WELSH NATIONAL FLYING CLUB
Tom Harris
FOLKESTONE YOUNG BIRDS - September 2012
D. K. FLOWERS - 1ST & 2ND NORTH SECTION, 1ST & 2ND OPEN NATIONAL
WITH THE 2012 SEASON SLOWLY AND SURELY COMING TO AN END, THE WELSH NATIONAL FC RECENTLY HELD ITS SECOND OF THREE YOUNG BIRD NATIONALS FROM FOLKESTONE IN KENT ON SAT 15TH SEPT, AN AVERAGE DISTANCE OF 180 MILES TO MOST LOFTS POSITIONED ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE WELSH BORDERS. WITH THE MIDWEEK FORCAST INDICATING VERY LITTLE IF ANY RAIN OVER THE WEEKEND, WE ANTICIPATED THAT THERE WOULD BE A CONSIDERABLE TURNOUT FOR THIS THE FINAL INLAND NATIONAL EVENT OF 2012.
Last minute checks.
AT MOST MARKING STATIONS WE HAVE NOTED A SLIGHT INCREASE IN NUMBERS ON OUR PAST OUTING FROM MAIDSTONE TWO WEEKS AGO. OF COURSE FROM FOLKESTONE THERE IS ALWAYS THE ADDED BONUS OF LOCAL BREEDER BUYERS BEING STAGED THROUGH DUPLICATION TO VARIOUS DOMESTIC CLUBS, WHICH ALSO ADDS ADDITIONAL INTEREST AND SPICE FOR OUR MEMBERSHIP. PRIOR TO LIBERATION I WAS SPEAKING TO GLYN PICTON ON FRI NIGHT WHO ALONG WITH JOHN WATKINS HAS HAD THE DAUNTING AND THANKLESS TASK OF GETTING THE BIRDS AWAY THIS YEAR. HE INDICATED THAT IN LIGHT OF FEDERATIONS FROM THE NORTH EAST OF ENGLAND ONCE AGAIN BEING POSITIONED JUST FIFTEEN MILES IN FRONT OF US AT MAIDSTONE, HE FELT THAT IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE AND MORE BENIFICIAL TO US TO ALLOW THEM TO GET THEIR CONVOYS AWAY EARLY, WHICH WOULD THEN GIVE OUR PIGEONS THE ADVANTAGE OF A CLEARER LINE OF FLIGHT.
All systems go.
SATURDAY MORNING AND AS PLANNED THE MORNING OPENED WITH A CLEAR BLUE BROKEN SKY AND WITH ALL THE FEDERATIONS CLEARING AWAY AS HOPED FOR , THE CALL CAME THROUGH THAT OUR THE BIRDS WERE AWAY AT 0800 INTO A LIGHT 7MPH WEST SOUTH WESTERLY HEAD WIND. HOWEVER EN ROUTE THIS TURNED OUT TO BE A LITTLE STRONGER THAN ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED AND FORECASTED, BUT IN LIGHT OF PERFECT VISIBILITY, AND A GOOD START, THIS WOULD ONLY HOLD THE PIGEONS BACK AND NOT HAMPER THEIR LINE OF FLIGHT. WE HAVE ALSO OBTAINED ADDED INTEREST TO THIS RACE THIS YEAR WITH THE PLEASURE OF WELCOMING A LOCAL COMPANY, A&R COURIERS OF NEWPORT, ON BOARD AS ONE OF OUR EVER GROWING SPONSORS. THEY GLADLY DONATED A TROPHY FOR THE OVERALL WINNER AND MEDALS FOR THE FIRST THREE LOFTS IN EACH SECTION. THIS DULY COINCIDED WITH THE RECENT OLYMPICS IN LONDON 2012, SO WHAT A PERFECT OPPERTUNITY TO ADVERTISE THIS AS OUR OLYMPIC CHALLENGE RACE.
They're on their way.
ANYHOW BACK TO THE RACE, AND WITH THE MORNING TICKING BY AND THE GOOD WEATHER CONTINUING TO HOLD, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE FIRST ARRIVALS SHOULD BE CROSSING OVER THE BRISTOL AREA AND ACROSS THE RIVER ESTUARY AROUND MID DAY WITH PIGEONS HOPEFULLY BEING TIMED IN SHORTLY AFTER THE FOUR HOUR MARK.
