EAGLESCLIFFE NEWS

by Keith Simpson

SELBY 2

   The Up North Combine was at Mansfield (Worksop) on Saturday 11th April for the Combines second race of the new season. Its good to tell that the racing season has started for the weather over the past few weeks has not been very good at all for Pigeon racing in general, both the Selby Open and the first official Selby race resulted in basketing being suspended for 24 hours with the outcome resulting in two very good races on both Sundays. Back to the Mansfield race where there was certainly no improvement in the weekend weather from the previous two Saturdays, the conditions at the race point at 7.30am and enroute was full cloud cover but the home end had broken cloud and sunshine. 9.00am saw the conditions at the race point the same as early morning, Chief Convoyer Steve Profitt spoke to the forecasters who assured him the weather would improve by dinnertime. By 11.00am the race site had light drizzle and a very cold north west wind, Steve spoke to the forecasters again at 12.30pm who informed him that the improving weather would reach the race point, so Steve decided to wait as long as possible to make a final decion. At 2.00pm the conditions were still not good enough for a liberation, so Steve decided to wait another 45 minutes just in case the forecasted weather appeared. As there was more drizzle at the race point at 2.20pm Steve decided to hold the birds over, the birds were fed at 3.30pm with the waters constantly monitored. At 6.45am on Sunday the weather was not good at the race point with very poor visibility down to 800 yards, Steve spoke to the forecasters who advised him that the conditions at the race point would not improve enough to get a race, the lad then contacted a number of people on the UNC line of flight, from Selby to the home end gave good weather. The forecaster advised Steve that the conditions at Selby and parts of North Yorkshire would deteriorate by lunch time, so he decided to move the whole convoy back to Selby. The transporters arrived at the Selby site at 8.20am; there was very high cloud, no sun but excellent visibility, looking north there was blue skies and white broken cloud, on seeing this Steve decided to let the birds settle. Steve liberated Section 1 in a light cold north west wind at 9.10am but as the birds were leaving the site the cloud increased with Steve losing sight of the blue skies that were in front of him, some of the birds left immediately but some batches remained with eyesight for up to 20 minutes. No more birds were going to be liberated until the weather improved, the forecasters could not guarantee that the weather would improve, and also that the weather for the following day was forecasted for full cloud with fog and mist patches with some areas having sunny intervals. The sun was trying to break through at 10.45am with good weather of lovely blue skies in front of the race site, Section 2 was up and away at 10.55am with the birds clearing reasonably well considering the sun had not broken through at that time. Section 3 strings were cut at 11.10am with the weather improving all the time and the birds clearing well, on seeing this Steve was happy to continue to liberate the remaining 3 Section in 15 minute intervals. We all know it was a long drawn out wait for the birds to hit the skies but I along with many other fanciers know Steve did a fantastic job in very difficult conditions, that showed with excellent returns.  

   Now for the Eaglescliffe result where Lee Starkey & Son the previous weeks red card winners enjoyed a fantastic race after timing five birds to win 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Club, with the red card being won by a cheq Vandenabeele x Mr & Mrs Mike & Val Crooks of Staithes Soontjen cock recording a top vel of 1528 to go on to score 7th Tees Valley Fed. The blue card was taken by a cheq Brian Bolton Van Loon x Klak Janssen cock on 1518 to take 11th Fed, with the dam of the cock having a 5th Combine Clermont to her credit. The third bird to be timed was a blue Brian Bolton Van Loon x Soontjen cock doing 1515 to take 15th Fed, and this was followed by a dark pied Soontjen x Vandenabeele hen recording 1498 to take 24th Fed, the hen scored 2nd Fed Huntingdon last year. Lee who has being named Eaglescliffe Superman by his Clubmates fifth timer was a blue hen to round off a fantastic loft performance. Harry Wright & Son were in 6th position after timing a Janssen. Thirteen members sent 305 birds to Melton Mowbray the following week, with Alan Armstrong & Son the Selby Open winners’ topping the Club charts with a yearling blue Karel Boeckx hen bred by former Clubmate Eric Johnson who flew as Johnson & Poole when flying in Eaglescliffe. The hen named Eric’s Lass recorded 1325; she only had one race as a young bird. Eric who now flies with Dave Pinkney as Pinkney & Johnson won the North Road Club on the same day as this race with a hen the same way bred as the winner. Harry Wright & Son move up the charts after timing two birds to lift 2nd and 3rd with the blue card being awarded to a 3y blue Janssen cock doing 1314, the cock who is the previous winner of 2x1st Club and other minor positions is a full brother to the duo’s 3rd Club Selby scorer who himself has 5x1st Clubs and a 1st Fed to his credit. In cell two came a 2y blue Janssen hen making 1307; she is a daughter off the cock that was 3rd Selby. Lee Starkey & Son are in 4th position on 1276.

Lee Sharkey holding his cheq cock the winner of 1st Club and 7th Fed Mansfield

Alan Armstrong & Son Melton Mowbray red card winning Eric Lass

Harry Wright & Son blue Janssen cock that was 2nd Club Melton Mowbray