Watchfield 29.05.10

Watchfield In The Vale Flying Club with MB
*Remember there are No Secrets from a Bottle, just Hardwork, Dedication & Determination*


I would like to take this opportunity to say a much belated thanks to Paul Titcombe, Kiwi, Roy & Shiela for all their help from all the Wiltshire federation members, its through the help and sponsorship from these fantastic people and the staff at green meadow that we have all our works covered to the federation transporter which in turn saves the federation many hundreds of pounds during the season, so a very big THANK YOU to you as it is very much appreciated.

Well folks here we are again, this week (29th May) will see the Wiltshire federation at Exeter (105mile), the BBO at Honiton (82mile).

Its now Sunday evening and i have left all the birds together now to recharge their batteries following a number of hard races of late, as i have stated before i have not set my goals on the weekly land races but the overseas races especially with the NFC race programme. I will probably use the Honiton race this week as a trainer for the birds which have made mistakes over recent weeks to get them back into racing. Also i will pick out a few cocks for the Exeter race who will no doubt be driving by this weekend.

Birds were out on Monday am & pm, although not interested in flying, Tuesday and managed to get the youngsters out again tonight after the old bird team, easier at the minute now that the old birds are re-paired which they enjoyed, the race team cocks are driving hard now and it wont be long before eggs start to appear, just had a quick look on the weather sites for this weekend and although its only Tuesday it is currently showing rain for Saturday with strong southerly winds so if this forecast holds i will have made a great decision to sacrifice this weekend in the attempt to recharge and set them up now for the remainder of the season once i separate again and put them back on widowhood after the races on 5th June.

Q: Does anybody have any old magazines which contain the story of Soul Garrick and the “Black Cocks of Foulmire”, this was a story written and published in one of the magazines when i was still at school and was a fascinating read at the time, i’m sure it was monthly which would be either pictorial or gazette if memory serves, it was stretched over three months i think, but anybody who does have this story it would be great if this could be published again.

Its Thursday evening now and had the race team out earlier, the cocks are driving silly at the moment and we actually had two hens lay their first eggs tonight and expecting a lot more tomorrow which will mean the team sitting around 7 days for the Messac races next week on the 5th which should be ok. Actually had the call tonight to inform us that both federations have decided to put back marking to Saturday night now for a Sunday race such is the adverse weather forecast for Saturday, this doesn’t bother us in anyway as i just want a nice easy race for the team this week and i would rather have the birds in the loft than stuck in the baskets which should set them up nicely for the Messac races.

Well after a manic couple of hours some of the officials of the wilts fed decided that there was a possibility of a race on Saturday so they would mark as normal, we decided to stick to our plan, i would leave all the hens and selections for the Messac races at home and send the others only.

Race day now and the long range forecast was spot on, a screaming south westerly wind, it was heavy showers throughout the day, news eventually came through that the Wilts fed at Exeter had liberated at 1500hrs so i pencilled in an ETA of 1630hrs for this 105mile flight.

We were at the loft in plenty of time and it was raining very heavily, this must be the worst day we have waited for birds in a long time and brave decisions to liberate. We started to scan the skies just before our eta which soon came and went, it wasn’t until 1647 that our first arrival appeared from out the back, we knew then that this was not going to be our day, and i just wanted them home now. Well our birds were very split up reminded me of the race a few weeks ago when the birds rattled in the Swindon lofts when others struggled. It was seven minutes before we had our next bird and after an hour we still hadn’t got 50% returns a very poor show, upon going to the club we were still five birds missing.

At the club that night, returns on the whole were very good over the Swindon side but strugged over this side, anyhow onto the club result with our Wiltshire Fed race from Exeter it was a fantastic win for Ray Page who timed in his very good 2yr cheq Brasspenning x Busschaert widowhood cock on 1893.0 to win the club, 2nd & 4th was M/M C Aldridge & Son with two very good pigeons with a very good racing record, firstly a 3yr old cheq pd widowhood cock followed by a yearling black cock recording velocities of 1869.8 & 1855.5, 3rd was M/M R Titcombe with another very good bird with a great racing record, a 3yr old cheq widowhood cock of studtopper lines on 1864.2

Upon checking the loft after getting back from the club, we had four of our late returnees sitting in the loft with the remainder sitting on the loft next morning.

Wiltshire & District SR Federation – 15.05.10 from Exeter, the result was, 1st, 4th, 6th & 7th was A Jones, Test Valley with a yearling blue hen on 1480.1, another yearling blue hen on 1471.6, 3yr old cheq pd cock on 1454.8 and a yearling cheq pd hen on 1452.6, 2nd & 10th was M/M M Gower, Salisbury with a 2yr old pen cock on 1474.8 and a yearling blue cock on 1438.0, 3rd was Pegler & Son, Salisbury with a yearling slatey cock on 1474.8, 5th was M/M T Green, Test Valley with a yearling blue hen on 1461.7, 8th was M Bird, Grateley with a yearling cheq hen on 1445.0 and 9th was J Fitzgerald, Test Valley with a 2yr old blue hen on 1444.8.

Oxford Central (Wilts Fed) from Keith Shipperley, racing from Exeter on 29th May, the result was a fantastic 123 for Ted Irving with his team of predominatly Hofken Janssens which are flying really well for him, with velocities of 1759, 1748 & 1743 well done Ted Irving, in 4th was Keith himself with a kellens x wildermeersch which was only bird on the day from Bergerac last season on 1733.

Late result from Ferndale (Wilts Fed) for Carenton 22nd May, saw a great win for S Hughes timing a yearling cheq Kees Bosua hen on widowhood recording 1212, 2nd was M/M R&V Pizzey with a 3yr old blue natural hen on 1137, 3rd was R&P Habgood with a yearling blue hen on natural recording 1135.