MIDLANDS NATIONAL FLYING CLUB
‘It’s All Coming Together for the New Season’
It’s a week or two now since you got the last update from the Club so I thought that we had better supply you with all of the very latest news. First of all this year has been the busiest one that I can remember since I became involved with the MNFC. The membership has increased once again which I believe is for the fifth year in succession. Ring sales are the best for quite some time with extra ‘E’ prefixed rings having to be ordered and the first batch of these is virtually sold out so it looks like more will need to be purchased in the near future. The ‘Training Scheme’ is looking to be a great success and I will touch upon this subject later in my report. The ‘One Loft’ project has proved to be a major undertaking but after a very much stop-start beginning due to illness at the loft builders and the lousy wet weather earlier in the year the ‘MNFC One Loft’ race is now well on track with the lofts now all completed and the aviaries fitted it is all now looking pretty good. That said next year should be even better when the necessary planning permission is granted and the lofts will be relocated into the more open fields area behind the present site.
Ian French the Lofts Manager outside the lofts.
When I called down to see the set up and take a few pictures the birds were looking happy and content in their new home with many sitting in the aviaries enjoying the sunshine. They have all now been vaccinated against Paramyxo and Herpes. Also thanks to a sponsorship deal which has been struck with the Schroeder + Tollisan Veterinary Company and now the birds have been treated on their highly recommended ‘Medical Combination Cure’. Vincent Schroeder explained to us that due to the pigeons being from nearly 200 different sources that it is vital that the birds be treated to maintain good health within the flock. This will be followed up with a regular weekly treatment with a ‘Preventative Natural Health Cure’ to keep the need of antibiotics to an absolute minimum. So owners can rest assured that their birds are being well looked after. It would be good to remember that the Midlands National are new to the ‘One Loft’ racing arena but any early mistakes regarding construction timing etc have all now been ironed out with the aid of a few MNFC volunteers who did a wonderful job ringing and vaccinating over 600 birds and the remaining 100 later inmates which will be on the loft before these notes are in print will have been vaccinated before being allowed to mix with the other youngsters.
The inmates inspecting their new home - Some of the youngsters enjoying the sunshine
A shot of the newly completed MNFC One Loft set up
Ian French the Loft Manager plans to exercise the birds separately in groups of 175 per loft so the chances of mid-air collisions are minimised. This he intends to continue as the birds are trained in their build up to the ‘Grand Finale’ in September when hopefully there will be a big field for this event with its fantastic Prize Pay Out. For Ian and his assistant this is where the hard work starts!
2016 MNFC Handbook
The contents of the book is currently in the hands of the our printers and will be dropping on paid up members front door mats in a couple of weeks. So please get your Subscription fees paid if you haven’t already done so because it’s no payment no book I’m afraid.
By all accounts this latest book is going to be a ‘cracker’ with some interesting articles and pigeon connected averts that you may be wishing to purchase things from. Within in its contents virtually everything you need to know about the Mid Nat can be found within its covers.
New Marking Station
I can inform Northern fanciers that as well as the new station at Alan Bamfords Corn Suppliers that it looks like another station is soon to be unveiled to cater for the needs of the latest North Centre section. Unfortunately the details won’t be in the handbook but members will be made well aware of both its existence and location. This is intended to help members and ease the numbers that were currently using the Skellow Marking Station.
Training Scheme
Following the enthusiastic response that we have received and I’m sure will continue to receive over the next few weeks that these are the full list of pick up points and approximated times.
West Side: Bamfords 9.00-9.30 am Burtonwood 10.00-10.30am Chester Services 12.00-12.30 Stoke 13.30-14.00 pm Penkridge 15.30-16.00 pm Bromsgrove 17.00-17.30 pm.
Centre: Barnetby Top 12.00-12.30pm Doncaster M18 13.30-14.00pm Hucknall 15.30 -16.00pm Atherstone 17.30-18.00 pm
East side: Kings Lynn 14.00- 14.30pm Spalding 15.30-16.00pm Raunds 19.00-19.30pm
The dates for these training flights are as follows: 4th May, 11th May, 1st June, 22nd June, 13th July, 3rd August, 10th August, 17th August.
The Royal Lofts ‘Flying Back To Nature’ Auction Sale
For anyone looking to acquire some of the finest bloodlines that the MNFC has on offer then keep an eye out for the sales list in next week’s paper. Peter Farrow the Royal Lofts Manager ‘collared’ many of the 2015 National Prize Winners to assemble this high calibre list of young birds for this worthy cause and believe me the members haven’t let us down with donations fit for any breeding loft. The sale will be on a phone in basis with the highest bid by the deadline. So if it’s quality that you are after look no further.
Members who are signed up for the ‘Training Scheme’ are urged to contact the Club on 01782 624440 if you have not yet supplied us with a mobile contact number so we can inform you if any on the planned flights have been forced to be cancelled due to a forecast of poor weather conditions. There is still time to join us for this personalised training by contacting me on the above number.
Well I think that the lot for now and I hope your plans unlike mine are on track for the forthcoming race season. If conditions are good I expect a great record breaking year for the Club and its members.
Mike Lakin