Brian Jones winning with a 2-year-old roundabout blue white flight hen. This hen was only trained as a young bird and had no racing as a yearling but so far this year come consistently and now topping the Fed. She was bred by Phil and Neil Bates from their best bloodlines. Second club is Steve Beardmore timing a yearling. In third and fourth club is D L & E. Jones, there first a 3-year-old.

Llay HS saw G&G Williams and Son taking the win and fourth position, timing a 2-year-old Roundabout hen, she is a Lambrecht x Ceusters. This is her first time in the prizes. The bird in fourth club is a yearling roundabout cock bred by Steve Burgess. Last year this bird took 2^nd (1464 birds) in the Fed. In second and third club is Derek Jones timing two widowhood Cocks. The first in the clock is a 2-year-old who last year in the fed took following positions 17^th (1286 birds), 35^th (1451 birds) and so far, this season has taken 35^th (1547 birds) and 22^nd (1583 birds). Derek’s second birds is a 3-year-old.

A special mention from the Llay members to Ael Crow on his 5^th club in this race, Ael is only 16 (I look forward to writing about your prize winners this year Ael – WJ)

Bagillt HS saw Chip Shop Boys Phil and Neil Bates taking the club win with a 3-year-old blue hen. Last year in the fed this hen scored 8^th (1008 birds) and 1^st (659 birds).  So far this year she has taken 2^nd (1334 birds) and 5^th (1547 birds).  In second and third club is Gareth Jones. The first in the clock is a 2-year-old blue cock, the second in the clock is a 2-year-old blue hen who last year in the fed scored 40^th (859 birds) and 15^th (659 birds). In fourth club is Peter Hughes timing a 2-year-old blue hen. Last year this hen took following in the fed 4^th (1089 birds), 12^th (859 birds) and 21^st (833 birds), this year she has taken 36^th (1547 birds).

Leeswood saw R, T & K. Hughes take the top 4 positions. The winner is a 2-year-old blue white flight cock. Bred from a cock from Cockcroft Son and Grandson, Jack, John, and Adam stock x Hilson & Spencer Hen. This cock has won before. Second in the clock is last week’s winner, a 3-year-old cheq white flight hen who has won 4x1st. Bred from a cock from Cockcroft Son and Grandson, Jack, John, and Adam stock x Alan & Martin Crawly stock. Third in the clock is the same bird that took 2^nd club last week, a two-year-old Gay Blue Pied Hen who has prized previously. The sire was a Van Rhyn bought at Blackpool x Hen from Maunton & Hughes, Mold. She had scored for them many times. Fourth in the clock is a 2-year-old Grizzle hen bred from a cock from Cockcroft Son and Grandson, Jack, John, and Adam stock x Irish Grizzle. She has won and prized before. Tim would like to thank his brother Craig for all his help with the birds.

Wrexham and District HS saw Steve Burgess taking the first two positions. The winner is a yearling cock who took 25^th (1233 birds) in the fed last year. Second club is a 2-year-old Geerinckx x Janssen Widowhood Cock who was second club last week, has scored 2^nd and 3rd in the past. Last year in the fed this scored 11^th (859 birds) and 36^th (659 birds) and is a previous winner of 8^th Fed. This year scored 17^th (1583 birds). Third and fourth club is M&J Thomas. First in the clock is a 4-year-old Mealy Cock, a Eijerkamp x S&B. Cooke. Fourth club a yearling, last year he was 30^th (1464 birds).

Cefn Mawr HS saw Talent & Westbury winning, Martin timed a yearling Herman Ceusters widowhood cock. He raced to the coast as a yb and has been consistent. In second club Hale, Langa & Roberts timing a yearling. Third club is B. Roberts & G/Son, Barrie and Dave timed a 2-year-old blue widowhood hen. Both parents from James Dutton. She has previously scored 2x2nds, 2x3rds, 4^th and 6^th club. In fourth club is Gary Williams with a bird of Gert Heylen bloodlines from Stock from Joe McGough of Lancaster. The timer is a two-year-old Blue Pied Hen who is off a brother to the winner from Hereford (2) who was also 6^th Fed (1547 birds), last year in the fed this bird was 14^th (1008 birds). Her sire won Bala Club on Saturday from Blandford also topping the Shropshire Fed (1184 birds). Gary has topped Wrexham Fed once and Shropshire Fed Twice already this season. Top flying.

