L&SECC TARBES CLASSIC

(24th JUNE 2011)

The London & South East Classic's third race of the season was from Tarbes when 86 members sent 387 pigeons, released on Friday 24th June at 7am with no wind given at the liberation point. What ensued was a stern test for these 500 mile pigeons as they encountered north-west turning westerly winds, with bands of inclement weather as they neared their journey's end. However, one extremely delighted fancier clocked on the day in almost complete darkness to win this prestigious race.

The Provisional result may be subject to change depending on second and other pigeons clocked.

Probable 1st SW Section and 1st Open and with the only bird on the day flying 524 miles 587 yards is Dave Bridger of East Preston who timed his 3 year old Blue WF hen now named ‘PIPI’ at 21.33pm in rain and near darkness. The name ‘Pipi’ has been taken from Pipistrelle Bat because at first Dave thought it was a bat that had flipped around the top of the loft, only to find on closer inspection that his game hen had just dropped onto the landing board. She was sent sitting 12 day old eggs and had previously flown this season Fougeres with the South Coast Fed and Tours with the L&SECC. Her bloodline is full of birds that have excelled at the distance with three of her four grandparents being birds that were on loan from Dave’s good friends Vince & Sarah Crossley of Askern in Yorkshire. The fourth grandparent being from the outstanding partnership of Crammond & Langstaff of Fontwell who recently won 1st Open NFC Messac. Although being a very consistent bird and always being thereabouts on race days, she has never set things alight but now at 3 years old and having the race experience has finally proved what she is really worth. A special thanks must go to fellow Littlehampton Club members Roy Jarvis and Malcolm Collis because without their persuasion Dave probably would not have been racing with the Classic Club this year. At the time of writing these notes Dave, had seven of his ten entries home, which is a credit to the convoyers and organisers of the Classic Club for keeping the birds in such good condition during their time in the basket.

2nd Open 2nd South West Section was one of the top classic 500mile plus fanciers, Ray Hammond of Albury. With a velocity of 916, Ray clocked an 07 Hen, racing to 2-day-old chicks at basketing. Her preparation was 2 x 25 mile tosses and a Kingsdown race, some 120 miles. She was certainly bred for this race as her mother flew Tarbes last year and recorded 13th Open; she again was clocked and should make the top 50, Ray confirmed it is his intention to send her back next year to try and win a Diploma of Merit award. The Sire of the 2nd Open is from Ray's old distance family and he won the Combine from Bergerac (when only 5 got home on the day). He was paired to the 13th open hen; she is from Malcolm Parker when paired to Ray's Pau Classic winner ‘Simply the Best’.

3rd Open 3rd South West Section was the partnership of N & D Harding & Griffin of Portslade with a velocity of 881. Unfortunately at the time of completing this provisional report I have no details to hand.

4th Open 4th South West Section was the outstanding fancier D & D McFadden. With a Velocity of 869, Darren timed a 3 yo cock that had been on roundabout but was sent paired sitting 8/9 days. This is its 2nd time to Tarbes winning 31st Open last season, so he will be aimed at going back next season to win a Diploma of Merit award. His breeding is Cannon and he is bred from Darren’s top stud cock ‘Megan’s Lad’. Darren’s second pigeon was timed at 10.20 and this fantastic blue cock of Van Berkel bloodlines, from one of Darren’s best Pau performers, should also be in line for a Diploma of Merit award, this after winning 49th Open in 2009 and 25th Open in 2010 from Tarbes.

5th Open 5th South West Section was Daryll Luxford of Horley. With a velocity of 867, Daryll clocked his 07 latebred blue chequer cock called "Fred", named after a dear friend who passed away a few years back, Fred Wadmore of Copthorne. Fred in 2010 won 36th Open Tarbes, so he again will be aimed at Tarbes in 2012. Fred was sent on widowhood and was having his 4th Channel race of the season, having taken 12 1/2 hours from Cholet early June but it didn’t appear to have taken too much out of him. He is bred by Gavin Mitchell of Horsham being bred down from John Puddephatt of Ferring, Duke and Prince lines.

6th Open 1st North East Section was Dave and Rob Wilton of Chadwell St Mary. With a velocity of 865, the partnership clocked a 07 latebred blue chequer cock flown on widowhood. The sire was purchased at the late Cecil Bulled Sale, as recommended by Mark Bulled, a close friend of the Dave and Rob, and he is from Cecil's old long distance family. Paddy Kelly of Harlow gave the dam as a gift to the partnership and she is from the lines of Keith Mott's (current President of the L&SECC) ‘Apollo’ and ‘The Besant Hen’. I handled this pair and what a wonderful successful pair of pigeons most would have enjoyed having in their stock team. The 6th open cock as a yearling only raced a couple of inland races, before going across the Channel as a two-year and he too flew Tarbes last year. The loft had two more pigeons soon after which will probably both make the top 50; the second pigeon is from Cecil Bulled lines and the third Mark Bulled. One special mention must be to Rob's son Andrew, who completes the entire breeding programme and prepares the birds for the distance races as Rob leans more to sprint racing. With Mark a mentor, I’m sure this loft will go from strength to strength.

7th Open 1st South East Section was the loft of G. Townsend of St Pauls Cray with a velocity 832. He clocked a three-year-old Blue Chequer hen sent sitting 12 days. She was Graham’s first bird in 2010 from Bergerac, which she completed on the day, and was specially prepared for this Tarbes race. Her bloodlines are Fear Brothers, which are the main distance breed in the stock loft.

