THE PORT NEWS
by Alan Shinton
Featuring Wesley Ellis (K L W Lofts)
Wesley is a young man who represents a family steeped in pigeon racing. The story behind most winners is one of dedication and motivation and a certain amount of luck. This one is by no means different until you understand that the young man in question and incidentally in charge of this loft is sixteen years of age. Wesley Ellis is the youngest of a line of the Ellis family to enter into our hobby and race pigeons. Previously flying under the name of KLW Lofts, this particular loft has enjoyed some memorable performances in recent years.
Wesley
The name KLW Lofts is drawn from the family’s name, basically Keith Ellis (father), Luke Ellis (older son) and Wesley Ellis (younger son). Since 2007 the birds have been managed by young Wesley with some help and advice from the sidelines from Luke and Keith. The lofts were previously managed by Luke as a youngster, again with much success up until 2006 culminating with Luke winning an RPRA award.
The loft duties were then to be passed to younger brother Wesley in 2007 racing as KLW Lofts and then as a single entity as Wesley Ellis culminating with some great successes in 2011 by winning the coveted Chester Two Bird Specialist Club’s young bird race from Portland and then being awarded three RPRA awards.Young Wesley again topped his federation, The West Cheshire Federation, in THE 2012 young bird season and again was awarded yet another RPRA award. Previously flying in the Saltney Flying Club in the North East Wales and West Wirral Federation, Wesley turned his sights onto Ellesmere Port and the Victoria HS where his family were founder members.
The Victoria HS was originally formed a number of years ago. One of the founding members was a fourteen year old young man namely Joe Ellis. Known as the Boys Club (as there was no room in the then local clubs for more members) the Victoria was formed. The Victoria Homing Society has existed in its current guise since 1964 but has only been at its current location since 2013 after relocating earlier in the year from the now defunct Stanney Lane Royal British Legion. Prior to moving to the British Legion the club had its headquarters in a couple of local pubs.
Pigeon racing within the Ellesmere Port district has existed since the late 1800s. Known locally (and probably nationally) as the working man’s hobby, it has been enjoyed by many generations of local families. Ask any local person do they know someone who races pigeons and the chances are they do. Ellesmere Port has in recent years seen a decline from three racing pigeon clubs to two clubs so it is a great breath of fresh air when you see youngsters such as Wesley enjoying and excelling at his and our favoured hobby. Well it's no big surprise that Wesley has excelled considering his grand dad Joe is pictured here at the age of fourteen years with yet another family winner. It is quite fitting that with progression through the years that Joe Ellis is still a stalwart member of the Victoria HS today.
Joe Ellis aged 14 years in 1946
After an excellent start to the season within the Victoria club by Sid Arathoon taking the first two races Wesley had to wait until the third race from Hereford to see his hard work come to fruition. The third young bird race of the season saw the wind swing from east to west with a southerly tail wind; this would then ensure we would see the velocities increase and an unusual result ensue as one of the shortest flyers in the fed would prevail against all the odds and the wind. The West Cheshire Federation was to be basketed on the first Friday in August and liberated at Hereford on Saturday 3rd August. The weather had been really kind but hot and humid, but with the wind in the west a normal straight forward although speedy race was anticipated. The birds were liberated at 6.30am into a south west wind. As the race unfolded birds were reported tanking through Ellesmere Port with the best local time being Carl Curran timing in at 7.57 doing the 83 miles in just under one and a half hours. At clock strike it was soon realised that the shortest flyer in the club had the best time, with not one but three pigeons. Wesley Ellis had put some 35 yards a minute between himself and the next club flyer, which was Carl Curran. As the result materialised Wesley was to take the first three on 1728, 1725 and 1722, with Carl in fourth spot on 1993. Not a bad performance when considering the shortest flyer in the club in a tail wind, but made more extraordinary when the federation result was announced that Wesley would win the federation and take second and third for good measure, beating the fourth federation pigeon of M K Locke's by some 32 yards a minute giving the fourth pigeon some six miles in a tail wind. An excellent performance in a very strong and competitive federation.
