DERBYSHIRE REPORTS

by Adrian Duggins

What a weekend, don’t know really where to start, so Saturday we were racing from Blandford, the weather was good perhaps for the first time this season, liberated in a east wind at the home end it was south, south west, settling down to wait, Ron arrived

And like a rocket a blue cock dropped straight through the doors, I started to call but before I could he was in the loft and waiting for me to clock him, he was two year old cock the first time he had shown. Then a few minutes later 3 more arrived all dropped well, and it was a bit disappointing for the birds were well spread out, but by the time I went to the club only 2 yearlings were missing.

Because it was the Bank Holiday weekend, I had decided to send on the Sunday night to the TauRIS Charity Open Race from Hullavington on the Monday, it was for a good cause, all the entry fees would be donated to the NSPCC Children’s Charity.

What a fantastic turnout, Jenny and myself were amazed at the amount of fanciers supporting this event, and I’m sure Gary Tomlinson who organized it was delighted, although Gary was so busy along with his wife Annette ringing the birds and taking the money, I never had time for a word.

On the Monday morning the weather was terrible, low cloud, spitting with rain, I had a big problem, for my daughter Jayne had organized for my grandson Louis to have his sixth birthday party in the grounds  at our house and if the birds couldn’t be released until later in the day, I was going to have 30 children and parents playing games in front of our lofts.

At the race point the weather was just the same, at this stage it was panic, I had relied on the early liberation and it had back fired, what could I do? I tried to talk with Jenny, but she only said “I new this happen, you shouldn’t have sent”, so no sympathy there then.

But the worst thing was we were having a Bouncy Slide, 20ft high and all the colours of the rainbow, to be erected in front of the loft. This was becoming a nightmare, I suggested to Jenny, when the men  bring the slide they will have to wait until the first birds have arrived, of course the answer to this was don’t be silly Adrian, what about all the parents and children where will they all wait?

The weather was improving, the sun was peeping through, I rang Gary on his mobile, and to my surprise, he was also at Hullavington convoying the birds, what a man, he told me the weather was in improving fast and the line of flight was good, so hopefully the birds could be up at 11-20 am. And they were.

Working out my  flying time and conditions I reckoned on 2-00 pm to clock in, just right this was when the party started, and the kids would be arriving.

This is when I put my next plan in action, I searched for all the electrical extensions I could find, jumped on the mower and cleared a big patch in the bottom of the field about 100 yards past the loft and managed to get 75 yards with the extensions.

At 1-00 pm the men arrived with the Bouncy Slide, when I asked them if it could go to the bottom of the field, they both nearly dropped through the floor, but for an extra fiver agreed to erect well past the lofts.

At 1-30 pm my Daughter Jayne arrives with Louis & Jack, and said Dad why is the Bouncy Slide at the bottom of the field, she wasn’t too pleased, but did understand her dad’s predicament.

At 1-40 the loft was open, the men were still carry all the equipment past the loft, I just sat hoping to get a bird before all the kids started to arrive and no one would be in front of the lofts, grandson Jack (3) was soon the  slide and shouting me to go to him, but Jayne went to my rescue, and at that moment a cock came from no where straight through the doors into the loft, the time 1-51 pm.

All my worries over we had a fabulous party, with games and football and I even had a go with Jack and Louis on the Bouncy Slide, but never again do I want a day like this.

Thanks to Gary for some great convoying, and all the hard work he puts into pigeons for the benefit of others.

We start the club results this week with the last two weeks, I  sorry they were left out of my column, there was a misunderstanding. Anyway my own club Darley Dale HS from Hullavington, 1st Mr & Mrs Duggins, with a 3 year old widowhood cock who has had many big wins and is a Janssen. 2nd Peter O’Connell with a 5 year old widowhood cock. 3rd S & R Ford with a 4 year old widowhood hen. 4th H & M Gregory with a yearling Janssen widowhood cock.

