Solent South Road Federation Press Report

How many times did I hear this week? 'I never expected them to be home that quickly!' I'd love to know just how many Solent fanciers were caught out, and not ready for their birds. I have visions of the panic, with people catching birds and shouting to their loved ones to bring to the lofts their clocks/thimbles etc. Just how many people found their birds in the loft? How wonderfully unpredictable this sport of ours is. Have we become complacent having had such tough (slow) racing over the last weeks? Tut! Tut! I do believe we have.166 members sent 1599 birds to take advantage of at last, an easier type of race.

One man who had his ETS ready and waiting was the 1st Club, 1st Solent Federation Winner Charlie Lakeman of Wootton & Bashley WMFC. 'ETS', as the pigeon is now known was part of a kit of four youngsters that Charlie received from Lenny Painter of Sholing, Southampton after Charlie bought the young bird that he had offered at a local charity auction. When the young bird was ready, a contingent of the 'London Boys' from Wootton, ever ready for an excursion, especially to a top Pau loft such as Lenny's, made the trip to Southampton. ( Now, before we go any further, I must tell you about these so called 'trip outs'. The London Boys are masters at turning any outing into a social occasion. Even taking their birds to the marking entails choosing driver, having a drink at the marking if the bar is open, and then out for a meal and more booze on their way home! Most of them don't 'do' mobile phones, and those that do have them often choose not to answer them on these trips out! They're little blighters!). Okay, back to the script! Charlie was delighted that instead of giving him the one youngster he had bid for, Lenny generously let him have four, and his winner is one of these pigeons. This bird had won minor club cards before, but until now had not really given any indication of his potential. He now will be prepared for Pau with the CSCFC. Charlie and his wife Joan moved to the coast in 2000 after years of racing in London mainly with the Surrey Fed and SMT Combine. This is his 56th consecutive year racing pigeons, with his only break being while doing National Service in 1956. During this period which Charlie refers to as 'a complete waste of time', he made a career of trying to find (and in the most cases succeeding), the easiest jobs in the army. An example of this was waxing the skis of the army downhill skiing team. 'I was finished a ten o clock in the morning, then off to the bar...perfect!' During this period his father cared for and raced his pigeons. Charlie is, and always has been a committed natural flyer. He is rightly proud of his record when racing in London. His many achievements included 2nd Open BBC, 2nd Open LSECFC, he won the Mitcham 2 Bird Averages with 2 x 1st and 1 x 3rd in the only three races. He has won old bird, young bird and combines averages in the SMT combine. The 90's saw him win the much coveted BBC 'Spanish Diploma' with 'Legs' so called because his number was '711'. When Charlie raced in London he recalls how the Solent South Road Federation, in those days run by Mr John McClaren, was held in very high regard among the London fanciers, as they sent masses of birds across the channel, and in those days even raced from Pau, one of the few federation s to do so. His move south, Charlie admits has been a real eye opener for him. He feels that racing so close to coast is much harder than he had ever previously given the Solent members credit for. Successful pigeons in this fed have got to be real thinkers and not afraid to break away mid channel. When he first moved, the Wootton & Bashley club flew both North and South. His first club win was from Cheltenham after which he was nick named 'Cheltenham Charlie' from which he has never recovered. Since his move south he has been 2nd Dax CSCFC, 10th Open BBC Palamos, and 24th CSCFC Pau (on the day). These results are a testament to his love of distance flying. Charlie never starts each season with more than 18 prs of old birds. 99.9% of his birds can be described as a mixture of 'Old British Distance Strains', the pick of which he acknowledges came from Johnny Wills of Camberley who gave him a pair of Sheppard pigeons in 1984 from which he has bred many a good pigeon. Charlie keeps his birds in a very traditional, really casual manner. They are fed beans with a mixture as 'sweeties'. I did ask him what his daily routine was. His answer was short and sharp 'Haven't got one! The birds must fit in round me!' He has developed a stern programme for the racing of his pigeons. All young birds go across the channel as many times as he can send them. All yearlings must go to Bergerac, and all older pigeons at least to Pau. This year his main objective is Barcelona BICC when he is sending a hen that was his 2nd bird home from Palamos last year, and 30th open from San Sebastian, and a cock that was his first home from last year's Palamos. Charlie has strong values concerning club racing. He very rarely misses a club race, and believes that all members should attend the club to shake the hand of the winner on clock night, whether they've clocked a pigeon or not! Of course this leads me on to the Wootton & Bashley WMFC where Charlie is Club Treasurer. This must be the only club in the country where you win to loose?? The unwritten rule ( and who needs rules when you've a club full of friends), is that the winner buys the first round of drinks in the bar. This costs a good deal more than any prize money which might be won. I think Charlie Lakeman should write a book called 'How to be a contented retiree?' He has the most deliciously laid back, happy attitude to life. Is he ever stressed.......never? Is he ever worried........never? But women reading this, ask yourself? Could you live with a man whose motto in life is 'Don't do today what you can leave 'til tomorrow!' .......NEVER!