West Cheshire Federation Hereford 1. (84/2230) Top ten: 1st W Ellis 1728. 2nd W Ellis 1725. 3rd W Ellis 1723. 4th M K Locke 1695. 5th C Curran 1693. 6th M K Locke 1693. 7th M K Locke 1693. 8th M K Locke 1693. 9th A Lawson 1687. 10th S Williams 1686. Clubs: Victoria HS (12/321) W Ellis 1728,1725,1723. Willaston (8/315) M K Locke 1695, 1693, 1693. Chester (8/177) S Lawson 1687, S Lee 1664, 1657. Rock Station (14/511) S Williams 1686, 1686. J Wheadon 1685. Hooton (16/352) Jones and Foster 1685, JJ and DM Clews 1678, 1675. Christleton (8/148) J Ford 1679. L Moore 1673, 1661. Neston (10/238) G Leighton 1669. Favager and Son 1657. C A G Mathias 1640. Moreton (8/168) P Stewart 1630. K Chadwick 1620. L Williams and Family 1610.
Wesley's three front runners came together but trapped six and eleven seconds apart. The first bird into the trap is a blue cock which is a grandson of Chester fancier Ronnie Dodd and Son's well known good racer "The Butcher" cock when paired to a Guy Nielson De Klak hen. The second pigeon to show its metal is another blue cock which is bred from Koopman cross Hybrecht lines from Darren Roberts of Chirk. The third pigeon a blue pied hen is one of a batch procured direct from Bob Fenech's earlier in the year. Wesley extends his deepest gratitude to Bob for ensuring he was supplied with some quality pigeons.
It was also interesting to hear the thoughts of a young man who has been around pigeons all his short years to ask his views on the ETS. Well I can inform you that this is the first year that Wesley has used it and one thing he states quite strongly is that although it took some time for him to get one he will not be going back to manual clocking.
The system adopted by this loft is quite simple, the birds are housed in a nice set up of which the young bird loft comprises of two compartments. The left hand compartment is open with poles and the right hand compartment has an array of motivational boxes from pipo boxes, buckets, and dark boxes. That said the birds that were to take the top three in the federation were all racing to the perch and as such not utilising Wesley's motivation tactics, although this will no doubt play a part in future races.
Blue Cock - First Club First Federation Hereford
Wesley maintains the same day-to-day management routine throughout the young bird season. This consists of a morning flight and an evening flight averaging an hour or so each time. The morning flight is then maintained during training with the training toss daily from Monday to Thursday during racing from twelve miles only. Saturday is race day and Sunday will then be a rest day for the birds.
The youngsters are weaned in mid February and put onto the darkness in March until 21st June. Once the birds have come off the darkness the lights are then put on in the young bird shed in mid July and kept on until the racing season is completed. The feeding? That again is kept simple with Gerry Plus being the mainstay for the breakfast feed and the birds are given a half ounce each daily every morning, with the main feed being Ruby Gold, supplied by Bucktons feeds. Proteins are given after racing on each weekend. The youngsters are vaccinated for pmv prior to commencement of racing.
Wesley's young bird loft
The whole set up of KLW Lofts
The result for this loft was not a surprise to those members witnessing Wesley's birds being hampered weekly as many would comment on their condition. Wesley has tried to bring in a couple of new youngsters which he could afford and added those to his young bird team which each year is improving.
The following week would again see Wesley hitting the bar by a decimal taking second club and second federation from Monmouth. Wesley would again play second fiddle come the third Monmouth race of the season. Having taken a bad hit with returns from the federation Frome race where only six pigeons from a convoy of two thousand managed a velocity over 1000 yards per minute, the West Cheshire Federation decided to drop back to Monmouth. Wesley timed in four (he actually got eight but only four count) pigeons within five seconds to record second, third and fourth club. And also collecting fifth, sixth, seventh and eight federation, being only one yard off the winner.
The one side of Wesley's young bird loft
Having now watched his birds performing as a team the Victoria HS moved onto the final race of the year which would be competed from West Bay, a distance of some one hundred and seventy seven miles into the Port. Meanwhile the Chester and District Two Bird Specialist Club would have their annual young bird race from Portsmouth (Bedhampton). Wesley having already won this event in 2011, with his birds in fine form (fed wise) was to enter his two candidates and see his birds again compete and do well against the best around him. The birds were liberated at 11 o'clock into a south west wind, with a quick race anticipated. We were not disappointed, the birds were to steam into the area with Wesley timing his both entries at 14.14.03 and 19.12. These were to prove handy birds and would feature high up in the result taking eighth and eighteenth respectively reaping £106 in prizes.
