The West Cumbria Amalgamation’s penultimate race from Cannock proved to be another very successful one.
A decision was taken last weekend to switch from Wollaston to Cannock, and then on the day a cautious approach was needed.
Weather at the racepoint and en route was grey and overcast but at 11.20am in a light east wind conditions had improved along the line of flight and they were sent on their way.
Leading them home in the West Cumbria Federation were Steve and Eileen Chambers and daughter of Sandwith. The winner was clocked at 1.49pm after covering the 142 miles at 57mph and is also the likely Amalgamation winner.
Just missing out were the in form Cleator Moor partners Nolan, Hetherington, Coultas and Easdon who had the next eight on the sheet and took the first eight spot in their club.
The winning bird for the Chambers is a blue cock who scored in one of the early races.
He is a son of Hercules, a prominent pigeon of Curtis, Wall and Lunt before the partnership split while the dam is through Eurovision, another well-known bird of the Curtis, Wall and Lunt partnership.
The Derwent Valley Federation was won by the father-and-son partnership in Harrington Central of Geoff and Neil Wordsworth who also took second and third.
Their winner, a blue white flight hen was among a kit they bought from Kevin Hibbert of Rotherham through his Syndicate Loft lines.
There was also a great performance by Kevin Evans of Workington Victoria who had the next seven on the sheet and took all six tickets in his club.
WEST CUMBRIA FEDERATION (709 birds): 1, Mr and Mrs Chambers and daughter (Sandwith) 1676; 2,3,4,5,6, Nolan, Hetherington, Coultas and Easdon 1675.4, 1675.2, 1675.2, 1675.04, 1675.04.
CLEATOR MOOR CENTRAL (10 sent 383): 1,2, 3,4,5,6, Nolan, Hetherington, Coultas and Easdon 1677.9, 1677.7, 1677.7, 1677.5, 1677.5, 1677.3.
EGREMONT RANGERS (42 birds): 1, 3, 4,6, Wilson and Buchanan 1673, 1666, 1661, 1626; 2, 5, D. Harrison and son 1672, 1628.
DERWENT VALLEY
FEDERATION (1167 birds): 1,2,3, N. and G. Wordsworth (Harrington Central) 1659, 1658, 1657.7; 4, 5, 6, Evans and Abraham (Workington Victoria) 1657.5, 1657.5, 1657.5.
HARRINGTON CENTRAL (10 sent 272): 1,2,3,6, N. and G. Wordsworth 1659, 1658, 1657, 1645; 4, N. Semple 1655; 5, I. and D. Wood 1649.
SEATON RBL (2 sent 56): 1, 2, 4, Dobie and Palmer 1627, 1624, 1600; 3, Mr and Mrs Dustin 1608.
WORKINGTON SOCIAL LIMIT (6 sent 93): 1, 6, Mr and Mrs Walters and son 1655, 1645; 2,3, McLuckie bros 1654.7, 1654.5; 4,5, G. Best 1650, 1649.
WORKINGTON VICTORIA (8 sent 336): 1, 2,3,4, 5, 6, Evans and Abraham 1668.9, 1668.9, 1668.9, 1668.2, 1668.2, 1667.
WORKINGTON VICTORIA (ring race, 18 sent 90): 1, 2, Nolan and co 1675 (winning £250), 1668 (winning £125); 3, Waddington and Taylor 1663 (winning £75);4, Rodgers and Benn 1660; 5, Fitzsimmons and son 1650; 6, Martindale and Lawman 1648. First nom, winning £20 were Martindale and Lawman 1637 and first school’s entry, winning £50 were Rodgers and Benn 1624.
FLIMBY HS (9 sent 322): 1, J. Varty, son and grandson 1655; 2, 3, 6, Nelson and Crellin 1634, 1619, 1617; 4, 5, Rushforth and Hunter 1618.4, 1618.2.
CUMBERLAND SOCIAL CIRCLE (17 sent 34): 1, McLuckie bros 1654; 2, Martindale and Lawman 1649; 3, R. McAvoy and son 1639; 4, Tomlinson and Banks 1634; 5, Varty, son and grandson 1631; 6, Williams and Hadfield 1622.