Established 1904
www.lanarkshireracingpigeonfederation.co.uk
Well we have arrived at the last race of season 2023 for Lanarkshire Federation. We are in the weather of unpredictability with periods of torrential rain.
Here in Lanarkshire we had a thunder storm I haven't witnessed for many a year causing significant flooding on Friday.
The race was from Thirsk (26/08/2023) in the North of Yorkshire, England. Its around 150 miles back into lower central Scotland.The decent convoy of 1450 Lanarkshire pigeons and 8 baskets of other non members were away at 0700hrs in a variable wind.
Variable wind is never good for pigeons but at the home end it was showing North in the wind.
When the four hours had come and gone at my own loft I knew we were in bother with the first taking 4 hrs 26 minutes taking us down into the 1000ypm the next one was 26 minutes later and that was the start of a very testing day for the pigeons and fancier.
Speaking with others there returns were also poor.
When attending the club 6 hrs after liberation their was only 25 birds home from 99 sent. That tells you the scale of the problem.The winner in the club recorded 1052ypm the last 758ypm.
By 4 30pm I had 9 from 19 sent by 7pm I was up to 13 The later birds looked less tired than the first birds telling you they must have been downed by the weather. No second day birds recorded and none thereafter.
Unfortunately our birds didn't get through the hills at the Scottish borders and by the time they possible could the damage was done.
We are a bit delusional us pigeon fanciers thinking our birds are up to the task and maybe they are just not.As word came through that our federation Young bird Champion loft Barclay McCrindle turned those returns on their head by posting 28 from 28 on the day by 5.20pm .Quite remarkable flying.
Well done to this weeks winner of 1st North section,1st Open Andy Graham of Graham Brothers who races in the Carluke club in the south of the federation.
Andy is a cracking pigeon fancier who races most weeks in the South Lanarkshire club and the Carluke club(Lanarkshire Federation),two separate organisations.
Andy has a great pedigree of winning races in both organisations. He is very competitive and wins right up to National level.
He has only recently raced in the Lanarkshire federation and this is the icing on the cake winning the Young Bird Open race.
Andy is someone who always has a laid -back manner but is very focused on being at the top. He always enjoys a challenge and is starting to find his feet in the Lanarkshire federation.
With us racing out of the east over the past few years the south side are usually not up there with the winners especially in young bird racing. The birds tend to dog leg out the east and north of the federation.
This week the birds appeared to come out the south and Andy reported his winner was direct south giving him and some of his friends who had come over to watch his race a real buzz.
Andy reported 18/25 home from the race.
Andy races all the top lines
His winner of 1st Centre section 1st Open 1450 birds is a B/P/C managed on the darkness system.
The birds are schooled with training initially private and then on the federation transporter before first race and thereafter loft exercise only.
It is a well balanced blue pied cock with the mother being a direct daughter from Halles Hero ( 4 x National winner ) The winner was a first round pigeon and was put on darkness and trained to Elsrickle with federation transporter and after first race loft exercise twice per day .He went to all the six Lanarkshire races. Andy was fortunate enough to purchase his Sire from a gentleman called Ronnie Wright from Harthill area who unfortunately had to give birds up last year.
The Sire of the winner is direct from Prince Harry and Koens Golden Girl from Mark Evans.
This weeks winners
Andrew McBurnie has had a brilliant season and wins the North section YB averages,this weeks winner for him in Chryston club is a Gaby Vanderabeele through Cruise Missle Leading Lady Pre Olympic and Wittenbuik Princess on one side paired to a daughter of Barrowcliffe & Holmes No 1 pair .Thats both nest mates scored this season for Andrew.Thanks to James for sending me them up and breeding me two winners this YB season.Thats it Tom down to planning over winter months.
Jim Forsyth wins Coatbridge SC with the Sire being a Frans Zwols and Dam a GWP Macaloney hen who have bred plenty of prize winners for Jim.
John McPheat & Sons win Clarkston with a youngster they purchased at the Scottish Lier Market .
Ian Thomson had a great day recording 2nd,12th,13th Open with him winning Airdrie club with one bred out of Wullie Millen lines he has had since 2017.
No other information
Top of Open result
1st Graham Bros
2nd I Thomson
3rd Wilson & Cairns loft 1
4th Boslem & Gilfillan
5th Boslem & Gilfillan
Section winners
1st Centre -Graham Bros
1st North- Ian Thomson
1st West -Davie Allison
Final Young Bird Average winners
1st Barclay McCrindle & Son-Champion Young Bird Loft Lanarkshire 2023
2nd Andrew McBurnie
3rd Sam Shanks
4th Boslem & Gilfillan
5th Sharp ,Cummings Durning
Final Combine Average winners
1st Eadie & Kelly -Champion Loft Lanarkshire 2023
2nd Cameron & Fann
3rd Walter Boswell
4th Tom Corrie Son G/son
5th James Green & Son
6th B McCrindle & Son
7th D Allison
8th T Richardson
9th A Nelson
10th W Gordon
Well done to Andy Eadie of Eadie & Kelly on winning the Combine Averages and being the Champion loft for season 2023 into Lanarkshire federation. Personally think its the hardest of trophies to win,18 race programme and the best of 3,000 miles.
Hopefully I will get round to completing loft reports on all Combine Average Section winners before finishing .
It was good to hear that the Lanarkshire Social Circle club will be back racing next year with a revised race programme. Watch this space for further updates.
Thanks to Paul Macaloney our race controller for all the hard work over the years and we wish him all the best in the future.
GWP Macaloney,Wullie & Paul Macaloney have dominated the Lanarkshire for 20yrs and their results will never be equaled ,we wish them for all they have done for the federation over the years and what the future holds for them out with pigeons.
Remember to get your motions AGM and race programmes to federation secretary. Deadline dates are in your federation book.
Tom Corrie jnr
Lanarkshire Press Officer
corrietom@aol.com