WOLLASTON specialists Nolan, Hetherington, Coultas and Easdon have done it again – topping the West Cumberland Federation on Saturday.

They won races from Wollaston in 2006 and 2007 and completed the hat-trick in the first Federation race of the young bird programme.
Released early at 7-00am the winning pigeon was clocked 153 miles away in Cleator Moor at 10-02am.

The winner is a mealy cock who was sent to the race “flying keen” and he led home the loft’s 50 entrants of which they got all except two.

This particular pigeon is part Busschaert, Lefebre Dhaenens and Van Reet with its grandfather the loft’s famous Pontefract cock. It has now three grandsons who have won Federation races.

He had not previously been in the clock for the partners but had been consistent, sent to every race so far except the first of the two from Stafford.

Michael Nolan started racing with his brother Laurie and Doug Rogers back in 1967.

Kath Easdon and David Easdon formed the partnership with Michael in 1997 along with Don Coultas who sadly died three years ago, but his name is retained in the title.

Kath actually keeps her maiden name of Hetherington for the partnership as her father Brian was a keen fancier a number of years ago and that’s where she gets the interest from.

This was Michael’s ninth Federation triumph on 40 years, his seventh since forming the latest partnership eleven years ago.

Derwent Valley Federation fanciers raced from Whitchurch from the first time on Saturday – with mixed results.

The birds were liberated at 9-25am and the leaders covered the 125 mile trip in around two and a quarter hours.

But returns were only estimated at 75% - and there are still three races left, all Federation events starting with Stafford this week-end.

As if they haven’t had enough problems recently in the sport with hawks, avian flu and rising fuel costs, pigeon fanciers have another obstacle to overcome.

Amtrax, the road transport firm which had a monopoly on carrying live birds, has gone into liquidation.

Sending for stray birds (already costly at £30 a time) might prove rather difficult for the fanciers who have their pigeons reported.

The RPRA President Les Blacklock, who is chairman of the Derwent Valley Federation said: “There’s a suggestion that the private firm UKMail may take over part of the Amtrax business but whether that will include pigeon transportation we’re not sure. Getting stray pigeons returned might be a problem for a while.”

                                                                                               DERWENT VALLEY
WORKINGTON VICTORIA (15 sent 268): 1, 6,G. Best 1602, 1582; 2, K. Harper 1601; 3, Evans and Abraham 1587.9; 4, 5, McLuckie bros 1587.5, 1583.
SEATON RBL (4 sent 69):  1, 2, P. T. Dobie 1605, 1604; 3, A. Parker and son 1586; 4, 6, Mr and Mrs Dustin 1578.3, 1529; 5,  Mr and Mrs Duggan 1578.13.
HARRINGTON CENTRAL (11 sent 239): 1, 4, Carter and sons 1610, 1577.7; 2, Telford and Pooley 1606; 3, N. and G. Wordsworth 1582; 5, D. Holliday 1577.05; 6, Sleightholm and Broatch 1576.
FLIMBY WEST COAST: 1, 2, J. and D. Hine and grandson 1598, 1561; 3, Harrison, Hodgson and Fearon 1547; 4, Mr and Mrs Proctor 1542; 5, A. Hayton 1452.
FLIMBY HS (8 sent 167): 1, 5, Bromley and co 1596, 1577; 2, 3, Ostle and McNichol 1595, 1590; 4, 6, G. Weaver 1579, 1574.
NETHERTON HS (8 sent 186): 1, 3, 4, K. Rafferty 1615, 1611, 1609; 2, A. Dixon 1612; 5, McAvoy and Penman 1578; 6, Ward and son 1553.
WORKINGTON SOCIAL LIMIT (5 sent 87): 1, Hucknall bros 1582; 2, 3, 4, 5, G. Best 1569, 1566, 1564, 1549; 6,Hill, son and Smith 1545.
ELLENBOROUGH HS (6 sent 125): 1, 4, J. Whitehead 1591, 1584; 2, 3, J. Scott and son 1587, 1585.

                                                                                                     WEST CUMBERLAND
FEDERATION (866 birds): 1, Nolan, Hetherington, Coultas and Easdon (Cleator Moor) 1483; 2, 6, D. Buchanan and son (Keekle) 1479.95, 1477.1; 3, D. Harrison and son (Egremont Rangers) 1479.90; 4, Waddington and McLaughlin (Keekle) 1478; 5, Marr and Scott (Egremont Rangers) 1477.4.
CLEATOR MOOR CELTIC (290 birds): 1, Nolan, Hetherington, Coultas and Easdon 1486; 2, 3, 5, C. Doran, son and grandson 1478, 1477, 1475; 4, Fewsdale, Dobson and Byers 1`476; 6, J. Fitzsimmons and son 1472.
DISTINGTON HS: 1, 2, 3, 4, Holliday and Dixon 1477.4, 1477.1, 1475, 1450.
EGREMOPNT RANGERS: 1, 3, 4, 6, D. Harrison and son 1479, 1477.02, 1474, 1466; 2, 5, Marr and Scott 1477.4, 1464.
KEEKLE HS (4 sent 147): 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, D. Buchanan and son 1479, 1477, 1475, 1474, 1448; 2, Waddington and McLaughlin 1478.
LOWCA HS (3 sent 69): 1, Mr and Mrs D. Wood and son 1475; 2, 3, 4, Holliday and Dixon 1473.9, 1473.7, 1472.
MIREHOUSE HS (79 birds): 1, B. Trodden and son 1470; 2, 3, B. Irving 1468, 1459; 4, Graydon and Mellon 1456.
SANDWITH FC: 1,J. Watson 1470; 2, 4, B. Irving 1468, 1460; 3, Henderson and Hutchinson 1467; 5, Graydon and Mellon 1456; 6, McConvey and Bowes 1449.

                                                                                      EAST CUMBERLAND
ANGLO SCOTTISH (Stafford, 62 birds): 1, A. Young 1361; 2, R. Glanfield 1348; 3, Smith and McCluskey 1322; 4, 6, R. Graham 1321.9, 1303; 5, D. McNeil 1321.4.

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