Watchfield - 22.08.10

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 (21st August) and we are dropping back now to Kingsdown with the Wiltshire federation (89 mile) to us.

Due to the holdover, the birds raced on Sunday so they were left confined the loft on Monday morning with exercise in the afternoon, Tuesdat and no exercise am but all out for a fly and a bath on Tuesday afternoon. Steve Hughes called round on Tuesday afternoon to look at a shower for us and had a look around the lofts/birds whilst he was here, we had a good couple of hours talking of this past and present, thanks Steve.

We are already starting to look at our plans now for next year 2011 and we are planning an old bird race team of only 16 x cocks and 16 x hens, also reducing the stock team down to 12 x pair for next season. We will also be bringing in some youngsters for the distance races, these will be cultivated for the NFC Tarbes races in a few years time as our own birds will not perform from these distances, i have already spoken to the gent in question and the deal has been done, so we will be receiving these youngsters from a proven family with outstanding distance racing records next year, these will be trained only next year and raced lightly as yearlings before we start to hopefully see their true potential.

Also we will be on the lookout over the winter for a specialised sprint family to bring in to test against our own consistent middle distance family, these new arrivals must show promise as youngbirds during 2011 both down here with us and in the north west at mum/dads loft to be given the chance to show their potential as yearlings. I am considering for the sprint families Wim Moens, Lambrecht, Andre Clemens or maybe one of the newer families on the market.

I have approx a dozen latebreds which have just started to hatch from our highly successful race team who are all winners at different levels ie we have 2 from the NFC National Messac winner paired to a half sister who has had numerous cards this season inc 3rd fed beaten by loftmate, 3rd section help the heroes open plus numerous club cards, 2 from the Wessex combine Messac winner, 2 from 1st Section NFC Saintes, 2 from The Bergerac hen and a few select others, i would consider selling these to fund the new purchases for next season but the prices would have to be right so we shall see, i have also took 2 eggs off the parents to the National winner, 1st egg smashed but i am hopeful the other will hatch in due course.

Wednesday and the birds were fed their morning food in the morning and i had them out for exercise in the evening, Thursday was a busy day due to finally tying the knot with our lass and getting married and the birds were fed only with no exercise, and as we don’t normally exercise the day before a race that was it for the week.

Race day now and after a lot of discussions it was decided to move the birds to Honiton away from the coast due to the mist/fog and liberation took place at 1415hrs into a very strong south west wind, this would keep the birds over the Swindon side then shoot through over watchfield and on towards Oxford so the birds would have to be looking today. So again a mixed guesstimate on the ETA today due to the rain showers around but i expected the early arrivals around the 1600ypm which meant timings around 1545hrs.

So the loft was made ready for arrivals and with cup of tea in hand i started to scan the skies, it seemed a long wait until we spotted out first arrival clapping round the tree’s and then just as he was landing the 2nd from way out west over the house at the same time so we knew the birds had kept to the predicted line but all we wanted was 100% returns as we go away tomorrow for a week and didn’t want any stragglers.

Upon going to the club, we were 8 back from 10 sent and the 9th was on the loft when we returned from the club, it was a mixed race really with some members having good returns and yet others struggling to get 50%, so who knows what they ran into but certainly some of the bad weather on route. Onto the result now and it was a result for Ken Thorpe timing a blue cock on 1588.2m followed by George Seagroatt also with a blue cock on 1581.2, taking 3rd & 4th was M/M C Aldridge & Son time two cocks firstly a black on 1576.7 followed by a cheq on 1576.1 and J & V Draper timing a cheq pd hen on 1551.1, we ended up 11th & 12th this week which was approx 4 mins behind the winners so quite pleasing the birds pulled out and came over this way.

At the end of the day we had 9 out the 10 home and the pied cock landed at 10am on Sunday just as we were loading the car for our break..

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

Any news/views to Mark Brown
Email - mb1973@hotmail.co.uk
Tel - 07593 279 375

a good write up again mate well done

Mark a brilliant write up again mate