April 16, 2016

Secretary’s Weekly Report

Club Young Bird Phone-in Sale

The sale is now in full swing with adverts appearing in this week’s National Pigeon Press and also on our website. Please take a few minutes to check out the birds on offer and support your club by getting involved. Happy bidding remember that some excellent winners have been sold in previous years.

McSween & Sexton

This partnership epitomises the quality of fanciers in our club not only in their racing performances but also the support they offer to others. I want to share with you the substance of a recent unsolicited letter received from Tom Williams of Orpington, Kent concerning Dave Mcsween. Without wishing to embarrass Dave I could not ignore the letter received the thrust of which I have paraphrased below.

Tom, wrote to thank Dave for his help which he wanted to highlight as well as his generosity. Having been out of racing for 35 years Tom started racing at the distance with little success. Having read about the partnerships performances from Bourges he eventually telephoned Dave to discuss and congratulate him for his performances. Following this conversation Dave offered Tom some youngsters and sent him 3 young cocks. When put to stock all bred outstanding race birds including Mr Reliable who won 2nd Tours L&SECCC. 277 miles. 2nd Sect 18th Open Bergerac 452 miles, 2nd Sect 16th Open Tarbes 562 miles. Mr Reliable had 8 races from France, never had a night out and is now at stock breeding prize winning youngsters.

Another bird named Seagull by Tom, bred a 1st club 5th fed 11th Combine Poitiers 331 miles also a 76th Open Tarbes, 20th Open Bergerac L&SECC and 1st club from 100 miles (real all-rounder).

The third cock bred him Bob’s 99 who last year was 85th Open NFC Tarbes a very tough race as we know. This was his 5th channel race of the season and was one of 4 sent to the Tarbes race and all four got home.

Tom only races with 12 widowhood cocks, he feeds heavy and races hard. His young birds are not raced but trained 14 times from different places with the Padfield family saying in mind “try to lose them”.

Finally Tom says “Thanks Dave, you are a real gentleman and what a fantastic club you have up there at the Sportsman. I wish you all the very best for 2016”.

RPRA

A copy of the 2016 Official Rules of the RPRA can be found in this week’s edition of the BHW. Worth a read, any proposals for the AGM should be past to me sooner rather than later.