"The Cobbler"
Northamptonshire
Ramblings
February 2011
Ramblings
February 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
I was amused to read of what I suppose could be termed “an avian incident” with Pope Benedict XV1 towards the end of January, when at the end of one of the Pontiff’s sermons, he released two white doves symbolising peace, from one of the Vatican windows where he blesses the audience in St. Peter’s Square below. Evidently both birds promptly flew straight back through the window, straight into the Pontiff’s apartment causing an unseemly scramble to catch the white doves amongst the various Bishops and Clergy in attendance. The story is that one was caught and released back through the window, although mystery evidently surrounds the other bird, but I’ll bet the pair of them didn’t attract some very Christian names.
Northampton SRFC
The “Budgie” club as it has been fondly known for a very long time seems to be growing in numbers, potentially at the expense of Northampton & District, as membership there is seemingly in decline with a transfer of members from one club to the other. The Northampton South Road club has always enjoyed its independence by transporting their own club birds to the coast, and using the classics for a Channel programme. Sadly the financial state-of-play has brought this to an end and the club has joined Leicester Fed, which comprises five other clubs; namely Carlton & Netherfield; Loughborough; Leicester Harrow; Earl Shilton & Gilmorton, and they have been sending anywhere between 800 & 1,000 birds. The 2011 OB race programme starts at Marlborough on April 23rd, and finishes on July 9th, at Lulworth Cove with an assortment of Salisbury, Portsmouth and Hullavington in between. Like any other small club wanting to transport their pigeons independently of any larger organisation, the price of fuel in 2011 is going to have an enormous impact on expenditure, and may well be giving some clubs and fanciers the inevitable “Hobson’s Choice”, of calling it a day; joining a bigger outfit or suffering the financial consequences.
The BICC in Northamptonshire
In the autumn of 2010 the committee of the BICC made a decision on sectioning that impacted hugely on members in Northants, which would have forced yet another section change on just about everyone, and as a consequence virtually every BICC member in Northamptonshire tendered their resignation ahead of the AGM. It seemed fairly pointless to me to thus consider continuing with a marking station, given the distinct likelihood of nobody turning up to have birds marked, especially knowing at the time there were in excess of 60 resignations in the north section, so felt a decision to discontinue had more or less been forced on me by the BICC’s decision over sections. I noted how the National Flying Club has attracted some poor responses from members in Devon & Cornwall by not advising members prior to an AGM of the closure of marking stations, thus giving people the option to resign if they wished without incurring the following year’s fees. I stated in mid January, and just prior to the AGM that the marking station would not be run at Ringstead in 2011. However I attended the BICC AGM at the end of January and was asked point blank if I would continue, and my reply was along the lines of::- ‘the committee’s decision to alter the section boundaries again, has goaded all these resignations, so there won’t be any members to run a marking station for’.
This prompted a discussion over sections and I am really pleased to say that new sections were agreed there and then, with a new band to run across the Midlands commencing at 600 miles threshold from Tarbes. The line that currently divides central and west is to be continued straight up to the 650 mile boundary, thus containing all the Welsh guys within the west section, and overcomes their initial complaint of having to race against fanciers in Essex and across a two hundred mile plus front. This has wholly negated the perceived section problem in Northamptonshire with a sensible section and everyone in the county will be back in the same section. A further dispensation was agreed that for all the fanciers and members who have resigned (in protest), then they should be offered membership again in 2011 but without any joining fee, which seems totally fair. Thus I have reversed my earlier decision and will continue to run a marking station for the BICC in 2011. In this day and age of travelling and fuel costs, a local marking station for the Nationals is important, and I feel sure some of the many Northamptonshire BICC members who have resigned will reconsider. Nobody needs reminding (do they?) that it is still the lowest race entry for a National race, and the club will still continue with the policy of turning up on the day of entry without the need to pre-book or pre-pay. The new International race of Villeneuve-sur-Lot, which is a little south east of Bordeaux and not far south of Bergerac, may also be of interest to county fanciers given a flying distance of around 550 miles. Finally on this subject the marking station will be at Grahams Pet Foods in Rushden, where there is a comprehensive range of pigeon food and products available.
Gold Rings in NCC
One of the purchasers of gold rings from the Championship Club has bought rings in preference to entering birds into a one loft race, which is an interesting aspect given it is of course far cheaper to purchase one ring at a fiver, (and look after and train the bird yourself), rather than spend considerably more than that, and then have to rely on a loft manager somewhere to rear and hopefully train your bird, along with maybe hundreds of others. The Championship Club gold ring YB race will be fair test with the race being flown on September 10th with the British Barcelona club from Fougeres, and rings are still available for anyone living in Northamptonshire.
The Hawk Petition
Signing the hawk petition seems to be the news in vogue, and one has to admire the effort that Jim Hooper is putting in, even if not every body agrees that there will necessarily be a favourable or positive outcome. Week after week I see letters in the BHW about the need to curb this raptor menace, but what I don’t see is any logical or sensible methodology in how or what would happen if legislation was passed to allow a curb to take place, or even for that matter what very specifically is being asked for from Government. Would every fancier suddenly buy them selves a shotgun ~ highly unlikely! Would certain people be licensed to kill a given number of hawks per year ~ maybe ~ but would they then be expected to sit and wait for maybe days on end for a sparrow hawk to appear at a fancier’s loft. Who would pay for that I wonder? The badger cull prompted outrage amongst the general public, and that when there is a proven (albeit questionable) scientific link between bovine tuberculosis and badgers.
