There should have been no surprise when John Pooley popped-up at the top of the Derwent Valley Federation sheet on Saturday.

For the race was from Stafford and the Harrington Central flier has made a habit of winning from that particular liberation site.

In fact he’s now won three old bird and three young bird Federation races from Stafford – doing the double in 2008 and again this year.

John still flies as Telford and Pooley in honour of his late brother-in-law Harry Telford and has continued the loft’s success on his own.

Saturday’s winner was a mealy cock, flying to the perch, which was bred from birds which did the Stafford double two years ago. The dam’s side come from Joe Fitzsimmons of Cleator Moor while on the sire’s side they are Staf van Reet exchange birds from Jimmy Nelson and Fletcher Crellin.

“He hadn’t scored before Saturday but has always been coming consistently well,” said John, who had 20 birds at the race and got 18 of them.

In a season of high losses John dropped six in training and has only lost seven in races.

The birds were liberated at 2-30pm in an east-north-east wind and John clocked the Fed winner at 5-31pm. He had four in next to no time which helped him pick-up four tickets in the Harrington Central club.

You can listen to John talking about his latest Srtafford victory by clicking on http://www.getnoticedonline.co.uk/audio/pigeon-racing/john-pooley-2.html

DERWENT VALLEY
FEDERATION (1,212 birds): 1,m Telford and Pooley (Harrington Central) 1332; 2, 4, Evans and Abraham (Workington Victoria) 1327.24, 1326; 3, A. Devlin (Workington Social) 1327.20; 5, Hodgson, Tinnion and Aitken 1311; 6, K. Harper 1309.
HARRINGTON CENTRAL (`191 birds): 1, 3, 5, 6, Telford and Pooley 1332, 1296, 1289, 1281; 2, Sleightholm and Broatch 1301; 4, I. and D. Wood 1290.
SEATON RBL (5 sent 60): 1, 4, 6, J. Dustin 1326, 1296, 1280; 2, 3, A. Parker and son 1326, 1323; 5, Dobie and Palmer 1281.
WORKINGTON VICTORIA (12 sent 227): 1, 2, 5, Evans and Abraham 1332, 1331, 1297; 3, 4, K. Harper 1315, 1304; 6, J. Walsh and son 1296.
WORKINGTON SOCIAL LIMIT (7 sent 104): 1, 3, A. Devlin 1327, 1294; 2, 4, Hill, son and Smith 1296, 1289; 5, M. and L. Cape 1286; 6, McLuckie bros 1281.
FLIMBY WEST COAST (3 sent 70): 1, 3, 5, C. and A. Ostle and McNichol 1304, 1248, 1239; 2, E. Hodgson and son 1269; 4, Hunter bros 1246.
FLIMBY HS (6 sent 146): 1, 3, Hodgson, Tinnion and Aitken 1311, 1266; 2, Nelson and Crellin 1281; 4, Varty and son 1263; 5, M. Little and sons 1259; 6, A. Bromley and co 1239.
DEARHAM UTD (2 sent 53): 1, Sanderson and grandson 1258; 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Harker and Berwick 1250, 1249, 1247, 1246, 1244.
NETHERTON HS (6 sent 109): 1, 2, 6, Dixon and Burgess 1313, 1311, 1273; 3, 4, K. Rafferty 1307, 1282; 5, M. Ward and son 1275.
ELLENBOROUGH FC (5 sent 64): 1, J. Scott and son 1257; 2, D. and J. Reay 1244.96; 3, Sanderson and grandson 1244.94; 4, S. Barlow 1241.
BROUGHTON MOOR (3 sent 17): 1, 3, 4, 6, Dempsey and son 1161, 1155, 1118, 1096; 2, 5, Stephenson and son 1158, 1098.

---

Bookmark with: what are these?