First open and first section G was a yearling on 1026ypm over 551 miles for Doug Gatland of Hookwood. Doug timed two further birds to also take fifth and twenty-second open, second and fourth section G. The open winner is a small, red pied hen that was paired in mid January and allowed to raise a round of youngsters before being split from her cock and raced on a roundabout x chaos system. Prior to Tarbes the team was re-paired but this hen had lost her cock so along with other spare hens they were allowed to so as they please in some spare boxes. Hence she was sent to Tarbes sitting eggs and paired to another hen. The winner is home bred with the dam being bred by Duncan Harvey of Cornwall, being a grand-daughter of Doug's 2nd BICC St Vincent x 20th NFC Tarbes and Ron Dove's Barcelona winner. The sire was also home bred and is a grandson of Doug's number one stock cock that won 81st Tarbes as a yearling. Doug's second pigeon was similarly bred on the dam's side, whilst on the sire's side is a gift pigeon from the late Ian Crammond and NIgel Langstaff, a grandson of Mark Gilbert's Kanibaal Barcelona, Starlight and Melissa. Doug's third bird contains Jelle Jellema bloodlines from a grandson of Zwart Goud.
Mark Bulled of Harlow was second open and first section J with a two year old on 998ypm over a distance of 590 miles. Mark timed two other pigeons to also take seventh and eighteenth open, second and third section J. Due to losses, Mark decided to pair his distance section up prior to Tarbes and so the team were all sent sitting seven day eggs. First on the clock was bred from Mark's Legacy / Sergeant Cecil family. 1st NFC Tarbes, 1st LSECC Tarbes, when paired to a hen bought from Paul Kendal and closely inbred to Morning Glory. Second home was a dark pied hen bred from Mark's no 1 son of Legacy when paired to a full sister of Heath Archibald's The Proof. Third back was a double grand-daughter of Legacy and a direct daughter of Bordeaux Queen, the dam being Bump, 2nd BBC Bordeaux.
Third open and first section A was a two year old on 962ypm over 540 miles for Wearn Brothers and Neilson from Ramsdean. Erik timed six other pigeons to also take eighth, seventeenth, twentieth, twenty-third, twenty-fourth and twenty-sixth open, second, third fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth section A. Overall the partners had twelve birds home on the day.
Steve Slade of Calne clocked a two year old on 943ypm over 577 miles to take fourth open and first section C. Steve timed a second bird, another two year old, to also take fourteenth open and fourth section C. First on the clock was a Padfield x Jella Jellema pigeon, bred from bloodlines purchased from Steve and Lesley Wright of the House of Aarden and sent sitting a 12 day youngster. Second home for Steve was one of a kit of six youngsters purchased from the House of Aarden and was sent sitting a ten day squeaker.
Lanahan and Gerard of Poole were fifth open and first section B with a yearling on 921ypm over 532 miles. The partners timed two further pigeons to also take twenty-fifth and thirty-third open, third and fourth section B. The section winner is a blue hen raced on the chaos system and bred from one of John's best racers, Porshe, which contains Van loon bloodlines. It was paired to a hen given to the partners by George Owers of Owers Brothers and containing Bartolli De Klak bloodlines. Second on the clock was bred from a duaghter of Zwarte Louder's 1st national St Vincent when paired to a Jelle Jellema cock.
The Rostrons of Thatcham timed a three year old on 877ypm over 575 miles to take ninth open and first section D. Their chequer hen was on its second channel race of the season with the first being from Nort Sur Erde. It was raced on the roundabout system.
Completing the top ten and in third section G is Kevin Foster of Longfield Hill, who timed a three year old om 874ypm over a distance of 565 miles. Kevin's hen was raced on the widowhood system and is a direct daughter of his Dark Misty cock from Robert Rome. The same cock is the grandsire of Kevin's national winner, Lady Maixient and of 71, his first pigeon from the Agen international race. The dam of the Tarbes hen is a sister to Mark Gilbert's Southfield Jane.
Around the sections
The runners-up in section A were K and S Legg and Son of Portsmouth who timed a four year old on 815ypm over 530 miles. Kalvin timed a cock bred out of his distance birds containing Mark Gilbert and Geoff and Catherine Cooper's bloodlines.
Second section B was a two year old hen on 834ypm over 537 miles for Mel and Sue King of Blandford. Raced on the partners' celibate x widowhood system, this hen was bred from their well established Vandenabeele family of pigeons.
A Sinclair of Swindon timed a five year old on 873ypm over 587 miles to take second section C. Albert's pigeon was bred down from his De Weerdt Dark Star Line, CSCFC Pau winner.
Trevor Booth and John Roper of Tewkesbury timed a seven year old hen to take 3rd section C and 13th open on 861ypm over a distance of 617 miles. This hen was in the stock loft until the end of April and on being returned to the race loft was reluctant to exercise. After plenty of encouragement she started to exercise well before becoming fixated on Trevor and following his every move about the loft. At seven years old, this is the first time she has paired to Trevor and he had planned to send her to Barcelona but changed his mind. She has had plenty of prize cards in national racing, having flown Pau, Tarbes x 2, Lerwick and Elgin. She will now join Trevor and John's 1st section J, 5th open Tarbes winner, Sportsview Amy, in retirement.
M Hawthorne of Leicester was second section D with a three year old on 865ypm over 642 miles.
D Jones of Boston clocked a five year old on 848ypm over 678 miles to take first section E. The section winner contains Padfield bloodlines being a grandson of Blue Badge and also of Champion Vince. It is a half brother to Dean's double section winner from Bordeaux and Alencon. It was sent sitting five days eggs as it was being prepared for Barcelona, but Dean changed his mind at the last minute.
The Chambers Family of Cannock timed three pigeons to take second, third and fourth section E. First on the clock was a two year old blue cock on 847ypm over 662 miles. It was bred from one of the family's main stock cocks, Jack Smash, winner of 2nd section, 61st open NFC Tarbes 2018 in what turned out to be a terribly hard race. Jack Smash is now sire of several top racers, including the Royal Pigeon Racing Association West Midland Region 0-800 miles award winner 2022. The dam is a daughter of Dutch Thunder, 1st section, 7th open NFC Tarbes, when paired to a daughter of Pennine Heights, 1st Tarbes over 700 miles. The family's second timer was a nestmate to their first. The third arrival was a dark chequer cock, a half-brother to their 2020 Pau section winner.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British Barcelona Club race from Tarbes.