Just playing “Devil’s Advocate” and food for thought!
Northampton SRFC
The “Budgie” club as it has been fondly known for a very long time seems to be growing in numbers, potentially at the expense of Northampton & District, as membership there is seemingly in decline with a transfer of members from one club to the other. The Northampton South Road club has always enjoyed its independence by transporting their own club birds to the coast, and using the classics for a Channel programme. Sadly the financial state-of-play has brought this to an end and the club has joined Leicester Fed, which comprises five other clubs; namely Carlton & Netherfield; Loughborough; Leicester Harrow; Earl Shilton & Gilmorton, and they have been sending anywhere between 800 & 1,000 birds. The 2011 OB race programme starts at Marlborough on April 23rd, and finishes on July 9th, at Lulworth Cove with an assortment of Salisbury, Portsmouth and Hullavington in between. Like any other small club wanting to transport their pigeons independently of any larger organisation, the price of fuel in 2011 is going to have an enormous impact on expenditure, and may well be giving some clubs and fanciers the inevitable “Hobson’s Choice”, of calling it a day; joining a bigger outfit or suffering the financial consequences.
The BICC in Northamptonshire
In the autumn of 2010 the committee of the BICC made a decision on sectioning that impacted hugely on members in Northants, which would have forced yet another section change on just about everyone, and as a consequence virtually every BICC member in Northamptonshire tendered their resignation ahead of the AGM. It seemed fairly pointless to me to thus consider continuing with a marking station, given the distinct likelihood of nobody turning up to have birds marked, especially knowing at the time there were in excess of 60 resignations in the north section, so felt a decision to discontinue had more or less been forced on me by the BICC’s decision over sections. I noted how the National Flying Club has attracted some poor responses from members in Devon & Cornwall by not advising members prior to an AGM of the closure of marking stations, thus giving people the option to resign if they wished without incurring the following year’s fees. I stated in mid January, and just prior to the AGM that the marking station would not be run at Ringstead in 2011. However I attended the BICC AGM at the end of January and was asked point blank if I would continue, and my reply was along the lines of::- ‘the committee’s decision to alter the section boundaries again, has goaded all these resignations, so there won’t be any members to run a marking station for’.
This prompted a discussion over sections and I am really pleased to say that new sections were agreed there and then, with a new band to run across the Midlands commencing at 600 miles threshold from Tarbes. The line that currently divides central and west is to be continued straight up to the 650 mile boundary, thus containing all the Welsh guys within the west section, and overcomes their initial complaint of having to race against fanciers in Essex and across a two hundred mile plus front. This has wholly negated the perceived section problem in Northamptonshire with a sensible section and everyone in the county will be back in the same section. A further dispensation was agreed that for all the fanciers and members who have resigned (in protest), then they should be offered membership again in 2011 but without any joining fee, which seems totally fair. Thus I have reversed my earlier decision and will continue to run a marking station for the BICC in 2011. In this day and age of travelling and fuel costs, a local marking station for the Nationals is important, and I feel sure some of the many Northamptonshire BICC members who have resigned will reconsider. Nobody needs reminding (do they?) that it is still the lowest race entry for a National race, and the club will still continue with the policy of turning up on the day of entry without the need to pre-book or pre-pay. The new International race of Villeneuve-sur-Lot, which is a little south east of Bordeaux and not far south of Bergerac, may also be of interest to county fanciers given a flying distance of around 550 miles. Finally on this subject the marking station will be at Grahams Pet Foods in Rushden, where there is a comprehensive range of pigeon food and products available.
Gold Rings in NCC
One of the purchasers of gold rings from the Championship Club has bought rings in preference to entering birds into a one loft race, which is an interesting aspect given it is of course far cheaper to purchase one ring at a fiver, (and look after and train the bird yourself), rather than spend considerably more than that, and then have to rely on a loft manager somewhere to rear and hopefully train your bird, along with maybe hundreds of others. The Championship Club gold ring YB race will be fair test with the race being flown on September 10th with the British Barcelona club from Fougeres, and rings are still available for anyone living in Northamptonshire.
The Hawk Petition
Signing the hawk petition seems to be the news in vogue, and one has to admire the effort that Jim Hooper is putting in, even if not every body agrees that there will necessarily be a favourable or positive outcome. Week after week I see letters in the BHW about the need to curb this raptor menace, but what I don’t see is any logical or sensible methodology in how or what would happen if legislation was passed to allow a curb to take place, or even for that matter what very specifically is being asked for from Government. Would every fancier suddenly buy them selves a shotgun ~ highly unlikely! Would certain people be licensed to kill a given number of hawks per year ~ maybe ~ but would they then be expected to sit and wait for maybe days on end for a sparrow hawk to appear at a fancier’s loft. Who would pay for that I wonder? The badger cull prompted outrage amongst the general public, and that when there is a proven (albeit questionable) scientific link between bovine tuberculosis and badgers.
Just playing “Devil’s Advocate” and food for thought!