"The Cobbler"
Northamptonshire
Ramblings
January 2010
Ramblings
January 2010
"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
My last article outlined, amongst other items, what is happening within the Northamptonshire Championship Club, albeit it was written before the club’s January AGM. That AGM has now taken place with all the same officials in place, and was just about the shortest annual general meeting I’ve ever attended, with the accounts adopted and approved, and the officers elected, and just one proposition approved unanimously ~ all in the space of about twenty five minutes. The meeting that followed on from the AGM saw four brand new member applications, with the ever efficient grapevine suggesting there may be a few more before racing commences in mid April. Perhaps the most important issues covered within this meeting were to definitely go mid-week racing inland, and to also accept new members for their first year with the club for a £75.00 subscription, albeit without entitlement to the considerable prize-pot that the NCC offers. These are clearly two fairly momentous decisions that have sparked a significant number of enquiries. It obviously has not gone unnoticed, that training from eight inland race points, to include five at the coast, with unlimited birdage is a bargain basement price, and seen as a significant opportunity to set the birds up for either Fed or Classic racing. Our Channel programme is Falaise May 1st; Alencon May 15th, Saran May 29th, Poitiers 12th, June (all convoyed by the BICC) and Bordeaux July 31st (via the BBC), with potentially around £2,000 again on offer to full members. I have been asked by fanciers both within and outside Northamptonshire, if we offer a training facility for non members, and the simple answer is “Yes”, at a cost of just 50 pence a pigeon,. Naturally members will always be loaded first, but we have space for well over 500 birds every week, so it is highly unlikely space will ever be an issue ~ We already have two conveyer’s with the necessary licences obtained, and the intention is to release the birds at about 2.00 pm from the inland locations, to see them back in the county around 4.00 - 5.00 pm.
East Midland RPRA Awards
No less than three Northamptonshire fanciers featured at the East Midland Regional Awards, which is I’m sure a satisfying achievement for those concerned. Richard Howey won the 450 mile plus category with his superb section win from the NFC 2009 Tarbes Grand National, with his chequer pied cock now named “Rockie”. Richard is of course no stranger to achieving a top position in the National Flying Club’s Premier race and ranks amongst the top distance flyers in the county. He was also runner-up for the same award in 2005, with a bird named “After Time” taking 2nd Section and 33rd Open flying 624 miles. One job I certainly have not had to do in compiling this short report, is to photograph Richard’s two pigeons, as of course most people will know Richard’s other attribute to be that of an excellent pigeon photographer; something that is certainly more involved than pointing a digital on automatic at a bird that always seems to be facing the wrong way!!
East Midland RPRA Awards
No less than three Northamptonshire fanciers featured at the East Midland Regional Awards, which is I’m sure a satisfying achievement for those concerned. Richard Howey won the 450 mile plus category with his superb section win from the NFC 2009 Tarbes Grand National, with his chequer pied cock now named “Rockie”. Richard is of course no stranger to achieving a top position in the National Flying Club’s Premier race and ranks amongst the top distance flyers in the county. He was also runner-up for the same award in 2005, with a bird named “After Time” taking 2nd Section and 33rd Open flying 624 miles. One job I certainly have not had to do in compiling this short report, is to photograph Richard’s two pigeons, as of course most people will know Richard’s other attribute to be that of an excellent pigeon photographer; something that is certainly more involved than pointing a digital on automatic at a bird that always seems to be facing the wrong way!!
The picture shows Richard Howey collecting the superb trophy from Richard Carlton at the East Midland RPRA Region AGM
In the senior citizen class Barry & Joy Andrews from Raunds were runners up, with their fine North Road performance from Perth, flying 306 miles and taking 1st Club, 1st Fed & 1st Amalgamation with their 2 year old pigeon GB07X04552. The Amalgamation is made up of Northampton and Leicester North Road Federations, and 79 members sent 579 pigeons.
Finally Clare & Russell Bradford were kindly presented with a Meritorious Award for their pigeon’s performance in the NFC Grand National from Tarbes over the last three consecutive years. This Jan Aarden cock had flown Bergerac twice at 514 miles before going to his first Tarbes race in 2007 achieving 44th, Section ‘H’, to be followed in 2008 with 12th Section, and finally in 2009 was 6th Section and 137th Open from 3,808 pigeons and a velocity of 949ypm.
The East Midland AGM agenda was rattled through, with Richard Carlton thanking everyone in the room (probably numbering around 35/40 people) for their support in 2009. Interestingly the East Midland attendance figures are as high if not higher than most other Regions, and there is clearly a solid nucleus of fanciers who attend come rain, snow or shine. There was a swift role reversal with Gwen Biggadyke becoming the new President for the Region, with Richard Carlton taking her old position of Chairperson, and Dudley Holmes continuing as the Region’s secretary.