MIDLANDS NATIONAL FLYING CLUB

MIKE LAKIN

Provisional Young Bird Portland Race Report

Mc Curry Looks Too Hot For the Competition

They are on their way!

The first of the MNFC’s two Young Bird race programme this season took place on Saturday the 30th August from Portland when the 4,247 birds entered were transported to the racepoint in two of the Club’s transporters. This was to ensure that the birds travelled in real comfort with just 15 birds per crate. This decision was made in view of the widespread problem of the dreaded ‘young bird sickness’ which many attribute to stress. The biggest threat to the birds within the crates was more likely to be one of loneliness rather than overcrowding! Once again the committee responsible deserve great credit for putting the wellbeing of the pigeons before saving a few pounds.

After early morning rain the weather improved well to enable Ian French, the Midlands National’s convoyer, to get the birds away at 9.15am into a fresh West South Westerly breeze. The wind was quite correctly forecasted to abate considerably early en route with the South Eastern sections the clear favourites to feature the most prominently in the result.

This was to prove to be ‘bang on the button’ as the Wisbech birds of Stuart Mc Curry looking likely to be far too hot for the opposition on this occasion. On speaking with Stuart he told me that the loft had a superb race with several other timers not too far behind his leading pigeon a Dark Chequer hen recording a provisional velocity of 1684 that is of Busschaert x Soontjen breeding. This result is no real surprise to the area’s fanciers as Stuart’s youngsters have been performing exceptionally with results that include the first five federation positions in one race and several other high placings as the season progressed. I will have more extensive info on Stuart and the other section winners in the full report in a week or two’s time.

Stuart Mc Curry, the Provisional race winner, with his winning bird.

Fanciers are reporting excellent returns which is obviously ‘music to all of our ears’. This augers well for the future race from Carentan.

N.B. Before I leave readers to look out for either themselves or friends on the provisional results Leaderboard I would like to thank all fanciers who have cooperated in the Drug Tests that have been carried out by the club and happily all of the results have proved to be negative, which is excellent news for all concerned.

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