LANARKSHIRE FEDERATION

Tom Corrie jnr

Lanarkshire Federation Young Bird Open Pool Race-Thirsk

  

After a 24hr delay to basketing we arrived at the small market town in North Yorkshire England.

The 2300 convoy where away early at 7 30 am in a light west wind but appeared much fresher on route with mostly cloud cover at the home end with light rain on occasions.

With around 150 miles to negotiate back into the Central  Scotland, the pigeons were tested to the limit again this week.

The convoy struggled to break 1100 velocity with most of the convoy down in the hundreds.

It turned out to a sticky one with all reporting many birds missing at clocking but with the weather improving later the birds worked in, but as with most weeks some lofts took a hit.

A couple of clubs dominated the result this week’s, that of Newmains and Airdrie Dist, the percentage of birds above the 1,000 ypm was higher than any other in the federation.

With us over the two hundred miles next week, I can’t see a good entry for this distance with the birdage dropping significantly.

This week’s Open winner is the federation winner is the terrific loft of Wullie Smart of Allanton near Shotts.

Wullie is just of the back of a record performance in the federation with this year’s youngsters and again has shown us all the road home. Brilliant flying again Wullie.

I took the time to call on Wullie and get a little insight in what makes him so highly successful. On first impression was that Wullie and his family are very much dedicated to animal care and management .The compound which keeps the pigeons is dominated with stables for the care of trotting horses, which travel up and down the British isles and Ireland for competitions. This looks a full time job for everyone involved. The pigeons aren’t second best and are immaturely cared for as part of the yards daily management. The lofts ,six Blakes I think?,sit together facing due south in the line of flight and the birds are only out if someone is there to cater for their daily needs.

Wullie Smart winner of 1st Sect ,1st Open Thirsk

The lofts are not over stocked with plenty of room for their inmates. Wullie is very focused on the moisture content in the loft and with, minimal pigeons per loft, shavings on floor and managed ventilation, all creates the correct environment for top racing pigeons.

The stock is based on the old Vanderabelle and Camphus lines that have raced very well throughout the federation programme right through to the longest race.

A recent introductions from one loft race winners are leaving decent racers with this races winner out of a dark grizzle cock that was top performance racer RPRA one loft race programme.

When the youngsters are moved into their section no others are added, three individual lofts can be used for the youngsters and are managed separately, with some going on darkness and natural system.

He feeds the best mixtures from versela laga,mixing three mixes for the birds which have their fill twice per day. Wullie explained that his birds always have full body, no rationed birds here.

When asked when he feeds on day of basketing, he said as usual 2 30pm,Wullie said they don’t eat much as they are not rationed so will not gorge their food.

Nothing is added to the water as he said, the birds can get dehydrated if they are pulling away from the drinker if there is something in the water.

He likes to race his birds weekly and trains before first race, including with federation transporter and thereafter no further training, just loft exercise.

All young birds are vaccinated in the nest, before moving into their section, he uses the deweert product range and the birds are tested regularly.

He suffers the dreaded young bird sickness but said it wasn’t as severe this season with the birds picking up quickly after a few days.

           

Wullie Smart racing lofts -  Inside the winning section of Wullie Smart  -  Inside section of Wullie Smart Natural youngsters

Red stone grit is used daily

The darkness team will also compete in the SNFC young bird national race, being privately trained the week of the race.

He is not a fan of racing out the east as he feels it’s an unfair advantage with some getting the first of the birds and overfly. This can be seen by those in the south of the federation getting the last drop each week.

He said there is no point in going east as the losses this year are every bit as bad as if we were going south.

Well that’s the insight into one of the Federations best performing young bird lofts 2016.

All the best Wullie in the National.

