"The Cobbler"
Northamptonshire
Ramblings
May 2011
Ramblings
May 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
Another year; another racing season, but so far in 2011 the weather seems to have blessed pigeon racing with occasional temperatures in Northamptonshire hovering around 26 degrees centigrade during some lovely sunny days. Doubtless there will be a stinker of a race lying in wait around the corner before not too long.
Championship Club
As I write this at the beginning of May the club is already a seventy mile trainer and three further races down the line, and gearing up for the first National Flying Club race from Fougeres; a race of a little under three hundred miles into the county. The first club race was from Newbury with Rodney Oakes having two birds through the ETS on the same second to record 1294. Pete Chamberlain was not to be outdone with two birds on 1294 & 1293 with Rodney having two more also on 1293, so not unfair to say a bit of a trapping race. Peter was obviously fired up after this for the second Newbury taking the first four, before we moved on to a new race point at Lyndhurst in the New Forest. With our normal convoyer down with bronchitis Jack Power and his good lady kindly volunteered to take the trailer, but their Sat Nav seemingly had a mind of its own and they finished up in Lowestoft. I do need to check the accent on that Sat Nav!! A slightly later liberation saw a terrific race with Mel Errington taking 1st & 2nd on 1564, so please Jack will you go via Lowestoft every week, even if that means you finish-up exhausted for every one else’s enjoyment.
BICC & BBC Races
You wait thirty years for a “Balcony Kiss” and two come along together; much the same as you wait all winter and two race points within thirty miles of one another arrive on the same day for a first season Channel race. The BICC were at Falaise (1) whilst the Barcelona Club decided to go slightly shorter from Carentan. There weren’t too many brave souls for either race as a strong ENE was forecast for the Channel and with both convoys up within twenty minutes of each other on the Saturday this proved (for once) an accurate prediction. Only Andy Smith sending 20 and myself sending 8 participated locally in the BBC race, and we both timed in shortly after 16.30 albeit Andy some two minutes ahead of me and flying a few miles further. In the BICC event, as always has been the case in Northants the race is seen as too early, but the downturn in entries at the Northampton marking station of just 27 was huge compared to the 250+ sent for the same race last year. The BICC of course has the one big advantage over all the other Nationals in the ability for a fancier to turn up on the day, but clearly with the cold NE wind seen on every forecast most had decided to give this one a miss. Fancier of the moment in Northamptonshire Peter Chamberlain clocked a hen bred for him by Cameron Stansfield, who years ago also lived in Burton Latimer, and this pigeon was having her very first Channel race ~ some induction to crossing the Ditch!! On the provisional result Peter takes a very well earned third north section, given the hard race it clearly was, and although the position may well drop he is 39th provisionally open from an entry of 1,864 pigeons.
Harrowden Federation
I still find technology amazing, in that my family and friends in Australia could be watching that wedding in real time and phoning and speaking to one another from the other side of the world to discuss such items as the Bride’s flowers, at the same time as actually watching the occasion live, whilst a pigeon racing result seemingly cannot be produced within eight days of the race, because we still are at the mercy of the postal service and bank holidays. It truly beggars belief that we are still operating in the dark ages, with incredibly some clubs and their illustrious members seemingly revelling in being part of a bygone era, resistant to all progress and change. I cannot think of another sport where a result takes so long to compile, and where when it is produced so little interest is shown in it, because essentially the moment has passed. The second Fed race took place from Eastbourne, which is as far East as the Fed has ever been in recent times, offering a good alternative and a potential trainer for birds being dragged across to a narrower Channel crossing on the races with a Continental influence. With 78 members sending 1,338 birds; and up at just after 7.00 am into no wind and a day likely to get sticky a good decision was made for this sprint from around 110/120 miles. One of the smallest clubs namely Northampton provided 1st & 2nd to Phil Page & Ron Bennett respectively, and although asked no details were forthcoming from the winner. Ron Bennett’s pigeon clocked after two hours nineteen is a Wildermeesch with the sire and dam direct from Steve Gilbert from Burnley. From the smallest club to one of the bigger ones ~ Milton Keynes with Harvey & Warner timing two birds three seconds apart and both on 1420 YPM separated by less than a third of a yard. It is clearly all about trapping in these shorter races as fifth and sixth Fed in a further two different clubs were also on the same yard (1415) namely Graham Groom from Burton Latimer and Dick Gasson at Desborough; so again four clubs in the top six positions. If you then count Wellingborough; another of the smallest clubs and Dave Gent’s seventh Fed pigeon (a son of Tyson), and he took 1st & 2nd club, then five clubs are in the top seven of the Fed, which has to be a healthy spread.
Bletchley Park
As just about everyone in the County is aware, the collection made in the name of the Late Barry Hobbs is to be donated to the pigeon war museum at Bletchley Park. It is of course still possible to offer a donation via Abbotts Funeral Directors in Raunds. On July 19th, the new President of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association David Higgins will be in attendance at the Polish Day ~ an excellent public day and a cheque presentation will be made to him to accept on behalf of the war museum by Barry’s Widow June, and his Son Troy who continues to race the partnership’s pigeons. Liberation of around a hundred or so pigeons is planned as in previous years, but it would be significant and meaningful if Northants fanciers could take an afternoon out to attend as a Tribute to Barry and his family, and of course cast an eye over the museum if you have never been to Bletchley Park before.
