CHESHIRE CHATTER

with Caroline & Carl Turner

We received a nice letter from John O’Grady last week, brother of Mick O’Grady of Winsford with regards to the sale that Mick organised a few weeks ago in aid of Manchester’s Royal Infirmary. John wrote: “Dear Mr & Mrs Turner, I have been passed both of your names as two of the people who helped to raise the magnificent sum of £705 to go towards Kidney Transplantation, my brother Michael informed me of the efforts you both went to, to ensure that a large amount of publicity was given to this very worth while cause in the pigeon publication of the British Homing World. You might be aware that in 2007 our son-in-law Martin was diagnosed with total kidney failure and that we were very fortunate that I was a good match for him and so the operation was successfully completed in November of last year and am very pleased to say that we have now both fully recovered and Martin is back leading as normal a life as is possible.

With the money raised by your wonderful organisation and some other money raised through a 10 kilometre run in March of this year we will shortly be able to donate twenty one (21) portable DVD players to the Renal Ward 10 at the MRI, Manchester in order to allow these very unfortunate people to relax a little whilst undergoing their treatment. We could not have achieved this without the help of people like you, Michael and his wife Margaret. I would be most grateful if you could forward the contents of this letter to your publishers for all of the very kind members of the pigeon fraternity who contributed to this cause and I sincerely hope that I can rely on your most kind generosity again next year.

In closing may I once again send my sincere thanks to you all and wish you all the very best in the Pigeon World, yours most sincerely, John O’Grady”

Thanks for that John and I am sure the donors involved are happy with your gratitude. Our sport has contributed massively to charitable events in the past and long may it continue. We for one will always try to give to every charitable request when we have pigeons available.

Looking on the Internet website ‘Metcheck’ for the next couple of weeks almost through to the end of May and it is suggesting nearly all east and northeast winds except for the odd days. If this is the case then it is well worth entering these early National events, as these winds will favour the northwest fanciers, which is unusual at this time of the year.

RESULTS 2008

Graham Davies sent over the result of the Hankelow FC’s race from Swainswick when 10 members sent 182 birds out into a strong south wind. Topping the list as he has so many times before is Joe Glover ably assisted by his grandson who together clock Joe’s good 7 year old Ken Whitehouse Janssen cock recording 1939 ypm sent sitting 14 days and which has won every year to date and also collects the Nom. 2nd and 3rd goes to Graham Davies himself doing 1928 and 1905 with a 2 yo blue Janssen w/h cock followed by a 2 yo dark cheq Marcelis w/h cock leaving 4th place for Roy Jolley doing 1903 with a 3 yo blue Busschaert odd hen.

Going back a race we have the result of Winsford HS from their Cheltenham race when 1st and 2nd went to M/M A Austin doing 1224 and 1189 ypm. First to trap was a 4 yr old pied Verheye w/h cock, which has won every year either in North or East winds, following this one was a 4 yo blue w/f FVW w/h cock, which has also won before for the partnership. Jones Bros clock two quick uns for 3rd and 4th with a Healterman x Clemens 3 yo blue hen sitting 14 days and again is a previous 1st prizewinner. A yearling cheq w/f Andre Clemens cock on drive is their next in the clock with their vels being 1156 and 1143 ypm.

Over at Wettenhall 10 Bird M/M A Austin slip up by only taking 1st and 3rd but their first bird motored on to do 1272 ypm some 93 ypm in front of the second placed bird. This one is a son off their RPRA award winning FVW cock who won 5 races in East winds. Their 3rd placed bird is a blue w/f yearling w/h cock from their Cherra family of FVW’s. G A Jones clocks for second place doing 1179 with a cheq pied yearling w/h Janssen cock whilst 4th went to Jones Bros with a cheq pied Tasker lines cock sent sitting and which prized as a y/b last year.

