"The Cobbler"
Northamptonshire
Ramblings
August 2011
Ramblings
August 2011
"The Cobbler"
Any views on Pigeon Racing in Northamptonshire to
Tel: 01933 410322 or
Email: russellbradford@talktalk.net
Copyright, all rights reserved, Russell Bradford 2011
Ramblers Itinerary Racing Pigeon Post RPP Index to Articles
Any views on Pigeon Racing in Northamptonshire to
Tel: 01933 410322 or
Email: russellbradford@talktalk.net
Copyright, all rights reserved, Russell Bradford 2011
Ramblers Itinerary Racing Pigeon Post RPP Index to Articles
I haven’t sat at the keyboard for the best part of two months to write this column, what with all the distance races; a Fed result to compile every week; a new computer to contend with, so I should be able to fill a couple of pages if you can bear it.
Goodbyes
The sport generally should be sad and concerned when good fanciers give up and leave, for what-ever reason, and this area is no exception. Back in July Messrs Harvey & Warner, flying in partnership with the Milton Keynes club in the Harrowden Fed gave up the birds and already the loft is down and gone, and all forced on them with various health problems. They were fierce competitors and turned in many a good National performance over the years. Sadly also to shortly join the list is Barry Thirtle flying with Bourne club to the far East of the Harrowden Fed radius, and again giving up virtually under a direct ultimatum, from firstly his Doctor, and unsurprisingly his ultimate boss - the Wife. Pigeon Fanciers lung is the culprit and when the young birds have flown the last race; that will be it. What a way to go out though with the longest Midland National win under your belt, but more of that in a moment.
Welcome
We hear with regularity of how few youngsters are coming into the sport, so when a couple do, they deserve all the recognition and help possible. Master Daniel Parker is just fourteen and has joined Kesteven & Rutland club, a longer flying club in the Harrowden Fed based in Rutland; flying his very first race on August 8th and being on the club podium no less, so a big welcome to the sport Daniel.
Goodbyes
The sport generally should be sad and concerned when good fanciers give up and leave, for what-ever reason, and this area is no exception. Back in July Messrs Harvey & Warner, flying in partnership with the Milton Keynes club in the Harrowden Fed gave up the birds and already the loft is down and gone, and all forced on them with various health problems. They were fierce competitors and turned in many a good National performance over the years. Sadly also to shortly join the list is Barry Thirtle flying with Bourne club to the far East of the Harrowden Fed radius, and again giving up virtually under a direct ultimatum, from firstly his Doctor, and unsurprisingly his ultimate boss - the Wife. Pigeon Fanciers lung is the culprit and when the young birds have flown the last race; that will be it. What a way to go out though with the longest Midland National win under your belt, but more of that in a moment.
Welcome
We hear with regularity of how few youngsters are coming into the sport, so when a couple do, they deserve all the recognition and help possible. Master Daniel Parker is just fourteen and has joined Kesteven & Rutland club, a longer flying club in the Harrowden Fed based in Rutland; flying his very first race on August 8th and being on the club podium no less, so a big welcome to the sport Daniel.
Another young man to enter the sport in his early twenties, is Chris Roscoe with the Wellingborough club, and is enjoying his first ever pigeon races with the start of young birds. He much the same as Daniel, is right up there with the leaders in only his second race with a second club from Basingstoke, so enjoy your new hobby and sport Chris and also welcome to Harrowden Fed.
