PAU
WINNERS TROPHY
SPONSORED BY
THE WELSH NORTH ROAD FEDERATION
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Monday the 16th june and once again the above organization were basketing for another race from across the channel from the french town of pau for the longest race on the 2014 programme
,as expected the numbers were low for such event as this is a race that takes weeks of preparation and ambition to concur ,however with just an handful of pigeons on board on Monday evening these were added to those entered by our members through duplication from the central southern classic the pigeons were soon on there way south to Southampton for the crossing over to France, once on French soil the convoy made its way down to Bordeaux where they once again watered and fed for the night in preparation for the early morning start of the final leg of the journey to the liberation site
whilst here in the uk we were making the most of the fine weather down south upon arrival on site reports indicate that the temperatures had already reached 29 degrees at 11am ,and with everyone already aware of the temperatures an early liberation was anticipated to give the birds every opportunity of getting as far north as possible during the coolest part of the day
liberation day Friday ... and with the morning breaking the convoyers cut the strings at 05.30 am and without any hesitation the pigeon cleared out of site in no time ,on the return journey the convoyer report hardly any wind and clear blue skies ,so we knew from the off that the pigeons weren’t going get any help over the 580 miles ahead of them on the continent added to this the wind was showing in a north easterly direction here in the uk with temperature expected to reach close to 30 degrees as the day went on, ,early evening and upon keeping an eye on the central southern classics web site for any possible notification of any day birds it was shown that one gallant entry had overcome the conditions and made it home on the day to the loft of c ret of Southampton at 7.53 pm and with a further two hours or so flying time we may have been a little optimistic in expecting pigeons on the day of liberation but as always theres always that chance however with nothing to report we were looking forward to an early start on the second day
Saturday morning .. and with still no pigeons to report on throughout the morning ,it was once again a sit and wait situation as temperatures once again continued to soar and with noticing more pigeons verified across the seven we were still looking out for our winner ,but unfortunately at nightfall this failed to materialize ,so for some it was once yet gain another early to bed early to rise in hope of getting that first arrival
Sunday morning ... day three. and we had it .. our first arrival on welsh soil and winner of the welsh national flying club pau race of 2014 . this gallant 5 yr old blue hen was timed in at 06.27.10 with a vel of 464 .7 at the loft and partnership of Brian and reg hadden flying as hadden & son of newport ,this game pigeon hen arrived ironically at the loft with a turn up which the brothers had missing from the day before`s race from Newbury ,the bloodlines of this pigeon was bred for the partnership by local fancier and friend Anthony buttigieg and is based around the taverine-rigole cross stichelbout family of pigeons in preparation for this race she was flown in all the overseas races leading up to this event rested for a week and entered as one of the partnerships two entries ,she is no stranger to this distance as she was timed in from Bergerac which is approx 500 miles in 2013 added to this performance the partnership also had the honour of winning 1st south section 9th open tarbes 590 miles in 2013
1st open pau winner 2014
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Brian & Reg hadden winners of pau 2014
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a few hours behind the winning pigeon i received the verification of our second arrival at 09.06.13 vel 440.1 for 2nd open from one of the most out and out distance lofts in Wales that of padfield family of abertillery , dave and vince timed in a two year old cheq wim muller jan arden hen This hen was raced on the Roundabout and had a couple of inland races before being sent to Carenten with the NFC.Her prep race was the BICC Tours race about 350 miles where she had in excess of 10 hours.The breeding lines originate through a Sire Brother to Champion Jack..which Won before being retired the following performances 2010 56th Open 8th Sect NFC Tarbes Wins £721 1st Open 1st Sect WSRN Tarbes wins £670 2011 15th Open 9th Sect WSRN Tarbes also 337th Open 45th Open NFC Tarbes. 2012 3rd sec 3rd Open WSRN Tarbes 19th Sec 161st Open NFC Tarbes 2013 7TH OPEN WSRN TARBES ALSO 12TH SECT 88TH OPEN NFC TARBES. WSRN MERIT WINNER ONLY PIGEON TO WIN THE AWARD IN HISTORY OF WSRN.
on the sires side she is inbred back to the partnerships famous old 89 her sire is the sire of 1st WSRN Tarbes he was from old 80 a son of old 89 and a grand sire to three Tarbes national winners the sires dam is a daughter of 1st International hens Perpignan First Class for Wim Muller.The Dam is a daughter of old 89 when paired back to another Wim Muller aarden hen.
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2nd open pau for padfield family
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one performance over and the preparation starts for the next , (with the washing done ) vince gets too work in preparing the birds prior to marking for their forthcoming Barcelona challenge