"The Cobbler"
Northamptonshire
Ramblings
June 2011
Ramblings
June 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 2010
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 2010
Ramblers Itinerary Racing Pigeon Post RPP Index to Articles
The weather really has played a major part in all racing so far this year, regardless of club; federation and even the Nationals. In Northamptonshire it has barely rained for the bet part of two moths, and the county has enjoyed some excellent pigeon-racing weather. Naturally that completely altered on the Bank Holiday Monday when we saw saturating drizzle and mist for most of the day. There had been an intention to take around a hundred or so pigeons down to Bletchley Park for a release, and David Bills was going to travel up from Gloucestershire. Disappointingly that had to be called off at the last minute, although I was informed by Colin Hill that the park was packed with people throughout most of the weekend.
I live close by Santa Pod and the bank holiday weekend saw a round of the FIA European drag car racing championship, with a display by the Red Arrows planned for the Monday, but the drizzle was bad enough to have this event cancelled as well at the last minute, so pigeon racing was not the only local sport to suffer. That was a further disappointment as we were looking forward to a world class display from this famous team, almost above our own back garden.
The next pigeon release at Bletchley Park is planned for the Polish Day on Sunday July 17th. David Higgins the new RPRA President will be there, and has agreed to accept a cheque for a little over £500 on behalf of the pigeon war museum, which is the money donated in Memoriam of the Late Barry Hobbs. It is hoped that many of the fanciers who knew Barry will attend this presentation by June and Troy Hobbs to the museum. In due course the money will be spent within the museum and I’ll let everyone know as soon as I have further information.
Harrowden Federation
As I write this over the bank holiday weekend the Fed has completed seven inland races plus a Midland National race where the birds are duplicated back. The average send is around 1,250 birds with only the MNFC weekend seeing the birdage dip below the thousand mark ~ and then only just. After all the money spent on the Fed lorry it now appears sorted and fit for purpose, and despite all the brickbats and negativity over the last few months it is really pleasing to receive compliments and praise (that isn’t a misprint) from one of the new clubs in the Fed, who have turned from North to South. The compliments in particular were along the lines of how much better the condition of returning birds is, against their previous returns on the north, and (I quote) “What an excellent job both the race controller and the convoyer were doing” (Unquote). When there is good racing it is so easy to forget the good but normally thankless job these people do and as Andy Smith said to me, a “Thank You” means a great deal. Fed members should also be very grateful to Steve Gubbins for undertaking a full lorry service a few weeks back and not charging the normal £140 or so as any garage would obviously have done. Whilst playing with figures it is interesting to note the average send from the various clubs ranging from the smallest at Bourne with less than 40 birds to Burton Latimer averaging 320 per week, which represents fewer than 3%, and just over 25% respectively of the total Fed birdage. Stamford as one of the new ‘Turned’ clubs is averaging 75 birds whilst the other new club racing south; namely Desborough is sending around 65 per week. Kesteven and Harrowden between them account for approximately a third of the total birds sent.
As to the racing within Harrowden Fed:- The third race from Littlehampton saw Barry Graham take 1st; 2nd; plus 7th, 8Th Fed with his team of Walter Docyx pigeons and Milton Keynes members taking the first nine Fed positions out of the 80 members sending 1326 birds. The next race at the beginning of May from Portsmouth with 78 members sending 1295 again saw Milton Keynes taking six out of the first seven positions in the Fed with Harvey & Warner having a clean sweep of the podium. Poole in mid May saw a change of wind direction to north west and for the shortest flyer in the top ten i.e. John Bone a distance of 110 miles whilst just one position above him in ninth was Frank Bristow flying 166 miles. This race produced an excellent result for Colin Thorpe flying with one of the new clubs - Desborough and I heard several people say it was a richly deserved 1st; 2nd, & 4th, Fed as Colin puts a huge effort into his pigeons. Seven clubs were represented in the top dozen positions for this race. The wind certainly gave a big helping hand to the velocities from Littlehampton (May 21st,) although this takes nothing away from the winning birds. The first six from four different clubs were all clocking over 60 mph with Simon Shearsby from Harrowden club recording the fastest velocity of the year so far on 1818YPM. Although carrying an 08 ring the pigeon was infact a yearling bred from a pigeon off Steve Bennett of Bristol. It’s good to see a top position claimed from somebody new to the south road and that is George Rippin at Collyweston flying with Stamford club clocking a Tony Marden Neulart on 1,800 YPM. The bird has flown every race in this year’s Harrowden program so far, and took a 2nd section last year from Perth with the NRCC. The next three places went to Ronnie Secker at Oakham and flying with Kesteven. His three pigeons were separated by just five seconds, which indicates how ETS is essential in these sprint races. The race result software has the capability to show by what time one needed to be that much quicker, to win the race and there was less than around eight minutes from first to ninety ninth. A few victory flaps around the loft when home and you are suddenly done for in these sorts of races.
