D. Thomas
    1st & 2nd Welsh National

Ramsgate young birds 2016

The welsh national staged its final event of the 2016 season from Ramsgate in Kent, and so ends an awkward and difficult season for those involved, in the management and transporting over the past months, with not only having to face the worst weather possible and high winds along, they also had to re-route on times to avoid French fuel strikes that hampered the old bird channel races.
as a result of such losses and the fact that many fanciers had already decided to stop large numbers as yearlings we basketed 480 pigeons on Fri. 23rd Sept. for the eastward journey to the liberation site in Ramsgate ,upon arrival the pigeons and our drivers  settled down for a few hours rest until day break  in the hope of an early liberation.
Saturday morning and with the expected high winds and heavy rain yet to improach on the line of flight the race committee and convoyers cut the strings for the final time and released the pigeons at 08,30 into clear skies and a light southerly wind ,which was planned to increase as the day progressed along the 200 mile journey to home.
At the home end the weather was still favourable  as fanciers took up their positions and await their entries ,and  just over the four hour marker that the winning pigeon was recorded at the loft of  one of our past national winners, David Thomas of Pengam who timed in two of his entries at 12.39.39 and 12.39.44 to record a winning velocity of 1430 the winning pigeon is a young blue cock that originates from fellow club mates Davies and Coombes down from their direct Leon Boers pigeons direct from the man himself. David’s second arrival which claimed 2nd open is a cheq hen of herman ceauster bloodlines from Alan Newton when crossed with the giessen lines of ex fanciers Morris and Lucus ..after confirming the result , Dai would like to thank ,cousin Roy and brother Derek for all there help in the past months and to Alan Newton and the Morris and Lucus for providing such a successful family of pigeons.

Dai Thomas

For 3rd open we head to the aber bargoed loft and  partnership of I& A Evans timing in at 14.42.26 vel 1414.56 their arrival was a blue hen that was gifted to them by graham and Adam Thomas fo beddau nr Pontypridd with the sire being a son of their no 1 stock hen  Gloria , whilst paired to their  Brussels national winner ,the partnership were a bit fortunate to have this hen in the race team this week as on Thursday evening whilst out exercising the team were struck by a peregrine in the valley and whilst most were present on the night this pigeon  along with another five returned home after there scare, late Friday morning just hours before basketing.
For 4th open we go  south to Newport and the loft of Kevin Williams timing in at 12.33. vel 1379, with a blue cock bred down from pigeons  from Eric Bevan from Pontypool on sire side crossed with pigeons blended with his own crossed with  mike Watkins from Newport.
M r & Mrs Roach from Abertillery rounds off this weeks top five by  claiming  5th open timing in at 12.45.55 vel 1372.01 with a young dark cheq cock ,which comes down from  Wilf Higgins of Pontypool ,based around  Roy and David Douglas x van geel and wall lunt and green pigeons on the sire whilst on the dams side its the Clayton and Lovell pigeons from Crumlin.
So that’s it another year over its also time as an organisation  to congratulate this years winners and participants for your continued support which has encouraged our membership to grow  over the

past weeks and months as more and more new and old fanciers have returned and joined  the wnfc which can only be  good for the future.
  We would also like to thank John Watkins the race controller for the welsh north road and the people who work alongside him behind the scenes ,who have had the daunting task of preparing a flight path with other organisations  throughout the past weeks (as its not just a Saturday job which some  people may think)  after consulting the weather man  to ensure the best racing day is achieved, also the boys

who work on both the pick up wagons and the transporters on site for the care they put into ensuring that the welfare of our pigeons is forefront whilst in there care, also to my fellow club members

at the pill rpc , who  week in week out in some dreadful weather conditions at times ,have  stayed behind on basketing nights to tranship the pigeons from one lorry to another  at their club prior to departure,

also the committees of the transport organisations who have assisted in the convoying of the national entries to various races which include the welsh north road federation the central southern classic f.c
 Finally the marking stations secretaries and respective club members and management committee of the welsh national for a collective input into the running of the national throughout the past season and the continued commitment and support of our sponsors ,
 we leave you now with some important dates  and look forward to hopefully working in partnership with all concerned to ensure  another successful season in 2017
dates for the diary
Sat 10th December welsh national and welsh nrf presentation night (tickets £18 per head) and we also recommend that ticket reservations and requirements are booked in advance to avoid disappointment  as numbers are limited
Sun 29th Jan 2017 the welsh national AGM 10.30 am at the seamans mission Newport .

Tom Harris