The British International Championship Club was racing from Tours on Saturday 9th June. For the first time this season there was a brisk west south westerly wind which was obviously expected to benefit those flying to the eastern sections. This wind was lighter over France picking up speed across the channel and easing off again once reaching mainland UK. Two thousand four hundred and thirty four birds were entered by two hundred and eighty nine members. The winners according to the provisional result are as follows.
EAST SECTION
First open, first east section was clocked in Dover to the loft of Philip and Neil Coleman. This was a four year old Van Reet cross hen flown on widowhood. The Van Reet side of her breeding came from Tiny Hood.
Second open, also into the east section was Trace McLaughlan from Basildon with a yearling blue white flight widowhood hen bred by Joe House.
Third open, again into the east, was Dean Childs, also of Basildon. This was a yearling widowhood cock on his third channel race this season.
Fourth open was clocked in Rochester at the loft of Trevor Wise and Steve Tilley. This was a mealy pied Staf Van Reet hen flown on roundabout.
D Heywood and Son from Laindon in Essex were fifth open with a widowhood cock. This partnership has won the BICC four times previously and has also topped the National Flying Club twice.
NORTH SECTION
First north section was clocked by Philip Harrod of Lowestoft and this bird took ninth open. It was a four year old blue hen now named Putty’s Pride.
Second north section and fourteenth open is Richard Beaumont of Great Yarmouth. Richard clocked a five year old widowhood cock of Stan Biss bloodlines.
Stephen and Debra Bullen of Great Yarmouth were third north section with a five year old cock flown on the natural system.
CENTRE SECTION
First centre section and provisionally fifty fourth open was a four year old blue pied Busschaert x Janssen cock raced by Paul Kelly of South Norwood. This bird was bred down from the lines of J Adcock and Son.
Second centre section and eighty first open is Ted Brown from Wallingford with a two year old blue hen on her first race of the season. This hen was only trained to forty five miles prior to racing from Tours.
Third centre section was the partnership of Peter Hathaway and Steve and Brian Poole from Egham, Surrey. They timed a yearling Soontjen x Van Reet hen flown on widowhood.
WEST SECTION
The winners of the west section were Geoff and Catherine Cooper from Peasdown St John. They clocked a five year old chequer widowhood cock named Bro Farm Boy. This cock is a brother to Farm Boy who won 12th international, 475th international and two x 3rd national, amongst many other prizes.
Second west section was Cary Carter of Childswickham. This was a two year old red hen bred down from a Geoff Clarke cock mated to a daughter of 68, one of Gary’s best racers.
Third west section was to the Somerset loft of R & R Wilton. Rob timed a blue hen of Deweerdt x Janssen bloodlines.
In conclusion another successful race for the British International Championship Club and for the first time this season the east section benefitted from the prevailing west south westerly wind. Congratulations to those in the west that timed in despite this obvious handicap to their birds. This is a provisional result so is subject to change should the final result prove otherwise.