Brymbo HS saw E. Richards winning with a 4-year-old Lambrecht cock who has prized before. Oldest bird in the loft. In second club is A. Antrobus timing a 3-year-old sent on chipping eggs. Stu Davenport bred her. Third club is Lloyd & Bagnall, Keith and Steve timed a 2-year-old blue Van Den Bulck Roundabout cock from Jones and Hallam. This is full brother to the bird that got 4^th Club, 8^th Fed (1583 birds) last week. It was raced previously by Des winning 4^th Club, 26^th Fed from this same race point. Fourth Club C. Burgess timing a yearling Staf Van Reet that has prized before. Brymbo members would like to thank Llay and Wrexham club for helping them out after there printed failed. Special thanks to Mike Thomas and Mike Sumnall for all their help.

Horse And Jockey saw GM Connah & Maidment take the win. Graham and Barry timed a 3-year-old Blue Cock had a great season last year scoring the following in the fed, 28^th (1380 birds), 6^th (1212 birds), 9^th (1008 birds), 8^th (859 birds) and 12^th (833 birds). This is a Van Den Bulck x Hermans Ceusters. This year he was 2^nd club in the opening race and has taken following fed positions this year 5^th (1334 birds) and 28^th (1583 birds). In second club is Steve Williams timing a yearling cock that last year scored 12^th (882 birds) in the Fed. His sire is a G/Son of Les Green’s ‘Golden Kittle’ paired to a hen from ‘Fletchers Boy’ paired to ‘Inbred Kittle’ the mother of ‘UK Kittle’ 1^st UK Sprint Champion. In third club is P&T. Reece timing a 3-year-old Widowhood cock, Bred from a Syndicate Lofts Gunter Prange Cock x Gary Inkley Hen. Last year in the Fed this cock took 23^rd (1008 birds) and 3^rd (201 birds) also winning North Wales Championship Club. This year in the fed scored 26^th (1547 birds). Fourth club is Mr & Mrs BW Jones & Son timing a 2-year-old.

Ellesmere HS saw Andrew Lawley taking the top 4 positions. The winner is a yearling Blue Hen. Both parents bred by Owen and Joesbury. The sire David Peeters x Hurricane Blood x Thys Blood and Dam Victor De Belser. In Second club is a yearling Grizzle Cock, the Sire is a son of Owen and Joesbury’s fantastic bird Hurricane when paired to a Galaxy Lofts hen. This cock this year score 1^st (73 birds) and 4^th (88 birds). In third club is a yearling blue cock, Macaloney x Macaloney Ceusters x Gaby. This was 5^th club last year (145 birds). Fourth club a 3-year-old blue cock, a Gabby x Galaxy that last year took following club positions 1^st (101 birds),1^st (56 birds) and 2^nd (78 birds) also 27^th (859 birds) in the Fed.  In the 4 races this year he has had 2x2nd (BBLM), 3^rd and now 4^th (BBLM).

Well done to all the prize winners and thank you all for the information, please keep it coming.

In my own loft

My Bricon ETS decided to not like the club master timer, so I sent my birds in Bala Club with Shropshire fed (and by ETS had no issues there). It was quite a jump for my birds to go from 72 miles to 140 miles and as to be expected they were off the pace but there were quite large gaps for good fanciers in the race. I was pleased how exercised on Thursday morning, but I don’t usually get chance to exercise in the morning due to work so maybe the birds were just enjoying themselves.

MY ETS seems to of sorted itself now so I will be sending again in Wrexham Fed as it is our first club 2 bird so I must hope for some luck this week.

Fanciers of the past

I thought I’d share some memories of people who have influenced me in my Pigeon Racing journey.

This week I’d like to highlight Don Dennis who hailed originally from Lincolnshire but as a young fancier Don really influenced me on the longer channel races. It was a huge passion to him, and he had some great performances in the British Barcelona Club from Palomas over 800 miles. He always liked to buy racing kits from Louella and has many winners from these kits.

Don took me on many road trips, and I always smile as he always used to go around roundabouts a few times before getting his bearings.

Don passed away far to early from the dreaded Cancer, he’d packed birds up a few years before and moved back to Lincolnshire but used to phone me most weekends for a catch up.

I think Don would have really embraced the modern pigeon world of ETS and would be sending to as many long races as he could.

If anyone else would like a multi performance bird in fed or other racing highlighting, please get in touch.

Any feedback (good or bad appreciated). Please send any info or photos to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Wayne Jones