Rod Berry & Eric Matthews, the latest addition to the 'London Boys' of Wootton & Bashley WMFC, who were 2nd Club,2nd Solent Fed have really had a successful initiation to racing on the coast. They last year won the section from BBC Lamballe with their newly formed young bird team as well as securing 5th Sect B and the section pool money from NFC Guernsey YB. As with all fanciers who due to a move have to restart their team, there are of course the obvious frustrations. Rod and Eric are both staunch widowhood flyers. While flying in London they both achieved great recognition for their many super widowhood cocks that won numerous awards. Rod's most famous pigeon was 'Powder Man' who won a host of prizes, including the fed from Bergerac twice, and Thurso twice, being on one occasion the only pigeon on the day. He feels that his greatest single performance was being 1st Section, 3rd Open NFC Pau with a pigeon called 'Top Gun', who is in the pedigree of his 2nd Solent Fed Prize winner. 'Top Gun' was the son 'The Bullet'. This super cock won 10 x 1st prizes. Rod sold him for £1,000 in 1975. I did ask him whether in those days that was enough to pay off his mortgage? No, he replied, but it did buy a much needed new car! Rod and Eric decided that he would bring to the south very few of their London team, as they wanted a new challenge and the chance to establish a new family of channel racers. Their 2nd Fed bird ironically, is related back toRod's London family. He was bred for him by Peter Worley from Cattryse pigeons that Rod had originally gifted to him when he moved. The main aim of the new family that they want to race is that the birds must be versatile and be able to go through any race programme. The new families that they hope to blend to achieve this are Wall, Lunt & Green Janssens and Jos Thones. As with Charlie, Rod & Eric have found a huge difference in the racing with the Solent. In London, the birds had five inland races before they went over the channel. The Solent has only one, before expecting the birds to come from France. There is no training on line. All these different aspects have forced Rod & Eric to fly this year on a roundabout system, flying both the cocks and hens. Their main objective is to finish the season with the basis of a widowhood team, about 15 cocks that will be the foundation of the 30 widowhood cock team they are trying to establish. Their 30 1st round young birds are on darkness, with another round of young birds ready to leave the nest soon. I do get the feeling that although they have had some great results since moving south there is a degree of frustration about the Berry & Matthews loft. It's as though they are impatient to launch a strong widowhood team on the fed. Be warned!

3rd Club, 17th Fed Wootton & Bashley was Les Kidd with a yearling grandson of his super stock cock 'Sadlers Wills on 1551 ypm'.This is the first card for this bird, who flew both Guernsey and Lanballe as a young bird.

The members of Test Valley must have been very surprised to find themselves at the top of the Fed results. Why? Because both first and second prize winners missed their birds. Taking 1st club, 3rd Solent Fed was Andy Jones who was around at his good friend Trevor Green's house. He should be ashamed for not being ready for his Vandenbeele blue cheq hen on 1622 ypm. Her previous positions include 5 x 1st prizes, 5 x 2nd prizes club, 8th & 11th Solent Fed. Trevor Green was, shall I say delicately, 'regally indisposed' (on the throne!) after which he found his Janssen pencil cock at the loft to take 2nd Club, 4th Fed on 1603 ypm. Another cracking bird, whose best previous position was 3rd Club, 5th Wilts Fed when 4 birds dropped together to take 3rd, 5th, 7th and 14th Fed. Trevor chased a hawk off of this pigeon as a yearling, which caused him to lose a lot of his neck. 3rd Club, 6th Fed on 1574 was Mark Gower with a blue yearling hen. Her sire is 'LJB' 1st CSCFC Dax , her Dam a Koopman. This was her third race of the season, flown on widowhood.

Parade, where 13 members sent 131 birds had a very strong race with all club card winners also taking fed positions. Federation Chairman Lee Paterson took top honours, and 11th Fed on 1567 ypm with a 2 yr old red pied cock. This bird is flown naturally and was bred by Tim & Joy Steele, a Southwell. It was sent with its hen just having laid its second egg on basketing night. Jason Ross was 2nd Club, 14th Fed with his dark cheq 2 yr old cock. Flown naturally, this Van Da Bill bird was sent sitting ten day eggs. Jason Ross had a good day, also winning the £5 Club Noms. David deck was 3rd club, 18th fed with his 2 yr old Janssen red cheq hen on 1550 ypm. this birds was bred by George Johnson and was sent being driven to the nest. 4th club, 29th fed was Kevin Hookey with a 2 yr old Brackers dark cheq cock on 1520 ypm. He was a gift young bird from Cyril Hallett and sent sitting 10 day old eggs.

