By Jimmy Graham

Well gentlemen, I have to say this; in all my years of racing pigeons (more than I care to remember), I must admit this was the worst race I’ve ever flown.

Never before have I seen weather like that, we had rain, fog, mist, strong winds and visibility down to only three hundred yards at times.

‘It must be a holdover’, was the talk, it had to be……….but then we were told they were up at Leyland at 11.00am. We were flabbergasted to say the least!

No-one could understand why, we looked for the worst and that was exactly what we got. Half the convoy never made it and as I write these notes on the Wednesday we’re still in the same boat.

I got one this morning but I’m still down five……

However even with all the disastrous weather the winning pigeons were bang on time with everyone getting a few rapid but soon that was to dry up and then that was it.

I felt sorry for the natural fliers - some Cocks and Hens started looking for their partners and began leaving their eggs.

We don’t want a repeat of this; we’ve enough trouble with the peregrine and sparrow hawk.

Anyway the damage is done,let’s get on with the results.

90 members sent 1, 1771 birds down to Leyland on Saturday 26th April. The strings were cut at 11.00am into a light South wind but at the home end the wind had turned into a South-East.

As I mentioned before the winners romped into Langholm where the leading seven birds recorded velocities into the 1600’s.

A much different race from the West Section boys, where the winner recorded 1326.

Topping the Fed was D.Nordon of Langholm, timing his good Blue Cock to take 1st Club, 1st Section, and 1st Open on 1682.

Derrick timed a second one to take 4th Club, 4th Section and 4th Open on 1658.

R.V.Graham timed five taking 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th Fed and Open doing between 1666 and 1588.

Gordon Grant Jnr.  Mr. & Mrs.Gus Power and R.S.R.Rome & R.J.Rome take the last three.

Annan Homing Club rung 173 birds this week from only 9 members competing (twenty-five years ago Annan had a membership of fifty according to the local paper), how times have changed……..

R.S.R.Rome & R.J.Rome rattled six quick ones through their ETS to take 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th 7th and 8th Club.

His winning pigeon on 1504 took 10th Open. The others recorded velocities of between 1499 to 1410.

R. & M.Seaton nipped in 3rd and 4th Club doing 1434 and 1430.

Annan Homing Club (from Shap, the previous week) went to P.E.Heslop doing 1366.

R. & M.Seaton were 2nd and 3rd with 1355 and 1308.

J.F.McCarton is 4th with 1261 and A. Simmons was 5th doing 1256.

Brydekirk Homing Club sent 127 birds from 7 members and taking the Red is R.J.B.Renwick doing 1383.

A yard behind is Scaife & Garner timing two to record 1337 and 1255 to take 2nd and 5th Club.

J.M.Dalgliesh came in 3rd doing 1301.  J.M.Halliday took 4th on 1209.

Eastriggs Homing Club went to W.Pirie doing 1320. A winner by eleven yards from Mr.  & Mrs.Chris Little who timed the next three on 1309, 1215 and 1207.

A.Dunglinson was 5th doing 1142.

Lockerbie Homing Club had 52 birds away from 6 members. At the top of the ladder this week is Kenny Thomson timing three good ones to take 1st, 2nd and 4th on 156, 1099 and 1047.

Tom Agnew is 3rd doing 1072.

Hoddam Flying Club had 183 birds competing from 9 members and taking the Red for the second week running is G.Dalgliesh & Son. They timed a Yearling Mealy Cock to win 1st Club on 1397. The Dam of the winner was bought at the T.Nicol of Langholm dispersal sale through Derrick Dordon stock.

J.Carruthers comes in 2nd on 1386.  Jimmy Dalgliesh takes 3rd doing 1385.  Mr.  & Mrs.J.Graham are 4th with 1357 and W.Gilmour 5th doing 1356.

Springfield Homing Club had 351 birds rung from 13 members and its Gordon Grant Jnr. taking the chequered flag this week. Gordon’s bird went on to win 1st Club, 8th Open on 1588.

Mr. & Mrs.Gus Power takes 2nd Club and 9th Open on 1570.

E.Hodgson & Sons came in 3rd doing 1410.

S.M. & J.McLean is 4th with 1395 and R.White is 5th with 1383.

The West Section

The West Section sent 602 birds from 34 members.

Lynn & Charteris of Dumfries Social Circle top the Section

with their Blue Bar Pied Hen doing 1326. They had a second bird taking 3rd Section and 2nd Club doing 1213.

JimSeaton came in 3rd Club, 10th Section doing 1117.

Dumfries Flying Club had 10 members send 252 birds and Karl Guenther timed the leading three to take 1st, 2nd 3rd Club and 2nd, 4th, 6th Section doing 1232,1179 and 1171.

J.Copland took 4th Club, 7th Section with 1165.

R.Dalgliesh was 5th Club, 9th Section doing 1119.

Nith Valley Club had W.J.Smith doing it again to take 1st Club, 5th Section from J.Millar. They were doing 1173 and 1165.

They were flying against 101 birds sent from 8 members.

Clintpark Young Bird Gold Ring

Don’t forget about the Gold Ring Young Bird race at the end of the season.

The First prize in this race is £1,000 plus there are two kitchen TV’s and twenty-five prizes paid out in all.

Entry fee is £5 per bird and entry forms can be got from Jimmy Graham, ‘Clintpark’, Ecclefechan, DG11 3JH.

Thank you to Gordon Grant for sponsoring this race.

Well that wraps it up for this week, next week we have Stafford.

As always any news call on 01576300615 or e-mail address    jimgraham30@hotmail.com.

“Clintpark”