THE RACING PIGEON 3 NOVEMBER 2023
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Gwent Greater Distance Club 2023 Season Report ‘Only the Brave’
1148 and 1116 over 273 miles and 3rd R Strawbridge & J Williams of Newport on 1060 over 259 miles . John had a good Channel season with very good returns over the distance. He lost birds, like many others, in the inland races which he uses for preparing his birds for the long distance. In the Pau International, John was 2nd Club, 7th South West BICC Section and 71st Open over 602 miles. He sent three and had two back, the second out of race time. He also had his Barcelona entry back, but this was again just outside of race time. John also timed well in from St Philbert and St Maxient and for a distance man, surprised many my winning the South Road National Flying Club from Guernsey over 160 miles. 14th May St Philbert National 1st R Strawbridge & J Williams of Newport on 1058 over 321 miles, 2nd John Smale of Abergavenny on 1070 over 336 miles and 3rd Mike Jackson of Blackwood on 1053 over 326 miles. Ray timed the same pigeon that took 2nd Club from Alencon. The sire was
sale. I bought him, and my wife Carol bought a hen from a full brother to ‘Imperial’ and ‘In The Genes’ and a half-sister to ‘Imperial’, to pair with him. They have proved to be a great pairing and we were delighted to see this dark chequer cock land to take 1st Club and 1st section, having crossed the Channel from five races this season.” 9th July Guernsey (2) National 1st Mr & Mrs Gardner of Portskewett on 1799 over 144 miles and 2nd and 3rd was J Smale of Abergavenny on 1794 and 1327 over 165 miles. Terry followed up his excellent win from Pau with a short race taking 52nd South West Section BICC. 19th August Guernsey YB (1) National 1st, 2nd & 3rd was John Ludlam of Nelson on 1358, 1355 & 1106 over 152 miles. The sire of John’s winning pigeon, GB23N54011, was bred by Crammond & Langstaff from a son of ‘Kanibal Barcelona’ and a daughter of ‘New Laureate’. ‘Kanibal Barcelona’ was 1st Section Barcelona 2,289 birds, 3rd National Barcelona
Although competing with a reduced member- ship for the 2023 season, the Gwent Greater Distance Club members raced in eight of the BICC races, paying out £680 in prize money. At the AGM in the early part of the year, Mike Jackson took over as Secretary while Joanne Carey continued as Treasurer and Ray Strawbridge as Chairman. Terry Gardner, the RPRA Welsh Region President, become the club President.
Leigh Preece & Jason Lovell.
The club’s next meeting was held on Sunday 29th October at 12.00 at the club’s HQ, Newport Saracens Rugby Club. We will be discussing, among other things, the outcome of the BICC committee meeting held on 22nd October and the possibility of training midweek from Weymouth and having races weekly inland on the south. Any former members and potential new members are welcome to attend. Support will be offered to obtain a CPH number and arrange a loft visit by a vet. There is a lot to look forward to and the committee are already planning for 2024. But this report is to celebrate the winners of 2023 who competed in the Gwent Greater Distance with the BICC. And so, onto the race reports. 14th May BICC Alencon National 1st and 2nd John Smale of Abergavenny on Terry Gardner 1st Club, 1st South West Section BICC.
Precce Bros & Lovell’s chequer hen.
Ray Strawbridge, the Club Chairman.
John Ludlam’s good young bird winner.
GB12 N21593, a blue pied, a son of ‘Barcelona Bob’, 2nd Section, 4th Open Barcelona BICC and 5th Section, 30th Open, Pau BICC. The dam was GB18H48957, a daughter of ‘Sheppard’s Delight’ 1st Section, 8th Open Barcelona BICC, 1st Section, 9th Open, Barcelona BICC. 1st Section, 3rd Open, Barcelona BBC. 11th June St Maixent-Ecole National 1st & 2nd Preece Bros & Lovell of Abertillery on 824 & 870 over 391 miles, 3rd was John Smale on 799 over 397 miles. John Preece said, “We sent 12 birds to St Maixent Ecole and had all 12 home in a very difficult race, our first bird was a chequer two year old Roundabout hen. She has been a good hen scoring four times over the Channel including flying Poitiers from 400 miles as a yearling. She was from a pair of eggs given to us by our good friends Clayton Bros & Lovell. Her sire was one of their top stock cocks and her dam won 1st National Folkstone. This pair have bred fed and National winners for them. Our second bird was a small four year old blue badge Roundabout hen, a winner of numerous prizes over the Channel, including 26th CS Classic Bordeaux later in the year. She contains all of old Bobby Lee, Jeff Davies Lefabre-Dhaenens blood being a grand- daughter of ‘Braveheart’, 1st WSR National, 4th CS Classic Tarbes and ‘Miss Lee’ a Queen’s Cup winner, 1st WSE National Gieson, Polly 1st BICC Falaise and a touch of Geoff Cooper Deweerts from Martin Bynon.” 24th June Pau International 1st Mr & Mrs Gardner of Portskewett on 818
11,641 birds. The dam of GB23N54011 was bred by Mark Gilbert, and she was 28th International Barcelona. John said, “My hen had four inland races and then went to the BICC Guernsey, where she was 1st Gwent Greater Distance Club, 14th South West Section and 326th Open BICC, into a strong west wind. I have not flown many distance races recently, because of Brexit and two years of covid. But hopefully things will change from now on. My feeding is one handful to three birds and I never hopper feed for racing. I feed a Vanrobaeys’ Widowhood mix for racing with different things added as the distance increases. In early September, I pair the young birds with the hens and fly a kind of Roundabout system before I pair up for the long races.” John has been rebuilding his long distance team and has now built a team of young birds and yearlings, who have been over the water. 9th September Guernsey YB (2) National 1st Preece Bros. & Lovell of Abertillery on 540 over 157 miles. The partnership finished their season with a win in the final race. They sent eight and had three home. Their first bird being a blue Darkness hen sent sitting. She contains all Clayton Bros & Lovell bloodlines. That wraps up the season’s report, with the presentation event to be announced soon. But time does not stand still and as mentioned, the planning for next season has already begun. Mike Jackson Secretary
Precce Bros & Lovell’s chequer hen.
over 580 miles, 2nd John Smale of Abergavenny on 564 over 602 miles. A delighted Terry Gardner timed the club and BICC South West Section winner and the first bird into Wales a 9.08am the day after the liber- ation. The father of his pigeon is a direct son of Incredible, the 10 times National and International winner that was housed at stock at Louella Pigeon World. Terry told me, “I had wanted a direct son or daughter off Incredible for years, but they weren’t cheap! I had spoken to Michael Massarella a few times about the possibility, and after a while, he contacted me when an 11 year old breeding cock came up for
John Smale, who reported good returns over the distance.
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