L. J. Parkinson.

We are closing in fast on the racing and we have arrived at the point where some are discussing who is going to do what towards everything running smoothly on marking and clock nights. I have always believed that life is far easier if all members take part in the work required for marking and race nights. If everyone works together and does their part for the club then the club runs more efficiently. As is very often the case there are mixed views about payment for these jobs. Personally, I think everyone should do their part for the club and only the secretary gets paid because that is the person who does far more work and in their own time. A good secretary can spend quite a bit of time preparing things, printing stationary organising the races plus the presentation and much more, that is if they are doing the jobs themselves. I am now referring to the normal club secretaries now even so even some of them share the jobs which is fine where you have members who can work together. There is always going to be someone out there who will have their views on everybody so in this case I am only referring to what we have done, Elizabeth and myself, as an example. We have done these jobs for years and nearly all that we have taken out we have given back one way or another, we are happy to take part and help out where needed. We are not the only ones because there are a lot of fanciers around the country who do the same or similar things for the sport. In Middlewich we have always had a good working team, but we don’t have the fanciers that we used to have so times have changed and the few are having to do more. There have been a lot of conversations about the North West Classic and the way forward, I am sure that we are on the right track and with the help of the members and the marking stations I think we are on our way back to where we used to be, or at least within reason. We have a good team of senior officials and as long as we can keep and bring more members on side we should be in for another good season. As we all know the average age of our membership is increasing but there are still quite a few members out there who have many years ahead of them in the sport. With starting at £1000 per race and £3000 for the Gold Ring race we are looking forward to topping last year’s pay out. We are also working on a good start to the 2019 season, there is nothing better than thinking ahead and not getting bogged down which, far too many have done and seen their clubs deteriorate. Dave Garnett of the Garnett & Moore partnership presented a cracking young bird to the North West Classic for their fund raising young bird sale. During the conversation Dave said he had about 30 to go and would be donating the funds raised to the North West Classic with no charges for services charges taken for the sale. This is a great gesture and one that will set the club up for the following season. Dave was the first senior member of the committee and from what I can gather he was one of those who instigated the formation of the club way back in 1987 so does have an interest in seeing it go well. Going back to the subject of who does what in clubs, there are workers and sponsors/financial supporters of the clubs who are always important. Sponsors have been a big part in the NWCC getting going as quick as they have and that is why the committee decided at the last meeting there would be no fee’s for doing the job’s for marking etc. Years ago, most of the bigger clubs paid for all sorts of services to cover expenses but I am told that this payment has nearly all been stopped to save the clubs money. Running any organisation has become increasingly more expensive and that will not change, in fact the costs for pigeon racing in general has increased so many do not spend as much on pigeons as they used to. Again, going back to marking and clock nights for the races for many they are a night out, a break from the rest of the week. We have not been going to the club nights for a couple of years but last year we did, and the girls enjoyed the banter while taking the money and having a drink. They have already said they are looking forward to this year’s races which for the NWCC where they take the money and enter the entry forms onto the PC to keep ahead of the game, their first race is the weekend race of the 24th May. At the time of writing I think we have finished the young bird sales for the NWCC so we must that those who donated. Graham McKay, Garnett & Moore, Brian Lee, Chris Knowles, Curtis-Wall-Lunt, Royal Oak Lofts (2), Mr & Mrs Geoff Kirkland, Rick & Simon Geary (2), Tom Howarth (old bird), Mr & Mrs Brian Fisher, Gerry Clements. By the time we have these pigeons will have made about £2500 for the club so a big thank you to those members. The final total will be known by the end of April. Apologies if I have missed anyone off the list.

Steve Parkinson's Niort winner, an excellent pigeon.

