Home of "The Ettington Ace"

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UPDATED 29th MAY 2009

Hi All, I hope you are all well and have had a good week with the birds. I have just got back from walking the dogs after being at the club marking the pigeons for Newton Abbot tomorrow. Approximately 216 went tonight so another good turnout from the members. The weather looks like it is going to be a hot day with a strong east wind so could be a tough day for the birds if they make a mistake. As always those birds that strike an early line and get their heads down will benefit greatly from the day but there seem to be more pigeons get it wrong than there are get it right in these East winds so we will see what tomorrow brings. I have sent 9 myself while the rest of the team is rested in prepartion for the two National races the following week with the NFC and MNFC.

Moving on to the racing from last weekend the Club was at Lessay where 11 members sent 138 birds. I was lucky enough to be 1st club at 1639.001 velocity, had the club been affilated to the Coventry Fed "618" would have been 16th Fed which overall I was quite pleased with, at least not a million miles away etc. The other team members clocked in at 6th, 12th & 13th Club overall so not a bad first club race over the channel. With the NFC, again the birds did come well as a team and although the provisional result is still only out early signs are I will have 4, 5 or possible 6 in the top 700 of the result out of 9600 birds sent from Fourgeres at 263 miles to me. My own target when I send in the Nationals is to get at least 50% of my team in the top 8 - 10% of the Open result. I sent 12 and timed 3 in in 6 minutes with another 3 following in the next 50 minutes, so with it being their first big race for a lot of them breaking out of a large kit of birds I was pleased overall, however I am hoping they will be sharper overall for next weekend.

I have enjoyed being competitive at the club in these early races but with the National races now upon us my own team preparation will now turn to these events and although I will still be sending some in the club the feeding will be wrong to win these races I feel but time will tell as they say.

Two people that had no fear of the conditions the other week were two of my good friends Ian Wheatley and Alan Armstrong flying as Armstrong and Wheatley from Bedworth. They put up a sterling performance in the first race of the MNFC to be 1st and 2nd Centre Section - Provisional 19th Open. So a massive well done to the pair of you, top flying guys and we always joke with each other that if we don't win it ourselves we would like the others to. These lads flew a tremoundous pigeon last year and were so consistent but were getting worried that they were going to be the bridesmaids all the time being 2nd section etc but they have started the season at a fantastic rate (at club and federation level as well) and lads as I said last week, you can just enjoy your racing now as the pressure is off - You've done it. All the best for next one and remember -"It's my turn now"

Anyway thats it for now, I hope you enjoy your time viewing this site. Remember - when things arn't going well first thing you do is look in the mirror and ask yourself "Am I doing everything I can before you start blaming the pigeons" . GOOD LUCK!

kindest regards

Mark

Ian Wheatley, second right, and Alan Armstrong, third right, at a winter visit to Ettington. The little and large of pigeon racing - 1st and 2nd South Centre Section MNFC Lessay 16/05/2009 - WELL DONE YOU LADS !