Lucas & Hill with Richy Elliott (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
First open and first section D was won by Lucas and Hill from Ivybridge on 1404ypm over 88 miles. Paul and Clare only started racing last season and this year have been guided by Richy Elliott from Plymouth. They timed System R, a black, white flight cock bred from stock birds on loan from Luscombe and Allen and Mike and Nobby Henley and containing Janssen x Jan Aarden bloodlines. The partners have also introduced birds from Ken Lewis, Alistair Hogg and Eamon Kelly in order to increase the performance of their loft for the coming seasons. Paul and Clare timed a second pigeon, Fireball, which comes in at provisionally eighth section.
System R (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
John & David Staddon
Second open and first section G went to John and David Staddon from Shepton Mallett on 1395ypm over 116 miles. Father and son timed Close Call, a young cock bred by Jimmy Davies in partnership with Paul Titcombe of Portishead and containing Patrick Van Den Abbeel bloodlines obtained from Andy Gregson. Paul has provided many winners for the Staddon loft. Raced on the darkness system, Close Call was sixth in the Paulton Breeder Buyer race two weeks prior to Guernsey with the NFC.
Duncan Harvey
V and D Harvey of Penzance timed two birds to take second and third section D and third and fourth open. Flying a distance of 145 miles their pigeons were clocked at 1389ypm and 1387ypm. