Micky Watts (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
First east section and first open went to Micky Watts of Southminster with a yearling on 1299mpm over 296 miles. Micky timed a dark chequer cock bred by M & D Evans the sire of which is a pigeon named Bob de Batt, the last direct son bred from their Champion Shadow when paired to his granddaughter Golden Black (Golden Gaby, Golden Hen, Shadow and Carrie bloodlines.) The dam to Micky's winner is Levi Young, a full brother of which bred his old hen national winner in 2014. Micky timed a second pigeon, also bred by M & D Evans and a half-brother to his winner.
Eamonn Streatfield
Mr and Mrs Eamonn Streatfield of Snodland timed second east section and second open with a yearling on 1292mpm over a distance of 274 miles. The Streatfields clocked a blue cock flown on the widowhood system and bred by Marney and Howard, which they purchased at a club fundraising sale. The sire of this pigeon contains Vandenabeele bloodlines and has won three first club and one first federation, whilst the dam was thirteenth open in the young bird national.
D Heywood & Son
Flying 291 miles, D Heywood and Son from Laindon took third east section and this open with a four year old on 1280mpm. A son of Tours Lad, the partner's BICC Tours winner, previously this pigeon has won fifth, twelfth and seventeenth open in national races. A grandfather to the partner's National Flying Club Fougères winner, the dam is a full sister to Celebration, also a winner of Fougères with the NFC.
Mark & Hana Bulled
Mark Bulled of Harlow clocked a two year on 1274.8mpm to take fourth east section and fourth open over 303 miles. Mark timed a mealy, widowhood cock from his Red Bull sprint family and a half-brother to his third open winner from Messac with the National Flying Club. The grandsire to this pigeon won seven first club prizes in races up to one hundred and twenty five miles. Mark is now concentrating on getting more distance from this family.
Kitts & Day
The Sheerness partnership of Stephen Kitts and Jacqueline Day timed a yearling on 1274.4mpm over 280 miles to take fifth east section and fifth open. This pigeon was bred by Paul Walder from pigeons he purchased from Geoff and Brigitte Clare prior to them emigrating to Australia. Of Simons Brothers' Janssen bloodlines, this pigeon won two x first and one x second prizes as a youngster. Previously this season it was nineteenth open in the provisional result from Alençon with the British International Championship Club.
John Pether
John Pether of Henham took sixth east section and sixth open with a two year old on 1272mpm over 315 miles. Containing Wildemeersch bloodlines, this was a widowhood hen that had raced from Carentan the week prior to Tours.
Wayne Steptoe
Wayne Steptoe of East Grinstead timed a yearling on 1271mpm over 262 miles to take seventh east section and seventh open. The sire of this pigeon contains Champion Indy King's Cup winning bloodlines and is on loan to Wayne from his good friend John Donovan. The dam is a granddaughter of another King's Cup winner, being George from Geoff and Catherine Cooper.
Ken Abbott
First centre section and eighth open was won by K Abbott of Brighton with a three year old on 1262mpm over a distance of 244 miles. Ken's first pigeon was a Kees Bosua (via Premier Lofts) x Reynaerts via (Crammond and Langstaff). Raced on the widowhood system, this pigeon was badly hawked returning from the 2014 Agen international race and was reported back to Ken by a fancier from Dover. Tours was its second channel race this season.
Andrew Wilton
D Wilton and Son of Chadwell St Marys clocked a three year old on 1261.5mpm over 283 miles to take eighth east section and ninth open. This cock, raced on the widowhood system, contains the partner's old Invincible Spirit, Jan Aarden bloodlines when crossed with Super Crack Grusson lines. It has the same grandsire as the Wilton's second open young bird national winner in 2013 and their second open BICC Le Mans winner in 2014.
Fred Ager
Completing the top ten and in ninth east section is Fred Ager of Grays with a three year old on 1261.2mpm over 284 miles. A Lindelauf cross hen bred by Foxwood Lofts, this hen was raced as a youngster then put into the stock loft before being returned to the race team for this season.
Around the sections
Second centre section went to Roberts, Carter and Son from Epsom with a yearling on 1248mpm. The partners timed a widowhood cock bred by Clive Lister.
Peter O'Donovan of Croydon was third centre section with a two year on 1245mpm. Peter timed a roundabout hen bred by Andy Berry of Canterbury.
D Osbourne & Son
D Osbourne and Son from Suffolk timed a three year old on 1248mpm to take first north-east section. The partners clocked a Wal Zoontjen hen bred from President and Conimix bloodlines and raced on the roundabout system.
Kath Terry
Mrs K Terry from Stowmarket was second north-east section with a three year old on 1229.98mpm. Kath timed a blue hen containing Willy Thas bloodlines and sent sitting fourteen day old eggs.
Roger Strowager
Third north-east section was won by a two year old on 1229.92mpm clocked by Mr and Mrs Strowager of Suffolk. Bred by Terry Smith of Worksop this cock had five races as a youngster winning twentieth and fortieth open with the Anglian Classic Flying Club. Roger sent ten and got all ten on the day.
Geoff & Catherine Cooper
Geoff and Catherine Cooper of Peasdown St John took first west section with a two year old cock named Farm Break on 1212mpm. Flown on the widowhood system, Farm Break is bred down from Farm Boy the sire of Farmer George 1st international Bordeaux and his dam is a full sister to Daybreak Junior who won 5th national Barcelona, 6th national Barcelona and 2 x 1st, and 2nd section Barcelona. Farm Break has flown consistently for the Coopers, as a yearling he flew three channel races, twice being first to the loft. The same day as winning first section Tours with Farm Break, his full brother was 2nd Fougères with the local club.
Farm Break
G Treharne & Son (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
G Threharne and Son from Nantyglo were second west section with a two year old on 1193mpm. Gaareth and Stuart timed a hen bred out of their 2012 Saintes national and Gold Cup winner Alan's Lad, when paired to a daughter of the The Machine.
J Smale
J Smale of Abergavenny was third west section with a two year old on 1170mpm. John timed a pigeon bred from a son of Katie's Star, Dave Impett's twelfth open national winner from Tarbes and containing Brugemann bloodlines. The dam is direct from Jan Polder.
Russell Bradford
Clare and Russell Bradford of Farndish were first north-centre section clocking a five year old on 1186mpm. Previously flown on the widowhood system this cock was left natural this year and was sent sitting its second nest.
Second north-centre section went to Mr and Mrs G Spiller with a four year old on 1178mpm. Their widowhood cock contains Jos Thoné bloodlines and had four inland race and Alençon prior to Tours.
Gavin Duggan of Chipping Campden was third north-centre section with a yearling on 1174mpm. Gavin timed a Jan Aarden cock raced on the roundabout system.
Jeremy Davies
T & J Davies of Birtsmorton were first north-west section with a two year old on 1159mpm. Jeremy has raced six times with the British International Championship Club and has topped the section four times, being second and third in the other two races. His section winner this time was a blue chequer cock raced on a semi-widowhood system.
Booth & Roper
Booth and Roper of Tewkesbury timed a five year old on 1116mpm to take second north-west section. A grizzle cock containing Brian Sheppard bloodlines, this was its second channel race of the season.
Mike & Christine Lee
M & C Lee of Worcester were third north-west section with a two year old on 1085mpm.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British International Championship Club race from Tours.