Wrexham Writings
The fifth race of the 2026 season for the Wrexham Federation saw the birds released at 8:30am on Saturday 16th May from Frome into a light west wind, with the weather forecast to close in later in the day many federations liberated early. The race was a little gappy but in the end only odd ones missing.
55 members sent 1279 birds.
1st and 5th J. Woodward, Llay 1475 and 1455, 2nd and 3rd S. Jones, Brymbo 1475 and 1474, 4th, 6th and 7th Lloyd Bros 1466, 1447 and 1447, 8th M&J. Thomas, Wrexham & District 1439, 9th GM Connah & Maidment, Horse & Jockey 1434, 10th G. Jones, Bagillt 1425.
12 mins 23 seconds covered the first 40 birds in the fed. I always like to look at number of yearlings on fed sheet and there was 15 of the 40 this week. Plus, extremely interesting to see so many yearlings timed that were unraced as young birds.
Well, done John Woodward, Llay on topping the fed this week.
Llay HS saw John Woodward take the top two positions. John timed two yearling widowhood cocks. Both bred from stock via JR Lloyd, Llay which were obtained from good friends in the North East. Third club S&B. Cooke, Shaun and Barry timed a 3-year-old cheq hen. From stock from Shaun's good friends Martin & Buck de Kruijf. Previous winner of prizes. Fourth club Colin Rudd timing a 2-year-old which was 23rd (1123 birds) Shropshire Fed last week,
Brymbo HS saw Steve Jones take the top two positions. First in the clock was a 2-year-old blue cock, Leo Hermans x Lambrecht/Gaby Vandenabeele. He won 4th in the YB Gold Ring race from Brighton. The brother to this was 2nd in the Breeder Buyer 2023 also taking 1st in the open race. This cock won 2x1st last year scoring 12th (917 birds) and 6th (751 birds) in the fed. This year already scored 3rd and 4th club, 33rd (1347 birds) in fed. Second in the clock a Yearling cheq hen, Best Kittle x Leo Hermans. This year won 2nd club, 36th (1613 birds) fed, 1st club, 14th (1347 birds) fed. Third and Fourth Club Lloyd Brothers, Rob and Tim timed a 2-year-old blue pied roundabout cock. Homebred. Scored 26th Gold Ring race in 2024 and a 2-year-old blue roundabout cock. Homebred.
Wrexham and District HS saw M & J. Thomas take first, third and fourth. Mike’s first in the clock was a Yearling cheq pied widowhood cock, bred in stock loft from birds off R&S. Lewis, Brymbo. Last year scored 34th (252 birds) in fed. This year 4th club Hereford (2). Third club was a 2-year-old blue widowhood cock, bred by S&B. Cooke. Scored 2nd club, 14th (751 birds) in fed last year. This year was 3rd club in opening race. Fourth club was a 4-year-old. Bought in Breeder/Buyer and bred by Tom Allott. Previously won 2x1st and 2x2nd. Last year 26th (751 birds) in fed. Second club Steve Burgess timing a Yearling blue. Geerinckx x Janssen. First time in prizes.
Horse And Jockey saw GM Connah & Maidment take the top three positions. The first in the clock for Graham and Barry is a 4-year-old blue cock. Herman Ceusters. Had minor prizes from Frome before but this is the first win. He got badly hawked last year from Weymouth. Second in the clock a Yearling blue cock. Hermans Ceusters x Frans Zwols. Unraced as a YB. Third a Yearling blue cock. De Kruif x Van Den Bulck x Hermans Ceusters. Again, unraced as a YB. Fourth club Mr & Mrs B W Jones & Son, Barry, Maureen, and Jason timed a Yearling cheq white flight cock. Self-bred from Van Der Esps originally from Philip Boal. Unraced as a YB.
Bagillt HS saw Gareth Jones take the win timing a 2-year-old blue hen. Stefan Lambrechts. Last year 12th (1583 birds) and 3rd (769 birds) in fed. Second club the Chip Shop Boys Phil and Neil Bates timing a 2-year-old blue cock, from an Alfie Hawthorne Cock of Olympic Rachel lines x Richardson, Son, and Young Hen of Lovely Lesley lines. This cock was top of my unofficial coefficient table last year. The ’27’ cock in the fed in 2025 was 1st (1334 birds), 20th (1583 bird), 5th (1456 birds),10th (971 birds), 9th (917 birds), and 4th (887 birds). In the fed in 2024 he was 2nd (882 birds) and 22nd (874 birds). His brother topped the fed in 2025. In the opening race he was 1st club, 21st (1229 birds) in fed and 3rd club, 33rd (1604 birds) in fed. Third club Pete Hughes timing a 3-year-old blue hen. In opening race she was 3rd club, 33rd fed (1229 birds) and scored 2nd and 4th club this year plus 29th (1604 birds) in fed. Fourth club Dai Blackwell timing a Yearling blue cock. Bred by Brian Griffiths, a Louella Van Den Bulck. Was 4th club last week.
