Mr D Waterhouse (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
First open and first section B was timed by Mr and Mrs D Waterhouse from Portsmouth and was a yearling on 1156ypm over 353 miles. The partners timed Sonny's Lad, a Jacob Poortvliet x Koopman x Kleindirk cock raced on the natural system. In the lead up to Saintes, Sonny's Lad paired up to a new hen, having lost his original one from earlier races, and when basketed he was sitting chipping eggs. Sonny's Lad was named after their grandson who was celebrating his second birthday on the day it was clocked from Saintes. Earlier in the season this cock was first club and first federation from Nord sur Erdre and then won the club from Carentan, so it was well schooled across the channel. The partners only have a team of sixteen pairs of racers to compete across the programme from sprint racing, right through to the long distance.
Sonny's Lad (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Second open and second section B was a three year old hen on 1131ypm over 353 miles for M Wiggins and Sons of Portsmouth. Stu's Girl was sent to Saintes paired to another hen and sitting fourteen day old eggs. Bred by Dave Fox of Stroud, the sire of Stu's Girl is Dave's Ingleton national winner and the dam is a daughter of Stan Dangerfield's San Sebastian winner. Prior to Saintes, Stu's Girl was sent to Falaise but returned badly hawked so was rested before being trained and then entered into Poitiers and Fougeres with the British Barcelona Club.
John & David Staddon
John and David Staddon of Shepton Mallett clocked a yearling on 1118ypm over 383 miles to take first section G and third open. Father and son timed Shapway G-Force a Staddon x Gilbert cock, the sire being Shapway Larry, a full brother to their good racing hen, Lady Caroline, second open Pau and the mother of Matador, first open Tours national last season. The dam is a from a son of Brockamps Perpignan 06 and a daughter of Southfield Supreme when paired to a daughter of Deweerdts Iban. John and David timed a second bird to take second section G and fortieth open. This was a yearling cock on 1009ypm and bred from one hundred percent Mark Gilbert Deweerdts, being out of a son of Southfield Treble and a daughter of Southfield Pau.
Mr/s Corkett & Sons
Mr and Mrs Corkett and Sons from Leighton Buzzard took first section E and fourth open with a yearling cock on 1109.5ypm over 427 miles. Containing Vandersanden bloodlines, this cock was bred for the partners by Les Parkinson who gifted them four young birds and told them to race them hard. It has numerous club and federation cards to its name and in preparation for Saintes was given three channel races and free exercise around the loft.
Cosmin Talas
Cosmin Talas of Oxford timed a two year old cock on 1109.1ypm over 421 miles to take first section F and fifth open. This cock contains Marike Vinke and Eijerkamp bloodlines. Having reduced his team last year due to work commitments, Cosmin has had one of his best seasons racing at national lever this year and his small team have performed consistently at all levels and distances.
Mark Gilbert (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Sixth open and second section E was a yearling on 1103ypm over 394 miles for Mark Gilbert of Windsor. Mark clocked a second bird on 1095ypm to take third section E and seventh open. With only eighty birds clocked on the day of liberation, Mark's team made up almost a quarter of them, consistent racing and a masterclass in how to motivate and condition pigeons for the middle distance races. Mark's first on the clock was a granddaughter to Southfield Supreme and a grandchild of Euro Diamond. His second was a widowhood cock, also a grandchild to Southfield Supreme.
G Treharne & Son's pigeon
G Treharne and Son of Nantyglo clocked a yearling on 1090ypm to take first section J and eighth open. The section winner was a roundabout hen, the parents of which were both bred by Hans Eijerkamp and contain Van Loon and Janssen bloodlines. The sire of this hen is a direct son of Kain, itself a son of Chicago and Miss Saigon. The dam is an inbred granddaughter of Miss Saigon. The partners timed a second bird, a two year old cock on 992ypm to take second section J and forty-fifth open. This was another Eijerkamp Van Loon x Janssen bred bird, the sire being a direct son of Chicago.
