G Treharne & son

1st Welsh National Flying Club 

Carentan 2

sponsored by Versele Laga

The welsh national flying club have come to the final race of their 2019 old bird programme as we prepare for the liberation from French soil from Carentan, a shorter race than advertised from Cholet due to problems liberating from the site has resulted in such move. With the pigeons again comfortably basketed at 24 per crate the transporter made its way along the m4 corridor to once again meet up with the north west federations at Chieveley service just on the a34 junction of the m4 for dual transport and liberation the following morning. With the transition completed the convoy made their way south to the coast to board the early morning ferry destined for northern France and onward journey to Carentan.

 

For this race there was a few prizes up for contention as this race was sponsored by the well-known corn manufacturers Versele Laga of Belgium and included the Versele Laga winner’s trophy Versele Laga best opposite sex to winner trophy and the Versele Laga two bird average trophy ,in addition  today we will finally know who will be crowned the winner and first recipient of the “Dougie Rooke “ memorial trophy for the old bird averages ,and with four members entered today competing for the honour it certainly came down to the wire.

 

Saturday morning ,  with everyone on the Carentan site arising early seeking an opportunity to get an  early liberation the forecast that we expect was deemed  true to itself ,as the morning skies gave a low pressure and gusting west south westerly winds over the channel, the news we received indicated that the weather was set to come better later on in the day and as such the race advisory committee decided to give it until shortly after noon before making a final call as to whether to liberate or holdover until Sunday.

 

At 12.30 with everyone mind set on the pigeons being held ,we received the news that with a break in the weather and winds decreasing the team were more than happy that conditions had improved to the extent that a liberation was possible and a safe crossing was in front of the birds as they released the convoy made up of various organisations at 12 .15 into broken skies and a brisk west south west wind.

 

At the home end conditions could be described as the same and with the winds pushing from the west it was generally thought it would be a testing final race and the pigeons would approach from the east as the expected four hours flight soon came and went  , we weren’t disappointed thou as  time went on when  we received our first notification, of pigeons being recorded and whilst they seemed steady it could have been a lot better or even a lot worse all considering.

 

Taking the top honours of 1st welsh national ,we go to the father and son partnership of G .Treharne & son (Stuart) as most are aware Gareth passed a few years ago however Stuart continues to fly in his memory under the same partnership name of g Treharne & son ,the winning pigeon is a yearling blue hen which was sent sitting four days prior to basketing, Stuart informs me that he lost her cock  well before racing commenced by a hawk strike , but has she was settled in her box that’s where she remained throughout the breeding season and was then separated with all the other hens once   

    

The Treharne family partnership 1st welsh national Carentan 2 ,2019 (at the BICC presentation)

                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

Breeding had finished into the aviary, without a partner she then raced solely to her box for most of the season and was only interested in her box on return ignoring the other cocks, it seems it was the box which was motivating her. On her first channel adventure to Fougeres she returned hawked with most of  her secondaries ripped out so was rested to recover until later on when she was sent to  Bedhampton two weeks before Carentan when she won 2nd club 13th open fed behind a loft mate on the same time . after which She paired with a cock after Bedhampton.

 

She is bred from a son of our number one Eijerkamp van loon stock cock the son of Kain when he was paired to a daughter of Lady Elanora, who is a full brother of the Messac national winner earlier in the season. her mother is a daughter of Alan’s lad the Saintes national winner , the mother topped the fed from Bedhampton but broke her wing in her next race from over the channel reported by a non-fancier in North Devon so we were lucky to get her back she is now at stock. Stuart goes on to say in a difficult race to finish the old bird programme off he was fortunate to have seven of his eight entries home and complimented the condition in which they returned.

 

On finishing Stuart wishes to thank his wife who plays a major part in the partnership due to Stuart’s work commitments, and he says for putting up with him on times, Dad told me many times she was special and indeed she is.

      

The Carentan 2 winning pigeon

         

 

 

We stay at the top of the valley as we go to the loft and partnership of D&G Bruton from Tredegar who again come in amongst the leaders finishing of a successful old bird programme timing in  a 2 yr old blue cock raced on roundabout on a time of 17.01.19 registering a vel of 11.80.8 this game pigeon is no stranger to top flight racing as his achievements mount up with 2x 2nd 4th & 75th national from Folkestone over the past two years plus 71st national Messac the sire of which comes down from retired fancier Iddie Davies of Bargoed of Koopman lines crossed with a Janssen hen bred via birds from a Mcfenton of Swansea ,a blend and family of of pigeons that over the past weeks has brought the Bruton partnership of to the top in regards to national racing into wales , this pigeon also wins the Versele Laga trophy for best opposite sex to the winner for its efforts today.

