Solent South Road Federation Press Report

Just when you think this easterly wind can't get any worse, it turns North-East! Please! We expect a bit of east in the wind early. The Solent members pride themselves as having birds brave enough to face the channel every week (alright, without the curse of the DEFRA interference). We have a race controlling/conveying team with such experience that many feds are envious. But we can't change the weather!

There may have been only177 members send this week. There may have only been 1731 birds sent. But nothing should take away the tough performance that it took this week for Haamid Laakvand of Parade FC to take the top prize with his red cheq widowhood cock.

This bird, a De Klak was bred by Haamid from two late bred youngsters purchased for stock from Brian Wall of Havant. He has always been a consistent performer, 'Hercules', as he is known, was last year 83rd Open (3473 Birds), BICC Falaise, and 43rd Solent Fed (2445 Birds) Yelverton. This year he started the season with a 6th Club (141 Birds), 32nd Fed (1635 Birds) and was then 6th Club (246 Birds) 73rd Fed (4006 Birds). He is certainly no stranger to the much coveted fed result sheet is he? This is the first Solent South Road Federation win for Haamid after many years trying and he is absolutely delighted, and feels that this result is the culmination of much studying. Yes? That's right. STUDYING? Perhaps a foreign language to most fanciers, but Haamid suffered a disappointing season last year when his team of birds, flown naturally, all came well, but were frustratingly, constantly poor trappers. He decided that radical changes were needed and he spent much of the winter off season either with his head buried in books, or on the internet, really investigating the widowhood methods of top fanciers, both in this country and in Europe. It wasn't just the way in which these fanciers kept their birds, but why? What were the benefits/ disadvantages etc, very much a theoretical study. He now keeps his birds in a fashion that he feels suits his needs as a working fancier, and yet produces a team of pigeons that are highly motivated and have the physical attributes that will see them right through the season. The method Haamid has chosen is dry widowhood. The 40 old birds are paired up 1st February, then separated when still sitting eggs. Haamid does not allow his racing team to rear any youngsters. It is the rearing of young that instigates the start of the moult and as he likes to race his team through to the end of the season, this is important in helping the birds to keep a full wing and to keep form. He then trains the team back to the hens, in order to teach, particularly the yearlings that the hens will always be waiting for them on their return to the loft. He stops allowing them to see the hens about one week before racing. On basketing nights he allows the cocks to see the hens until they are calling from the nest bowl, which is his indication to start catching the cocks, and then on the return from the race. The cocks have just been repaired after six weeks to start the cycle again which he hopes will renew their enthusiasm. A normal daily routine is for the cocks to be flown 1 hr in the morning, although Haamid admits that there are times when they are flying well that he has to go to work, and really doesn't know how long they do fly, but leaves the trap open, and then 1 hour in the evening. They are fed depurative until Tuesday am and then a sports mixture. One slight worry for him was that by Friday morning he has a job to encourage to cocks to eat. They don't seem bothered at all. His remedy for this is to feed a few peanuts. Haamid likes the 40-50 young birds that he either breeds from his ex racers now in the stock loft, or having bought them in to race, to cross the channel at least three times. He feels that whilst a win with young birds is a bonus, he doesn't take too much notice of young bird performances as an indication of future potential .He brings in young birds each year, mainly Janssen based strains, and preferably likes a pigeon to be of a medium or larger size. Didn't he worry, I asked about sending big pigeons to the further distance races, but he was confident that they can be as successful as smaller birds. In 2003 Haamid was 2nd Solent Fed Saintes with a large bird, and then two weeks later was 2nd Fed Bergerac, the Solent's longest race, with an even bigger pigeon! Universities now have all kinds of daft courses, including 'golf course management'. When the first one has a degree in 'pigeon fancying and loft management', I'd put my money that Haamid will be the first to enrol!

Mark Drackett took 1st Club, Portsmouth Manor Park, 2nd Fed with his pencil pied widowhood Buschaart/ Van Reet cock. Winner also of the Federation Loft Nom.

This pigeon was a gift bird, bred for him by his good friends Mr & Mrs Hopkins for which Mark is very grateful. This is yet another very consistent pigeon. 2006, and he was 1st Yelverton, and 2nd Yelverton, and last year was 1st Cholet, 13th Solent Fed. Mark is justifiably frustrated with this bird. Each time he comes early, he will not trap well. Again, in this race he flew round a good four or five times before trapping, which Mark knows cost him the 1st position. He did it also when he was 14 minutes in front of the rest of his club from Picauville in an earlier race. Mark restarted racing with young birds in 2005 after having previously raced on the north road with his father as a lad. ( At this point I must add that to my old eyes he didn't look much more than a lad to me now!). His small team are flown from a very smart loft that Mark was forced to build himself, after a carpenter let him down, and the young birds he had bought were ready for delivery. He feeds both feed and supplements from Gem. As he works full time, the birds have to be flown very early in the morning, often being let out just as it becomes light. There is, Mark is sure, a strong indication of just how the cocks are feeling. If they head from his loft towards the sea when exercising, then they are always in better racing form than if they head inland. He prefers sprint to middle distance racing, and is trying to establish a family of his own with many different strains that he has bought into the loft. Marks main ambitions at this time lie with winning the fed. 'So close and yet far......'!