D, S & R Wiggins of Oxford took second section F and ninth open with a four year old on 1089ypm over 414 miles.
Dave Johnson
Completing the top ten we have D E Johnson from Southampton with a two year old cock on 1088ypm over 358 miles to take third section B and tenth open. Dave's pigeon is a Soontjen x Van Loon, the sire of which is a nestmate to Double 0, the Bergerac winner. The dam of this pigeon has the Soontjen lines, being a granddaughter of Just a Kid and Valerie.
Around the sections
Crammond & Langstaff
First and second section A and fourteenth and twenty-sixth open went to Crammond and Langstaff from Fontwell. Their first on the clock was a four year old on 1073ypm over 353 miles. The section winner is a nephew of their 2011 Messac winner and a brother to La Belle Etoile, first open French young bird derby, winning £10,000 in 2011. Second back was a yearling on 1048ypm. This pigeon was bred from eggs that Ian and Nigel obtained from Mark Gilbert. This is the sixth time in the past seven years that this partnership has topped section A from Saintes with the National Flying Club. A Blake from Havant timed a two year old on 1035ypm after 354 miles to take third section A.
John Halstead
First section C and thirty-ninth open was timed by John Halstead of Gillingham and was a yearling on 1009ypm over 371 miles. John clocked Ruby's Boy, a cock on its fifth channel race of the season. The sire of Ruby's Boy is Ruby, bred down from M & D Evans original Gaby Vandenabeele lines of National Fideel, Belle, Jester and Carrie. Mr and Mrs Cowley of Dorchester clocked a yearling on 966ypm over 356 miles to take second section C. C A Riley of Blandford Forum was third section C with a two year old on 927ypm.
E Reilly & Son
Section D was won by E Reilly and Son from Barnstaple with a two year old on 906ypm over 400 miles and which was also eighty-third open. The section winner was bred from Mark Gilbert lines with a Jan Aarden x Brockamp Hen and a Brockamp x Rutz cock. Knox and Stewart from Bideford were section section D with a two year old on 787ypm over 401 miles. B Reene and Son from Bideford clocked a two year old on 730ypm to take third section D after 368 miles.
Third in section F and twelfth open was a five year old on 1084ypm after 392 miles for A Crook of Newbury.
Third in section G and forty-third open went to Preece Brothers and Sons of Abertillery with a two year old on 998 mpm after 430 miles.
Andy Smith
A Smith of Wellingborough took first section H and sixty-third open with a two year old on 940ypm over 455 miles. Andy timed one of his Van Bremen cocks, the same pigeon that was first section, eighth open from Alençon earlier in the season with the British International Championship Club. Patmore and Rayner from Saffron Walden were second section H with a four year old on 881ypm after 431 miles. The Great Yarmouth loft of R Hacon and Son timed a five year old on 860ypm over 484 miles to take third section H.
T J Durows of Birmingham clocked a three year old on 863ypm after 464 miles to take first section I and fiftieth open. J Hambidge of Chipping Norton was second section I with a two year old on 928ypm over 432 miles. Chris Turner of Coventry was third section I with a yearling on 833ypm after 462 miles.
Third section J and forty-sixth open was a three year old on 984ypm over 429 miles for W D Young of Churchdown.
First section K and forty-second open was a yearling on 1001ypm over 526 miles for A P Howson of Sheffield. Nicholas Adshead of Selby timed a yearling on 955ypm over 555 miles to take second section K. R & N Dennett of Meden Vale timed a yearling on 951ypm over 517 miles to take third section K.
Gerry Clements (r) & Ray Bullen (l)
Gerry Clements of Manchester timed two birds to take first and second section L and nineteenth and thirty-third open. His first in the clock was a three year old on 1059ypm over 538 miles. This cock is a grandson of Ronaldinho, first national Limoges and its dam is a daughter of Krommen. Second to time for Gerry was a six year old on 1025ypm. G Bowyer of Congleton clocked a two year old on 1019ypm over 517 miles to take third section L.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the National Flying Club race from Saintes.