The South West of England Lerwick Club

The SWELC kicked started it’s 2022 racing season off with its first race of the old bird season from Stratford Upon Avon race course in Warwickshire with welcoming new clubs of Bristol city West FC, Cheltenham Parklands united FC & Evesham FC plus members in Taunton joining in at Bridgewater FC and other clubs having some new members join the family of the SWELC in this race unfortunately Evesham FC could not take part as the race point was of no distance as participation in this race the first drop was 22 miles and the last drop 110 miles that’s the way it goes you must look after what you can but it all settles down when the miles grow and the skills and quality kicks in but a win is a win and when you look at the NFC racing from Sennon Cove or Wadebridge and competing Members in Cornwall & Devon or the BICC racing on the north in 2021 from Hexham or Berwick and participating members in the north east of England it’s how it goes like the NFC with members at Southampton/ Portsmouth first drop as soon as birds cross the channel and pitch home when channel racing was available someone has an advantage some don’t a win is a win and some races are completely different when mileage and race points and wind changes you have to keep going and congratulate a winner and try harder so for this race the winner was very short but still he sits on the thrown for this week so here we go.

liberating at Stratford

On the 30/4/22 at 12pm into a light south west wind 109 members minus Evesham FC sent 1,810 birds for the first race the top 22 positions were as follows claiming number one spot plus 2nd open was Raymond Barlow of Cheltenham flying 24 miles with his birds braking out the batches his winner a 3y widowhood flown Blue Bushart cross Jansen cock that Rays turned north road for 2022 his second bird another turned around bird flying south in 2021 a 1y dark Gabby Vandenbeale widowhood flown cock Rays velocities were 1545 & 1539.

Ray Barlow 1st & 2nd open

3rd, 4th & 17th open was sprint enthusiast Alan Meacham flying 63 miles with his team of Dirk Van Den Bulks and are all widowhood flown cocks Alan’s 17th open cock is a previous SWELC open winner Alan’s velocities were 2 x birds together doing 1519 & 1496.

5th open was Ian Pollard flying 37 miles with a 1y natural Flown Grizzle cock sent driving were Ian informs us he was scalping his hen to lay and his breeding is of Ian’s own created strain over the years his velocity was 1513.

6th & 9th open was S Bennett flying 55 miles doing 1506.167 & 1504. 632.

7th open was Jeff Wells & Family flying 65 miles with a 1y blue white flight hen flown on ultimate Roundabout system and she was bred by Nigel & Nicky Templar that is a Herman Cuesters crossed Gerrit Lahuis and as a young bird in the south west of England south road combine when they flew north for half a season with young birds in 2021 achieved 2nd combine 1st club Ashbourne & a 1st club 34th combine Stratford Upon Avon her velocity for this race was 1506.156.

8th, 13th & 20th open was A & R Smith flying 57 miles with their Dave Smith Soojen based birds flown on the traditional natural system with velocities of 1505, 1501.079 & 1490.

10th open was always there Chris & John Adams flying 56 miles with a 1y blue widowhood flown Wall Lunt & Green Crossed Coreman line bred cock doing 1504.115.

11th open was Ivan Hofton Aka big Ivan flying 29 miles with a 1y blue celibate flown cock that was a gift bred baby by Ken Tovey of Longford Gloucestershire and for Ivan as a young bird when flying it south road route achieved 1st Club & 1st Federation from Weymouth in the South Birmingham South Road Federation winning the fed by 59 yards Ivan’s velocity in this race was 1503.

12th & 19th open was The Luff & Walker Brother partnership of Dursley flying 42 miles their first a 1y chequer Cock flown on the Chaos system and being a previous club scorer of 3rd club Nailsworth from Coventry YB and is line bred down from Geoff Coopers Shiraz & Mark Gilbert’s New Laureaat crossed Olympic Romee. Their second a 1y chequer 1y chaos flown hen bred down from Crammond & Langstaff & Roger Lowes lines of famous names of wonder boy, my little Diamond , Platinum Che & Mystic Mirage crossed Mark Gilbert’s Davinci Harry & Turbo Magic their velocities were 1501.595 & 1491.

14th open was A & L Butler flying 31 miles with a 2y dark cock which is a Lambrecht’s purchased at a club breeder buyer sale that was bred by J & I & M Maguire and was flown on the widowhood system with a velocity of 1499.

15th, 16th & 18th open was Mr & Mrs Kenny Davey flying 57 miles with 3 x 1y natural flown own strain birds doing 1498, 1497 & 1492.

21st open was Mike Bullingham flying 37 miles with a 1y blue cock flown on widowhood that is a Herman Cuesters Blue Leo Lines with a velocity of 1488.882,

22nd open was Dave Smith Flying 53 miles with a 2y blue Soojen hen flown on the roundabout system doing 1488.535.

The Rat Man.