Championship Club
The training races are all over bar one more visit in mid June to the New Forest and have proven extremely successful. With the clubs policy to accept trainers from anyone and anywhere we have had birds from as far afield as Coventry; Oakham; Huntingdon and Spalding which helps both the birdage and costs. The highest number on board so far has been 478 but never less than 300, so mid week racing and training is clearly proving popular. The serious racing in the club is however now just starting with the first NFC race from Fougeres completed and Nantes next on the agenda. The weather was kind for the NFC race at 270/280 miles with a light south easterly turning south westerly wind and perfect conditions for crossing the Channel and the birds fairly fell in around the five hour mark. Even at this distance and with nearly nine thousand birds overall, less than one yard separated Andy Smith on 1602 and Graham Groom who was second. Troy Hobbs was on 1587 whilst Andy had two more birds that will also show in the NFC section with myself sixth but managing to claim the pools and SB nom. In the NCC nine members sent 138 pigeons and the prize money of some £265 was split between four different people which is always a healthy sign.
Harrowden Federation
As I write this over the bank holiday weekend the Fed has completed seven inland races plus a Midland National race where the birds are duplicated back. The average send is around 1,250 birds with only the MNFC weekend seeing the birdage dip below the thousand mark ~ and then only just. After all the money spent on the Fed lorry it now appears sorted and fit for purpose, and despite all the brickbats and negativity over the last few months it is really pleasing to receive compliments and praise (that isn’t a misprint) from one of the new clubs in the Fed, who have turned from North to South. The compliments in particular were along the lines of how much better the condition of returning birds is, against their previous returns on the north, and (I quote) “What an excellent job both the race controller and the convoyer were doing” (Unquote). When there is good racing it is so easy to forget the good but normally thankless job these people do and as Andy Smith said to me, a “Thank You” means a great deal. Fed members should also be very grateful to Steve Gubbins for undertaking a full lorry service a few weeks back and not charging the normal £140 or so as any garage would obviously have done. Whilst playing with figures it is interesting to note the average send from the various clubs ranging from the smallest at Bourne with less than 40 birds to Burton Latimer averaging 320 per week, which represents fewer than 3%, and just over 25% respectively of the total Fed birdage. Stamford as one of the new ‘Turned’ clubs is averaging 75 birds whilst the other new club racing south; namely Desborough is sending around 65 per week. Kesteven and Harrowden between them account for approximately a third of the total birds sent.
As to the racing within Harrowden Fed:- The third race from Littlehampton saw Barry Graham take 1st; 2nd; plus 7th, 8Th Fed with his team of Walter Docyx pigeons and Milton Keynes members taking the first nine Fed positions out of the 80 members sending 1326 birds. The next race at the beginning of May from Portsmouth with 78 members sending 1295 again saw Milton Keynes taking six out of the first seven positions in the Fed with Harvey & Warner having a clean sweep of the podium. Poole in mid May saw a change of wind direction to north west and for the shortest flyer in the top ten i.e. John Bone a distance of 110 miles whilst just one position above him in ninth was Frank Bristow flying 166 miles. This race produced an excellent result for Colin Thorpe flying with one of the new clubs - Desborough and I heard several people say it was a richly deserved 1st; 2nd, & 4th, Fed as Colin puts a huge effort into his pigeons. Seven clubs were represented in the top dozen positions for this race. The wind certainly gave a big helping hand to the velocities from Littlehampton (May 21st,) although this takes nothing away from the winning birds. The first six from four different clubs were all clocking over 60 mph with Simon Shearsby from Harrowden club recording the fastest velocity of the year so far on 1818YPM. Although carrying an 08 ring the pigeon was infact a yearling bred from a pigeon off Steve Bennett of Bristol. It’s good to see a top position claimed from somebody new to the south road and that is George Rippin at Collyweston flying with Stamford club clocking a Tony Marden Neulart on 1,800 YPM. The bird has flown every race in this year’s Harrowden program so far, and took a 2nd section last year from Perth with the NRCC. The next three places went to Ronnie Secker at Oakham and flying with Kesteven. His three pigeons were separated by just five seconds, which indicates how ETS is essential in these sprint races. The race result software has the capability to show by what time one needed to be that much quicker, to win the race and there was less than around eight minutes from first to ninety ninth. A few victory flaps around the loft when home and you are suddenly done for in these sorts of races.
Championship Club
The training races are all over bar one more visit in mid June to the New Forest and have proven extremely successful. With the clubs policy to accept trainers from anyone and anywhere we have had birds from as far afield as Coventry; Oakham; Huntingdon and Spalding which helps both the birdage and costs. The highest number on board so far has been 478 but never less than 300, so mid week racing and training is clearly proving popular. The serious racing in the club is however now just starting with the first NFC race from Fougeres completed and Nantes next on the agenda. The weather was kind for the NFC race at 270/280 miles with a light south easterly turning south westerly wind and perfect conditions for crossing the Channel and the birds fairly fell in around the five hour mark. Even at this distance and with nearly nine thousand birds overall, less than one yard separated Andy Smith on 1602 and Graham Groom who was second. Troy Hobbs was on 1587 whilst Andy had two more birds that will also show in the NFC section with myself sixth but managing to claim the pools and SB nom. In the NCC nine members sent 138 pigeons and the prize money of some £265 was split between four different people which is always a healthy sign.
Photo by ImperialAssassin
Santa Pod
Bletchley Park Mansion