Solway Federation 2025 by Steven Dalgliesh

[sapper756]

Copied from Facebook 20th September 

Here's a wee recap of the performances from the solway at the biggest, and best, race in the country.
Many thanks to WP Wortley. 
1 / 2
Alencon
1st Section 14th Open
Drew Nicholson from Annan
Section winner is a 2 y.o. Dark Chequer cock, that went through the programme as a y.b and to 200 miles as a yearling.  It was paired at the beginning of March in 2025 and went to the race covering a 10 day old youngster.     Sire is a Dark Chequer cock that was bred from a Kirkpatrick hen containing the loft’s established lines when paired to Drew’s 2018 Silver Award winner.   The Dark Chequer cock that gained a Silver Award was bred from a Blue hen that contained the loft’s established Kirkpatrick lines with his sire being a Van Der Wegen that was obtained from John Little from Ecclefechan, having been bred by Andy Gregson.   Dam of the Section winner from Alencon is a Blue Chequer hen, which was bred from a Son of Willie Borthwick’s ‘White Nose Bud’ that won the Gold Cup from Liege in 2018 when paired to a super Blue hen that was purchased at a Y.B. Sale at Carnforth.   The Blue hen was purchased at a Y.B Sale at Carnforth and was bred by John Winstanley from Orrell, Wigan; it was 11th Section 16th Open Guernsey 2021 and 5th Section 6th Open Alencon 2022.   Sire a Jan Polder Arden/Wanroy    Dam a Blue Chequer hen that was bred by Albert Tarleton & Duncan Ferguson ‘Skyleader Lofts’.  
2nd Section 22nd Open
Jim Ferguson from Eastriggs
The winning pigeon is a 6 y.o. Blue Chequer cock that was bred by the late John McNeil from Broxburn, it raced as a y.b., yearling and 2 y.o.   Worked on Widowhood he then went to Alencon in 2022 and was 7th Section 9th Open and worked in exactly the same way in 2023 and 2024, he again scored from the Gold Cup race being 14th Section 60th Open in 2023 and 76th Open in 2024.   At the gateway to the 2025 season he commanded three boxes in the widowhood end of the shed, not letting any other birds near the boxes.   Jim addressed the issue by moving him into the adjoining Y.B. compartment in the shed.   He went right through the Federation programme to Cheltenham, after which he was brought back into his original box in the widowhood cock compartment and put of full widowhood.   Occupying the box he was given his hen two days before basketing with straw being placed on the floor of the shed.   The position gained from the recent Classic should secure for him an S.N.F.C. Silver Award.   We must mention friend Michael Johnstone and Jim’s grandson Finn, who kindly assist at the loft.
3rd Section 25th Open
John Gilmour from Ecclefechan
Winning pigeon is a 2 y.o. Blue cock that had three races as a youngster and five races as a yearling on Widowhood.   John’s father, Jackie, regrettably died some months ago and John took a number of his pigeons.   Because of the increased number of birds in his loft he had to deviate from the management method practised in recent years.   The Blue cock was raced celibate during the early part of the season and was then paired but did not go to nest, John using the hen to motivate the cock, showing her before despatch to a race.   He raced through the Solway Fed. programme to the Inland National from Brighton and then went to the Gold Cup race.   It was bred from a pair of
2 / 2
pigeons, which John received from Sean and Linda Trodden bred from direct imports from the Continent.   Sean and Linda, of course, bred the Dam of ‘Gilly’, John’s 2017 Gold Cup winner.