Watchfield 24.07.10

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

Well folks here we are again, this week (24th July) and we are back at Seaton with the Wiltshire federation (85mile) and the Saintes race with the NFC (397mile)

This week i have had the birds out every day, but no training as i simply do not have the time at the minute and with the constant hawk attacks i have no motivation to start again, the old cocks have been racing the skies and the old hens will be kept going to keep them right for the old hens races with the NFC.

I basketed the Saintes birds and took them to Friend Paul Kendall (Winner of the NFC Tarbes 2010) who took them to the marking station for us (thanks Paul), Friday now and basketing and i got home from work at 1820hrs so things were a little rushed to say the least, but i picked out the 6 youngbirds and 5 old hens for this race and got to the club in time.

Race day now and i was up and about early as normal, but news of liberation was quiet and after last week news soon came through from Lisa (bless, she text and rang every phone we have), also had a call from Tonto to let us know the Wilts fed birds were up at 0915hrs, the NFC had gone earlier in the morning. So a quick work out and we decided we wanted the Wilts birds at around 1045hrs and the NFC at 9hrs, 1540hrs.

We the lofts were made ready and clock in place, at 1050hrs our first arrived, our old hen “59” who looked really well on Friday, next up was another old hen “14” who came spinning in at 10.52hrs, our first youngster arrived at 1058hrs and after an initially spookiness and scat round the skies for a bit she eventually came down to be clocked at 10.59.10. i was pleased with the hens who are looking well, and to be fair the youngsters are not being given a fair crack at the minute which is down to me.

The Saintes race for us was an absolute disaster, and of the 4 x yearling cocks we sent, we have not had a single returnee on the day.....gutted beyond belief, as these cocks have all raced well this season and flown the channel so it was stange that they wernt home. At the club that night, it was noteable that returns were a bit scatty again with big gaps between arrivals for most lofts, Onto the result and it was a fantastic result for Ray Page who rattled 3 x quicks ones in to christen his ETS with 1st, 2nd & 3rd club with 2 red chequer cocks and a blue cock on 1482.7, 1479.4 & 1479.2, in 4th club was last weeks winners Lou Hamlin & Sam who timed a blue hen on 1459.3, we dropped in with a 7th on 1443 which u was more than happy with, considering, anyhow well done Ray, Lou & Sam

Wiltshire & District SR Federation – 10.07.10 from Bergerac, 1st was S G Holmes & J Sealey, Carterton with a 2yr old on 1256.6 (fantastic bird on the day and likely combine winner), 2nd & 7th was M/M M Brown, Watchfield with a 3yr old cheq hen on 1179.5 and a 2yr old blue cock on 1007.0, 3rd & 8th was D Day, Salisbury with a 3yr old on 1171.6 followed by a 3yr old on 979.9, 4th was R Beaconsfield, Ram Alley with a yearling on 1051.6 (well done Sir), 5th was J Kelly, Carterton with a 5yr old on 1036.9, 6th was M/M M Gower,Salisbury with a 3yr old on 1014.4, 9th was M Bird, Salisbury with a 3yr old on 942.3 and 10th was R Agg, Carterton with a 5yr old on 940.9.

Well that’s it for this week, try hard, work harder, be happy and good returns.

Good read Mark
Ken