Northamptonshire Championship Club
The club had five main cross Channel races starting with Fougeres via the National Flying Club program. Andy Smith took the red card at the first of these shorter races, if 277 miles can be called short, with his three year old bird taking slightly over five hours and beating Graham Groom by just a yard. Good to see Troy Hobbs back in the frame taking third after an emotional start to his racing year. Next up, and again via the NFC was Cholet at 365 miles, and this turned out to be a much harder race with an eleven hour fly for Andy Smith to record 965 YPM, and scoop his second win in the club; plus of course the cash. Graham Groom was again runner up, so also quietly filling his wallet, but some two hours behind the winner. Nine birds were clocked on the day with three after 7.00 pm; a further four after 8.00 pm and a gallant pigeon just after 9.00 pm having been liberated into a strengthening north east wind at 6.30 that morning. The distance came back very slightly for Messac at around 320 miles and again with the NFC. Andy Smith was relegated into second for this one, with one of the NCC’s ardent supporters, and fairly new to south road Nationals; namely Jan Czarnota who is also the club’s longest flier. Troy Hobbs popped up again in third with a two year old after seven and quarter hours on the wing. The next race on the program was the club’s longest race of the year and perhaps an innovation, insomuch it was part of the International race from Villeneuve via the British International Championship Club. Sixty Nine birds went to the race from Northamptonshire with a little over 22,000 pigeons from all the major European countries competing, and that in itself would have been a record for the county as a send to an International I would guess. As always fame and fortune awaits the winner of any International, and what a performance from Geoff & Catherine Cooper, which has already been well documented to take the International win outright. In the NCC Russell & Clare Bradford took first, second & third club and 64th, UK Open on 650 YPM, whilst their second bird was 76th, UK Open from the 651 birds that went from England. The last Channel race and the second longest race on the club’s program, at around 450 miles was back to the NFC towards the end of July at Saintes. This proved another tough race with a North West wind all the way with just four birds recorded on the day. Mr & Mrs Bradford took the honours with a hen that was having her last and sixteenth Channel crossing (before the stock loft beckons), after a twelve and half hour fly recording 1062 from a 6.45am liberation, with the ever present Andy Smith clocking one just after 8.00 pm, followed in a quarter of an hour later by Mel Errington. Troy Hobbs had a game pigeon flying fourteen and quarter hours, being clocked at a minute to nine to take the last ‘day-slot’. The Channel Averages in the club have been won by Russell & Clare Bradford, and they have this year also managed to take the award for Champion Channel pigeon, with a five year old blue hen that right at the beginning of the year came back with a gash and lots of blood across her chest, on a simple trainer from Milton Keynes. She was rested and has paid back accordingly.
NCC Open Races
The Championship club decided to organise two open young bird races from Newbury; the last two Sundays in July before Federation racing started in August, and much through the generosity of Jan Czarnota £50.00 was put up for the winner of each of these sprints. The first one was poorly supported with only about 150 birds, albeit the second one had an all time record of 652 pigeons on the club’s trailer. Of these around 55% were trainers with about 145 from either Rutland or Cambridgeshire, clearly showing the need for an intermediate race at this time of the year. The first race was a straightforward affair with few reported losses and won by Dave Gent from Wellingborough. The second race saw a liberation in perfect conditions, and yet the returning birds were very gappy, with most fanciers sure the birds had simply got their heads down, and were half way to Scarborough. Reports the following day however indicated the majority had made their lofts. As a first young bird for most it obviously sorted a few out, and let them know what the next few weeks were going to be about. For the second week in succession the race was won by a non NCC member, although on this occasion one who has previously been with the club and says he is keen to return when circumstances allow. Well done to Graham Stafford who shows it is not necessarily about ETS even with a short sprint.
RPRA Rules & Clocking Times
I had better pre-empt my comments with “In My Opinion”, but I have heard much negative comment about RPRA rule 239 pertaining to electronic clocking. It is clearly a poorly worded rule without precise definition, and that is quite simply not how rules should be worded. The negative comment has arisen after the recent bout of long distance races, with birds being timed late into the evening and potentially either side of the hours of darkness. The rule is explicit insomuch in a race where pigeons can be clocked on the second and subsequent days, a progress read-out from the ETS needs to be taken, and that is totally understandable. Where the rule is absolutely not explicit is when this print out or progress report actually needs to be printed, and given that it makes absolutely no difference to the end result at all, it seems to me to be unnecessarily awkward to force clock setters to turn-out late into the evening. I am sure clock setters are no different to any other distance fanciers, and may well themselves be waiting for a pigeon to turn up right up to the hours of darkness, so clearly won’t appreciate being asked often as late as 10.00pm and beyond to travel to a club HQ just to oversee the printing of a piece of paper. The important point is of course that the piece of paper in question will have exactly the same date and time of clocking on it the following morning, as it will have at 10.30 pm on the day of clocking. The current RPRA rule 239 is ambiguous in making fanciers assume that it is a mandatory requirement to have the print-out produced on the day of clocking, and yet if you read the rule carefully it doesn’t actually state that. It merely says a progress report is required! I personally wouldn’t like to be the one to test the water, and perhaps be disqualified if I clocked a good bird in a distance race at (say) 9.00pm and beyond, in having my Unikon progress report produced the following morning, but equally I, nor any other fancier or clock setter, should be left with badly worded rules that are open to misunderstanding.
