WELSH NATIONAL FLYING CLUB

by Tom Harris

MEL MAYO - 1ST & 2ND OPEN, 1ST & 2ND CENTRE SECTION BRUSSELS

The Welsh National FC held their latest event from the Belgian city of Brussels on Saturday 23rd June 2012 with many organisations once again switching both liberation days and racepoints to overcome the continuous rain and high winds which we have unfortunately been experiencing over recent weeks. 

Our race advisory committee once again held their nerve and on the advice of our newly appointed weather consultant the decision was made to go ahead with basketing on the advertised day, Thursday 21st June for a scheduled Saturday liberation.

Whilst the weather was set to improve by Saturday in time for a liberation, the rain and winds were still dominant throughout Friday, however there was a lot of optimism that this would clear and preparations were made for an early liberation.

Saturday morning and at first light with sun on the baskets, all expectations became a reality as our convoying team were able to cut the strings and release the birds at 06.30 UK time into clear blue skies and a south westerly wind. The weather along the first stage of the race from the liberation site to Ostend on the coast and across the eighteen miles of the Channel to the east coast was described as high broken clouds with broken sunshine and a south westerly wind. This was to continue along the whole line of flight to the home lands and with no signs of any rain interfering en route. There was however a risk of the occasional shower believed to be heavy at times approaching from the west as the day went on, by which time it was predicted that the majority of the birds would be home or not too far away. At this stage considering the conditions we were all aware that this was to be one of those races where good experienced pigeons prepared for the job would get their heads down and go for home whilst others would find this headwind more of a challenge and battle on throughout the day.

With all expectations of pigeons not being far from home on eight and a half hours, it was closer to nine when the first pigeons were timed into the probable winner, at the loft of Mel Mayo of Bargoed. Mel timed in two arrivals at 15.25.14 recording a vel of 1122 to record 1st & 2nd centre section, 1st and 2nd open. The winning pigeon is a yearling cheq roundabout cock of Lefebre Dheanean cross Van Loon lines. This game pigeon comes through Mel’s 2004 Bonn national winner and a pigeon named by Mel as Bobby Dazzler which scored 2x4th national and 7th national. Today’s winner has also flown consistently over previous weeks at club and federation level with performances such as 6th sec 15th open WNRF Swindon 3,100b, 26th sec 48th open WNFC Folkestone, 44th sec 60th open national Lillers, 19th section 31st open WNRF Reading and now 1st north section 1st open national Brussels. Closely behind is his second arrival. This is the only son that remains to be raced from this Bargoed fancier that is a direct descendent of the Bonn national winner , as the rest are now at stock and breeding winners for numerous fanciers around these Welsh valleys. Mel also mentioned that these outstanding pigeons and performances are based around pigeons via Bobby Lee of Bargoed over years of friendship.

Mel Mayo

For probable 3rd open 3rd centre section it’s the Crumlin partnership of Lovell Bros who maintain their form from previous weeks, timing in yearling mealy cock at 15.21 vel 1119.7. With the partnership being such good friends with this week’s winner Mel Mayo there is no surprise which lines are included in this pigeon. Once again Mel’s Bonn national winner in prominent in the pedigree crossed with the partnership’s 2009 WNFC Folkestone national winner which is Van Loon and comes down originally from the partnership of fellow club members G&M Clayton Bros also of Crumlin who, incidentally, were 1st WSR National only a few weeks ago. Jason also informs me that to date there are now 5x1st national winners in the pedigree of this pigeon.

For probable 4th centre section 4th open soleLy based on verification times, it’s the loft and pigeon of Haydn Minett of Cascade who timed in recording a velocity of 1109. This fancier has appeared highly in all of our 2012 races to date including 1st national Maidstone only a few weeks ago. Sadly at the time of going to print to meet a deadline for publication, details on this pigeon are unavailable, after numerous attempts via the phone.

With the centre section taking the first couple of places in the open result, in the north section this week it’s the husband and wife partnership of Mr & Mrs D Russell who claim the top spot flying into Ebbw Vale. Their arrival is a 4yr old timed in at 15.38.10 recording a vel of 1097.7. Dylan informs me that he was pleased with the fact that he had nine from his ten entries home by nightfall.

Down in the south section this week it’s the Newport partnership of Picton Brothers & Son who take the spoils timing in a 2yr old at 15.31 with a velocity of 1073.

On clock opening it was also pleasing to see and hear so many fanciers reporting a high percentage of their entries home and praising the conditions the birds were in on their return. Once again however some lofts unfortunately were struggling to get fifty percent. There were always going to be pigeons away come nightfall given the distance of over 350 miles into a continuous headwind at this stage of the season difficult. Some will have gone down for a while to take breather before continuing on to fight another day.

So with yet another successful event under our belts, mainly down to the preparations of our organisers and convoyers, we now go on to Huy, approx 380 miles. Hopefully we can continue to provide our members with yet another successful race and look forward to the two longest races on the programme, which are Bonn and Marberg. As always, here is a sample of the early times throughout the sections based on phone in times of first arrivals.

CENTRE SECTION

MAYO 15.25.14, LOVELL BROS 15.21.46, MINETT 15.38.22, MORRIS 15.52.06, K VOKES &S 15.55.47, PRICE 16.03.17, I DAVIES 16.00.42, MORRIS&LUCUS 16.03.58, DAVIES&COOMBES 16.29.36, HACKLAND&S 15.44.48, TANTRUM 15.52.16, HALL MCCULLAM 17.13.12, DAVIES HAINES 16.47.15, HARRIS 17.14.27.

NORTH SECTION

MR MRS RUSSEL 15.38.10 PROB 1ST SECTION 1097.7 v, MR MRS BROMLEY 15.27.42, FLOWERS 15.31.47, LONG &S 16.00.17, Williams br & son 15.53.30, Hares 15.47.16, James Gully 16.45.54, Beavan 16.14.54.

SOUTH SECTION

Picton br & son probable 1st south section 15.31, 1073v, Fishlock br & s 15.44.46, Goodright 16.12.01, Newbury 15.48.09, Roger & Duggan 16.05.01, Dunn 15.58, Clarke 16.39.36, Donelly 16.48.28, Wood 16.02.11, Bryant 17.10.23, Proctor 17.13.28, Roberts 12.45, Poyner 17.38.05, Currie 17.55.43.