Darley Dale HS. Blandford. 1st Mr & Mrs Duggins, with a blue 2 year old Janssen Widowhood cock of the Joop Groenen x Harm Vredeveld lines. 3rd S & R Ford with a 4 year old widowhood hen. 4th H & M Gregory with a 3 year old Janssen widowhood cock.

Youlgrave HS. Hullavington. 1st & 2nd Harry Hodgson both natural birds, the winner Jan Arrden yearling cock and followed by “Heinz 57” yearling hen. 3rd John Brownlee with a widowhood cock.

Youlgrave HS. Blandford. 1st John Brownlee with a widowhood hen which is from Stuart Shimwell x Carl Salt lines. 2nd Harry Hodgson with a Jan Arrden widowhood hen. 3 John Brownlee with a 3 year old widowhood cock from the lines of Stuart Shimwell x Carl Salt. 4th Colin Shimwell with a Heinz 57 natural cock.

White Hart FC. Hullavington. 1st Keith Waterfall with a natural Flo Engel hen sitting. 2nd John Haynes a SVR natural hen. 3rd Mr & Mrs Tomlinson with a Van Loon natural cock. 4th Keith Waterfall with a Van Loon natural cock.

White Hart FC. Blandford. 1st Keith Waterfall with a Kevin Lawson cheq natural cock. 2nd John Haynes with a SVR natural cock. 3rd Ken Paddock with aVanden Bosch widowhood cock. 4th John Haynes with a SVR natural hen.

Pilsley & Danesmoor FC. Hullavington. 1st for the second week on the trot top fancier Denis Cantrill with Wildie x SVR widowhood cock. 2nd & 4th another top partnership of Smith & Herrett, the firsy a yearling widowhood cock of the JR lines, and a yearling widowhood cock of the famous Bitch lines. 3rd J White with a Busshaert widowhood cock.

Pilsley & Danesmoor FC. Blandford. 1st George and Johnny Kellett with a 2 year old Janssen widowhood cock, which has now won 7firsts, a grandson off “Tick Tock”. Coming into top form with 3 birds together taking 2nd, 3rd and 4th Smith & Herrett, their first a 3 year old Bitch lines widowhood cock, a 2 year old widowhood cock JR breed, and a 4 year old widowhood Bitch cock.

Codnor HS. Hullavington. 1st 2nd 3rd Steve Webb, the winner a Janssen widowhood hen of Ingram and Langton lines. The next two both Wildies also widowhood hens and once again Ingram and Langton lines. 4th Cliff Jones, with a Wildie widowhood cock from the top lofts of Mac & Jenny Stone, West Midlands.

Grassmoor HS. Hullavington. A very fast race with Roe Bros taking no 1 spot, 2nd G & J Kellett, with a widowhood Janssen cock. 3rd C Smith, and 4th hardworking secretaries Mr & Mrs Maris.

Grassmoor HS. Wincanton.  George & Johnny Kellett, must have had 3 together for there was only 4yards between their first 3 birds, taking 1, 2, 3, all were Janssen widowhood cocks, I visited them before the season started and their team of widowhood cocks looked fantastic. 4th C Smith with a widowhood cock.

Shirland MWC. Hullavington. 1st for the 3rd week G & A Tomlinson, with a yearling widowhood Janssen cock, breed off “Spinner” a  top stock cock. 2nd Dave Shakespeare with a Janssen yearling widowhood cock. 3rd & 4th Nev Leighton, the first a 3 yearold Busshaert and the next a 2 yearold Busshaert both widowhood cocks.

Over at Shirland MWC from Wincanton. G & A Tomlinson continues to dominate, winning the 4th race on the trot. With a yearling Gerveart widowhood cock, also 4th with another yearling Gerveart widowhood cock, great flying. 2nd Dave Shakespeare with a yearling widowhood cock which was also second the week before. 3rd Greaves & Wheatley, with a 2year old widowhood cock.

News, views and any results for Derbyshire, north or south please send to  email: Adrian.jenny@btopenworld. Com. Or just tel: 01629 734443.