East Midlands & Yorkshire

With

Gregg Johnson

I write this update thinking will this dreadful depressing weather ever change and give in as nothing seems to just stop and dry out I would much of preferred a cold frosty winter than a flooded one as even the Daffodils haven’t grown much or are even interested in blooming in good stead. Now March is here let’s hope things are on a turn. Anyway, the organisation held its AGM with a few things in place to get through before racing begins. First up was election of officials were the following roles were taken up by some new faces so thank you and welcome the 2020 roles are organisation secretary Gregg Johnson chairman and race advisor/controller Dave Smith president Steve Willis Vice President John Jackson treasurer Karen Downs.

President Steve Willis

Dave Smith Chairman and race advisor/controller

John Jackson vice treasurer

Gregg Johnson Secretary

Next was the 2020 race programme were in this organisation and I know in the NRCC we love our north road racing so we want to help promote and try new things to try encourage more to fly the north route which seems out of fashion these days myself have flown south for many years with good enjoyable successful racing before flying north I just cannot really see much difference only the north roaders have more weekly head winds on them with the most common wind in the UK of a south west wind so velocities are lower All in all I’ve spoken and travelled everywhere in the world with my love of pigeons I just believe you need good quality pigeons to start with and a wise head and you can win from any route as if you haven’t got the tools don’t expect to do a good job so they say. I understand on the north route there has only really been the NRCC to really fly in compared to several south road nationals and continental specialist clubs and organisations but on the north route there is now us we are not against the NRCC at all as some new faces in the NRCC are bringing new modern things to the table with a class flyer in his own Paul Crooks bringing new ways forward with now being chairman I know that £5,000 will be flown for in 2020 in the NRCC which is great in what all the sport needs really to encourage people to the game so well done all. We as an organisation want to concentrate on the central midlands West Country and the south coast areas to aide new options for fanciers or even better now two options are on offer as variety is a great thing! My wife loves this on shopping days she does not just shop at Tesco you can shop else were for the better deal or even better shop and them all and get the best deals. Also on the agenda I have always wondered why people who keep pigeons right in the depths of such as Cornwall and the bottom south coasts and bottom southern regions fly south when Surely Lerwick and Thurso would be the equivalent to flying Tarbes if not even further I bet  and you cannot really train your pigeons south as you hit the channel coastline Is it a craze like modern new pigeon families that people go crazy for to say I’ve flown the channel? Or is it that you are the first drop in the organisation flying far less than many other country fanciers to gain positions I just don’t know looking at the sport we love it’s a hell of a crazy one with strains of pigeons that win not in fashion anymore because of the name and paper works signed different I just don’t know but we keep on with a smile all the time. To the race programme some new race points to try are in place to spruce it up with Creiff and Thornton Park to try with again something different to try the race programme passed with old bird Hexham on the 6th of June then Thornton Park on the 20th of June then Creiff on the 4th of July then Thurso on the 18th of July and the Young birds From Berwick on the 19th of September all birds are £1 a bird in every race which is not 4 paints of milk now in the shops with 90p of every £1 going back in prize money for the Thurso race we will be going with the NRCC so for just £1 people in the central midlands are welcome to duplicate to us so you now have two chances of winning something or even more if your club and fed are a part of it with the NRCC and us so let’s just take a look at what’s on offer for 2020 for north roaders a chance of £5.000 with the NRCC plus the world famous Lerwick Kings Cup the 5 New North Road amalgamation races were all takings of 90% will go back to prize winners in their fair sections the Derbyshire North Road federation is running two open races open to anyone who flies north from Elgin on the 11th of July and Thurso on the 25th of July at £10 a bird with 80% of all takings paid back out in prizes the midland two bird championship club were decent prize money is paid out with two on two in every race from 4 old bird races and 1 young bird race hold the South west of England Lerwick club 300mile Berwick young bird challenge were special young birds take decent prize money plus trophies and the current feds that still operate so plenty on plus the annual Leicester north road fed open breeder buyer races from Newton Aycliffe and Dunbar this year were last Season £3,000 was paid out in prize money £1,500 on the two races last year was paid out plus their gold ring scheme were again another £1,500 was paid out in that the south west of England Lerwick club breeder buyer race Being flown from Ripon this year with over £1200 paid out last year and the pots growing with it up and running the sale is on the 26th of April at 12.30pm start with a free hot food spread laid on for all at the British legion club Frampton Cotterill Bristol BS362HW also the Lerwick club operates a gold ring scheme of £10 for two rings per member with a good amount of prize money always generated to fly for. The Derbyshire north road federation open breeder buyer race being flown from Berwick were none members won it and took the bank bags last year all are welcome Sale starts at 12pm on the 5th of April at Pinxton miners welfare wharf road Notts NG166LG plus gold medals are up for grabs on all Scottish federation races I will publish all breeder buyer dates in the up and coming news in brief sections shortly for the Leicester federation once the date is in place the Nottingham north road federation will be flying for gold medals and silver medals on the Thurso old bird and Lerwick old bird races and the Berwick young bird race in 2020. Grantham NRFC will be operating a Breeder buyer event this year open to all but the breeder cannot buy their own bird back spreading and sharing out the prize money to all the sale will take place on the 5th of April and the race will be flown from Hexham for any further information call John Norris on 07725160775 so as you can see we are still alive and kicking after the election of officials and the 2020 race programme complete and all financially well nothing much more was to be discussed the New North Road Amalgamation AGM was closed so all ended well all the best for now.

The rat man