   

  Andy Eadie( L) wins 2nd Open -  Dave Love shows great form winning 3rd & 4th Open -  John Short (L) wins 5th Open

   

Paul Macaloney(L) and Wullie Macaloney win 6th Open -  Danny Mitchell wins 7th Open with Blue Cock "Belfast Sam"

Club results

 

Burnbank HC

1st R Cushley 974 2nd J Smith 937 3rd W McFall 935 4th R Cushley 917 5th J McGuire 865

Well done Robert two in a row and the Thirsk shield
James McGuire wins the Maxwell rose bowl for best average race
2 3 4 old birds and race 2 3 4 young birds
Willie Mc Fall takes both shares of the pools
Well done guys in another sticky race with most only 50 percent or less home
We will be lucky if we will need a cock and hen basket for Retford ,next week if they don’t come through.

 

Blantyre HC

1st Tallis & Mcdonagh 1014 2nd Tallis & Mcdonagh 923 3rd Tallis & Mcdonagh 923 4th Tallis & Mcdonagh 916 5th A.Morrison 910
Tallis & Mcdonagh win accumulator £233.00
Well done Tommy & Jimmy top flying

 

Cambuslang HC

 

1st Billy Gordon 975 2nd Billy Gordon 971 3rd W.Millen 960 4th Billy Gordon 953 5th W.Millen  946
Well done Billy on your win

 

Newmains HC

17 members sent 326 birds.

1 W Smart 1078  2 Eadie&Kelly 1072  3 Eadie&Kelly 1020  4 T Richardson 1015  5 T Richardson 1015

Well done Wullie, at club and federation level.

 

Greenfield HC

1st M Krivokapic vel 977 2nd Tallis & Mcdonagh vel 953 3rd Tallis & Mcdonagh vel 929 4th Tallis & Mcdonagh vel 918 5th Tallis & Mcdonagh vel 918
Well done Mio in winning the race and also the pools ,returns are poor at clock checking.

 

Clarkston & Dist

1st J Short 1041 2nd D Mitchell & Son 1035 3rd J Short 1029 4th J Short 1019 5th G Geddes

Well done John
D Mitchell wins feed nomination with his very consistent Irish  Blue cock

 

Cambusnethan/Morningside HC

16 sent 372 birds

1st W Smart 1078 2nd Eadie & Kelly 1072 3rd Eadie & Kelly 1020 4th T Richardson 1015 5th T Richardson 1015

Well done Wullie, it’s a fed topper again.

 

Low Waters HC

1st Torrance & Mann 1009 2nd A Nelson 937 3rd J Green & son 914 4th Torrance & Mann 914 5th T McGurk 906

Well done Alan

 

Coalburn HC

1.     T&G Steele 807 2. J Callan 805 3. A Meikle 786 4. A Suckle 785 5. D Murray 775
Well done Tommy,Hazel & Gary and all the other timers, in what was a poor race for club with 2 members not having timed in at clocks, will be a few empty perches the night.

Dalzel HC

11 members sent 202 birds

1st S Selfrige 977 2nd J Latimer 945 3rd King & Selfrige 927 4th J Boyle 927 5th J McCourt 922

Well done Steve

 

Carluke HC

1st V Smith 926 2nd V Smith 889 3rd A Wilkie 885 4th A Wilkie 837 5th A Blyth 835

Well done Vincent

 

Airdrie Dist

11 lofts sent 218

1st D Love 1058 2nd D Love 1049 3rd GWP Macaloney 1039 4th J Wilkinson 1033 5th J Wilkinson 1032
Well done Dave

 

Lanarkshire Social Circle

25 lofts sent 530

1st Eadie & Kelly 1072 2nd D Love 1058 3rd D Love 1049 4th GWP Macaloney 1039 5th J Wilkinson 1032 

Well done Andy

 

Young Bird Average Update Board

1st Eadie & Kelly 1113 2nd I Rankin 1111 3rd W Smart 1102 4th GWP Macaloney 1096

  

Combine Average Update Board

1st GWP Macaloney 1172 2nd Tallis & McDonagh 1143 3rd J Cullen 1137 4th  Torrance & Mann 1114 5th J Lawrie & Son 1104

 

No club reports from any of the clubs not listed.

 

 

Tom Corrie jnr

Lanarkshire Press Officer