Harrowden Federation
It is doubtful that any other Federation anywhere can claim a better success record at National racing than Harrowden this year. The Fed utilises the Midland National Channel race program, and Harrowden members have won outright three of these MNFC races, including their longest from Bordeaux. Bryan & Pearl Garfoot started this incredible run with winning the Fougeres race from 658 other members and just short of 6,000 birds, and comfortably winning it by a clear five yards with their pigeon now named “Duke of Rutland”. Bryan is chairman of the Fed and Pearl is a very active supporter. Graham Stafford took an excellent 4th, Open while Steve & Kath Gubbins were 6th, Open, with yet another Harrowden member who is no stranger to National wins ~ Frank Bristow took 8th, Open and won the east section, and continued his winning ways with first and second east section in the next MNFC race from Tours. Andy Smith was also well up in this race with 16th, open and 2nd section pipping another Harrowden member Rob Jarratt into 3rd south east section and 19th, Open. In the Double-Header MNFC weekend, the shorter of the two races from Vire was won by Jeremy Wright, another flyer with an enviable National record and flying for the first time with Harrowden Fed via Desborough club, which is also a new member club this year. Frank Bristow claimed a hat-trick with yet another section win at Vire. The MNFC Blue Ribbon event was their longest race from Bordeaux, and as already mentioned above Barry Thirtle flying 537 miles out on the eastern boundary of the Fed with Bourne club, had a dream come true clocking his pencil hen after fourteen hours eighteen minutes on the wing, to beat 348 other members and just over 1,500 birds, pocketing almost fifteen hundred pounds into the bargain. Brilliant achievement and I am sure everyone in Harrowden Fed congratulates you on a fabulous distance win. Not very far behind was another hugely dedicated fancier with two birds in twelve minutes. Graham Groom who flies with Burton Latimer was 2nd & 3rd section; 5th, and 7th Open, and was in such a state that he didn’t even bother to verify another tremendous day pigeon from Saintes with the NFC, also clocked late into that Saturday evening. There were no less than three more Harrowden Fed members inside the top twenty from this 500 mile plus distance race; namely Michel & Rene Houpe at 16th, Open flying with Milton Keynes; Albert Farrow at 18th, Open and Peter Chamberlain topping off the top twenty. Hardly then surprising that Mr & Mrs Graham Groom win the Harrowden Fed Channel Averages within the Midland National races. To cap off a superb flying season for Harrowden members, Dave Lyden at Milton Keynes club claimed 1st north section and a very creditable 21st UK Open at the very hard Perpignan International flying 655 miles with the BICC. Mark Henry also a Milton Keynes member was 39th, and 40th, Open; no mean achievement at this distance and with only 44 birds home to the UK in race time. Well Done to you all.
Barry Hobbs Memorial at Bletchley
Colin Hill has already fully covered the presentation of money by June & Troy Hobbs to the RPRA President, David Higgins in a previous BHW, so I’ll not duplicate. However it may be of interest to know of the current plans, which are being explored by Stewart Wardrop, which is to have a form of mural at the pigeon war museum, showing the flights of all the pigeons to have won a Dikin Medal during the war, and what those incredible pigeons did in saving so many human lives. More news on that as and when it becomes available.
