East Midlands & Yorkshire

Well folks I hope your safe and well and haven’t experienced much damage from the storm Ciara your very lucky if you got away without any damage at all it was manic here with fence panels and tree branches with debris flying everywhere. When here the next day came the thick snow flurries pouring down were in our local town a bus skidded and went through a shop window. Personally, I had several broken fence panels and panes of glass broken in the garden green house and half a tin sheet lifted off the pigeon shed roof. Compared to some with the floods and house roofs blown off some people sadly experienced I got away with it quite good. Who knows what the racing season will bring with all this crazy weather, hopefully it will settle down for March training and April racing? Some updates and final score boards to publish now first up are the Derbyshire North Roads AGM held with all financially good for the 2020 season with also a few new members joining some clubs in the fed which is always welcome. This being a good sign as in the modern day in the sport one new member means a lot and is a welcoming agenda in my eyes. Election of officials followed fed chairman Brian Bennett, race advisor and fed Secretary Rose Lander, President Gregg Johnson and treasurer Harold Griffiths. Convoyer and driver Edgar Murray and Clarence Haymes which all passed. The 2020 race programme was also passed and is as follows, old birds 25th of April Wetherby, 2nd of May Ripon, 9th of May Newton Aycliffe, 16th of May Alnwick, 23rd of May Berwick, 30th of May Newton Aycliffe, 6th of June Hexham, 13th of June Newton Aycliffe, 20th of June Thornton Park, 27th of June Lerwick, 4th of July Creiff, 11th of July Elgin, 18th of July Newton Aycliffe, 25th of July Thurso. Young birds 1st of August Wetherby, 8th of August Wetherby, 15th of August Ripon, 22nd of August Newton Aycliffe, 29th of August Hexham 5th of September Alnwick, 12th of September Ripon, 19th of September Newton Aycliffe, 21st of September Berwick. So, there you have it with a few new race points added to add variety and a change to the old basic yearly North route in which many fly. Also please note the Elgin and Thurso old bird races will also be run as open race’s separately alongside the federation races which are open to anyone who flies north road. Costs are £10 a bird with 80% of all takings paid back out to generate decent prize money to fly for that many fanciers fly for nothing these days. So again it’s something new that’s being tried as if it doesn’t work it won’t be done again but you have to try new things which I’ve found being a younger fancier a lot of pigeon fanciers are negative for trying new things and moving with the times not just on this subject what I’ve noticed in life how can you knock it till you’ve tried it!!! But pigeon men I think just love knocking things down and being negative, but we don’t give up because that is being weak, I believe. To some clubs final end of season score boards to announce Selby Unicorn FC score board for 2019 season 1st is Gary Hill (known as Mr Selby Market Man) myself keeping pigeons poultry and ferrets and fancy pigeons and anything with wings!! really enjoy visiting my local Melton Mowbray fur and feather animal auction Market to either buy or sell a few things as you do were anything that runs or flies is for sale. I also enjoy visiting Selby Market as well to see what’s on offer or have a small sale to try and obtain something of the corn money back as we say which is also the same but is well supported by some racing pigeon fanciers for a meet up were Gary visits regular and is very well know with all the regulars. He always treats me to a decent full fry up in the Selby market Cafe which treating someone is quite rear for a Yorkshire man so thanks Gary when I have a run up to visit with the other local fanciers so when your all reading your homing worlds Saturday morning in the Selby market cafe discussing pigeons you’ve now got a mention. You all need to keep up your social meet ups and breakfast clubs’ guys it’s nice to see you all regularly meeting up and socialising. Gary is the highest prize winner with 144 points. 2nd is P Summers & Partner 129 points. 3rd is Wright &and Lock 101 points. 4th is Harry Jackson 34 points. 5th M and D Pooley 27 points. 6th N Adshead 16 points. 7th A Carr 5 points. 8th M & C Aldred 3 points 9th Darley & Aldred 2 points. 10th P Fretwell 1 point. The club’s annual breeder buyer was 1st As Buyer Harry Jackson and Breeder Wright & Lock winning £75 each Brotherton FC now 1st John Booth winning £348.90p. 2nd Mick Simpson £223. 3rd A Halloways & Sons £130.80p. 4th Keith Baker £104.80p. 5th M Rushby £10.40p. Joint 6th is K Brown and Hargrave & Broomhea 1 point. Pontefract SRFC 1st J & S Toon winning £600.24p. 2nd Mr & Mrs Underwood £597.03p. 3rd John Booth £573.37p. 4th Frank Burnley £176.21p. 5th N Barnes & Son £43.30p. 6th Dave Boldy £17.32p. 7th Dave Baker £4.33p that’s all for now folks be safe.

The Rat Man

Garry Hill