Solent South Road Federation Press Report

We're off! The young bird season starts with a sprint from Kingsdown. The shortest fliers would fly just65 miles, with the longest over 110 miles. Earlier in the day there were mist patches on route, but after these cleared the 3104 Birds were liberated at 0830hrs, but they would have to fly it all the way. There was no wind.

Does lightning strike twice in the same place? Well if you name is Ron Ayres it certainly does! Two must be Ron's lucky number.

Ron Ayres, 1st & 2nd Solent South Road Federation Kingsdown 2008

This is the second time he has won the Fed this year, the first being Lessay 2, and he had two come together to take 1st and 2nd Wootton & Bashley WMFC, and 1st and 2nd Solent Fed. Not a bad day at the office. His winning pigeon has a rather bizarre story behind it that justifies both Ron's place at the top of the result list, and his ability to judge a pigeon. Last year a stray found its way into Ron's loft, and when he reported it, found that it belonged to Roger Lowe of Reading. Roger immediately said that he wanted the hen returned. It was a Wal Zoontjens, and out of a very good pair. After having spoken to Roger, Ron went back to have a closer look at the hen. He really liked her type and quality and rung Roger back ask him whether he really did want the hen, or would he take an offer for her? The deal was done, and Roger sent on her pedigree. It transpired, she is a direct daughter of 'Prince Charming', owned by Syndicate Lofts when paired to his half sister 'Conmix Dream'. 'Conmix Dream' only raced three times, winning 11th Sect, 25th Open CSCFC 338/2823 birds Guernsey. 17th Sect, 108th Open NFC Fougeres 692/5342 birds. 1st Sect, 1st Open BBC Lamballe326/2315 birds ( only 5 birds on the day). Winning Southern Region Award. For a cock to pair her to, Ron turned to the Syndicate Lofts. He was another yearling. On one side of his pedigree is Wal Zoontjens' good racer 'Blauwe 94', as well as 'Orleans 290', and on the other 'Blue Peter', a prolific prize winning racing cock. Ron bred six youngsters for his YB racing team this year to give the pairing a good try and is delighted, not only to have a Federation winner , a lovely light blue chequer cock from the first race, but also that he still has all six youngsters after his arduous pre-season training programme. If Ron is honest I'm sure he would tell you that he would have loved his two birds to have trapped the other way round. Second home, also the first batch of about twenty pigeons he saw, was a son of his beloved '60000'. A prolific winner himself up to 250 miles and he was also the sire of Ron's earlier fed winner, and he has confided in me that he would have loved this great Curtis, Wall & Lunt Janssen to have had the accolade of having two sons to win the fed in the same year, but alas this time it was not to be. Ron had a super race all round. He has six birds in the top one hundred of the federation, and having sent 20 birds to this race was pleased to have 100% returns. And do you know what? He deserves it! His young bird team have been regularly trained for over four weeks prior to this race. What is the saying 'you get out what you put in?' He has prepared them well and should enjoy his win. Wootton & Bashley have a 'swapsies' event in the young bird programme. The members swap two youngsters at the beginning season and race them for 'points', or in the longest yb race. ( on a kind of Breeder/Buyer basis). Ron drew out Don Ellis's name and has given him a youngster from '60000'!!! O'h Don.............the pressure......!

3rd Wootton & Bashley, 3rd Solent South Road Federation was Mick and Sharon Whiddett with their red Van Reet/Buschaart hen.

