STAFFORDSHIRE MOORLANDS & DISTRICT FEDERATION

by Thomas Garvie

FEBRUARY 2012 UPDATE

Well, time is fast moving on and before you know it racing will be upon us. We paired our racing birds after we returned home from the Blackpool show and they started laying the first eggs nine days after they were paired and they laid nearly every day after that with the exception of a couple of pairs. At the moment we have seven squeakers with some more hatching every day for the next few days and whatever hatches from these pairs will be our young bird race team for next year because we do not intend to take any more rounds. Therefore they will all be about the same age so hopefully we will get between 30-40 and I think it will be nearer the 30 mark. I have to correct myself there because there will be one pair which will be fairly later than the others as a cock went up in to the top nest box and smashed the eggs and they were a pair I really wanted the eggs from. I suppose that is what usually happens when you are wanting a certain pair. The cock that smashed the eggs has been named Dim Tim as he had trouble finding his box but hopefully he will find his way home from a race quicker than he found his box!

After the uncertainty surrounding the fed at the start of the year when we were struggling to get officials, namely a new secretary, things have begun to take shape again and so the fed is again holding the three breeder buyer sales with the first one being held on 11th of March at Meir. The second one is on the 18th March at Macclesfield and the third is on the 1st April at Packmoor so hopefully there will be good entries for these sales and the race for this will be from Poole on the 1st of September. Penning for the sales will be at 12 noon with the sale commencing at 1pm sharp.

I also had a call from Nobby Armitt from Buxton who wanted to let everybody know that Buxton club are holding a young bird sale on the 25th March. The sale begins at 1pm prompt and there will be some top class birds in the sale with birds coming from Mantle Bros of the Buxton club, Keith Fields from Rotherham, Spinks and Bark from Lichfield, Mcgraw-Clegg and Preece from Stoke, Don Salt from Alton, Rick Geary from Macclesfield[hope he is not giving my pair away here,when will ours be ready Rick?],Ingram and Langton, Ken Salt from Horsely Woodhouse, Roger Sutton from Congleton, Adrian Duggins from Darley Dale, Graham Land, Johnny Oldfield and Ike Redfern all also from Darley Dale, and all the Buxton club members will also be donating a youngster and also a few members from my own club Hayfield. So far Jim Gibb has promised one and that takes some doing getting a bird from Jim, you could pull Excalibur out easier. Seriously though, Jim will donate a cracker as he always does. Chris Mourne is also donating one and this will be top drawer, and my wife and I will also give one to this worthy cause as Buxton really need a cash input to help renovate their club.

I have also added the few remaining photos taken when we went to the Macclesfield show and they are of Jill Smith, Martin Hough, Simon Geary, Paul Beck who came to the show to be presented with a few of his fed trophies and last but not least Rick Geary and Bernie Barratt.

Jill Smith

Martin Hough

Simon Geary

Paul Beck

Bernie Barrett and Rick Geary

I have had a bit of bad news recently because I have to go in to hospital to have operations on both my shoulders and they could not be at a worse time with the the first shoulder being done on the 3rd of April and that means whichever arm is being done first then it will be out of action for about six weeks. Fortunately my wife Liz will have to take on the mantle of chief race operator here for a bit. She says I have to follow her round everything and tell her what to do and that sounds good to me. I hope that carries on after my arms are okay, but it will be a right inconvenience because at home I grow loads of flowers and vegetables and Liz will have to take on the role of head gardener as well [wonder how long I could spin that out for]. Also at the club I am the clock setter so I will be unable to do anything at the club for weeks apart from being able to hold a glass - you only need one hand for that!!

I would also like to give a small mention to my good old mum who has just celebrated her 80th birthday and she is still as active as ever and for the first time she is coming down to visit us for a few days in summer. Either Liz or myself will have to meet her somewhere along the line as she is not able to travel well herself and she was a bit worried about changing trains but she is being put on the train at Glasgow by my brother and she will be met at the changeover by one of us so she will not have to worry about any changes. The same will be done in reverse on her way back with us taking her to the Glasgow bound train and my brother meeting her at Glasgow so there should be no problems. This will probably be her one and only visit but hopefully she will have many more years left in her yet.

I will finish this off now by wishing everybody a successful year with a good hatch and good racing so as usual, if you have anything to send then the address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or give me a call on 01663 733317 and while my arm is resting after the op please continue to send anything in as I will get it all up to date as soon as I am able.