SPENCER JONES OF PONTYPOOL
LOOKING OUT FOR “HENRY the NAVIGATOR”
Readers may be wondering about the significance of the above title. Well I can reveal to you that the aforementioned “Henry the Navigator” is the name given to Spencer Jones’s latest champion racer, winner of 1st Gwent Greater Distance Club 1st section 1st Open BICC Falaise 2 beating 4,928 birds entered by fanciers from all over England and Wales. That day, the 18th of May, also saw two other entries timed to take 6th and 27th Open in Spencer’s first attempt at classic racing with the BICC. Two weeks later he was at it again to once more win 1st Gwent Greater Distance Club, 1st Section 13th Open BICC. A terrific start to his channel racing season.
As I mentioned earlier, this is the latest in a long list of big race winners raced by Pontypool fancier Spencer Jones, who has been winning races with some ease in Wales for many years. Probably one of the best racers to come out of the “Jones stable” over the years was the incomparable “Folly Girl”, winner of 1st & 3rd WGNFC Lerwick in consecutive years. At this time Spencer was racing in partnership with his good friend Arthur Wistone. Whilst in partnership Spencer and Arthur knotched up an impressive series of top class performances including 1st & 3rd WGNFC Lerwick 589 miles; 2nd WGNFC Crieff 323 miles; 3rd WGNFC Crieff; 1st Welsh Combine Hexham 12,000 birds plus many club and Federation firsts. After 10 successful years together a house move to the present location saw the dissolution of the partnership although both Arthur and Spencer are still the best of friends and can usually be found supping a few beers together on Friday nights throughout the year.
In recent years Spencer has been helped by his partner Tracey, racing their birds to a modest three-sectioned loft perched high on the terraced hillside behind their lovely miner’s cottage in Snatchwood, just outside the Gwent town of Pontypool. The loft and partner may have changed but one thing that has remained constant is Spencer’s ability to breed, condition and race top-class pigeons. One of the best of the latest team of winners was a chequer cock bred in 2002 and winner of the following prizes:-
1st Fed 4,569 birds; 1st Fed 5,731 birds; 1st Fed 6,577 birds; 3rd Fed 4,253 birds; 6th Fed 3,613 birds. Add to these Federation prizes 1st Combine 17,187 birds, 4th Combine 8,677 birds and 6th Open National 3,931 birds and you have one pretty impressive racing machine. This ace racer was named “That’s My Boy” and is in turn sire of the 2008 BICC Falaise winner – blood will tell!! “That’s My Boy” is now owned by Spencer’s good friend Maurice Dann of Angell Bros.
The main bloodlines housed at present are a combination of Alan Maull Janssens, Bolton& Williamson Van Loons, Wilf Reed long distance family and Staddon Bros multi National winning bloodlines. Some Mr & Mrs Cannon birds have also recently been brought in from Keith Mott to bolster the long distance aspirations of Spencer and Tracey’s team.
The loft that houses the race team, as there are no prisoner stock - all birds fly out - is a 16ft x 6ft 3-sectioned home built structure which faces east across the valley over looking Pontypool. Once the birds are airborne they are immediately 200 feet above the valley floor and I was not surprised to be told that they exercise with relish, ranging freely across and down the valley to the south east. From our vantage point outside the loft we could clearly see the English side of the Bristol Channel some 20 miles away.
One section houses the 17 widowers that comprise the bulk of the race team. The nest boxes are substantial affairs measuring 14 inches wide and 3ft deep. Only 10 of the race cocks are mated and allowed to rear – the remaining 7 cocks are raced celibate along with 10 hens. The widowhood hens are housed on lift off perches in a 2ft wide adjoining section. Two hinged plywood doors cover the front of these perches whilst the hens occupy them, with ventilation provided by 1inch holes drilled in the plywood at regular intervals. This method of housing ensures that the hens rarely pair together. Yearlings are rarely raced beyond 300 miles with 2 year olds and older going to races up to 500 miles.
The 30 strong young bird team are housed in a 6ft x 6ft section and are separated before young bird racing begins and raced on the sliding door method. They are thoroughly trained to 30 miles before racing begins and this training takes the form of 10 or so flock liberations before, as Spencer put it “I try to lose them” with single and double up tosses at all distances in all directions. When racing, the whole team, if fit, are expected to race weekly throughout the programme to 200 miles.
Returning to the old birds, when racing, the widowers are fed Diet 200 at the beginning of the week and a stronger widowhood mixture nearer race day. The cocks are fed in their boxes using a dessert spoon and are fed to appetite but are not allowed to waste any food. All racers are treated for canker on a regular basis throughout the season.
Whilst at the loft in mid July, the race team were still in fine condition despite a hard season of channel racing. There were plenty of down feathers in evidence, both inside and sticking to the wire doors on the outside of the loft. These wire doors are an important feature of the loft design as they are in constant use ensuring excellent ventilation 24 hours a day 365 days a year. The weld mesh is covered with a fine plastic mesh which allows air to pass through but no rain, this also ensures that the birds cannot see or be disturbed by local cats.
Finally, thanks to Spencer and Tracey for their warm welcome and allowing me to handle their excellent race team. Thanks also to Arthur for providing a great deal of background information. Good luck for the future, which certainly looks bright, especially with the backing of Maurice Dann, who has generously offered to provide future stock for racing.
