WELSH SOUTH ROAD NATIONAL FLYING CLUB
Wonderful result for Padfield family from Cwmtillery
What a wonderful result for distance specialists “The Padfield family” from the 600 mile Tarbes race
on Saturday 26th June by winning 1st Tarbes WSRNFC which was flown in conjunction with the CSCFC.
After a 5.30 am liberation and head winds over most of the journey home coupled with boiling hot
temperatures their magnificent 4-year old dark chequer cock arrived home at 8.01am on the second
day to record a winning velocity of 897 ypm (just over 30mph) which is truly remarkable flying under
such testing conditions.
This great cock had flown Pau twice previously without scoring but last season scored in the BICC
from Saran when he finished 34th Open so clearly experience of the route stood him in good stead
for his epic trip this time around.
The family partnership is made up of Dave and his older brother Vince (who I am reliably informed
has just had his free bus pass) who have kept up the family tradition set by their late father Albert. I
can personally remember him winning three Pau Nationals but I am quite sure it was more than this
and it’s great to see the family keep up the tradition he set by once again winning the 600 mile race
into Wales and also 3rd and 5th Open CSCFC. It is quite amazing that the family recorded four pigeons
out of the first eight to make it home in the Welsh National race. This included 1st, 3rd, 5th and 8th
Open welsh South Road National flying club as well as 3rd, 5th and 25th Open CSCFC which is terrific
flying with only an entry of eight birds in the race.
The bird’s arrival was witnessed by Mark Sparey who told me he observed the cock coming straight
up the middle of the valley, turning, and flapping before flying straight through the open door up
into his nest box. Mark informed me that he had a premonition that the loft was in for a big win as in
a previous very difficult race from Messac as “the Padfield’s whole team returned in good time when
a number of top lofts had erratic returns.
The National winner is a small to medium sized cock and was entered for the race sitting 9 days and
Vince pointed out that they like him sitting over 8 days to get the best out of him. Younger brother
Dave was leaving for holiday in Cornwall later that morning who it can be said must have a very
understanding wife as no sooner had they arrived at their holiday destination when the pigeon
pedigrees were brought out so that Dave could quickly provide breeding details of his winners and
also pigeon photos were being processed for the fancy press. The winner is 100% Wim Muller bred
in the purple and is full of National winning performances. His Sire “Old 89” was a great Pau racer
finishing 64th Open (5,900 birds) in the 1995 Pau NFC clocked at 9.25pm on the second day. He also
bred a 37th and 54th NFC winner as well as being G/Sire of Don a winner of 2nd BBC Palamos and 1st
SB NFC Palamos. The dam is also bred from exceptional distance winning lines from Pau and San
Sebastian and her dam was a daughter of Padfield Perfection Red Cock winner of 1st, 3rd, 23rd and
39th Open in the WSRNFC probably the best Pau pigeon to fly in the WSRNFC.
The partner’s second pigeon was bred by very good friend Ray Strawbridge of Newport and is a
magnificent 2-year old blue cock who is a G/son of Rays 1st Nat Dax WSRNFC. The Sire Little Gem
was paired to a Robert Jones hen and includes the bloodlines of Jeff Howells Leading Lady. The dam
was from Mr & Mrs Woodyard and is bred down from Vlekje when paired to a Wim Muller a g/son
of the famous Kuisbek. As far as feeding is concerned Dave told me the birds are hopper fed beans
but their main mixture is Irish High Velocity which I believe is a mixture containing a lot of peas.
Taking second national was none other than Dennis Ford of Blaenavon who has yet again come up
with an exceptional pigeon after only entering two pigeons in the race. He clocked his good dark
chequer 4-year old hen who had previously won 1st club Bergerac and 10th National Tarbes as well as
2nd in a shorter race. This champion hen was still flown roundabout in spite of the distance as Dennis
commented that a few years ago he tried pairing up after r/about with disastrous results. The Sire of
this wonderful hen was of Hanssene bloodlines obtained from good friend John Smale. The dam was
bought by Dennis`s family at a National dinner which was from Don Chaffe of Maerdy.
