The Cumbrian pigeon fraternity will be back racing this weekend with a second test from Guernsey.
It follows last week’s cancellation of the scheduled race from Holmsley in Hampshire when the decision was taken following poor returns from Yeovil the previous week.
The Cumbrian birds will be transported by the Midlands Continental organisation, although the Cumbria Combine officials are not expecting big numbers.
The Yeovil race was a big setback to nearly every single loft which took part, and the previous first race from Guernsey had not been a great one.
Young bird training has already started around the county and there are two old bird races left in the current programme.
They should go to Salisbury next week but the Cumbria Combine is discussing going back to Marlborough before finishing off at Guernsey for a third time.
The debate is still going on as to what happened at Yeovil – was it the race-point being too far west, was it the early liberation, was it the fact that it was decided the Cumbrian birds would be liberated on their own or was it the hot conditions on the day.
That’s something in pigeon racing that is never really confirmed but John Walsh caught up with the Cumbria Combine secretary Les Blacklock for his views on what went wrong.
WEST CUMBRIA AMALGAMATION (872 birds): 1, J. Devlin (Harrington Central) 1304; 2, McLuckie bros (Workington Victoria) 1302; 3, D. Harrison and son (Egremont) 1290; 4, Berwick, Watson and co (Dearham) 1224; 5, A. Graham and co (Cleator Moor) 1201; 6, Cottier and Parkinson (Sandwith) 1198.