Finally
It was really good to hear that Rodney Oakes had come through major heart surgery and is not only out of intensive care, but I understand home, making sure the pigeon are being well cared for, by his trustworthy band of helpers. Keep on “rocking” Rodney
Northamptonshire Championship Club
The club had five main cross Channel races starting with Fougeres via the National Flying Club program. Andy Smith took the red card at the first of these shorter races, if 277 miles can be called short, with his three year old bird taking slightly over five hours and beating Graham Groom by just a yard. Good to see Troy Hobbs back in the frame taking third after an emotional start to his racing year. Next up, and again via the NFC was Cholet at 365 miles, and this turned out to be a much harder race with an eleven hour fly for Andy Smith to record 965 YPM, and scoop his second win in the club; plus of course the cash. Graham Groom was again runner up, so also quietly filling his wallet, but some two hours behind the winner. Nine birds were clocked on the day with three after 7.00 pm; a further four after 8.00 pm and a gallant pigeon just after 9.00 pm having been liberated into a strengthening north east wind at 6.30 that morning. The distance came back very slightly for Messac at around 320 miles and again with the NFC. Andy Smith was relegated into second for this one, with one of the NCC’s ardent supporters, and fairly new to south road Nationals; namely Jan Czarnota who is also the club’s longest flier. Troy Hobbs popped up again in third with a two year old after seven and quarter hours on the wing. The next race on the program was the club’s longest race of the year and perhaps an innovation, insomuch it was part of the International race from Villeneuve via the British International Championship Club. Sixty Nine birds went to the race from Northamptonshire with a little over 22,000 pigeons from all the major European countries competing, and that in itself would have been a record for the county as a send to an International I would guess. As always fame and fortune awaits the winner of any International, and what a performance from Geoff & Catherine Cooper, which has already been well documented to take the International win outright. In the NCC Russell & Clare Bradford took first, second & third club and 64th, UK Open on 650 YPM, whilst their second bird was 76th, UK Open from the 651 birds that went from England. The last Channel race and the second longest race on the club’s program, at around 450 miles was back to the NFC towards the end of July at Saintes. This proved another tough race with a North West wind all the way with just four birds recorded on the day. Mr & Mrs Bradford took the honours with a hen that was having her last and sixteenth Channel crossing (before the stock loft beckons), after a twelve and half hour fly recording 1062 from a 6.45am liberation, with the ever present Andy Smith clocking one just after 8.00 pm, followed in a quarter of an hour later by Mel Errington. Troy Hobbs had a game pigeon flying fourteen and quarter hours, being clocked at a minute to nine to take the last ‘day-slot’. The Channel Averages in the club have been won by Russell & Clare Bradford, and they have this year also managed to take the award for Champion Channel pigeon, with a five year old blue hen that right at the beginning of the year came back with a gash and lots of blood across her chest, on a simple trainer from Milton Keynes. She was rested and has paid back accordingly.
NCC Open Races
The Championship club decided to organise two open young bird races from Newbury; the last two Sundays in July before Federation racing started in August, and much through the generosity of Jan Czarnota £50.00 was put up for the winner of each of these sprints. The first one was poorly supported with only about 150 birds, albeit the second one had an all time record of 652 pigeons on the club’s trailer. Of these around 55% were trainers with about 145 from either Rutland or Cambridgeshire, clearly showing the need for an intermediate race at this time of the year. The first race was a straightforward affair with few reported losses and won by Dave Gent from Wellingborough. The second race saw a liberation in perfect conditions, and yet the returning birds were very gappy, with most fanciers sure the birds had simply got their heads down, and were half way to Scarborough. Reports the following day however indicated the majority had made their lofts. As a first young bird for most it obviously sorted a few out, and let them know what the next few weeks were going to be about. For the second week in succession the race was won by a non NCC member, although on this occasion one who has previously been with the club and says he is keen to return when circumstances allow. Well done to Graham Stafford who shows it is not necessarily about ETS even with a short sprint.
RPRA Rules & Clocking Times
I had better pre-empt my comments with “In My Opinion”, but I have heard much negative comment about RPRA rule 239 pertaining to electronic clocking. It is clearly a poorly worded rule without precise definition, and that is quite simply not how rules should be worded. The negative comment has arisen after the recent bout of long distance races, with birds being timed late into the evening and potentially either side of the hours of darkness. The rule is explicit insomuch in a race where pigeons can be clocked on the second and subsequent days, a progress read-out from the ETS needs to be taken, and that is totally understandable. Where the rule is absolutely not explicit is when this print out or progress report actually needs to be printed, and given that it makes absolutely no difference to the end result at all, it seems to me to be unnecessarily awkward to force clock setters to turn-out late into the evening. I am sure clock setters are no different to any other distance fanciers, and may well themselves be waiting for a pigeon to turn up right up to the hours of darkness, so clearly won’t appreciate being asked often as late as 10.00pm and beyond to travel to a club HQ just to oversee the printing of a piece of paper. The important point is of course that the piece of paper in question will have exactly the same date and time of clocking on it the following morning, as it will have at 10.30 pm on the day of clocking. The current RPRA rule 239 is ambiguous in making fanciers assume that it is a mandatory requirement to have the print-out produced on the day of clocking, and yet if you read the rule carefully it doesn’t actually state that. It merely says a progress report is required! I personally wouldn’t like to be the one to test the water, and perhaps be disqualified if I clocked a good bird in a distance race at (say) 9.00pm and beyond, in having my Unikon progress report produced the following morning, but equally I, nor any other fancier or clock setter, should be left with badly worded rules that are open to misunderstanding.