The motivational compartment in Wesley's young bird loft
Chester and District 2Bird Specialist club Result (66/123. Total prize and pool fund £2919). 1st. M K Locke 1695. 2nd. M K Locke 1694. 3rd. J F Moore 1691. 4th. D Griffiths 1681. 5th. Ward and Cullen 1677. 6th. R Dodd and Son 1673. 7th. Davies and Price 1670. 8th. W Ellis 1668. 9th. J I and C Millward 1661. 10th. P Coombes 1661.
Wesley's first pigeon in the Chester 2Bird race was blue white flight cock paired to a yearling hen. His sire is a Hybrecht and the dam a Jos Soontjen pigeon. A special mention here also for Mickey Locke who took first and second in the same race. His second pigeon was the same bird who took second West section in the MNFC Chale National the previous week.
West Bay and the last race of the season was upon us. For those who had them left there was the federation gold ring cash prizes to compete for and of course the last federation honours for the season. The birds were (which were down in numbers) liberated at 8.10 am into a west wind. This suggested that the Port birds would have an advantage however previous weeks had proven difficult for anyone to beat the Willaston or the Rock Station clubs.
At clock strike it was obvious that the race was an open event with birds vying for contention from the Rock Station and the Victoria. It was the Victoria who would just prevail with Wesley Ellis taking the first three positions in the club and federation. Wesley was also to take twentieth Federation with his fourth pigeon. Alan Shinton would take fourth club and fourth federation. The Rock Station would then cap a fine season by taking the next four places in the federation.
Wesley's First Federation West Bay
Wesley's winner is a cheq pied hen was sitting eggs in one of Wesley's secret weapons (learned from Paul Coombes) - his buckets. She is bred similarly to his Chester 2Bird pigeon being down from a Jos Soontjen cock when paired to a Hybrecht hen. His second pigeon was one of the batch procured from Bob Fenech earlier in the year. Wesley was really at pains to ask me to thank Bob Fenech as the birds he purchased had really performed for him on numerous occasions in the first year of trying and he is more than pleased with his so well done to both the vendor and the purchaser.
The third bird to trap on the final day albeit only eight seconds off the winner was a blue white flight hen. She is a daughter of a Koopman cock when paired to a Hybrecht hen, and yet another home grown and bred performer. This incidentally is the third time this loft has taken the first three positions in the West Cheshire Federation in five years.
From all at the Victoria HS, well done Wesley on a great young bird season.
Wesley holding his Federation winner
West Cheshire Federation West Bay (62/606) Taking the first three positions we have Wesley Ellis. Also from the same club we have Alan Shinton taking fourth, ninth and tenth position. Fifth, sixth and seventh we have Steve Williams just beating off his mates Roy and Robbie Sandland in tenth. Clubs: Victoria (9/103): W Ellis 1597, 1597, 1598. Rock Station (12/146) S Williams 1591. 1590.1589. Moreton (6/80) L Williams and Family 1553, J Rixon 1553, 1544. Hooton (13/98) G Harrison 1534, B V Jones 1524, W H Cottrell and Son 1507. Neston (3/32) C and C D Jones 1488, S Lee 1420, W Walker 1410. Willaston (6/54) M K Locke 1473, 1473, 1469. Chester (8/40) A Lawson 1464, S Lee 1420, W Walker 1410. Christleton (5/43) D Griffiths 1458, L Moore 1425, 1409.
Paul Coombes Victoria HS Club Chairman and President congratulating Wesley on his second federation win
West Cheshire Federation Gold Ring Race West Bay (20/60) 1st R and R Sandland 1558 £462. 2nd F McNamara 1545 £346. 3rd R and R Sandland 1545 £200. 4th G Harrison 1534 £196. 5th F McNamara 1532 £75. 6th S Williams 1525 £60. 7th and 8th P Coombes 1512, 1462 £100. 9th B V Jones 1452 £40. 10th R and R Sandland 1451 £40.