This is a brief report to honour the memory of one of the best long distance racers ever to have raced into the Rhondda Valley. Come to think of it, there can’t have been many pigeons in the whole of Wales with a better record in long distance races than this brave red hen bred and raced by the Ferndale partnership of Edgar Rogers and Ian James.
“Molly” was bred in 1998 and began her winning ways from Pau, 596 miles, in the 2000 season when she won 1st Maerdy H.S.; 1st Ferndale H.S.; 12th Rhondda Valley Fed; 13th sect, 28th Open WSRNFC; 2nd Rhondda Valley 600 mile Social Circle with a velocity of 686 ypm.
In the 2001 season Molly, along with her loft mates, was switched to the east/west route and in the Herstal race at 399 miles she homed to win 23rd sect 96th Open National with more than 1,000 birds competing.
We next move on to the 2002 season and Molly was once again racing on the south road into Wales and in the San Sebastian National at 580 miles she was timed to win 2nd sect 13th Open National and 1st Rhondda Valley 600 mile social circle, in a very hard race, velocity 616 ypm.
The 2003 season witnessed probably Molly’s greatest performance as in the Dax race at 560 miles, she was clocked to win 1st Maerdy H.S. 2nd sect 11th Open Welsh SR Fed; 1st sect 12th Open Welsh SR Amal; 1st sect 13th Open Welsh SRNFC and 1st Rhondda Valley 600 mile Social Circle. I can’t recall any other pigeon in the history of the Rhondda Valley 600 mile SC that has won the prestigious trophy twice and has also been runner up once. I could of course be wrong as I know that Diller and Dai Morgan of Tylorstown raced a superb black hen that won a number of the Social Circle trophies in the late 70s /early 80s. Nevertheless Molly’s performances in a succession of tough long distance races from France and Belgium stands scrutiny with any of the great long distance performers of the past.
Unfortunately there isn’t a happy ending to this story as Molly failed to return from a short preparatory race from Salisbury in 2005. It later transpired that she was killed by a peregrine some miles from home, her body found and her fate reported to her devastated owners. So much for the RSPB mantra that peregrines only take the sick, lame or lazy!
Perhaps at this stage it might be of interest to give some background details on Edgar Rogers and Ian James, the proud breeders and conditioners of Champion Molly. I first visited the lofts of Edgar in 1973 when, racing in partnership with Russell Davies, he clocked a cracker in the Thurso National to win 2nd Open. This winner, a grizzle hen, went on to win a number of other top prizes for the partners in National races. The present partnership was formed in late 1985 soon after Ian moved into a house across the road from Edgar’s home. The first time that Ian visited was on the day of the Carlisle young bird National and lo and behold Edgar clocked his good young hen “Pamela” to win 1st club; 1st Fed; 1st Combine; 1st WGNFC in a stinker of a race with only 19 young birds clocked on the day into Wales from a convoy of more than 10,000 birds. In 2001 the partners won 1st Fed; 1st Amal; 1st National Boom 340 miles with a 2yo cock sent sitting 14 days and shortly after won 1st Fed; 1st Amal 3rd Open National Herstal at close on 400 miles.
Unfortunately, in recent years, a great deal of housing development has been carried out near the loft, with the result that Edgar and Ian can no longer condition the birds as they would like as the birds are unable to exercise freely around home. Nevertheless, with the partners track record of regularly unearthing little gems of individual racers I shouldn’t be surprised to see them at the top of yet another National result in the very near future.
