Channel Challenge
When we first decided to hold a one-loft race we thought, “yes the Channel”. Well right from year one we seemed to be doomed, he birds were held over for two days and then brought back to England and liberated on the Tuesday, the second year we were blighted with the AI and channel racing was cancelled.
This year was nearly the same and with a little hindsight from Neil and myself then we would have got the Channel, however with the threat of no channel racing we looming over our heads and not fancying Truro we decided that we would turn the birds around and go North.
In total we had 79 teams entered into the 2007 event, (a few are yet to pay). The birds as always were placed on the darkness system and in fairness every bird went to the final race in September with a tail and eight even nine flights, as can be seen when Dave Stone photographed them a week after the event.
Training began quite well and okay we had the odd tipple, which doesn’t. The first race was Whetherby some seventy miles and light work was made of it with eighty three birds being recorded in on the first minute, what would the odds have been of two nest mates being recording first and second, these were sent down as my Lancashire Social Circle exchange birds by Tom and Joy Owen of Halsall, 3rd place was the ever present Syndicate lofts, followed by the Mile Cross Mafia and the Pendleton Challenger, this was nominated along with one other bird as Pendleton had forgotten to send his pigeons. Ken Todd was 6th also with a Challenger that he purchased to go with his teams from LPW.
The second race in the series was from Scotch Corner 104 miles. Neil released the birds in a clear sky at 07-45hrs. To say it was a little breezy could have been an understatement never the less they cleared well and headed south. Dave Valentine called to see if the race was underway and told me that he was at Whetheby market trying to hold on to his stall as it was blowing a gale. At 10-07-40 the first bird recorded belonging to Liz Morrison and George Gauld, followed by Soton Flyers at 10-07-46 and Dave Valentine at 10-07-50, by 10-30 we had only recorded 17 pigeons and had to wait until after 11 o’ clock when we had a kit of sixty five drop, with the other following in during the afternoon and Saturday.
Now for the first real test for the birds this was from Whitley bay and they were to be convoyed by the East Midlands Amal, taking top honours was Harold Ellis and Grand Son, this partnership raced with us last year also winning a hotspot race so well done to the pair of you. In second place is Marcel Lawingo from Wales; third are Paul and Marina Vandevelde from Grobendonck in Belgium. Even though the winner was clocked at 11-58 and made the Long Eaton club pigeons look slow the race was no walk in the park with only 50 birds being recorded in the next four hours.
September 15th was the scheduled final, the birds were delivered to Leicester for basketing and loaded on to the transporter, that was it all we wanted now was for a good day on the Saturday. The birds were liberate in a light southwest wind, the barbecue was lit, well the gas turned on and the fridge opened and the beer flowed.
Just before 1pm two birds came out of the east straight over the back of the loft with whistles blowing one folded and made quick work of trapping recording a time of 12-58-05. The owner who was present on the day was none other than hardworking Peter Heath from Hucknall, don’t know him well you should do if you bring your MNFC birds to Hucknall for he is the guy that ensures smooth running and that your birds get the best possible attention while under his charge. The bird is the same way bred too as his Gold Medal winner in 2007. Second place was an activated bird by the “Five Lions Syndicate” of York who paid a deposit last year and forgot to enter last year, still it only cost you £100 for a nice £2000 return, so well done.
Third place went to
Wetherby 24-08-2007
First 10 positions win £50 each.
Tom & Joy Owen GB07B71876 11:49:22
Tom & Joy Owen GB07B71875 11:49:27
Syndicate Lofts AU07GFL1177 11:49:27
Mile Cross Mafia GB07X07355 11:49:29
Pedleton GB07E25330 11:49:32
Ken Todd GB07E24325 11:49:32
Premier Stud GB07Z77265 11:49:33
Clive Glasspool GB07C0336 11:49:34
A Baker GB07Z69523 11:49:35
Premier Stud GB07Z77206 11:49:36
Scotch Corner 31-08-07
First Five Positions win £100 Next Five win £50
Gauld & Morrison SU07NW4014 10:07:40
Soton Flyers GB07N40175 10:07:46
Dave Valentine GB07J12447 10:07:50
Clive Glasspool GB07C30336 10:08:24
Belmont Boys GB07N18825 10:09:38
Dave Valentine GB07J12458 10:10:33
Harrold Eliis & G.Son GB07H14281 10:19:09
Colin Dixon GB07Z61424 10:19:14
Round Hill Regulars GB07Z56458 10:19:33
Pools
Raleigh Racing Lofts £86-00 & £50 Single bird Nom.
Belmont Boys £79
Whitley Bay 8-09-07
Harold Ellis & G.Son GB07H14281 11:58:24 £500
Marcel Lawingo WHU07C4603 11:58:26 £250
Marina Vandevelde BELG07 640325 11:59:47 £125
Mr Toft GB07C36696 12:01:03 £100
Bricketwood Flyers GB07V28713 12:01:33 £50
Pools:
Mr & Mrs Durham £78-50
Berwick 15-09-07
Peter Heath GB07C74857 12:58:05 £3000
Five Lions GB07E25323 13:07:55 £2000
Gibson NEHU07TEE7252 13:10:51 £500
Mr Toft GB07C36693 13:10:59 £150
GB07E76245 13:11:16 £100
Pools:
Mr M Toft £155
Mr M Toft £ 25
Gauld & Morrison £ 20 Single Bird Nomination.
ACE PIGEON & CAR WINNER
Mr Derek Gibson
NEHU07TEE7252
Race 1 12th
Race 2 15th
Race 3 8th
Race 4 3rd
The sale and presentation will be at the Dome on Saturday 3rd November with all birds being on view from 11-30am. A full Sale list will be posted here some time over the weekend. In closing we would like to thank all of you that have supported the race during the last three years and not forgetting Elimar Pigeon Services for posting our bulletins.