Maricelbill's Column

January 12, 2016

Sunny South East.

Hi there and welcome to my first article cantered on the South East around Waterford New Ross Dungarvan. The results, characters and general chit chat and information. 3 clubs from these arras, Dungarvan 30 miles west of Waterford City, and the Shamrock Club from New Ross have banded together with the Tower Invitation from Waterford to form the South Central Superclub which flies within the South Leinster Federation.

Having had a false start myself re-joining the sport in 2014 I am back to racing YB in 2015 at a new location and will from time to time incorporate my own experiences into the reports.

The Superclub is made up of the 3 shortest flying clubs with the SLF and here in lies it's first problem. The opening races are too short, in fact the first race is usually Dungarvan itself. To overcome the problem the Superclub is to purchase it's own 800 bird trailer and will organise it's own early season races. A monster breeder buyer is being held on the last Sunday in March. 10% going to the transport fund the balance toward prize money. It is open to the whole IHU National to be a buyer with the race itself being flown in conjunction with the first YB National race expected to be Barley Cove is West Cork. Distance roughly between 100 and 200 miles depending on the purchaser.

Some of the entries from the UK resembles a who's who of leading fanciers and breeders. Who by now does not recognise Stuart Innet Gary Downing Ronnie Johnson and Scottie from Futuristic Lofts Paul and Darren from P & D racing and Breeding stud, Jason Bateman from Bristol, Darren Ede Southampton,. from this side of the Irish Sea Billy Cullimore from Wexford Gerry O Meara from Dublin Philip Boal from Dromore. It's an amazing list and one that has captured the imagination from far and wide. Venue is the Mount Sion Centre in Waterford the last Sunday in March. The list is long and staggering and places are closing fast. westwing@eircom.net if interested in competing with the best. It's going to be a unique event one of the biggest in 2016.

Terrific news for the Tower Invitation in having their application to the Leinster North Road Federation accepted. The delegates and committee of the Leinster Federation are to be complimented in having the vision and foresight to accept a club from Munster. Having been away from pigeons for over 20 years I was disappointed in seeing how the North Road scene had failed to move forward in any meaningful way in all the time. In Munster especially it seems to have regressed by quite some way and I know many fanciers in the Tower feel moving into Leinster is the first step in re invigorating the whole North road scene with many members opting to fly both the North and South road routes in 2016.

Here the stock birds are well and truly mated with eggs hatching in time for the new rings. Having no old birds to race I have the opportunity, the necessity, to breed larger than normal team of young birds and with 3 new families of birds it is imperative they are well tested. Having spent the better part of 2 years reading and researching the Belgian scene the names of Johan Donckers Grobbendonk, Marcel Wouters of Westmalle and the evergreen Dirk Van Dyck from Zandhoven came to the fore, and so Superior Lofts was born.

So much has changed in over 20 years. Darkness, YBS, feeding systems, BOPS so many South Road flyers in these part of the country where previously it was unheard of. The best change of all of course is potentially the internet. It offers so much opportunity in the way of development of the sport it has boundless possibilities and needs to be harnessed and honed in the right way. The South Central Superclub is set up to run entirely online. There is no membership fee.

If not harnessed this sport won't be here in 15 years. A sport that is flourishing in Asia and Eastern Europe is dying in it's birthplace. and on these islands.

This perhaps, is the greatest change of all.

comments and views reports to westwing@eircom.net.

Prometheus.