Mick (Thankfully fully Clothed) & Sharon Whiddett

Send her and you die! The BBC Lamballe National winning hen of the Whiddetts

Never let it be said that the small loft flyer cannot take on mob flyers. Mike and Sharon start each season with just twelve old birds, never any more. Yet this loft has in recent years won a national, numerous fed wins, and has this year won many club and fed cards, including 4th Fed Lessay 2 and 6th Fed Kingsdown. Their team fly every race they are able, (subject to the 7 day rule). Mike is quite adamant that all birds must earn their right to a perch. There are no passengers in this loft! Well, I might correct that to say just one. His lovely hen that won the BBC Lamballe YB National after racing eight races on the North Road before being sent to that race has not been raced since. I was aghast! Surely it must have been a difficult decision for him to have made not to race her again? Sharon's reply was very emphatic 'If he sends her again I'll kill him!' Okay, so now we know why Mike has retired her! This partnership is very much a team. Sharon plays a full on part on the loft management and does all the training. Both old and young birds are trained from 10 miles north about twice a week. This Mike feels is plenty enough when they are racing regularly, and far enough for Sharon to have to take them. With so few birds being wintered, Mike and Sharon breed two rounds from their racers. Both the early and later round of young birds join the old birds training after about four old bird races have taken place. His young birds have had about thirty training tosses before their first race. Mike is interested in performance, and performance only. The dam of this pigeon won 2 x 1st Club, 4th Fed and 7th Fed with the Southampton North Road. But when I asked where the original Van Reets came from he said they were gifted to him by someone in Wales?? The sire, a Buschaart, is bred down from some pigeons bought through the BHW, but he genuinely couldn't remember where from. I think of Mike and I think of a typical pigeon fancier. Why? Because whenever he comes to the club f or basketing he always wears a vest, jogging bottoms and trainers. Now the banter at Wootton & Bashley last week was based on me insisting that I have standards in my write up/photographs, and I don't do men in vests! He was told in no uncertain terms that he would have to get a shirt on! Well, what can I say? I went to do their loft visit and was surprised that Sharon apologised as soon as I entered the house for the noise?? And then I heard it. If you can imagine a rumbling of an earthquake, somewhere between 6 and 7 on the rhichter scale, that is the level of the noise of Mike's snoring. My husband, (a man of eternal patience), rarely snores, and quite honestly I have always felt that women who complain about their other halves snoring are moaning minnies! Sharon, you have my absolute sympathy!

The result at The Racecourse was all about M Ellins who took the first thirteen places in the club. 1st club, 4th fed was a blue pied on 1441ypm that was a gift bird from Mr & Mrs T Wilson of Gosport. 2nd club, 5th fed was a blue white flight Janssen hen on 1440 ypm, a Belgian bird that Mark bought at the Lier Market. 3rd club, 6th fed was a cheq pied Maurice Matthews hen on 1439 ypm. The dam of this youngster won the fed last year and the sire has also won many cards. This team must have been well prepared for this first race. Mark had fourteen birds in the federation top 100 positions with 11 securing much cherished federation prize cards.

Another club where one member dominated was The Channel SRFC. This time it was Moody and King who proved too strong for the rest of the members, they took the top 5 positions in this club . 1st club, 8th fed was a grizzle Van Loon hen on 1435 ypm. As with Mark Ellins' first bird in his clock, this youngster was bred by Mr & Mrs T Wilson of Gosport. 2nd club, 9th fed was a blue bar Maurice Matthews cock bred by G & M Stud of Portsmouth on 1433 ypm. 3rd club, 10th fed was taken by another Maurice Matthews blue bar cock, bred the same way as the 2nd pigeon, but from the second round on 1431 ypm. They also won the 12th and 17th place fed cards. There is a very cheeky comment at the bottom of the press reports stating that 'the boys are back', well I'm quite puzzled by that statement? Firstly, where have you been? Secondly, you BOYS didn't quite manage to get ahead of the MEN of Wootton & bashley did you?

Fawley FC saw 2 members send 26 pigeons. Taking 1st club, 19th fed was hoodie clad James Cox with a blue bar Janssen hen on 1396 ypm. James also took 2nd club, 30th fed with a blue cheq pied Janssen/Buschaart cock on 1385 ypm. Mr & Mrs Steve Cox were 3rd club, 48th fed with a blue bar Buschaart hen on 1372 ypm. The dam of the youngster won 3 x 1st club cards last year, and the sire had 2 x 1sts plus four places.

Parade FC had 14 members send 278 birds to this race. The top spot and taking 25th fed position was won by our convoyer Messrs Wilson & Sons & Gee with a blue pied cock of unknown breeding on 1389 ypm. He was sent to this race sitting 14 day old eggs. 2nd club, 31st fed was Horn Bros loft 1, with their blue cheq Hartog cock on 1384 ypm. raced naturally, this bird was sent driving to the nest. Taking 3rd club, 34th fed and winning the £5 club noms was Jason Ross with a blue cheq hen of unknown breeding on 1382 ypm. Raced on roundabout, this youngster was bred by Paul Kulpa of Reading. Jason also had a interest in the bird that took 4th club, 38th fed raced by A Barrett, as he gifted this bird to him. This dark cheq Vandenabeele cock was doing 1382 ypm.

Bitterne Park saw yet another win for the very consistent Janssen family of Ken & Sue Francis. Taking 1st club, 27th fed was their cheq pied cock doing a velocity of 1388 ypm. The members of the club would like to extend a hand of welcome to new member Steve Harris. Or at least they would as long as he doesn't do what he did in this week to often and take the next three cards! 2nd, 3rd and 4th club were won by Steve's Vandenabeeles.

