The South West of England Lerwick Club

The SWELC was on the road again increasing the mileage from north Nottinghamshire Worksop to now arriving at Pontefract race course in West Yorkshire for its fourth old bird race this being held on the 20/5/23 when 98 members sent 1,198 birds for the event convoyers Peter and Carl got the show on the way with a 10am liberation into a north east wind.

The top twenty in the open are as follows claiming first over the line and in the winners enclosure for 1st open plus 1st Oldland & District NRFC was Steve Robbins flying 162 miles with a 1y blue cock being a Van Den Bulk cross Herman Cuesters and was bred by John Andrews of Barry South Wales as Steve purchased a kit of 10 young birds to try out on the road last year from John this cock was sent on the traditional natural system sitting 5day old nest eggs his winning velocity was 1752.

Steve Robins & 1st open Pontefract

2nd and 10th open plus 1st and 3rd Sodbury vale NRFC was Chris & John Adams flying 158 miles with their widowhood flown team the 1st a 2y blue Coreman cock followed by a 2y blue wall Lunt & Green cock their velocities were 1750 and 1734.

3rd open plus 1st south Bristol club was Wile & Lias flying 167 miles with a 2y chequer hen flying back to just her V perch they inform us 6 x hens live together in a section doing this and on Saturday race day return have a period running in the section with just 1 x cock bird  their scoring hen being a Van Dyke her velocity was 1746.

4th and 19th open was Alan Meacham flying 165 miles and also achieving 2nd South Bristol club with 2 x Van Den Bulk widowhood flown cocks his 1st Alan’s faithful 4y Grizzle cock that’s a string of 1st cards including a 1st open SWELC from Pontefract also previously and his 2nd a 2y blue cock that is also a previous club winner and SWELC top twenty scoring bird his velocities were 1744.817 and 1714.814.

5th open plus 2nd Oldland & District NRFC was Mr & Mrs Graham & Sue Watkins flying 161 miles with a 4y blue cock flown on the widowhood system and is a Kees Boshua bred from birds obtained from Paul Fisher of Blackpool his velocity was 1744.444.

6th open plus 3rd south Bristol club was Steve Moseley flying 166 miles with a 2y blue Franz Zwols cross Van Dyke widowhood flown cock doing 1739.574.

7th and 11th open was A & D Collins flying 165 miles and also claiming 1st and 2nd West Bristol club their 1st a 2y blue cock being a Gilbert Heijnen and he last season won the SWELC yearling classic and their 2nd bird is a 1y chequer hen being bred from birds from Andy Stanowski of the South Bristol club both were flown on the roundabout system with velocities of 1739.164 and 1731.

A & D Collins

8th open plus 3rd Oldlands & District NRFC was Mr & Mrs Wells flying 163 miles with a 2y blue cock and his breeding being a Stichenbarte from Peter Allen when paired to a Gabby Vandenbeale from Mr & Mrs Graham & Sue Watkins of their local club mates he was flown on the natural system with a velocity of 1737.

9th open plus 2nd Sodbury Vale club was Louis Palacios-Ribes  flying 155 miles with a roundabout system flown 4y blue Staff Van Reet cross Jansen cock doing 1736.

Louis Palacios-Ribes

12th open are the Walker Brothers that also claim 1st Nailsworth club flying 143 miles with a 1y blue cock being a C & R Lambrechts crossed Jan Hooymans via syndicate lofts he was sent on natural driving his hen to nest with a velocity of 1727.456.

13th and 20th open was Darren Moore flying 157 miles and also picking up 4th Sodbury Vale club with 2 x Van Den Bulk cocks originating from BooBoo Merkel of South Wales flown on the roundabout system with velocities of 1727.250 and 1714.266.

14th and 15th open plus 4th south Bristol club was Andy Stanowski flying 166 miles his first is last week’s Worksop SWELC open winner the 1y blue Gabby Vandenbeale cock his second a 2y blue white flight hen being a R & D Faber being from stock of Mirek Chwedoruk both were flown on the roundabout system doing 1726 and 1722.

16th open was Steve Bennett flying 157 miles with a 2y chequer cock being a Gerritt Lahuis strain originating from the Gordon Brothers of Wales he was sent on natural driving his hen to nest with a velocity of 1718.

17th open was D & M Moore flying 169 miles with a 2y Bushart chequer cock doing 1716.

18th open plus 3rd West Bristol club flying 165 miles was A & K Bedford with a 2y Herman Cuesters widowhood cock doing 1715.

Top twenty of Pontefract.

The Rat Man.