WELSH NATIONAL FLYING CLUB

Tom Harris

MAIDSTONE - MAY 2012

Hayden Minett (Treharris) takes top 5

After weeks of uncertainty due to the cancellation of the first couple of domestic races by both the WHPU and the unpredictable weather, the 2012 Welsh National Flying Club campaign got underway on Saturday 19th May from Maidstone in Kent, an average of 160 miles plus to the Severn Estuary and Welsh Borders.

Basketing took place on Friday 18th and although the heavy rain was continuing to dampen the south of the UK, this didn’t deter the turnout for the first challenge of the season. As a result of the current weather situation most organisations around these parts had decided 24 hours earlier to either delay basketing by a day or to postpone their scheduled race altogether, however the race advisory committee for the Welsh North Road Federation who convoy our pigeons indicated that some time during the day they were predicting and hoping that a liberation was possible from Maidstone and everything was going ahead as planned.

On Saturday morning the first call of the day came through shortly before 7am to inform us that at present the line of flight was no way clear or good enough to liberate pigeons and a further update was arranged for 0800hrs. With no improvement through out the morning, regular updates went on till early afternoon until finally news had come through that the mist and showers that were covering the Berkshire and Wiltshire areas had moved on and organisations from the north who were on site in these areas were cutting their strings shortly after mid-day preparing to liberate. At the home end, whilst there was still a fair amount of cloud around there was no signs of any rain and the line of flight was clear and good to go. With the strings cut and the news that organisations in front of us along the M4 corridor had all gone by 12.30, the decision was made to get the birds away at 1pm into variable easterly winds.

It makes easy scribing this week to announce the winning pigeons in this race as the first five positions in both the centre section and open go to the same loft, that of Hayden Minett of Cascade, flying a distance of 166 miles 1443 yards. Hayden timed in five of his entrants in approx five seconds to record times and velocities of 16.29.50 vel 1415.9 closely followed by a further two timing in on the same second at 16.29.51 with velocities of 1415.8 and a further two just a second or so behind them on v1415.6 and 1415.4. The winning pigeon is a yearling dark cheq widowhood cock of Soontjens bloodlines originating from the Irish partnership of Gibbs and Byrne. The parents of such were both purchased two years ago in Blackpool. 2nd and 5th open are a yearling blue cock and a 2yr old blue cock also of Soontjen bloodlines and originate through the Frank Sheader of Scarbourgh lines with familiar names as Silver, Gold and Just a Kidd appearing in the pedigree. Hayden’s 3rd and 4th arrivals, a cheq white flight hen and a yearling cock, are both bred down through Hayden`s own original families of pigeons which have been formulated over the years and originate through the Haelterman pigeons from the late Frank and Ann Tasker. This family of pigeons are also responsible for a pigeon named "Minett’s Supreme" which scored 4x1st fed, 2x1st combine along with winning the Queen’s Cup and Gold Cup for this loft and fancier.

Hayden Minett

The position of 6th centre section 6th open goes to one of our eldest and highly respected and well known members Larry Phillips. On speaking to Larry just before the race, he told me that at the age of 93 and after holding many highly profiled positions within the pigeon fraternity over his many years, he has sadly decided to call it a day with the birds at the end of the old bird season. Larry timed in at 16.28.03 with a vel of 1410.3.

Just a few decimals behind in probable 7th section 7th open is another Treharris loft, that of the father and son partnership of Matthew and Joseph Hughes timing in at 16.30 with a velocity of 1409.8.

Moving away from the open result now to the section positions, on early checking and calculating it appears that in the north section the winning pigeon there goes to Paul Hares from Aber Bargoed who also had a good day timing in three pigeons together. His first arrival was timed in at 16.28 with a vel of 1404.

In the south section the top spot is likely to go to Tommy Hawkins & Family of Newport. This partnership since moving loft location is now headed by sons Ray, who has always been in the pigeon game, and Richard who has just shown an interest in the birds over the past months. They timed in their arrival at 16.15 to record a velocity of 14.03.

To report on other positions in the open and sections at this point so soon after the race would be unjustified as the returns were so close together and it will come down to the odd yard or even first or second decimal to divide them up, so we`ll leave that until the final result is confirmed in the next day or so. However I can report that on clock checking everyone seemed to be more than happy with their returns with the majority reporting a full complement of entries home and a few lofts having only the odd one or two away. The thing that most were in agreement with was the work that the race controllers and convoyers had put into the lead up to the liberation to ensure a successful event. Week in week out, race controllers and convoyers around the country are the subject criticism as a result of poor returns and losses but this is an instance when all their hard work paid off. So next week we head further east to Folkestone, where hopefully we can sustain our good fortune for the lead up to the start of our channel programme from Lilliers.

As always here are some early times in each of the sections, in no particular order.

South Section

Hawkins Family 16.15, Fishlock Bros 16.22, Picton Br & Son 1627, Newbury 16.19, Fleming 16.23, Roggers Duggan 16.27, Wood 16.16, Rogers 16.33, Emms 16.32, Biston 16.55, Jude 16.38, Bright 16.39, Farnham 16.31, Thomas & Son 16.45, WTG Paton 16.37, Beacham 17.05, Poyner 16.44.

Centre

Minett 16.29 Phillips 16.28, Mayo 16.28, Wildings 16.28, Clayton 16.27, Gooch 16.16, Tovey Stephens 16.18, Lovell Br 16.24, Price 16.33, Davies 16.30, Davies Coombes 16.26, Morgan Cushin 16.30, Higgins 16.27, Evans 16.23, M&J Hughes 16.30,m&s colier 16.27, Vokes & S 16.28, D Evans 16.34, Morris Lucus 16.27, Hall Mccaullam 16.30, Tantrum 16.27, Davies Haines 16.30, 16.29, Seargent 16.59.

North

Hares 16.28, M/M Bromley 16.23, Flowers 16.25, Holpin 16.40 Williams Br & S 16.33.

Sadly we finish this week’s report on a sad note. I’m in the unfortunate position of having to pass on the news that Mr Clive Hughes, our respected and appreciated sponsor and photographer, has sadly past away in the lead up to this week’s race. When the WNFC was first launched in 2009, Clive came forward and offered us his support and kindly donated his services not only in photographing the winning pigeons but duly attending our presentation nights to present such photos and to capture the event on our behalf. We pass on our deepest sympathy to his family at this sad time.