Dennis commented on the wonderful condition of his pigeon on her return in fact she would not
drop out of the sky and he had to place 2 or 3 squeakers on the lawn to coax her down. He also said
she did not lose an ounce of bodyweight after her epic journey. The only slight difference in the
feeding before the race is that extra maize and peanuts are given leading up to basketing.
Taking 4th National is that other outstanding Cwmtillery loft of Preece Bros and Son. They clocked
their last years Tarbes National winner “Braveheart” at 1.29pm. He is a 6-year old blue cock with one
white flight which must be the reason he is prone to hawk attacks!
Colin Preece said he must have stopped off on the way home this year as he was 3 hours later than
last year. In 2009 he won the National by over 2 hours with a velocity of 837ypm and this year
recorded 703ypm but what a fantastic pigeon he must be and thousands of fanciers would be truly
proud to own a pigeon of his caliber. Colin said when he arrived he was like a “Top” and in great
spirits and of course was well pooled £5 section and Open in the National plus Nom. Earlier in the
year Braveheart was attacked by a sparrow hawk when 4 tail feathers were ripped out and Colin had
to get the hawk off with a stick! Also in 2008 he returned badly injured after a hawk attack and was
finished for that season.
Again this year he was flown r/About and was left overnight with his hen before basketing as was
done the previous year (Colin I am surprised at you, we all slow down when we get older you must
know that!!!)
Next to clock was Mr & Mrs T Gardner of Caldicot at 2pm. Again they clocked a true champion racing
pigeon “The Marseille Marvel” I had the great fortune to report on last year. He is a four year old
chequer cock whose parents were bred by Louella and breeding of “Invincible Spirit” and “De
Barcelona lines”. In 2008 he was 11th Open Tarbes with the WSRNFC and then in 2009 went to Pau
with the BICC and finished 3rd West Section 60th Open. Later last year he went to Marseille when he
won 1st Gwent GD club, 1st West Section, 10th Open BICC. For this year’s Tarbes race he was sent
sitting 10 days and Terry said when he returned from the race he was absolutely shattered so had
clearly given his all. He is clearly a pigeon with a big heart and gives his all to get home.
Finally we have Jim and Hazel Hooper down in Fairwater Cardiff who was telling me they have never
had so many hawk attacks on their pigeons as this year which is the worse they can ever remember.
They clocked a two year old dark cheq cock sent sitting 12 days and was the only bird clocked in the
centre section at the time of going to press. Both parents were bred by the late Peter Titmuss.
Following Peters death close friend Ken Hine was offered his last three pairs of birds and because he
had no room to keep them he asked Jim could he accommodate them for a year before returning
them to his loft. Jim said they were lovely pigeons and like peas in a pod.
In preparation for this race he went to Alencon with the BICC a distance of 290 miles then Poitiers
with the CSCFC 376 miles when he finished 113th Open. Jim was saddened that more birds had not
returned home from this race for others, as these are the races he loves to take part in. Clearly the
very high temperatures throughout the country and in France over the days the race was flown was
clearly a contributory factor but I am sure more will return with the lower temperatures forecast for
this week.
Finally good luck to Welsh fanciers competing in the Pau International Race this coming Friday, I am
reliably informed that there will be a tail wind over much of the trip so one never knows the
International might be won in the UK. I know the Padfield Family have entered 5 and will be flying
the flag for Wales and clearly have their birds in the right kind of form to do well and their pigeons
certainly don’t need a tail wind to do well even from Barcelona!!!
The following velocities are based on phone in times and may change subject to verification:
East Section: Padfield Family Cwmtillery 897(Probable 1st Nat); D Ford Blaenavon 834(Probable 2nd
Nat); Preece Bros & Son Cwmtillery 703(Probable 4th Nat); Mr & Mrs T Gardner Caldicot
672(Probable 6th Nat)
Centre Section: Mr & Mrs J & H Hooper Fairwater 666(Probable 7th Nat)
Padfield family clocked a further 3 pigeons to finish provisional 3rd, 5th and 8th National.
John David Sec WSRNFC Havachat Bungalow, Mwyndy, Pontyclun RCT CF728PN Phone 01443226809 Email jc.david@btinternet.com Web site www.wsrnfc.co.uk