When the result was read out at Emsworth and Havant HS, where 9 members sent 110 birds to this race, there was a round of well meant applause and cheering for Gary Watts who had not only broken his novice status by winning this gruelling race, but 3rd Solent Fed too! Gary lives at Leigh park and joined the Emsworth Club last season as practically a complete novice, having only kept a few pigeons when a teenager, but never belonging to a club. His small back yard setup consists of two 6 feet x 4 feet garden sheds and his first birds in them last season were a few gift YBs and a 6 bird £99 team of Jan/Van den Bosche purchased from Louella and he has built up from these originals a team of 20 old birds and 30 youngsters. It was due to his Louella team that won this race/3rd fed for him. He calls this cock 'Peg' due to injuring a leg when a youngster. This was only 'Pegs' second race this season, but he did come back 1st to the loft from Lessay 1, but knowing he was an hour behind local lofts, he did not bother clocking in on that race. In fact with a different bird he nearly won the previous week from Falaise 1 gaining 2nd Club, 9th Fed. Gary also showed his prowess at selecting noms by winning the Club nom at Falaise1 and he also had Peg as his nom in this Fed race. Gary is indebted to his wife Debbie who helps out by exercising and feeding the pigeons whilst he is at work and he gives thanks to Stewart Reed who helps out with advice when needed.

Taking 2nd Club, 13th Fed and 3rd Club, 18th Fed is Alan Holdaway who is bringing on his team for the big one in which he lays his stall out, the Tarbes NFC.

Parade FC really showed some strength in this race with 11 members sending 131 birds. Not only did they have the winner, but A Hounsell's two 2 yr olds took 2nd & 3rd Club, as well as 4th and 10th Fed positions. His first was a red cheq cock on 1102 ypm, flown naturally, and was sent sitting 18 day old eggs. This pigeon was a gift from Billy Warren. His 3rd placed hen on 1088 ypm was sent sitting 10 day old eggs. The club £5 noms were won by E Wilson, Son & Gee.

Portsmouth Manor Park had to endure a right bashing from the fed winner over 100 ypm in front of 2nd placed Mrs & Mrs D Tolfrey's Blue cheq yearling roundabout hen on 903ypm. Taking 3rd spot was club secretary, B & M Wiggins whose blue cheq natural cock was on 806 ypm.

Milton HS are never far away from the business end of the results and had 15 members sending 113 birds. Mr & Mrs Betteridge took top honours with an unpaired Netherlands cross yearling cheq cock. 1098 ypm was good enough to secure 5th Fed. Club Secretary Mick Johnson saw two widowhood hens come together to take 2nd Club, 15th Fed and 3rd Club, 17th Fed with less than a yard or 11secs between them.

Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Come on Camrose! Yet another win for Billy Gilbert! This time with his red yearling Janssen x cock on 1086 ypm raced naturally and as well as taking 1st Club he also took the 12th fed card. His parents were from Jamie Dereham. Billy also won 2nd club, 14th fed, this time with a Bussschart x on 1084 ypm. This pigeon has previously been 1st Club, 13th Fed from Lessay, and was bred from Jimmy Webb birds. Sam & Anne Brown' 2yr old cheq widowhood cock took 3rd Club, 26th Fed on 1074 ypm.

The Romsey SRFC's equivalent of 'the likely lads', Richard Bull & Charlie Vincent took top spot in the club, 21st Fed with a 2 year old Red Fox Janssen flown on widowhood on 1077 ypm. Richard has had a fair bit of success with these Red Foxes. 2nd Place,25th fed was taken by Club Chairman Colin Edwards with a yearling blue cock on 1072 ypm sent sitting to hatch. This is a Van Loon x Vandenbeele, bred by his good friend Joe Farmer from his top drawer stock for which Colin would like to thank him. Richard and Charlie also won 3rd Club, 33rd Fed with Charlie's yearling blue pied Vanden Bocke hen that was sent sitting.

Portchester RPC. where 5 members sent 50 birds, saw a win for F Smith, with a three yr old cheq cock flown naturally on 1064 ypm. he also takes 32nd fed. 2nd club was won by M Drain with a yearling cheq w/flight hen flown naturally on 897 ypm. Mr & Mrs J Genge's mealy two year old hen took the third spot on 807 ypm.

