WELSH SOUTH ROAD NATIONAL

by Dixey

SAINTES - JULY 2012

The Welsh South Road National from Saintes turned out to be a very good race with many fanciers reporting excellent returns for this aprox 435 mile race. Liberated at 06.30 into a south westerly wind with the N.F.C, early arrivals were being recorded into the Principality from 16.00 onwards. The winners, for their second National win saw the excellent partnership of G Treharne & Son at Nantyglo in the centre east section who timed their first arrival at 16.46 to take not just the top spot but also 2nd open as well.

Gareth and Stuart Treharne holding their 1st and 2nd open Saintes Welsh National winners

The winner is yearling cheq cock that was bred for them by Terry Marshall of Up North Combine fame that they acquired thanks to the contact with their good friend Alan Robinson and a big thank you goes to Alan for his help. This cock has a very good past record having taken 2nd open National from Carentan as a young bird in 2011 and was beaten by a loft mate. This year he has won 14th open Welsh South Road National from Falaise and 46th open National from Tours, 93rd open Le Mans in this National Flying Club as well as 12th open Bedhampton against 3.468 birds and again beaten by a loft mate which brought him in when he wouldn’t trap for some time. They didn’t send any yearlings to Carentan so he didn’t go to that one.

The blue cock, winner of the Welsh SR National from Saintes

Their second open winner is a four year old pigeon that has also scored well for them previously topping the section in the Welsh North Road Fed and taking 7th open over 3.000 birds plus other good fed and National positions. She is bred down from the Eijerkamp lines, bred out of a double granddaughter of Silver Shadow and a grandson of Glamour Boy and Wonder Boy 06, thus being Van Loon and Janssen cross. They race the conventional roundabout system but with conditions wet and cold they were struggling to get condition on the pigeons so they paired them up the day of basketing for Tours. The cock was sent sitting two days and the hen was sitting for 7 days and both arrived home pretty fresh and recovered quickly. They sent six pigeons to this Saintes race and had them all home with 4 on the night and the last one by 10.30 next morning.

Cheq hen - 2nd open Saintes

Taking probable 3rd open is Kevin Smith of Pontypool, Kevin having previously been mentioned in dispatches for his other principal open positions recently, and he clocked a four year old blue hen. This pigeon was gifted to Kevin by O G Elliot and is a pure Van Rijn x Janssen and she has bred multiple winners for Kevin. As a two year old she flew the programme and took cards at club level in all overseas races with the Welsh North Road Federation. Also she was 17th Fed the week previously to this Saintes race with the Welsh South Road Fed.

Kevin Smith holding his 3rd open Saintes winner

Blue hen - 3rd open Saintes for Kevin Smith

Taking 4th open is Durham & George of Abertillery. Granville and Mike clocked a two years old pure Jan Aarden cock. They race natural and he was sent to this Saintes race feeding a 12 day old squeaker. This cock would have won a lot more prizes in its racing career but is a notoriously bad trapper but on this occasion shot through the trap not hanging about at all. His bloodlines come down from the Louella bloodlines of Invincible Spirit x De Smaragd.

Taking 1st in the West section is Dave Bradshaw & Family. They time a two year old cheq w/f cock. This cock was purchased in the late Ken Jones of Pontadawe bereavement clearance sale when Ken sadly passed away last winter. This bird is named after Ken called K J. This cock is flown on natural and as a yearling had no racing at all as Ken was ill. This season he has had the following races and results. In Carentan with the BICC 30th April 166th open. Falaise 12 May 122nd open BICC. Fougeres 262nd open NFC on 19th May. Alencon 263rd open BICC. Cholet 2nd June he won 63rd open NFC very bad trap winning over £600.00 prize and pool money. Falaise WSRNFC on 9th June 263rd open. Fougeres 8th July BBC 422nd open and Saintes this past weekend, provisionally 1st West section Welsh South Road NFC. His bloodlines come down from his old Steele family and these are known as hard and long distance bloodlines. Dave was telling me his grandson Lewis is a really keen fancier and no doubt he will continue with the pigeons in the family as he grows older with them. Of his two entries they had their other on early next morning.

Dave Bradshaw with his two grandsons, with young Lewis holding the blue w/f cock winner of 1st west sect Saintes

The following are the leading open times I have to date as supplied by sec Charlie Silver. Mr G Treharne & Son, Nantyglo 1237. Kevein Smith, Pontypool 1189. Durham & George, Abertillery 1185. Frampton & Price 1181. Mr D Evans, Gelligaer 1166. I & A Evans, 1120. J Courts & Son Ogmore Vale, 1119. Dennis Ford Blaenavon 1111. Williams Jeffries & Son, Maesteg 1109. R Nicholas Son & Grandson, 1103. Scammel & Peploe Garndiffaith, 1101. Morris & Pugh, Maerdy 1099. Mark Sparey Abertillery, 1082. Mr D Millard Blaenavon, 1075. Preece Bros & Son Abertillery, 1068. Owens & Evans & Son, Maerdy 1067. Gregory & Davies 1059. Mr Haydon Radford & Son Rhymney, 1056. David Tippings Beafort 1052. Ireland & Hyman New Tredegar, 1016. D & G Bruton Tredegar, 1007. T J Gunter Cwmtillery, 998. A very steady race with many fanciers reporting excellent returns.