BERGERAC - JULY 2014

by Tom Harris

Mr & Mrs J. Humphries & Son

Bergerac, the final event of our old bird programme, got underway with basketing on Monday 7th July for a planned liberation on Friday 11th. With all proceedings completed the convoy were once again en route early Tuesday morning to liaise with other Welsh and English federations and national clubs who were all being convoyed by the Central Southern Classic for the onward journey south across the channel to Bergerac.

Friday morning and with no reports of any problems en route and a safe arrival on site early Friday morning, the convoyer reported poor conditions with low mist and fog lingering in the liberation region and with the lack of any wind to clear the said obstruction the convoyer reluctantly had no alternative other than to hold the birds over.

On Saturday morning with early dawn offering a totally different outlook, the convoyer and race advisory committee had no hesitation in getting the convoy of approx 1,450 pigeons away in clear skies and very little winds, and any wind that was to be experienced up through France was described as light north westerly. Accompanied by the humidity we were well aware that the pigeons had a task ahead of them on their 500 mile journey home.

On Saturday evening and with our competitors on standby at their lofts hopeful that there might be day pigeons, as in 2013, news came in that one arrival had been recorded on the south coast within the CSCFC at the loft of Dave and Lisa Waterhouse of Portsmouth and after doing the ususal calculations based on the extra distance, any possible Welsh sightings on the night would be expected around 9.30 pm, for any of our members duplicationg back to us from the CSCFC to challenge what turned out to be the eventual winner of the CSCFC 2014 Bergerac race.

Nightfall and as the sun went down over the hills here in the Welsh valleys hopes of any possible arrivals within the WNFC faded, and preparations were underway for an early start the following morning.

With yet another day of extreme heat expected, it was at 7.30am that news came through of the first arrivals in the WNFC. These were at the lofts of federation secretaries John and Rosemary Humphries & Son (David) from Beaufort near Ebbw Vale. The partnership timed in two of their four entries at 06.09 and 07.06 with velocities of 826.1 and 784.9. The winning pigeon, claiming the Versele Laga sponsored winner’s trophy, is a 3 year old blue hen which was bred and gifted to the partnership from local fancier Mel Mayo of Bargoed through his dominant pigeon Bobby’s Boy. This game pigeon, which clearly wasn`t far from home by nightfall, was sent sitting 10 day old eggs and prior to this event was sent to all overseas races resulting in 29th North Section Fougeres and 23rd North Section 49th Open from Messac. It was originally planned to send her to Pau but with the nest conditions not being right at the time of basketing she was held back ready for this event.

1st Bergerac

The partnership’s 2nd arrival and not only claiming 2nd open but also winning the Versele Laga two bird average trophy and the best oppersite sex to winner trophy is a 2 year old blue pied cock, a Jan Aarden being a son of the partnership’s 1st Club, 1st Federation, 3rd National from Tarbes 602 miles in 2013. He was sent sitting 14 days and has flown consistently inland races however on his first outing across the channel to Carentan he returned to the loft injured, which resulted in a few weeks’ rest before slowly being returned to the race team. In preparation for Bergerac he had numerous single tosses from as far as Maidstone approx 165 miles.

2nd Bergerac

For 3rd and 4th open it’s into Bargeod we go to the loft of Mel Mayo whom timed in at 08.43 and 18.04 on the winning day with velocities of 713 & 490.8. Mel’s first arrival is a 5 year old cheq hen which is a grand daughter of his well established retired Bonn national winner Bobby’s Boy. This game hen has flown consistently throughout the season and apart from giving the 600 mile Pau race a miss she had encountered every race within the 2014 programme.

With the heat and humidity worse as the day went on it wasn’t till early evening that Mel verified his second arrival and the fourth on the result at 18.04. This was a 2 year old cheq cock which is a grandson through Bobby’s Boy. Mel believes all his pigeons are there to be raced and not just looked at on the perch and this cock has flown all the races throughout 2014.

Mel Mayo

So after two days just four game and gallant pigeons had been verified. With very little hope of seening any more of the convoy within race time as none were recorded throughout Monday, I then received a call to check on a velocitiy of Mel Mayo’s third arrival on Tuesday afternoon at 14.42 which on calculating was seen to be within the 220 close of race velocity deadline recording 235.1. This small smokey blue hen is yet another decendent of Bobby’s Boy, a g.g.dtr, and not only takes 5th open but I’m informed that she was also 2nd open Bergerac in 2013.

 

Pos	Name	Velocity	AFT	Distance	Ring	PrizeOpen	PoolsOpen	PoolMoneyOpen	Total
1	Mr&mrsJHumphrys&son,C	825.766	18:4:35	508,1544	W11N09639	£75.00	ABCDEFI	£97.75	£172.75
2	Mr&mrsJHumphrys&son,C	784.707	19:1:20	508,1544	W12N09435	£50.00			£50.00
3	MMayo,C	713.856	20:37:42	502,31	W09K02322	£30.00			£30.00
4	MMayo,C	490.880	29:59:55	502,31	W12K03122	£25.00			£25.00
5	MMayo,C	235.112	62:38:0	502,31	W09K02342	£20.00			£20.00

 

So there it is, the old bird programme finished for another year and on looking back we have experienced a highly successful time in relation to other organisations with members of the WNFC timing in from all of the overseas races, and furthermore we would have appeared highly against more experienced south road fanciers within the southern part of the UK.

We now move on to Maidstone the first of our young bird events and still we are receiving enquiries regarding membership for young birds, which is pleasing to see for the future of the WNFC.

The remainder of the programme is as per the programme which can be viewed on our website at http://www.welshnational.co.uk/

SAT 23RD AUG MAIDSTONE SPONSORED BY A KIDD GARDENING SERVICES
SAT 30TH AUG BATTLE (NR HASTINGS) JACK JENKINS MEMORIAL TROPHY
SAT 13TH SEPT RAMSGATE SPONSORED BY MR MRS T TREMEE

 

Also two dates which need to be addressed in future weeks. The first is that Chris Sutton (photographer) will shortly be visiting South Wales to catch up with the photos that are missing from our 2014 old bird portfolio. A date as yet hasn’t been set but fanciers will be advised shortly. Finally the 2014 Welsh National FC and Welsh North Road Federation annual presentation night will be held on Saturday 13th December at the Seamans Mission Club, Newport.

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