West Cumbrian fanciers raced inland again at the weekend from the historic New Forest site of Holmsley.
It was said to be near where William Rufus, who reigned as William the 2nd, was shot while hunting on August 2, 1100.
Thankfully there were no archers around when the birds were liberated on Saturday at 7-30am.
The race proved tough enough in a west wind but there were some good performances in the Derwent Valley Federation.
First and second in the Derwent Valley Open result was Mark Hodgson of Flimby.
The winner is a yearling Van den Bulkke blue cock a grandson of Expensive Kittle and Expensive Sagan via the P and D Stud. He’s been to every race and coming home consistently high up.
The cock that was second is a two-year-old blue white flight bred through McGimpsey stock through Oh So Sharp crossed with a Vandenabele.
On a tough racing day he had ten out of 12 by nightfall.
Familiar faces Dobson, sons and grandson were to the fore in the south section.
The Cleator Moor loft (ninth in the Combine and third in the Derwent Valley Open) were first, second and fourth in the Derwent Valley south section.
Their winner is a yearling chequer hen whose had a few tickets already this season.
On the sire’s side is one the partners bought from Darren Hunt’s Wonder lofts.
The dam is from Andrew Morgan of the north east and from his distance stuff.
The dam actually bred the loft’s winner of the A ring race a few years ago.
The winner’s nestmate was third club, fourth Fed south section.
The loft sent 22 to the race and had 19 back on the day.
Back to the msin Derwent Valley Open where Williams and Hadfield were fourth and won Workington Social Limit.
Their winner is a three-year-old red hen which was bred through their successful Liam lines from Steve Foster of Preston.
Fifth Fed was the Workington Victoria winner, flying to the Flimby loft of the Varty family and clocking a yearling blue cock.
The Harrington Central winners were Mr and Mrs Carter and sons, taking 11th in the Fed.
Their two-year-old chequer hen was winning for the second time this season.
Back in the South section David Harrison won Egremont and was fifth south section.
It is a three-year-old blue white flight hen which topped the Combine last year from Fougere.
She was also third club a few weeks ago from a similar tough race from Marlborough.
Both parents are Hereman Ceuster bloodlines from Malcolm Scott of Gateshead who has supplied David with countless winners.
Lowca seemed generally to be a little behind this week where David Lofthouse topped the sheet with a yearling blue white flight hen but he did take 8th South section.
CUMBRIA COMBINE (921 birds): 1, 2, R. Mitchell (Harraby) 1327.8, 1327.08; 3, P. Kirkwood (Harraby) 1320; 4, D. Scurczynski (Beehive) 1317; 5, D. Dixon and grandson (South End) 1307.69; 6, Brown, Davidson and Potts (Beehive) 1307.63.
DERWENT VALLEY FEDERATION OPEN (400 birds): 1, 2, Hodgson and Saldert (Flimby HS) 1299, 1298.77; 3, Dobson, sons and grandson (Cleator Moor) 1298.70; 4, Williams and Hadfield (Workington Social Limit) 1268; 5, Varty and co (Flimby) 1267; 6, McLuckie bros (Workington Victoria) 1264.
DERWENT VALLEY SOUTH SECTION (91 birds): 1, 2, 4, Dobson, sons and grandson (Cleator Moor) 1298, 1260, 1244.61; 3, 6, Nolan, Hetherington, Coultas and Easdon (Cleator Moor) 1244.65, 1212; 5, D. Harrison and son (Egremont Rangers) 1237.
CLEATOR MOOR CENTRAL (3 sent 42): 1, 2, 3, Dobson, sons and grandson 1299, 1261, 1245.6; 4, 5, Nolan, Hetherington, Coultas and Easdon 1245.1, 1213; 6, Tomlinson and Banks 1163.
EGREMONT RANGERS (22 birds): 1, 2, 3, 5, D. Harrison and son 1237, 1194, 1175, 1095; 4, 6, Bewsher, son and Park 1137, 950.
LOWCA HS: 1, 3, D. Lofthouse 1183, 1148; 2, Tomlinson and Banks 1163; 4,5, W. McGrady and con 1138, 1131; 6, Holliday and Dixon 1103.
WORKINGTON SOCIAL LIMIT: 1, Williams and Hadfield 1268; 2, 4, 5, 6, McLuckie bros 1264, 1208, 1199.8, 1199,1,
WORKINGTON VICTORIA (7 sent 80): 1, Varty and co 1274; 2, Williams and Hadfield 1271; 3, McLuckie bros 1267; 4,5, 6, Evans, Taylor and Abraham 1245, 1226, 1212.
FLIMBY HS (11 sent 162): 1, 2, 5, Hodgson and Saldert 1299. 1298, 1245; 3, M. Varty and co 1267; 4, 6, Berwick, Watson and co 1250, 1220.
HARRINGTON CENTRAL (6 sent 67): 1, Mr and Mrs Carter and sons 1245; 2, N. and G. Wordsworth 1222; 3,5, N. Semple 1194, 1179; 4,6, I. and D. Wood 1193, 1166.CUMBERLAND SOCIAL CIRCLE (13 sent 25): 1, McLuckie bros 1264; 2, Berwick, Watson and co 1250; 3, Mr and Mrs Carter and sons 1245; 4, N. Semple 1179; 5, Tomlinson and Banks 1164.3; 6, Varty and co 1164.2.
