The West Cumberland Federation raced on Monday this week after ruling out the weekend for obvious reasons.
They were at Garstang but only 481 young birds contested the Federation race as they were liberated at 8.30am in a light north west wind.
Returns appear to have been mixed after the winner homed to the Whitehaven loft of David Lofthouse, who races in the Lowca club.
He clocked a blue pied cock after an hour and 27 minutes to top the Federation sheet, covering the 53 miles at 36mph.
The winner is bred off a nine-year-old Busschaert cock bought by John Trodden for £50 at the clearance sale in the North East for Busby and Chappell. He presented it to David and this winner is one of the first of his progeny.
Just 38 seconds behind was a chequer cock to take second Fed who was bred off a Heremans-Ceusters cock from David ‘Sugar’ Wilson and a hen from Barry Irving.
The low entry was because some fanciers opted for training flights from Flookburgh again.
Returns in the Egremont club were about 50% at clicks 90 minutes after the first arrivals but a big shout out for Mark Lofthouse who won with a dark chequer cock whose sire is a McGimpsy pigeon bred by Barry Irving crossed with a Gaston Vander Wower from Ian Stafford.
This was a first time pairing so Mark will be hoping for more success in future for these.
Peter Bewsher also enjoyed a good day taking four tickets – second, third, fourth and fifth with his first two going over the pad together.
Some WCF lofts, in fact, joined the Derwent Valley Federation transporter as their clubs contested a second Flookburgh.
As on the previous Monday they were marked in the morning and were liberated at 3.30pm in the afternoon in a light north wind.
Generally the leaders were seven or eight minutes slower than last week when they were up in a WSW wind but returns appear to have been good.
With weather prospects not good again this weekend both organisations will be studying the forecasts before deciding when to race. Friday or Monday have already been suggested, although nothing definite.
You can hear a live report from the Flookburgh 2 race by Cumbria Crack’s John Walsh here:
WEST CUMBERLAND
FEDERATION: 1, 2, D. Lofthouse (Lowca) 1071, 1064; 3, 4, 5, 6, W. McGrady and son (Sandwith) 1063.4, 1063.4, 1063.4, 1063.06.
EGREMONT (67 birds): 1, 6, Marr, Scott and Lofthouse 997, 940; 2, 3, 4, 5, Mr and Mrs Bewsher 991.9. 991.9, 990, 955.
CLEATOR MOOR CENTRAL (6 sent 269): 1, 2, Rodgers and Benn 1048, 1042; 3, Dobson, sons, grandson and Kyle 1037; 4, R. Reeves 999; 5, P. and S. Byers 990; 6, Holan, Hetherington, Coultas and Easdon 981.
LOWCA: 1, 2, D. Lofthouse; 3, 4, J. Moreau.
SANDWITH: 1, 2, 3, 4, W. McGrady and son; 5, Blaney bros; 6, Cottier and Patrickson.
DERWENT VALLEY
WORKINGTON SOCIAL LIMIT (4 sent 236): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Williams and Hadfield 1126, 1125, 1123.6, 1123.3, 1122; 6, McLuckie bros 1121.
FLIMBY HS (9 sent 334): 1, 2, 3, Berwick, Watson and co 1252, 1251, 1218; 4, A. Bromley and co 1199; 5, 6, R. Hodgson 1197, 1196.
HARRINGTON CENTRAL (9 sent 321): 1, Mr and Mrs W. Carter and sons 1127; 2, 3, 5, 6, N. and G. Wordsworth 1122, 1121.8, 1121.2, 1118; 4, J. Devlin 1121.
SEATON RBL (3 sent 62): 1, F. Scott 1168; 2, 3, 4, 6, Dobie and Palmer 1156, 1131.7, 1131.4, 1064; 5, A. Parker and son 1110.
DEARHAM HS (6 sent 258): 1, 2, 3, Todhunter and Grisedale 1153, 1152, 1130; 4, 5, Dempsey son and Reay 1128, 1117; 6, D. McTear 1093.
WORKINGTON VICTORIA: M 1, 2, 3, Varty, son and grandson 1190, 1182, 1181; 4,, 6, Evans and Abraham 1177, 1175; 5, Williams and Hadfield 1176.