Cefn Mawr HS saw Mark Jones take the top two positions, first in the clock a 2-year-old pied cock. Won Hereford (2) and in fed this year already scored 3rd (1613 birds) and 5th (1347 birds). Second in the clock a Yearling blue hen. Third club Gary Williams timing a 2-year-old blue cock. Alan Atkinson x Darren Ede. Won the Wrexham open race from Brighton as a YB. Won since plus several other prizes. Fourth club Stuart Davenport timing a Yearling red roundabout hen. Lambrecht x Cuester x Bulck. Off 'Big Al' winner of 2x1st Yorkshire Middle Route Combine for Kerry Mellonby and 'Super 40' a twice winner of fed for Stuart. Was 2nd Club, 2nd (1229 birds) fed in opening race.
Ellesmere HS saw P&A. Howell take there first win of the year; Hoot timed a 3-year-old blue pied cock. Hoot's old Staf Van Reet line. Second club Wayne Jones timing a 2-year-old cheq hen. Bred by Andrew Lawley, Sire from GW & P Macaloney and Dam from J&B. Oakley (Supermac 76 x Skyfall). Missed to race as a yearling, sent on chipping eggs. Third and Fourth club Andrew Lawley, first in the clock a 3-year-old blue widowhood cock. Galaxy Lofts breeding. Next in the clock a 2-year-old blue cock. Sire is a son of Owen and Joesbury’s fantastic bird Hurricane when paired to a Galaxy Lofts hen. It was also the clubs first Two bird race and Hoot did the double winning £75, Second was R&D. Dovaston, Roy won £37.50. Third and fourth was Andrew Lawley winning £37.50. Meaning we paid out £150 in this first two bird of the year.
Rhyl saw Mike Price take the win timing a 3-year-old grizzle hen. Cross of pigeons from Paul Pym, Exeter crossed with Bob Bolt, North East. 2nd club last week. Second club Malcolm Jones timing a 2-year-old cheq pied hen. Sire a Delbar from the late Tony Merrick, Bo’ness in Windermere. Dam from a granddaughter of 'The Snake' from the Geoff and Barbara Kirkland. Included a photo of this bird. Third club Paul Dalton timing a 3-year-old. Fourth club RB Jones timing a yearling.
Deganwy saw Malcolm Jones take the win with the same bird that was second in Rhyl. Second and Fourth Paul Dalton timing a 3-year-old and 5-year-old. Third club Steve Beardmore timing a 2-year-old.
Malcolm Jones, Deganwy winner from Frome
Well, done to all the prize winners. Thank you for all the information.
Consistency
I am sure many of you now realise by the way I follow and log the fed results that I love to see consistent performers. With five races gone there is only one bird that has appeared on the federation sheet in all races. This belongs to Derrick Jones, Llay and has scored following:
23rd (1229 birds), 25th (1613 birds), 20th (1604 birds), 31st (1347 birds) and 32nd (1279 birds).
What backs this up is that last year this bird scored the following:
11th (851 birds), 25th (971 birds), 29th (887 birds), 30th (751 birds) and 39th (399 birds).
Well done, Derrick, I imagine that must be pooler.
Other clubs
Some other clubs have asked me to put something in about their clubs, hopefully I am not treading on any other scribes’ toes. Please get in touch if I am.
Bala & Corwen HS fly in the Shropshire Federation.
The firth race was from Honiton. The winner also taking 27th (1016 birds) Shropshire fed is Hale, Langa & Roberts, Mike and Jordan timed a 2-year-old blue cock John Gerrard Hartog. Mike has successfully raced these for years. Second club Gary Williams timing a 4-year-old cheq pied cock. Off Gary's best Gert Heylen pair. Winner from Frome last year in Bala Club, also winner before that plus many club and fed positions. Third club Andrew Lawley timing a 2-year-old dark hen. Daughter of Andrew's 'Coronation Cock' who won lots in Ellesmere HS. Fourth club Stuart Davenport timing a 2-year-old roundabout cock. Stefaan Lambrecht. Previous prize winner including 3rd Shropshire fed. A loft favourite of Stu's.
Chirk Central HS fly in the North Est Wales & West Wirral Federation.
This week’s race was from Frome. Taking the win was J. Trim & Granddaughter, Jim timed a Yearling mealy hen. Van Den Bulck x Gaby Vandenabele. Sent sitting 10 days. Second and third Talent & Westbury, Martin timed a 3-year-old dark cock. From Martin's distance family that perform well on Welsh South East National which can be a testing route into North Wales and a 2-year-old red cock, again Martin's Distance family. Martin's third bird (sixth club) is a previous winner of 1st North Section in Welsh South East National. Third club Gary Williams timing a Yearling pied cock. Bred from Gary's best Gert Heylen pair.
If any other local clubs want to be included, please get in touch, but I will need as much information as possible please.
National Flying Club
The NFC opened their season from a new race point of Isigny-sur-Mer. Good to see local fanciers taking the provisional positions in Section W, Derick Jones 2nd Section, 117th Open, Gary Williams 4th Section, 184th Open, Lloyd & Bagnall 5th Section, 198th open, S&B.Cooke 10th Section, 296th Open, Ian Ordillano (Section J) 59th Section, 318th Open, Paul Blundell 13th Section, 350th Open, J.I&C.Millward 15th Section, 382nd Open. Well done all and I imagine that race will have built the birds up lovely for the future races.
As time passes you realise how few photos you take to add to the memories, and that is certainly us in Ellesmere HS, I must address that. I have included a photo from the 80’s I believe of the club members.
Photo From the Past of Ellesmere HS
Any feedback (good or bad appreciated). Please send any info or photos to
Wayne Jones