Harrowden Federation
It is doubtful that any other Federation anywhere can claim a better success record at National racing than Harrowden this year. The Fed utilises the Midland National Channel race program, and Harrowden members have won outright three of these MNFC races, including their longest from Bordeaux. Bryan & Pearl Garfoot started this incredible run with winning the Fougeres race from 658 other members and just short of 6,000 birds, and comfortably winning it by a clear five yards with their pigeon now named “Duke of Rutland”. Bryan is chairman of the Fed and Pearl is a very active supporter. Graham Stafford took an excellent 4th, Open while Steve & Kath Gubbins were 6th, Open, with yet another Harrowden member who is no stranger to National wins ~ Frank Bristow took 8th, Open and won the east section, and continued his winning ways with first and second east section in the next MNFC race from Tours. Andy Smith was also well up in this race with 16th, open and 2nd section pipping another Harrowden member Rob Jarratt into 3rd south east section and 19th, Open. In the Double-Header MNFC weekend, the shorter of the two races from Vire was won by Jeremy Wright, another flyer with an enviable National record and flying for the first time with Harrowden Fed via Desborough club, which is also a new member club this year. Frank Bristow claimed a hat-trick with yet another section win at Vire. The MNFC Blue Ribbon event was their longest race from Bordeaux, and as already mentioned above Barry Thirtle flying 537 miles out on the eastern boundary of the Fed with Bourne club, had a dream come true clocking his pencil hen after fourteen hours eighteen minutes on the wing, to beat 348 other members and just over 1,500 birds, pocketing almost fifteen hundred pounds into the bargain. Brilliant achievement and I am sure everyone in Harrowden Fed congratulates you on a fabulous distance win. Not very far behind was another hugely dedicated fancier with two birds in twelve minutes. Graham Groom who flies with Burton Latimer was 2nd & 3rd section; 5th, and 7th Open, and was in such a state that he didn’t even bother to verify another tremendous day pigeon from Saintes with the NFC, also clocked late into that Saturday evening. There were no less than three more Harrowden Fed members inside the top twenty from this 500 mile plus distance race; namely Michel & Rene Houpe at 16th, Open flying with Milton Keynes; Albert Farrow at 18th, Open and Peter Chamberlain topping off the top twenty. Hardly then surprising that Mr & Mrs Graham Groom win the Harrowden Fed Channel Averages within the Midland National races. To cap off a superb flying season for Harrowden members, Dave Lyden at Milton Keynes club claimed 1st north section and a very creditable 21st UK Open at the very hard Perpignan International flying 655 miles with the BICC. Mark Henry also a Milton Keynes member was 39th, and 40th, Open; no mean achievement at this distance and with only 44 birds home to the UK in race time. Well Done to you all.
Barry Hobbs Memorial at Bletchley
Colin Hill has already fully covered the presentation of money by June & Troy Hobbs to the RPRA President, David Higgins in a previous BHW, so I’ll not duplicate. However it may be of interest to know of the current plans, which are being explored by Stewart Wardrop, which is to have a form of mural at the pigeon war museum, showing the flights of all the pigeons to have won a Dikin Medal during the war, and what those incredible pigeons did in saving so many human lives. More news on that as and when it becomes available.
Finally
It was really good to hear that Rodney Oakes had come through major heart surgery and is not only out of intensive care, but I understand home, making sure the pigeon are being well cared for, by his trustworthy band of helpers. Keep on “rocking” Rodney
Master Daniel Parker