The south west of England Lerwick club held its first young bird race of the season after a successful old bird season, apart from a very hard ending Thurso race, so now it was time to try and reflect a good season onto the future birds for everyone in the young birds that can be so enjoyable and joyful yet devastating as young bird racing can be but we must continue and see what’s left at the end of the ride to continue next season and so forth.

The race was held from Stratford Upon Avon in Warwickshire this was held on Sunday the 2nd of August and at 9am into a light west south west wind with a sunshine start, convoyer Peter got the birds on their way home.

Winning the Lerwick club and also his local club of Oldland NRFC was Robert Light flying 58 miles with a winning velocity of 1293.228 with a blue White flight hen she is bred from a very successful cock for Rob that was purchased at the south west of England’s 2018 annual squeaker sale and was bred by Dave Smith and is one of his successful Soojens crosses with a Adrian Bishop of Bristol hen Rob obtained.

Rob Light 1st Stratford

2nd 3rd 4th & 5th Lerwick Club is A & R Smith of Sodbury Vale NRFC who also take the first four in the Sodbury Vale, they are already previous Lerwick club toppers from Stratford this year topping it in the first old bird race this season from Stratford.  Their first bird an own bred mealy hen the next three birds are young birds bred by Dave Smith as the partnership asked to obtain some 2020 young birds from Dave to race they flew 57miles doing 1282.997,1281.921,1281.652 & 1280.847.

6th,7th,9th & 17th Lerwick Club & also taking the first four in the Thornbury NRFC is Dave Smith with his Soojen & Gabby Vandenbeales he flew 53miles doing 1276.537, 1272.516, 1270.514 & 1265.397.

8th south west of England club was D Champness flying 58 miles with a chequer cock doing 1271.819.

10th, 11th, 12th & 13th South west of England Lerwick club was D Tyrer flying 56miles with velocities of 1268.307 then three birds together doing 1267.505, 1267.237 & 1267.237 on the pad together

14th, 15th & 18th Lerwick club is C & J Adams flying 56 miles with their Van Loons doing 1266.113, 1265.846 & 1265.045

16th & 20th Lerwick club was Luis Palacious-Ribes flying 53 miles his first a Dark chequer cock of Soojen X Jansen followed by a Dark chequer staff Van Reet X Jansen hen doing 1265.464.& 1264.607.

19th south west of England Lerwick club was T Ball flying 58miles with a blue cock doing 1264.999.

On a ending note the organisation held its last old bird race from Thurso that turned out to be a difficult race the winner was Sheldon Horn of the Bridgewater club were I have already done a separate report article on him but finishing second South West of England Lerwick club open and second in the Bridgewater club was Steve Willis.  The Bridgewater club members are the furthest flying fanciers in the South West of England Lerwick Club with on average the members flying some 40/50 miles further from every race point than other members and clubs now Thurso being the furthest race point flown by the organisation as due to the Covid situation the 600 plus mile race of Lerwick was off the cards but two of the organisations furthest flyers on probably the toughest race for some seasons achieved 1st & 2nd South West of England Lerwick Club is a great achievement and when you look at the situation of North Road flying in the country these Bridgewater fanciers are probably the last furthest flyers still flying the Grand old North route so well done.

Steve Willis flew 514 miles with a own created distance family of his birds over the years 4y chequer White flight hen doing 572.290 Steve also runs a pigeon corn shop as well as being the Bridgewater clubs secretary and a full time farmer so it’s great to see a fancier who puts effort into this sport getting something back well done Steve .

Steve Willis of Bridgewater

The Rat Man.