National Birmingham Roller Association

Articles and Reports - National Report 03

Author: Dex

Saturday morning and Paul’s found the key’s and he’s out packing up his car at 6 o’clock ready for the off to Mark Cranney’s where my mate and marker Adam Bairstow was waiting for us. Mark put his old birds out to start the 2003 National Fly. Marks birds started off at a good height but came down low above the houses and then went flat.

Then off to Eddy Baynes. Bonfire night had come early to Buttershaw, who had decided to burn the rubble of the old factory behind Ed’s at half 7 on a Saturday morning I don’t know but he should have supplied us and the birds with oxygen masks. Peter Wilsons birds looked tired but they have flown in a lot of competition this year. Alan Hamilton’s young birds got to a nice height and put in some good breaks towards the end of the fly. Then on to the M62 to Hull.

The lad’s in Hull were out in full force as usual. Got to Gary Templeman’s “beer garden” for the first of the 5 kits Gary flew across the next few day’s. A nice working team of young birds Gary put up. Ron Norris’s birds just didn’t want to do it on the day; Eddie Mahoney’s old birds flew quiet to begin with but worked well towards the end of the fly and Gary’s yearlings worked well once they settled down. Graham Dexter finished the first day off. Flying his young birds we saw some good quality rolling but only individually. Off again up the motorway to Middlesboro for a night out at the club with Pete Harper and John Wanless and their mates. And what a great night was had by one and all I didn’t win at the bingo mind but we had a right laugh with friends new and old and then got invited back to a friend of Johns to a party. Pete and Paul took off home (the old buggers couldn’t take the pace) Mind you I bet Adam wished he’d gone with them when John Wanless decided to have his hair cut, his wife Judith was jumping round the kitchen like Johnny Rotten shouting “Don’t do it” so next thing we know Adams in the “barbers” seat head shaved and face made up like Aunt Sally. (Can’t wait to see the photos) Fell into bed at 3.30 only to be up again at 5.30 for the Middlesboro lads to fly.

Again a good turn out in Middlesboro good to see so many lads going round .First to fly this morning was Mick Proudman, he put a nice team of quality rollers up some nice breaks but I probably missed a few breaks because of that bloody big tree behind the house. Birds flew at a nice height and were enjoyable to watch. Wayne Wilson next, his birds just didn’t want to fly and they landed before time. George Frost’s birds went up through the cloud he had maximum time but they never came down low enough to judge. Peter Foster’s birds again went through the cloud so he withdrew them .Unfortunately Terry Allinson birds didn’t get it together until the last 7 minutes but some good rollers. Peter Robinson put up some good, fast quality birds but struggled to keep it together as a kit. Morris Hole’s old bird team flew at a nice speed but resisted the roll, a lot of following through. Henry Armstrong’s old birds flew quite high and held back a lot. Again Kevin Robinson’s birds flew too high to judge properly. Derek Smith flew a nice team of young birds that worked well against a strong breeze. Ali Milne’s kit flew too high again just didn’t come down. A lot of the birds today pinned out which was surprising because there was a lot of cloud but a strong breeze. Well we were in the windy city!

Back to Pete Harpers for the night, a quiet night in tonight watched a bit of tele needed to recover from last night anyway!

Up at 5 next morning Pete made us a cuppa and we stood on his front doorstep watching a team of pigeons (can’t remember whose) before we set of to Hull for a good fry up at Gary and Wendy Templemans.

Gary flew his young bird and yearling teams, taking the lead at that time with his yearlings. Then back to Yorkshire to Jeb Whites. Jeb flew his young birds which did a lot of individual rolling but didn’t get the breaks as a kit. Went on to the next competitor but he’d gone away for the weekend! So back to Jeb Whites who put his yearling kit up. This team worked well as a unit and put in some nice breaks taking the lead from Gary and holding on to it to go on and win the yearling competition. And still Jeb called me a tight git! Then to Sheffiield to Bill O’Callaghan’s allotment.
Bill’s old bird team worked well to begin with then lifted too high. His yearlings didn’t want to work just enjoyed flying in the wind. Another day finished and so down to Paul and Marilyn Lees(my home from home) A good shower and then round to a neighbours for a barby and a few pints of the black velvet. Lovely jubilee.