The young birds are still growing well and still down the side, the only problem I have is I have not had as much time with them for a few weeks. So, I decided to go through them again and see how they were compared to how they were when I last handled them. I was surprised how well they were growing and their droppings have remained good since they went on the Vior. I am also going to start and use some of the other Bifs products based on my past experiences with them. This is one of those times when I look and think, am I better leaving them on the system that they are currently on and looking well with it. Do we change when things are going right for the sake of change, a time perhaps when we should be keeping to what is a working system. Every time I go into the loft the same dark hen that I have mentioned before is still the one who stands out, I thought with the changes in them as they grow I might have changed my mind by now. So what are my latest views on them, are there any that I am not looking forward to seeing in the loft for the next few months, and are there in that I feel are going to breed me pigeons to enter into the one loft races, questions, questions, and more questions all going round in my head, and in all honesty we never know whether we are right or wrong until they have done their bit. The following morning after writing the piece above I went in and handled them and was surprised how in a couple of weeks they have changed so much. I was fancying the dark hen but after having handled her nest mate the dark cock I think he is going to be a cracker. He is also moving well ahead of the rest in his moult and even now he is going a bit bald which is different from the rest in the loft. There is also a real nice chequer pied and a couple of Blue’s look like making up. But again we never know, we shall have to wait and see how they are come late October when they should have had a good moult and ready for the following season.

I was looking at the photo taken a few years ago of Vicki & Reg Sarre with all their trophies in the BHW a few weeks ago. The first thing that came to mind was “You don’t See many like that these days” I say that because fanciers are not so keen on having a fine array of trophies as they used to be. Even at most of the presentations winners are not too fussy on taking the trophies home and cleaning them for the next year before they hand them back. Years ago we had a real good array of trophies with the NWCC but they have gradually disappeared and not what they used to be, there are obviously a lot missing from what were there 20yrs ago.

Times have certainly changed for everyone with the pigeon fraternity also getting in on the act through the WWW. I was looking at the YouTube video of the birds at the Derby Arona and they were a picture of health, someone knows how to look after a big team of pigeons. They were tight in feathering and eyes that sparkled, and I only saw one who was dropping a few feathers which is a good sign for the races.

Had a photo sent to me of the “British & Irish Lions Syndicate” better known as Graham Mackay, Gerry Clements and Ray Bullen who entered pigeons into a one loft race and did very well. This all started at the LSC in November 2016 when the three of them got together and while having a bit of banter decided to have a go at a OLR. In the LSC the winner of the longest race gives a speech and that honour went to Gerry who would rather listen to everyone else than talk himself standing up there in front of others, does plenty around the table, very knowledgeable fancier. While they were around the table having their banter, Ray came up with the idea of entering a OLR so the three of them decided there and then to go ahead.

Graham McKay, Gerry Clement's and Ray Bullen who race in OLR as The British & Irish Lions.

They entered five and called them, “Nicola Adams” “Joe Louie” “Sugar Ray Robinson” “Hooker” & “Prop”. The later two got their name because Graham played for the Lions in Australia. Gerry is a great believer in luck with anything in life and that includes the pigeons. While he was going through the young birds making his selection he had his eye on a dark hen near enough up to the time of sending them. Then he looked at the hen’s nest mate and made the decision to send her instead and she was the one that came.  A cousin to the entry was 6th in the RPRA OLR and another cousin was bird of the year in Liverpool for Campbell Bros & Son, Gerry was saying this is a real cracker. A sister is “Twitter” that is a very good cock for Gerry (see photo) this cock beat over 8,000 birds liberated at the same time from Messac plus winning the first race of the season from 86mls. He is out of the “Super 91” and the very good “Aelbrecht” stock hen. Gerry was saying that Ray has the Midas touch, or was that luck when he made a change and won £500. From what I can gather they will be having more than a few drinks at the LSC at the November meeting, so all you LSC members look out for the trio, you might be in luck, but don’t mention me.

Les. J Parkinson.

11 Rushton Drive,

Middlewich,

Cheshire,

CW10 0NJ.

Tel: 01606836036 Mobile 07871701585.

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Web site www.elimarpigeons.com