WELSH NATIONAL FLYING CLUB

Tom Harris

PAU - JUNE 2014

The 16th of June and once again we were basketing for another race from across the channel, this time from the french town of Pau for the longest race on the 2014 programme. As expected the numbers were low for such an event as this is a race that takes weeks of preparation and ambition, however with just a handful of pigeons on board on Monday evening these were added to those entered by our members through duplication from the Central Southern Classic. The pigeons were soon on their way south to Southampton for the crossing over to France, and once on French soil the convoy made its way down to Bordeaux where they once again watered and fed for the night in preparation for the early morning start of the final leg of the journey to the liberation site. Whilst here in the UK we were making the most of the fine weather down south, upon arrival on site reports indicate that the temperatures had already reached 29 degrees at 11am, and with everyone already aware of the temperatures an early liberation was anticipated to give the birds every opportunity of getting as far north as possible during the coolest part of the day.

Liberation day was Friday and with the morning breaking the convoyers cut the strings at 05.30 am and without any hesitation the pigeons cleared out of sight in no time. On the return journey the convoyer reported hardly any wind and clear blue skies, so we knew from the off that the pigeons weren’t going to get any help over the 580 miles ahead of them on the continent, and added to this the wind was showing in a north easterly direction here in the UK with temperature expected to reach close to 30 degrees as the day went on. Early evening and upon keeping an eye on the Central Southern Classics website for any possible notification of any day birds it was shown that one gallant entry had overcome the conditions and made it home on the day to the loft of C. Ret of Southampton at 7.53 pm. With a further two hours or so flying time we may have been a little optimistic in expecting pigeons on the day of liberation but there’s always that chance, however with nothing to report we were looking forward to an early start on the second day.

Saturday morning and with still no pigeons to report on throughout the morning, it was once again a sit and wait situation as temperatures once again continued to soar. With more pigeons verified across the Seven, we were still looking out for our winner, but unfortunately at nightfall this failed to materialize, so it was yet gain another early to bed early to rise in the hope of getting that first arrival.

1st open Pau winner

Hadden & Son partnership

Hadden's back garden set up

Day three and we had it, our first arrival on welsh soil and winner of the Welsh National Flying Club Pau race of 2014. This gallant 5 yr old blue hen was timed in at 06.27.10 with a vel of 464.7 at the loft of Brian and Reg Hadden flying as Hadden & Son of Newport. This game hen arrived ironically at the loft with a turn up which the brothers had missing from the Newbury race the day before. The bloodlines of this pigeon were bred for the partnership by local fancier and friend Anthony Buttigieg and is based around the Taverine-Rigole cross Stichelbaut family of pigeons. In preparation for this race she was flown in all the overseas races leading up to this event, rested for a week and entered as one of the partnership’s two entries. She is no stranger to this distance as she was timed in from Bergerac 500 miles in 2013. Added to this performance the partnership also had the honour of winning 1st south section 9th open tarbes 590 miles in 2013.

A few hours behind the winning pigeon I received the verification of our second arrival at 09.06.13 vel 440.1 for 2nd open from one of the most out and out distance lofts in Wales, that of Padfield Family of Abertillery. Dave and Vince timed in a two year old cheq Wim Muller Jan Aarden hen. This hen was raced on the roundabout and had a couple of inland races before being sent to Carenten with the NFC. Her prep race was the BICC Tours race about 350 miles where she had in excess of 10 hours. Here are the breeding details. Sire Brother to Champion Jack which won 2010 56th Open 8th Sect NFC Tarbes Wins £721 1st Open 1st Sect WSRN Tarbes wins £670 2011 15th Open 9th Sect WSRN Tarbes also 337th Open 45th Open NFC Tarbes. 2012 3rd sec 3rd Open WSRN Tarbes 19th Sec 161st Open NFC Tarbes 2013 7TH OPEN WSRN TARBES ALSO 12TH SECT 88TH OPEN NFC TARBES. WSRN MERIT WINNER ONLY PIGEON TO WIN THE AWARD IN HISTORY OF WSRN. On the sire’s side she is inbred back to the partnership’s famous old 89. Her sire is the sire of 1st WSRN Tarbes. He was from Old 80 a son of Old 89 and a grand sire to three Tarbes national winners. The sire’s dam is a daughter of 1st International Hens Perpignan First Class for Wim Muller. The Dam is a daughter of Old 89 when paired back to another Wim Muller Aarden.

Dave and Vince Padfield

2nd open Pau for Padfield Family

Vince preparing the birds for the next challenge from Barcelona

So there it was, two arrivals within a few hours of each other, and as the days passed leading up to the closure of the race once the vel reached the 220 ypm deadline (Tues) sadly no further arrivals were confirmed which made these two pigeons’ endeavours more prestigious for both partnerships and the development of the WNFC to encourage long distances racing into Wales.

Before reaching a conclusion on this race, there’s one performance that needs highlighting and relates once again to the Padfields, Dave and Vince who showed themselves as true sportsmen in accepting the gentleman’s agreement that the WNFC have implemented by waivering the one hour phone in ruling in the two longest races when pigeons take days to return. This was introduced as we felt it relaxes the need of fanciers having to take time off work and also continue with day to day life as the race goes on. Their reaction on this is praised and endorsed both with the WNFC and the Hadden partnership who acknowledge true pigeon fanciers and sportsmen.

So one more race to go in the old bird programme and that is from Bergerac some 500 mles when once again the entries will be transported by the CSCFC. Our Welsh entries will be basketed on Monday 7th July and meet up with the rest of the convoy early Tues morning 8th for a Friday liberation. Charges are £3.00 per entry.

Certain comments written into this report regarding pre-liberation news were written after obtaining permission of Claire Norman, secretary CSCFC.

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