E. M & Y Pontefract race from Gregg Johnson

The Pontefract Express

Time is moving so fast we are now reporting on our fourth old bird race held by the organisation with some distance increasing up with each week the miles are climbing up for a few weeks this week’s stop off was at Pontefract West Yorkshire with the liberation site being on the Pontefract Horse race course and this was also held on the first Saturday of a normal racing day with a good sunny day forecasted and this came true. On the morning of the race day of 20/6/20 at 06.45am into a south west head wind 42 members sent 602 birds that were liberated into a sunny clear morning the head wind was dead against the birds and was quite welcomed by some members in getting the birds muscled up prior to some Scottish distance championship races that are just on the horizon in the clubs classics races and the new north road amalgamation special races.

3 times Ace of Spades - Alan Meacham

To the top twenty birds now and having three aces up his sleeve to now make three ace wins in three weeks is Alan Meacham of the Brislington NRFC apart from winning the race Alan was also 17th open club with his Ace flying Dirk Vanden Bulcks Alan flies 165 miles from Pontefract his winner is a 1y grizzle widowhood cock as a young bird this cock also achieved a 4th and a 6th open Lerwick club his father is a Micky Collins of Birmingham Donker Leo X Dirk Vanden Bulck and his mother a Grizzle hen from P & D breeding lofts Birmingham. His 17th open bird is a 1y blue widowhood cock that is a combination of Alan’s own breeding of lines were his father which is a Koopman x Gabby Vandenabeele which has achieved 21 x 1st for Alan and his mother is a Dirk Vanden Bulck from Micky Collins his two velocities are 1239.888 and 1204.514 2nd and 16th club is A & R Smith flying 158 miles with their natural flown Frank Tasker and a sprinkling of secret birds blended in doing 1239.168 and 1210.949.

Dave Smith's impressive loft set up

3rd,4th 8th and 9th is Dave Smith of the Thornbury NRFC with his team of roundabout flown birds flying 154 miles his first bird is a 1y blue hen which was bred by Jody McKay of Bridgewater which is a Gabby Vandenabeele his second a 1y chequer White flight cock bred by Gregg Johnson of Ilkeston he was purchased at the 2019 South West of England Lerwick clubs breeder buyers sale were he finished third in the breeder buyer race from Ripon he is a Staff Van Reet X Gabby Vandenabeele his third and fourth birds were of Dave consistent Paul Stobbs Soontjens velocities of 1238.914, 1238.352, 1218.346 and 1217.530. 5th and 20th open was Percy Hatherell of the Sodbury Vale NRFC his first bird a 1y blue chequer natural flown cock sent sitting pot eggs in the nest he is a Busschaert were his parents originate from a Mr Fielding of Wakefield his second bird a 3y blue natural cock which is also a Busschaert of Percy’s own creation flying 157 miles doing 1234.758 and 1199.883. 6th,7th,and 11th is C & J Adams of the Sodbury Vale Bristol flying 158 miles their first bird a 2y chequer van loon hen which is already a Sodbury Vale club winner their second a 6y Coreman blue cock who is a multiple Sodbury Vale and Lerwick open club winner and a previous Lerwick open club winner from Fraserburgh over 450 miles he was a gift young bird bred by Tony May of the Sodbury Vale South Road flying club their 3rd bird a 1y chequer White flight cock which is bred from their above Coreman Fraserburgh Lerwick club winner paired to his mother a David Coward-Talbott Belgica hen they purchased velocities of 1227.763,1227.043 and 1214.055. 12th,13th,14th, and 15th open club was Luis Palacious-Ribes of Yate Town in the Sodbury Vale NRFC flying 155 miles his first bird which are all flown on the roundabout is a 2y blue chequer hen which is a own bred Jansen X with a Steve Willis of Oakdale NRFC  Kees Boshua bird in which Luis purchased at a Lerwick club bird sale held his other three birds are of Andy Chutley Janssens of Frampton Cotterill Bristol line bred birds velocities of 4 x 1211 with the birds dropping together.18th open club is Mr & Mrs Ken Davey of the Sodbury Vale NRFC flying 158 miles their bird was a 2y natural flown Jansen hen sent sitting pot eggs in the nest velocity of 1202.847. 19th open club was John Cole flying 158 miles with a 2y chequer cock doing 1200.335. There’s your top twenty for this week.

Mike Smith see notes

On a ending note the Lerwick clubs founder and starter of the organisation Mr Mike Lewis who now lives in Australia with this being his first year living out there he is enjoying a cold can of Fosters Larger while reading the articles with his friends and fellow pigeon fanciers in Australia on the organisation and wishes all members and future members all the best and cheers from down under.
Stay safe guys the Rat Man.