Pooley’s Stafford double
Last updated 19:51, Thursday, 04 September 2008
JOHN Pooley of Harrington Central was top on Saturday after sending just six birds to the Derwent Valley Federation’s Stafford race.
He won the old bird race from Stafford earlier in the season so did the double.
And his latest young bird winner is a daughter of the two-year-old cock which won the Fed then. She was sent sitting on five-day eggs.
The mealy hen, which was fourth from Appleton, was clocked at 2.50pm following the 12.45pm liberation. It was quick but not quite as fast as the Stafford old bird race, won in record time.
The Janssen mealy cock was bought as a young bird from Joe Fitzsimmons of Cleator Moor and to produce the latest Fed winner was paired with a Busschaert hen from Gordon Grant of Annan.
This was Pooley’s fourth Fed since being left to fly on his own seven years ago.
His race partner Harry Telford died then and in 24 years together they had two Cumbria Combine winners and were regarded as one of the most consistent lofts in the area with several Federation successes.
Pooley has now won three young bird races in the competitive Harrington Central club, and for good measure has two seconds to his name.
Derwent Valley Federation (918 birds): 1, Telford and Pooley (Harrington Central) 1922; 2, G Best (Workington Social) 1921.8; 3, 5, 6, Mr and Mrs Wood (Harrington Central) 1921.3, 1919, 1916; 4, Sleightholm and Broatch (Harrington Central) 1916.
Netherton (6 sent 118): 1, K Rafferty 1898; 2, McAvoy and Penman 1894.
Flimby West Coast: 1, Mr and Mrs Proctor 1889; 2, J and D Hine and g/son 1844.
Harrington Central (7 sent 78): 1, Telford and Pooley 1922; 2, Mr and Mrs I and D Wood 1921.
Workington Social Limit (5 sent 35): 1, 2, G Best 1921, 1915.
Ellenborough (5 sent 97): 1, D and J Reay 1861; 2, J Whitehead 1860.
Workington Victoria (11 sent 127): 1, 2, G Best 1934, 1928.
Seaton (4 sent 54): 1, Mr and Mrs Dustin 1915; 2, A Parker and son 1913.
Distington (Cheltenham): 1, 2, Holiday and Dixon 1833, 1830.