Gosport had four members send 49 birds to Messac. Some were put off by the forecast of poor weather and some restricted by only being able to send alternative weeks. After one day holdover Club secretary Pete Woods had the winner, a yearling blue bar cock, flown naturally from his own family on 1506 ypm. This cock broke his leg earlier in the year so had only managed one previous race. John Ayling had the second with a 3 yr old velvet white/flight on 1498 ypm, flown naturally. The parents of this pigeon were bred by Jimmy Shepherd. As a YB this was one of only 14 fed birds home on the day from a Fougeres smash when John had 4 of them. Pete Woods is in again at 3rd with a red yearling cock of his own family on 1439 ypm. The cock was fighting with another for a nest box when basketed.

Camrose had 9 members sending 53 birds. The victors were Mr & Mrs Brown with a blue cheq yearling cock on 1534, flown on widowhood. Peter Campbell was 2nd club, 26th fed with a 3yr old blue cheq Silvere Toye x Red Fox Janssen hen on 1525 ypm. Peter has recently re paired his team and left them on open hole. Unusually this hen was gifted to Pete by Stevie Allen after he had raced her as a young bird when Pete was short of hens. Pete broke her and his hard work training her has now paid dividends. Mr & Mrs Brown also took 3rd club, 46th fed with a blue yearling cock on 1503 ypm, flown on widowhood.

It's great to see the Isle of Wight fanciers up in the Fed result this week. They have to suffer logistical problems with the training and racing of their birds that the rest of us can't imagine. East Cowes FC saw 7 members sending 85 birds. R Harbour took 1st club, 25th Fed with a 2 yr old blue bar cock that he purchased the British Barcelona Club young bird auction. E Wiltshire took 2nd club, 27th fed with a blue cheq 2 yr old Brabon hen, flown naturally on 1453 ypm. G Deacon took 3rd club with a 4yr old blue pied Janssen/Buschaert hen, flown naturally on 1453 ypm.

One of the strongest clubs in the federation, Milton HS , saw 16 members send 123 birds. They witnessed a victory, and taking 30th fed for Mick & Sue Betteridge with a 2yr old black LPN Krauth cock on 1519 ypm. This bird was sent oversitting and had originally been purchased from J Richards. Bill Page was 2nd club, 45th fed with a yearling cheq pied Wildemeersh cock, sent driving to the nest on 1503 ypm. 3rd Club was John and Tommy Austin with their yearling dark cheq Busschaert cock on 1496 ypm, sent feeding a small young bird.

The Channel saw a win for D Waterhouse with a yearling blue bar Braspenning cock on 1516 ypm, also winning 32nd fed. This bird, a 2006 late bred, who is flown on roundabout just scraped by a whisker in front of Moody & King who were on the same yardage with their 2 yr old blue hen,33rd fed, flown naturally. Moody & King also took 3rd club, with a 3yr old blue cheq cock, flown naturally. Portchester RPC saw a win for M Drain with his yearling blue cheq cock on 1505 ypm, flown naturally. 2nd Club was F Smith with a naturally flown blue cheq hen on 1292 ypm.

L Pitney, Cronin & Freshney took 1st club in the Racecourse HS with a 9 yr old blue cheq hen, flown naturally on 1484 ypm. 2nd was J Clements with his 4 yr old bird, flown naturally. L Pitney, Cronin & Freshney also won 3rd club with a 4 yr old bird flown naturally.

N Elcock took 1st Club at Eastleigh Irish Society RPC, with his blue yearling Harthog cock, flown naturally, on 1458 ypm. K Pritchard secured 2nd spot with a '57 variety' (gosh a new breed to me, sounds tasty!) yearling blue cheq hen on 1434 ypm. A good day at the office for N Elcock who also took 3rd spot with his blue 2 yr old Harthog hen flown naturally on 1403 ypm.

Bognor & Chichester SRFC saw 11 members send 102 birds. Taking 1st club was M Morter with his 4 yr old Janssen cock on 1410 ypm. This bird was bred from a kit of pigeons from Massarella. He was sent feeding a ten day old baby and looking at his hen again. This is a very large cock, who takes two hands to hold him. D Farr took 2nd club with a Belgian yearling mealy hen on 1407 ypm. She is bred from stock fram a Belgian fancier at the Leir market. She was sent sitting 14 days on eggs. 3rd Club was won by L Severe with his 4 yr old mealy cock on 1393 ypm. This bird is bred down from Timmy Joy long distance Steele stock. He will be sent to the BBC Palamos race.

Conveyors Report - Arrived at Portsmouth docks at 2210hrs. Boarded ferry at 2345hrs, not on top deck this week owing to amount of traffic on ferry, but grateful to be on the ferry after all the talk of not being able to go. Birds had plenty of air with the blowers on. Stopped outside port for 1½ hrs to rest and water the birds. Arrived on site at 1300hrs. All birds watered and at 1345hrs given a light feed. Weather was poor on Saturday and Tony called to say liberation was unlikely. This proved to be correct. All birds and water were checked every hour. Fed at 1345hrs. Tony called in the evening to say forecast better for Sunday with the weather clearing away to the North and the channel should be clear when the birds reached it about mid day if we liberated at 0900hrs. We did this, with the birds clearing well into a light variable wind.

Many Thanks to the Press Reporters from the Clubs.