Championship Club
As I write this at the beginning of May the club is already a seventy mile trainer and three further races down the line, and gearing up for the first National Flying Club race from Fougeres; a race of a little under three hundred miles into the county. The first club race was from Newbury with Rodney Oakes having two birds through the ETS on the same second to record 1294. Pete Chamberlain was not to be outdone with two birds on 1294 & 1293 with Rodney having two more also on 1293, so not unfair to say a bit of a trapping race. Peter was obviously fired up after this for the second Newbury taking the first four, before we moved on to a new race point at Lyndhurst in the New Forest. With our normal convoyer down with bronchitis Jack Power and his good lady kindly volunteered to take the trailer, but their Sat Nav seemingly had a mind of its own and they finished up in Lowestoft. I do need to check the accent on that Sat Nav!! A slightly later liberation saw a terrific race with Mel Errington taking 1st & 2nd on 1564, so please Jack will you go via Lowestoft every week, even if that means you finish-up exhausted for every one else’s enjoyment.
BICC & BBC Races
You wait thirty years for a “Balcony Kiss” and two come along together; much the same as you wait all winter and two race points within thirty miles of one another arrive on the same day for a first season Channel race. The BICC were at Falaise (1) whilst the Barcelona Club decided to go slightly shorter from Carentan. There weren’t too many brave souls for either race as a strong ENE was forecast for the Channel and with both convoys up within twenty minutes of each other on the Saturday this proved (for once) an accurate prediction. Only Andy Smith sending 20 and myself sending 8 participated locally in the BBC race, and we both timed in shortly after 16.30 albeit Andy some two minutes ahead of me and flying a few miles further. In the BICC event, as always has been the case in Northants the race is seen as too early, but the downturn in entries at the Northampton marking station of just 27 was huge compared to the 250+ sent for the same race last year. The BICC of course has the one big advantage over all the other Nationals in the ability for a fancier to turn up on the day, but clearly with the cold NE wind seen on every forecast most had decided to give this one a miss. Fancier of the moment in Northamptonshire Peter Chamberlain clocked a hen bred for him by Cameron Stansfield, who years ago also lived in Burton Latimer, and this pigeon was having her very first Channel race ~ some induction to crossing the Ditch!! On the provisional result Peter takes a very well earned third north section, given the hard race it clearly was, and although the position may well drop he is 39th provisionally open from an entry of 1,864 pigeons.
Harrowden Federation
I still find technology amazing, in that my family and friends in Australia could be watching that wedding in real time and phoning and speaking to one another from the other side of the world to discuss such items as the Bride’s flowers, at the same time as actually watching the occasion live, whilst a pigeon racing result seemingly cannot be produced within eight days of the race, because we still are at the mercy of the postal service and bank holidays. It truly beggars belief that we are still operating in the dark ages, with incredibly some clubs and their illustrious members seemingly revelling in being part of a bygone era, resistant to all progress and change. I cannot think of another sport where a result takes so long to compile, and where when it is produced so little interest is shown in it, because essentially the moment has passed. The second Fed race took place from Eastbourne, which is as far East as the Fed has ever been in recent times, offering a good alternative and a potential trainer for birds being dragged across to a narrower Channel crossing on the races with a Continental influence. With 78 members sending 1,338 birds; and up at just after 7.00 am into no wind and a day likely to get sticky a good decision was made for this sprint from around 110/120 miles. One of the smallest clubs namely Northampton provided 1st & 2nd to Phil Page & Ron Bennett respectively, and although asked no details were forthcoming from the winner. Ron Bennett’s pigeon clocked after two hours nineteen is a Wildermeesch with the sire and dam direct from Steve Gilbert from Burnley. From the smallest club to one of the bigger ones ~ Milton Keynes with Harvey & Warner timing two birds three seconds apart and both on 1420 YPM separated by less than a third of a yard. It is clearly all about trapping in these shorter races as fifth and sixth Fed in a further two different clubs were also on the same yard (1415) namely Graham Groom from Burton Latimer and Dick Gasson at Desborough; so again four clubs in the top six positions. If you then count Wellingborough; another of the smallest clubs and Dave Gent’s seventh Fed pigeon (a son of Tyson), and he took 1st & 2nd club, then five clubs are in the top seven of the Fed, which has to be a healthy spread.
Bletchley Park
As just about everyone in the County is aware, the collection made in the name of the Late Barry Hobbs is to be donated to the pigeon war museum at Bletchley Park. It is of course still possible to offer a donation via Abbotts Funeral Directors in Raunds. On July 19th, the new President of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association David Higgins will be in attendance at the Polish Day ~ an excellent public day and a cheque presentation will be made to him to accept on behalf of the war museum by Barry’s Widow June, and his Son Troy who continues to race the partnership’s pigeons. Liberation of around a hundred or so pigeons is planned as in previous years, but it would be significant and meaningful if Northants fanciers could take an afternoon out to attend as a Tribute to Barry and his family, and of course cast an eye over the museum if you have never been to Bletchley Park before.