Eastleigh Irish Society RPC saw K Pritchard win the club and secure 35th fed with a two yr old blue Janssen cock on 1060 ypm. N Elcock was second with a yearling blue hen, flown naturally on 1013 ypm, also winning 64th fed. D Puckett's five yr old dark cheq Gurney cock took 3rd club, 78th fed. This pigeon has previously won 4th Kingsdown and 2nd Club Picauville in 2007.

Gosport saw a win and 46th fed for Mick Vince with a blue bar yearling widower cock on 1044 ypm. His winner is a Dale Newcombe x Padfield. The sire is one of Mick's most consistent prize winners. Secretary Pete Woods had the next three positions in what proved to be a testing race. Pete's 2nd prize winner on 1013 ypm is a dark 2 year old Staf Van Reet hen, repeating her performance of 2nd club 2 weeks previously. She was also 2nd Truro as a youngster when raced by her breeder, the late Chuck O'Hagan. Pete teased the performance by putting a youngster under her before basketing. Pete's next arrival for 3rd club on 985 ypm is a two year old dark cheq cock from his own family, flown naturally and a previous prize winner of 1st Kingsdown and 4th Messac.

Wootton and Bashley WMFC saw club secretary, and previous fed topper Don Ellis take the 1st price with a yearling blue Van Reet/Janssen cock. Don tells me he has always liked this bird, who is a direct son of one of the nest pair of Van Reet cocks gifted to Don by my father from our Mardon family. He had every inland race as a young bird without getting into the clock but in this, his second channel race, he came good. Obviously being on widowhood made him try. Ray Hoare & Claire (me) took 2nd & 3rd club with two hens that came together. The first in the clock (or rather across the antennae!?!), was a two year old late bred hen. Her breeding as absolutely full of our own family lines. Her sire is the full brother of my Pau cock, and her dam is a daughter of the brother of Dad's 5th Open Pau Hen. 3rd was a Robert Venus 'Bergman' strain. Both hens will hopefully be on their way to longer races in the future.

Bognor and Chichester SRFC saw 6 members sending 64 birds. Dakin & Vine top the top spot with a three yr old ¾Janssen/ ¼Staf Van Reet blue pied cock on 930 ypm. This cock is flown naturally, and was sent sitting 10 days. He had previously been 1st Guernsey with the 5 Bird Club in 2006. K Saunders saw a yearling blue w/f Staf Van Reet /Southwell hen take 2nd position on 888 ypm. This pigeon was a gift from Fred Robbins in 2007.Keith also won 3rd club with another same way bred yearling hen on 831 ypm. Poor Keith had a disaster 2 weeks ago when a fox broke into his sputnik and killed all his stock birds and most of his young birds. These included some more gift young birds from Fred Robins, 71 in total. I'm sure we wish you all well Keith. There must be many thinking 'there for the grace of God......' I hope you are able to put this horrible event behind you. Remember.....'Upwards and Onwards....'

Racecourse HS had 3 members sending 39 birds to this race. 1st Club was L Pitney, Cronin & Freshney with a two year old naturally flown blue hen. She was bred from a Dordin hen that took cards last year. 2nd Club was Joey Clements' 4 yr old pencil Van Loon cock on 788 ypm. Okay Joey, who are you trying to kid 'Top secret - No information!' was written about this bird on the press report. Joey was slightly more descriptive about his pigeon that took third club, a Van Loon 4 yr old blue cock that ' has taken cards over the years, and is performing well this year'. Joey, what happens if you win the fed and I come to your loft to do a report? 'Blood' and 'stone' are the two words that come to mind.

Conveyors Report - All birds loaded by 2055hrs. Arrived at Portsmouth 2210hrs. Boarded ferry as 2330hrs. Transporter on top deck, plenty of fresh air for the birds. All the way across the channel there was fog. Arrived on sire 0800hrs, weather sunshine and patchy cloud. Tony called to ask about the weather and said it did not look good for a liberation as the bad weather in the channel was forecast to persist all day. The race was called off at 1000hrs as there was no change in the conditions. It was a pity because we had sun and blue sky, but at midday that all changed and we had heavy rain and thunder storms for the rest of the day. All the birds' water replenished and checked every hour. Birds given a light feed at 1300hrs. Sunday weather looked better. Tony called to say that the channel was clearing, but as there was a strong north-east wind we decided to let it warm up before liberation, and also we had the BICC going up before us. We liberated at 0900hrs into sunshine and broken cloud, no wind. All the birds cleared well. The liberation site is in a bit of a valley and behind a castle to the north of the site, so we could not see to the north of us because of this. 30 mins after leaving the site and driving back to the docks, the skies to the north were like ink and there was such heavy rain that we had a job to see out of the windscreen.

Many Thanks to the Press Reporters from the Clubs.