26th Open, 1st North West Section was the loft of Dick Burgin and Tom Marshall with a velocity of 712. They timed a 3-year-old Van Reet Blue Chequer Hen sent sitting 16 days and it was her 4th Channel race of the season. This is another in form loft having won their combine from Le Mans last season and was 10th Open BBC Poitiers this season; the loft also won 22nd Open Tours this year.

DARYLL LUXFORD (L&SECC PRESS OFFICER).

PRESIDENT’S COMMENT - KEITH MOTT 

I’m highly delighted with Rube Johnson’s good comments about our new ventilated curtains on the Classic’s transporter! Speaking as an ex-convoyer, I think our vehicle is now spot on for taking our members' pigeons to the race points. As in previous races this season, Rube and his assistant Ian Mead did a great job on our Tarbes Classic and I must say my own pigeons returned in excellent condition from the 560 mile race. A special congratulation is in order to the N. & D. Harding & C. Griffin partnership of Portslade who recorded 3rd open from Tarbes! These lads have been major workers the Steyning marking station for many seasons and even turn up to mark the pigeons when they are not sending to the race. Once again it is great to see some of our main workers up there in the first few in the open result. Well done lads!

I had a conversation with Clare Norman, secretary of the CSCFC, the day after the race and she told me her brother in-law, Bill Norman of Southampton, was highly delighted to clock his first ever day pigeon from Tarbes and win 4th open CSCFC. Again Billy is a great worker for their Classic Club and it’s great to see him enjoy his success. I will be calling for a ‘Steward’s Inquiry’ on the Tarbes race! How can the Classic Chairman beat the Classic President on decimals from a 560 mile race? Well he did! I’m delighted to see our hard working Chairman, Brian Doick and his side kick Russell Broad, up there in the first few home, even if he did beat me on a decimal! Two very special performances were put up by the two winners of the L&SECC and CSCFC. It was very special for Betty and me to see our good friends, John and Linda Tyerman of Bracklesham win the CSCFC and in great style with his game little blue hen. Johnny is a former President of the L&SECC and we have been mates for many years, and he has not enjoyed good health in recent months, so it is very special for him to win this race right now. Well done mate! The L&SECC winner, David Bridger of East Preston, recoded the only bird on the day of liberation from Tarbes and won the London Classic by a big margin, on what turned out to be a very testing race. Congratulations to David on a wonderful performance! I hope to visit our Tarbes winner shortly, with the view to penning a loft article.

WEATHER REPORT FROM STEVE APPLEBY

Unfortunately leaden overcast skies over the race point delayed liberation of the LSECC & CSCFC pigeons from Tarbes until 07:00 hours. This lost time obviously was one of the main factors that decided the number of day birds timed in on Friday evening. Weather conditions though France were good of broken cloud and sunshine. The north westerly air flow over southern and central France was light but changed to westerly over northern and France. A south westerly air flow then became available assisting the leading birds crossing the channel on Friday evening. A rain belt arrived from the west later Friday afternoon and quickly moved across England overnight as was forecast. This development produced some rain Friday evening and early on Saturday morning over southern England before clearing to the north and east. Unfortunately this inclement weather did not move away as quickly as forecast and became almost stationary obstructing the flight path for those birds having reaching the main land. As Saturday morning moved on conditions improved significantly for second day pigeons crossing the channel supported by liberations taking place from France. Well done to all those pigeons timed in.

CONVOYER’S REPORT FROM RUBE JOHNSON (24/6/2011) 

My assistant for the Tarbes race, Ian Mead and I dropped off empty baskets at the marking stations the day before marking. On marking day we picked up pigeons at South Ockendon and Maidstone arriving at Leatherhead at 11.45hrs for the final pick up. All the birds were watered at the marking stations. We set off for Southampton to pick up the C.S.C.F.C. birds at 12.45hrs and arrived at the marking station at 14.30hrs. The whole convoy were lightly fed and watered at Portsmouth docks and we sailed for Caen at 22.45hrs. Docking in France at 05.45hrs, we were soon on the road and arrived at motorway services south of Bordeaux for our night stop at 15.45hrs and the birds were fed at 17.00hrs. Next morning we were on the road early and arrived at the Tarbes Geant Casino Supermarket liberation site at 11.30hrs, to the welcoming site of blue sky and sun shine, in fact the weather conditions for our whole run through France was brilliant. I rang Steve Appleby at 19.00hrs and he gave me a line of flight weather report for the Friday and said it looked good for a liberation.

I awoke at 04.30hrs on the Friday morning to a 100% over cast sky at Tarbes and after getting a good flight line weather report at 05.00hrs from Steve Appleby back in Guildford, I decided the race was on when the cloud had cleared. The weather cleared by 06.45hrs and I cut the strings and liberated the convoy at 07.00hrs in no wind. The birds cleared instantly and headed in a northerly direction. The weather conditions on our drive back to Caen docks were perfect for 550 mile racing and the wind picked up to be light North West on route. Thanks to Ian Mead and Steve Appleby for their very hard work on this the longest old bird Classic race! I would like to add that the new ventilated curtains on the L&SECC transporter are brilliant and have improved the vehicle no end. When ever we stopped and opened the back of the transporter the pigeon racking area was cool and dust free. A great job!