AS PREDICTED IT WASNT TOO LONG AFTER THIS THAT THE FIRST TWO PIGEONS WERE VERIFED AT THE LOFT OF D K FLOWERS OF PONTYPOOL, WHO TIMED IN TWO ARRIVALS AT 12.14.42 COVERING THE DISTANCE OF 181 MILES WITH A VELOCITY OF 1253.9. THE WINNING PIGEON IS A YOUNG CHEQ HEN, A DARKNESS YOUNGSTER BRED DOWN THROUGH THE RENOWNED FAMILY OF PIGEONS OF WALL, LUNT AND GREEN THROUGH THE MERLIN LINES, THE SIRE OF WHICH IS A FULL BROTHER TO MISS MAGIC, WHICH SHOWS PROMINENTLY IN THE PEDIGREE AND IS BRED THE SAME WAY AS DEREK’S 2011 LILLIERS NATIONAL WINNER. THE SECOND ARRIVAL AT THE LOFT, BEARING IN MIND THESE TWO ARE TIMED IN AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME AND VELOCITY, COMES DOWN THROUGH DEREK`S OWN GIESSEN AND PONTA MOSSON NATIONAL WINNER AND HIS 2011 WHPU QUEEN’S CUP WINNER ON THE DAM’S SIDE PAIRED TO A DOUBLE GRANDSON OF "CAMMY" CROSSED IN WITH THE DE KLAK PIGEONS OF BRUGGEMAN BROS. THE BROTHERS DEREK AND CLIVE, AS MOST WILL KNOW, OVER PREVIOUS SEASONS ARE NO STRANGERS TO THE TOP TABLE AT PAST NATIONAL PRESENTATIONS AND OPENLLY ADDMITTED THINGS REALLY HAVEN’T GONE TO PLAN THIS YEAR WITHIN THE LOFT AND IN RESPECT TO WINNING PERFORMANCES. HOWEVER, THROUGHOUT THE YOUNG BIRD SEASON BOTH DEREK AND CLIVE HAVE DOUBLED THE WORKLOAD AND TIME WITH THE YOUNGSTERS, AND HAVE NOW REAPED THE REWARDS FOR THEIR EFFORTS BY WINNING FIRST AND SECOND OPEN FOLKESTONE.
Derek with his 1st open winner.
Winner of 2nd open.
FOR 3RD AND 4TH OPEN 1ST & 2ND CENTRE SECTION WE HEAD OVER THE VALLEY TO THE BARGOED LOFT OF IDDY DAVIES TIMING IN TWO OF HIS GALAXY LOFTS ASSASSINS, AS A REULT OF HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH JACK CORNES. THE FIRST ARRIVAL IS A YOUNG BLUE HEN WHICH HAS FLOWN CONSISTANTLY OVER RECENT WEEKS AT BOTH CLUB AND NATIONAL LEVEL WITH PERFORMANCES WHICH INCLUDE 1ST CLUB 7TH OPEN MAISTONE NATIONAL JUST TWO WEEKS AGO. THIS GAME HEN TIMED IN AT 12.28 10 RECORDING A VELOCITY OF 1245.3. IDDY’S SECOND ARRIVAL ALSO ORIGINATES FROM THE ASSASSIN LINES OF GALAXY LOFTS, THIS TIME A BLUE COCK TIMING IN AT 12.28.33. EVEN THOUGH TO DATE THEIR IS NO OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES TO REPORT ON THIS YOUNGSTER, IDDY INDICATES THAT LIKE ALL HIS YOUNG BIRD TEAM THEY ARE THERE TO BE RACED EVERY WEEK SO THERE’S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE SUCCSESS IN THE FUTURE.
TO ROUND OFF THE TOP FIVE THIS WEEK WE GO BACK TO THE FLOWERS ESTABLISHMENT IN PONTYPOOL WHERE THEY TIMED IN THEIR THIRD ARRIVAL AT 12.17. UNFORTUNATLY WE WERE UNABLE TO OBTAIN THE TRUE DETAILS OF THIS PIGEON WITHOUT GOING THROUGH HIS PAPERWORK, BUT HE WAS CERTAIN THE CHEQ PIED COCK TIMED IN WAS ALSO OF WALL, LUNT AND GREEN LINES.