Dean & Gerald Bruton 2nd open Carentan

 

For the next three positions of 3rd 4th & 5th open we head slightly west across to Treharris  to the partnership of father and son Mathew and joseph Hughes they timed in three on a bounce with velocities of 1161.7 1161.6 and 1127.3 Mathew informs us that all three are three sisters of which were experiencing their first channel race and are al based around the lines of their good friend Andy Kidd of Newport the sire of which the “31” cock has previously topped the Welsh NRF twice and is a son of Belgium 46 purchased on the annual trip to Antwerp  from Carlo Bourguignon from Alken in Belgium, the dam  was purchased at the Morris and locus clearance sale  and is a direct daughter of the Giessen cock which went for £4,000 at auction and as such the children of him has produced many winners for the Hughes partnership including 2x2nd national winners.

Mathew Hughes of M & J Hughes partnership 3rd,4th & 5th Welsh National Carentan

Paul Ireland and partner Chris Hynam from Tredegar once again take a top spot in  6th open position but unfortunately at the time of coming to press I was unable to gather much  information on their arrival or a photo from the partnership ,the info I do have is  it’s a yearling blue cock which prior to today’s race had scored many club positions inc 2 x 1st club and  descends from no other than today’s winning lofts g Treharne and son on the sires side  crossed with the s& p kulpa pigeons of Berkshire maybe we`ll get the opportunity in future weeks to give the boys there moment with a picture.

 

Over the past weeks we have given a little to fanciers in the form of recognition, which we believe have achieved in the race and don’t get a mention and on  hearing the feedback it has been welcomed ,as we know it’s good to highlight the winning pigeons and the fanciers concerned but it’s also good to see those who have achieved a little something from the races, just out of the lime light sector of the result ,and this weeks is no different as without doubt with  no hesitation we  congratulate the Aberswssg partnership of Theopulis & Richards  who after the previous five races, flying an outstanding pigeon went into today’s race challenging for the top spot of “old bird averages winners” 2019  and with finishing 17th open in a hard battle to the end  done enough to  secure such position and have therefore  been rewarded  the honour for 2019.

 

On finishing the old bird season report ,it time  to thank a few people for their involvement in providing and assisting in the transporting our pigeons to the past   channel races firstly our overseas transport advisor and organisers  Diane bonny and her team of conveyers and race advisors and of course the central southern classic in Claire Norman secretary for keeping in touch along  Clive Merrill and their team  who provided an enjoyable but testing race from Bergerac.

 

Theophulis& Richards partnership finishing off a good old bird season confirming the old bird averages

 

Of course, all this is possible thanks to the welsh north road fed management team who we are affiliated too and remain with for the continuation of the young bird programme as we head to Maidstone battle and finish with Folkestone on the 21st of Sept.

 

In regards to the young bird nationals we are pleased to welcome back top pigeon ets with yet another full timing system up for grabs from Maidstone for a £2 per pigeon unlimited nomination and new to the WNRFC P J Loft’s, Gem Products, Paul and Jayne Newbold have kindly accepted our invitation to sponsor our battle race a week later with an £100 voucher redeemable at any show, this will be flown for in a free single bird nomination.

 

A date for the diary as we confirm the 2019 presentation evening at the seaman’s mission club Newport on Saturday 30th Nov in the traditional company of the welsh north road federation  

Top ten

1	GTreharne&son,.	1219.019	4:34:25	190,119	GB18C47415	£100.00			£100.00
2	108D&gBruton,.	1180.885	4:46:19	192,187	NW17R4621	£75.00			£75.00
3	47M&jHughes,.	1161.773	4:41:38	185,1594	W18T04605	£50.00			£50.00
4	47M&jHughes,.	1161.636	4:41:40	185,1594	W18T06019	£35.00			£35.00
5	47M&jHughes,.	1127.348	4:50:14	185,1594	W18T04667	£20.00			£20.00
6	135Ireland&Hyman,.	1108.848	4:58:9	187,1483	W18T01121	£10.00			£10.00
7	41THawkinsFamily,.	1106.168	4:36:27	173,1322	NW17D1411
8	135Ireland&Hyman,.	1089.122	5:3:33	187,1483	W18T01108
9	55RLambert,.	1062.600	5:15:23	190,727	W17T06418
10	108D&gBruton,.	1046.663	5:23:2	192,187	NW17S6215