There wasn’t just young bird racing in West Cumbria it was the penultimate old bird race and the first over the Channel from France for a number of years.
Guernsey has been as far as they go since Covid and Brexit interfered with the cross Channel trace programme – although sadly, it has to be said, lovers of the distance races are beginning to be fewer and fewer.
Only five members sent to Grevillers in the Derwent Valley Federation, mustering 28 birds between them for what turned-out to be a very tough race. Martin Mingins of Cleator Moor was the only member of the West Cumberland Federation to send.
There was nothing in on the night but the very game pigeons began to arrive on Monday morning after the 7am liberation in a south wind on Sunday.
A clear winner by six hours were the Flimby family partnership of Jimmy, James and Matthew Varty who have been flying particularly well this season and topped the Cumbria Combine for the first time earlier in the season from Marlborough.
Their two-year-old black hen, which had flown Guernsey on the day, was clocked at 6.23am after a 413-mile fly from France to Flimby.
The Vartys, and good friend Les Blacklock, have long championed the Vandie breed and that was evident with the winner – off a Vandie hen of their own and a barless cock which Les gave them.
That cock is through his Combine winner, the Faroes breed which has been responsible for the Varty’s last two winners.
The winning team also clocked a second pigeon at 12.52pm while pal Les was in at 2.17pm. Two other Flimby fanciers clocked – Alan Bromley (12.28pm) and Richard Hodgson (12.44pm).
DERWENT VALLEY FEDERATION (28 birds): 1, 4, Varty, son and grandson (Flimby HS) 696, 507; 2, A. Bromley and co (Flimby HS) 516; 3, R. Hodgson (Flimby HS) 510; 5, Blacklock and sons (Workington Victoria) 478.
FLIMBY HS (4 sent 24): 1, 4, Varty, son and grandson 696, 507; 2, A. Bromley and co 516; 3, R. Hodgson 510.
WORKINGTON VICTORIA ( 2 sent 10): 1, 2, Varty, son and grandson 696, 507; 3, Blacklock and sons 478.
