Nelson club’s best

Horsham Homing Club raced from Bourke and Cobar in New South Wales.

Fourteen members entered 151 pigeons in the 810-kilometre Bourke race and 864-kilometre Cobar route.

Weather conditions at both release points were favourable for racing. Pigeons were released at 5.55am at Bourke and 7.45am at Cobar.

Pigeons met a slight south-westerly breeze mid-way along the flight path near Hillston, NSW. From there the breeze picked up and for the last 160 kilometres a south-westerly freshened to 10 to 20kmh and slowed the birds down.

Consequently, no birds were timed in on Friday, with the leading birds arriving to their Horsham lofts from 7.43am the next day.

Club president Rob Nelson was the most successful member, collecting a second placing from Bourke and a third in the Cobar race.

This weekend, the club will have the final race on its south-east line for the year, from Devonport, Tasmania.

Results – Bourke: 1. Terry Brauer, in a flying time of 12 hours, 48 minutes and 28 seconds, at a speed of 1058 metres a minute; 2. Robert Nelson, 12.50.11, or 1055.51; 3. John Muszkieta, 13.56.17 or at 968.96; 4. Dennis Smith, 14.39.42, or at 920.16. Cobar: 1. Leigh Arnott 11.41.46 seconds, 955.3; 2. Graham Elbourne, 8.09.09, or 927.33; 3. Robert Nelson, 12.29.58, or 887.72; 4. Terry Brauer, 8.38.56, or 885.62.