Parkinson. LJ

I very often have a talk to Geoff Bebbington about racing because he likes to race in the longer events as I do. Last year Geoff bred some late breds off the distance stock that wintered well and this year their first time in the basket was when they went to Mangotsfield about 123mls and he had good returns, this was without any training. I have said for years that fanciers are too soft with pigeons and they all think they need a few miles down the road extended with each toss. I must admit that I was like that at one time, but I got to the stage where I saw no reason to waste my time with short tosses. Pigeons are meant to fly and have a great homing instinct so why do they need pampering especially when they are bred for long distance races. Pigeons as with all birds they have an instinct and that is to get back to the place that is their home and unless they have a health issue then there is no reason why they should not return to their home. There are of course wanderers who like to go here there and everywhere and do not settle down so easily, I can think of a few people like that. So many know there are pigeons that have dropped into their loft and they have returned it to the owner only to see the pigeon come back again. Some of these pigeons have gone on to make good racers and bred good pigeons because they have found somewhere they want to be. I have always believed that the top winners spend time with their pigeons as young birds and get them to appreciate the love of home and that goes a long way to keeping winner sat the top.

In the Middlewich FC 9 members sent 132 birds to Mangotsfield with Mark & Heather Smith securing the top spot clocking up 1468ypm for 7th fed. Mark is one of the good workers in the club who goes that one step further to help make things work. Mark sent me some information about this blue hen from the O’Hare & Woodward lines and he mentioned wet cheese, but I better not say anymore about that. DJ&CJ Wilkinson are 2nd after Dave clocked a dark widowhood yearling hen that is bred from a Jan Aarden cock selected by Jim Emerton for stock when paired to their good hen Red Witch who has won plenty over the channel including 1st open Middlewich 2B specialist club only 2 birds on the winning day. 3rd goes to Ron Woodward with a vel of 1422ypm, these pigeons were only brought out a few weeks ago so are well behind most lofts. Ron was not going to race this year but after a conversation with Mike O’Hare they started them up so are not yet at their best but will get there.

In the Acton Bridge Mangotsfield race 8 members sent 184 birds the top 4 going to Curtis-Wall-Lunt with the first being “Mr Ash” (see photo) a 2yo mealy cock. This is proving to be a good pigeon previously winning 1st Fed Yeovil and 3 times beaten for first fed by loft mates. His sire is "Indianna" a top breeding g-son of the world famous "Olympiade 03" responsible for numerous winners at all levels. The other side of the breeding is the excellent “Beauty Hen” a full sister to "De Jan" winner of many prizes including 6 x 1sts etc. 2nd is a yearling blue cock who was 4th fed 3 weeks earlier only beaten for the top spot by loft mates. 3rd goes to a yearling blue cock this cock who was 4th fed last week being a g-son of the “Box 9 Pair”. They are 4th with a 3yo blue cock 003 top racer winner of many prizes direct son of "Eurovision" & "Deb". If we went back 20yrs there would have been more 1st fed winners in the CWL loft than any other in the country. In this race the winning vels are all 1485ypm separated by less them half a yard, a case of first through the trap.

You cannot keep a good team down and that was the case again in the Mid Cheshire Fed when 74 members sent 1,341 birds to Mangotsfield which were liberated at 13.00 hrs in a south west wind. Yes, the Acton Bridge winners are Curtis-Wall-Lunt who also took the top 4 positions in the fed. There were thoughts that the birdage would drop in the fed with these lads taking the top 4 positions so many times but that has not proven to be the case. The fed has many good fanciers who are always looking for a challenge and what more of a challenge than making your target one of the best sprint to middle distance racing lofts in the country. So, credit to all the members who keep taking up the challenge, as has been seen they are beatable. Other club winners in the fed are Crewe Premier winners Dave & Baz Mellor while L Owen win Kingsway the strong and biggest club in the fed. Dave Pritchard collects another red card at Rudheath with W & P Brown doing likewise over at Earlstown. A long-standing club in the fed is Wrinehill where D Everill topped the list. In the Middlewich FC Mark & Heather Smith took the red card while S & F Farnworth come good in the Leigh club. Tyldesley is won by WJ Bradbury leaving Mr & Mrs Barnett to win in the Hodnet club.

In the Middlewich 5B 11 members entered 103 birds in the Bath race where W Wilson & Son continue to get amongst the prize winners but don’t send me any info on their winners. 2nd goes to Alan Woodcock from Sandbach whose first in the clock recorded a vel of 1453ypm. 3rd are Dickens & Wilkinson who clocked a yearling chequer hen that was reared from an egg off Curtis-Wall-Lunt she prized last week also her brother is a 1st prize winner. 4th goes to Jimmy Smith with a vel of 1427ypm.

The latest race for the South West Cheshire Feb saw 59 members send 780 birds to be liberated from Bath with no wind at 13.3 pm. Mick Stockton is having a good season and collects another red card in the Greenbank club to also top the list with the fed recording a vel of 1490ypm. Mr & Mrs Nigel Shaw are the winner sin the Hankelow club while Mr & Mrs Keith Lovatt are at the top in the Crewe west End. The Middlewich 5B see another card going to W Wilson & Son with Mr & Mrs Chris Herbert won at Moulton while G 7 A Jones secured the red card in the Winsford club.

Les J Parkinson.

11 Rushton Drive,

Middlewich, Cheshire,

CW10 0NJ.

Tel: 01606836036 - -Mobile: 07871701585.
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