It wasn’t all about giving out the prize money when the Cleator Moor A ring race competitors met up at the Whitehaven Miners Social Club.
There was also a very special handover of a cheque for £600 to West Cumbria Search and Rescue from West Cumbrian fanciers who participated in the A ring race.
Race organiser Danny Rodgers said: “We just hope this helps in some capacity towards the awesome work you all do.
“The community is very grateful to every single one of you and this is from the pigeon fanciers in our area to help you to continue what you’re doing and show our appreciation.
“Thank you very much from us all and keep up the fantastic work.”
This brings the charity donations since the A ring race began in 2016 to £3,600.
Danny, and his race partners Wes and Ken Benn picked up the first prize of £4,250 for winning what proved to be a very tough race from Weymouth.
Veteran fancier Tommy Gilbertson bred the pigeon and he also picked up the same amount of prize money.
The only bird on the back into west Cumbria the bird was bought and raced by Rodgers and Benn and also won 1st Open in the North West Grand National FC – a fantastic performance.
The hen won NWGN section; the Red Rose Federation and Copelan NW Club.
Sixty-four members had sent 450 birds and the Cleator Moor pigeon won despite flying 50 miles further than the pigeon in second.
The hen was bred by Tommy Gilbertson from two yearlings especially with the A ring race in mind.
The sire is a mealy cock which was second for Rodgers and Benn in the 2020 A ring race.
The grand-dam of the mealy cock is a chequer pied hen which was first Cumbria Combine from Sartilly.
The dam of this year’s winner is a blue hen line bred to JB, winner of first Cumbria Combine from Niort, 604 miles.
As well as JB she bred many winners and her sons and daughters are also breeders of multiple winners.
Ian and Denise Wood of Harrington Central were second; David and Sandra Wood of Harrington Central were third; Joe and Brian Fitzsimmons of Cleator Moor took fourth and Nolan, Hetherington, Coultas and Easdon of Cleator Moor were fifth.
After the presentation the fanciers from the Derwent Valley Federation and the West Cumberland Federation took up a challenge at pool, darts and dominoes.
The Derwent Valley won 17-10 but the West Cumberland team has promised to practice harder before next year’s presentation.