SO THAT’S IT, THE ENTIRE INLAND PROGRAMME HAS DRAWN TO AN END FOR THIS YEAR ALL THAT REMAINS NOW IS TO OVERCOME THE FINAL RACE NEXT WEEK FROM LILLERS, A DISTANCE OF AROUND 250 MILES.
LOOKING AND HEARING OF THE RETURNS THIS WEEK, MOST LOFTS ARE REPORTING CLOSE ON 100 % RETURNS, SO WITH THAT IN MIND WE ARE EXPECTING TO SEE A RISE IN THE NUMBER OF ENTRIES ON PREVIOUS YEARS FOR THIS EVENT. OF COURSE IT’S DOWN TO THE WEATHER AND FEATHERING CONDITION OF THESE YOUNGSTERS COME THE DAY AS TO HOW MANY THEY SEND, ADDED TO THIS WHICH ALSO NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IS THIS RACE HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TWO WEEKS TO THE ORIGINAL ADVERTISED DATE BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS EARLY ON AND CONSIDERING THAT THE NIGHTS ARE GRADUALLY DRAWING IN WE ARE HOPING FOR A GOOD MORNING ON THE DAY TO GET THE BIRDS AWAY EARLY ENOUGHT TO GET THEM THROUGH.
AS ALWAYS HERE ARE A FEW TIMES FROM AROUND THE SECTIONS AND THE PROBABLE MEDAL WINNERS IN EACH SECTION SUBJECT TO CHANGE ON FINALISING THE RESULT:
NORTH SECTION PROBABLE MEDAL WINNERS
GOLD D K FLOWERS 1253.94
SILVER C LONG & SON 1192
BRONZE WILLIAMS BROS & SON 1170.9
MR & MR HUMPHRIES 13.01.44, HARES 12.46.56, WILLIAMS BR &SON 12.46.50 LONG &SON 12.40.45
CENTRE SECTION PROBABLE MEDAL WINNERS
GOLD I.DAVIES 12.28.10 VEL 1245.3
SILVER M& J HUGHES VEL 1239.88
BRONZE H MINETT VEL 1239.85
CENTRE SECTION TIMES
JUDE 12,27,05, MAYO 12.38.21, K VOKES &SON 12.43.51, MORGAN&CUSHING 12.30.20, PRICE 12.40.48, DAVIES & COOMBES 12.28.52, LOVELL BROS 12.43.16, MINETT 12.33.05, M&J HUGHES 12.33.07, HIGGINS 12.44.09, HACKLAND&SON 12.38.44, D EVANS 12,44.22,
MORRIS& LUCUS 12.30.10, MR&MRS PINCH 12.44.52, HALL & MACCULLAM 12.41.19, J MORRIS 12.44.30, R MORRIS & SON 12.55.31.
PROBABLE SOUTH SECTION MEDAL WINNERS
GOLD A DUNN 12.23.33 VEL 1178.47
SILVER PICTON BR & SON VEL 1176.7
BRONZE P GOODRIGHT VEL 1176.1
SOUTH SECTION TIMES
FLEMING 12.30.06, FISHLOCK BR &SON 12.34.50, PICTON BR &SON 12.25.57, PROCTOR 12.51.?, NEWBURY 12.41.45, BEACHAM 12.56.45, G CLARKE 13.07.35, DONELLY 13.07.23, HAWKINS FAMILY 12.41.14, GOODRIGHT 12.34.01, ROGER&DUGGAN 12.44.01, AJ&S ATTLEY 12.45.03, KIDD COOKE 12.30.29, ARTHUR &SON 13.42.38, N ROBERTS 12.51.24, WOOD 12.43.17, FARNHAM 12.57.37, MR MRS LAMSDALE 13.32.03.
ON FINISHING I WOULD LIKE TO PASS ON MY THANKS TO COLIN AND LINDA, REGULAR TRAVELLERS ON MY ANNUAL BELGIUM TRIP FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT TO GO AND WITNESS THE LIBERATION AND TO FORWARD THE PHOTOS OF THE RELEASE, WHICH ARE ATTACHED.
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