Video 477: A film tribute to Champion "Misty Lady": One of the 'all time greatest' North Road racers

CHAMPION “MISTY LADY”: Bred & Raced by Terry Haley of Watford. Terry’s wonderful blue hen, Champion ‘Misty Lady’, must rate as one of the greatest long distance racing pigeons in the UK, when she was alive. The last race ‘Misty Lady’ flew was Thurso (492 miles) and she was the only bird on the day in the Federation, being clocked in darkness at 21.55hrs. Terry retired her after that race at nine years of age, although she still looked and acted like a yearling. As a yearling in 1990 she won 1st club, 1st Thames Valley Federation, 3rd open North Thames NR Combine (2,412 birds) Thurso (492 miles) velocity 777ypm. In 1991 she won 1st club, 1st Thames Valley Federation, 3rd North Thames NR Combine Banff (3,265 birds) velocity 980 ypm. Just three weeks later she was put back to Thurso and once again won 1st club, 2nd Thames Valley Federation, 2nd open North Thames NR Combine (2,200 birds). In 1992 she was 29th Thames Valley Federation Banff, beaten by five loft mates, all of which figured in the first 20 of the Federation result, with 1,051 birds competing. Three weeks later she was sent back to Thurso and recorded 3rd club, 9th Thames Valley Federation, 39th open North Thames N.R. Combine (1,749 birds) velocity 620ypm, in a south east head wind. This wonderful hen was entered in to Thurso in 1993 but due to bad weather the Combine brought the convoy back to Berwick and after a five day holdover was liberated from the 288 miles race point, and she arrived home late on the day. In 1994 ‘Misty Lady’ won 1st club, 1st Thames Valley Federation, 1st open North Thames NR Combine (1,914 birds) Fraserburgh (419 miles) velocity 1024ypm, in a South West wind. In 1995 she won 4th Club, 29th Thames Valley Federation, 78th North Thames Combine (1,951 birds) Fraserburgh. Then three weeks later went back again to Thurso (492 miles), to win 1st club, 2nd Thames Valley Federation, 8th North Thames Combine (1,613 birds), vel. 822ypm, in a South East head wind. This wonderful hen also won many prizes from the shorter race points, including 1st club Nottingham (91 miles) etc. In the 1996 she recorded 6th Federation, 13th Combine (1,597 birds) Thurso and in 1997, at the age of nine years old, she won in the three longest races: 35th Federation, 80th Combine (3695 birds) Berwick (289 miles), 19th Federation, 42nd Combine (1,708 birds) Stonehaven (372 miles), 1st club, 1st Thames Valley Federation (only bird on the day of liberation in the Federation), 3rd North Thames Combine, 1,832 birds (only four birds home on the day in the Combine). She won all the club and Federation major trophies on her own and also won the London Region and Osman Memorial Trophies in the past seasons. (April 2021)