Saltney Social Flying Club Race No.1 Hereford 20/04/2019

By Alan Foster

It's that time of the year again folks? The gardens across the UK will be full of flyers eagerly looking on for their birds to appear out of the sky, with the hope of doing well. My name is Alan and I will aim this year to keep you up to date with the performances set by the Saltney Social Flying Club members for the racing year of 2019.

We as flyers have been getting more and more concerned over the years that we've always started racing too soon into the month of April. Not giving everyone enough time to prepare their birds. This could be due to the weather we have leading up to April, flyers are leaving it later and later to breed yougnens or just down to each individual flyer's personal preference on when they themselves will start their pigeons.

This year was no different the first race to be held by the North East Wales and West Wirral Federation was originally to be held from Hereford on the 06th of April. The decision was made to cancel the race due to bad weather, this in some ways helped those who were late getting the birds ready and those who rushed to get their birds ready more time.

The second race was cancelled due to the fed wagon breaking down, an unforeseeable situation which again prevented the fed from having a race. Isn’t it funny how the world has ways of helping everyone out sometimes.

So down to our first race, Friday the 19/04/2019 saw 5 members send a total of 82 pigeons to Hereford at the Saltney Tavern near Chester. The first race of the year, everyone had that buzz back again, (how long the buzz will last is the question). Racing pigeons is as funny old game and you never know from week to week what will happen.

The birds were liberated 20/04/2019 at 08:50 into a Light West Wind, Let the games begin. We arrived at the club for strike at 19:00 with everyone still in high spirits. The ETS system found its signal straight away, so that was a good start. With all the flyers clocks read out it was time to compile the result.

This week's winner was Lloyd Bros from Brymbo, both Rob and Tim Lloyd who also fly in the Wrexham Federation in the Brymbo club are keen fanciers and a great part of this club. The winning pigeon with the Ring Number GB16E29074 was clocked with a flying time of 1:22:59 resulting in a velocity of 1513.315ypm from a distance of 71m 556yds. Also taking the first share of the pools and the Nom, Good Picking lads.

This pigeon is a dark Bushchaert Cock which is being raced on natural. Rob and Tim were unfortunate to have lost this cocks hen two weeks ago from a training toss. The pigeon itself is sire to 1st Brymbo club 4th federation over the channel last year. His brother is the Brothers best pigeon winning 1st Wrexham Fed Frome and 1st Wrexham 2bird from Messac. This is the cocks first card and what a way to get his first card with a win. Well done to the lads, keep it up.

In second was G O Jones whom I fly the birds with, with a family partnership your bound to hit snags but we have hit a real level playing field this year with the hope of some great success with the birds. The pigeon NWHU2015C6761 was clocked with a flying time of 1:37:07 resulting in a velocity of 1485.592 from a distance of 81m 1652yds. This hen is a Gay Blue Pied whom the kids christened "Trevor" (There's a whole other story behind that one). She is a Van Der Wagon cross Janseen, she has been on the fed sheet from the longest race the last 3 years most recently 10th fed Messac last year. So predominantly a channel bred pigeon but a trusty homer. She is being raced on the celibacy system this year.

 This pigeon has always had a 50/50 split between the two of us, I don’t like the pigeon whereas Geoff does. This week we noticed her acting differently, she had a keenness to get out of the shed, to fly and then to get into the cock's section. But also, another thing we are known for in the shows is to pair up to the hens, this hen has never been interested in playing games with us, but this week was different. Its safe to say she's grown on me ha-ha.

All the best for you in your own clubs across the UK and we go again.

Alan Foster

Saltney Social Press Officer