Bognor & Chichester SRFC, for inland races our furthest flying club saw just 2 members send 45 birds to this race. Alan Akmenkalns had a cracking race, taking all the first three places. 1st in the clock was a blue cock on 1365 ypm. The breeding of this cock is mainly Janssen from the Foxwood lofts. Alan bought his stock birds from them. His second and third places were won by two blue Van De Weyer cocks on 1332 ypm and 1316 ypm. Alan went to Belgium to the Van De Weyer lofts, and bought a round of youngsters from him for stock.

After one week break Gosport had 7 members send 148 birds. Although returns were erratic and patchy for most, Bob Clark had an excellent race, taking the first four places. His first on 1367 ypm, a blue cock being bred down form, on the sire's side Mr & Mrs P Johnson, Parkhill Stud, Hemel Hempstead, a Soonjen x Hartog, and the dam, a Louella Hartog. His 2nd club, on 1334 ypm is another blue cock, brother to the winner from an earlier nest. 3rd club on 1319 ypm, a blue hen from Shoeless Joe, a Louella Soonjen and the dam again from Parkhill Stud and a Louella Soonjen. For good measure his 4th a blue W/F hen on 1315 ypm is the nestmate to the 2nd, and sister to the winner.

Milton HS had 18 members send 223 birds to this race. Fastest in the clock was father and son team John and Tommy Austin. Their blue bar hen on 1356 ypm, was bought at the Lier market for 35 euros (bargain!). Albie Webb & Son was 2nd club with a blue bar Vandenabeele hen on 1355 ypm, sent sitting. 3rd and 4th club was Barry Robertson and Steve Vaizey. Their blue bar Vandenabeele han was on 1342 ypm to take 3rd, with a Staf Van Reet hen 4th. Both darkness youngsters.

D Hayles & Son were unbeatable in the Eastleigh Irish RPC, taking all three prizes. 1st club was a blue Buschaart hen on 1266 ypm, 2nd club, a dark cheq Spangel x cock on 1246 ypm, and third a blue cheq Buschaart hen on 1244 ypm. Well done to them!

9 members sent 86 birds to Kingsdown in Romsey SRFC. 1st club was club treasurer Brian Basham & Son. Their blue Van Loon cock, bred from Brian Bolton Van Loons was doing 1263 ypm. 2nd club was Colin Edwards. His blue Van Loon cock was sent sitting 7 days, and made 1254 ypm. Gerry Worral was 3rd with his blue Van Reet cock on 1163 ypm. He is bred from Gerry's R & B Smith Van Reets.

I am always very interested in birds that have been consistently at the top of the federation results. Dave Cave of Emsworth & Havant HS told me of his G & S Verkerk blue cock that has been outstanding this season.

Dave Cave with Multi Fed card winner 'Super Blue'

'Super Blue'

'Super Blue', is from a pair of directly bought G & S Verkerk stock birds that Dave bought in 2004. His performances include, (2007) 2nd Club Cholet (104 Birds), 21st Fed (1205 Birds). (2008) 1st Club Tours, (106 Birds), 9th Fed (1590 Birds), 2nd Club Saintes (50 Birds), 14th Fed (1004 Birds), 1st Club Bergerac (58 Birds), 5th Fed (795 Birds). Consistent or what? This is not the only super bird that Dave had bred from his Verkerk pair. His older brother, 'Blue Boy' won 3 x 1st Clubs. 1 x 2nd Club, 3 x 3rd Club, 2 x 4th Club as well as 7 Federation Cards (In the top fifty places). Whatever you paid for the pair Dave, it was a bargain!

If you have a pigeon you feels deserves recognition, let me know.


Conveyers Report.
Arrived Kingsdown 2345hrs. All birds watered on arrival;. All vents opened and blowers on. Saturday, out at 0530hrs. All side shutters opened and all water checked. Tony called for a weather update, which was fine at 0700hrs at my end, but he said we had a few mist patches on route, and these would clear in the next hour or so. He called back later to say the mist had cleared and to go when I was ready. I liberated at 0830hrs into blue skies, sunshine and a light variable breeze. All birds cleared well to the east.

I also have now the convoyers report for Bergerac
Convoyers Report - Bergerac
All birds rested and watered at Caen. We stopped four times during our journey, with the last one to feed also. At daylight on Thursday all water replenished and checked every hour. Weather very hot. Birds given a feed at 1330hrs. Tony called in the evening to say there was little chance of a race on Friday, and so it proved. Birds watered and checked regularly and fed again at 1330hrs. Tony called to say prospect better for the morning, and I must say he got it spot on again. We woke to a lovely sunrise. Tony called to say the line of flight was good and to go if I was happy to do so. The other organizations started to liberate at 0530hrs. We went last as we were the shortest flyers. This suited me as we had the sun up higher. Birds liberated into broken cloud and sunshine. Light breeze. Birds cleared well.