Crewe Premier FC were at Cheltenham again when 16 members sent 249 birds, which were let out in a strong tail wind which saw most members clock without their birds even breaking sweat, we don’t want too many of these races or the birds will come unstuck when they do hit a stiff wind or two. Anyway there always has to be a winner no matter what the winds and this race went to Peever & Parkinson doing 1931 with a yearling blue pied Van Loon w/h cock, which was one of a batch of six youngsters exchanged with Micky Day from Hartlepool last year. D Lawton comes 2nd with a 3 yo hen w/f Dordin x Alan Shore roundabout hen recording 1908 ypm. She has previously timed in from Tarbes with the NFC in 2007 and her sire won the NWCC Saintes race and her dam is a g/dam of 1st Sec L Saintes with the NFC. In 3rd we have Dave Jenks with a 3 yo dark pied Ron Williamson Busschaert w/h cock doing 1878 ypm. M/M George Price claim 4th place with a 2 yo doing 1875 ypm.

Greenbank FC’s race from Swainswick I was won by Mellor Bros with a 3 yo blue pied Huybregts hen sent on roundabout recording 1942 ypm. M/M C Turner claim 2nd and 4th places with two yearling blue Staf Van Reet w/h cocks having their first race of the season doing 1931.575 and 1928 ypm. Peever & Parkinson clock a 2 yo pencil blue Staf Van Reet w/h cock to take 3rd spot.

Kingsway HS results were sent over by Andy Noon and he goes on to say that 11 members sent 105 birds to Cheltenham, which were liberated at 11 am in a cold n/e wind and the winners this week were Carl Hickman & Shovelton who timed a 3yr old cock to win easily, “good bird that Carl especially where you live”. In 2nd place for the second time in 2 weeks is the Latchford ace John Hill who timed in a 5yr old blue cock bred by W. Mather of Woolston. This cock has been a good bird for John and draws money regularly for him. In 3rd it’s the Howley legend Don Risley who put a yearling blue cock in the clock. In 4th place its Ray ‘Woggy’ Worrall who watched a 2yr old cock mess about before entering the loft to be clocked and this bit of info comes from a reliable source, Ste Cooke who is helping Ray with his babies this year. Onto race 4, which was from Cheltenham again, only this week it was a quicky in comparison to last week’s tough un. In the winner’s enclosure this week is Andy Noon and Geoff Callan who time in DWF whom is a 3yr old widower notching up his 3rd red card. In 2nd place it’s the Woolston ace himself Capt W Mather who timed in the same yearling cock that was 2nd club, 18th fed at Kempsey, this bird being a Vandenabeele from Ponderosa x a Janssen from P. Reeves Warrington. In 3rd and 4th places are none other than J Kirk & son who had 2 drop together, the first a cheq cock and 2nd his good 3yr blue pied cock winner of many prizes inc topping the fed and combine last year.

Just had chance to enter the first of the results from Ken Owen of the Earlstown club. He will hopefully be getting more info from the winning fanciers so don’t be shy in coming forward ladies and gents. Their first race with the Mid-Cheshire was the flipper from Kempsey when Ken Owen himself took the first four places doing 1511/1503/1500 and 1496 ypm. The first official fed race from Cheltenham saw W & P Brown claim top honours doing 1170, followed by Ken Owen on 1169 with 3rd and 4th going to K Parkinson with velocities of 1154 and 1147 ypm. Cheltenham II saw the R & B Smith Partnership take 1st and 2nd with velocities of 1944 and 1940 ypm. W & P Brown are doing 1938 to take 3rd leaving 4th to Ken Owen recording 1929 ypm.

Mid-Cheshire Fed’s winners from Cheltenham (26/4) were R & B Smith with the Earlstown club who claimed 1st and 2nd doing 1944 and 1941 ypm from the 1692 birds liberated in a strong south wind. W & M Brown also with the Earlstown club take 3rd and 9th Fed doing 1938/1926 ypm. Middlewich winners O’Hare & Woodward are 4th, 1933, Crewe Premier winners Peever & Parkinson claim 5th doing 1931. Earlstown’s K R Owen is 6th, 1929, D Risley winner of Royal Wires is 7th and 10th, 1928/1924 ypm, leaving K J Parkinson from Earlstown to claim 8th Fed doing 1928 ypm. 

Contact us at Fields Farm, Sydney Road, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1-5LT. Tel: - 07971 290720.  Fax:-01270 253181. Email: - carlt@hicksonturner.co.uk. Guard dogs patrol and they DO bite!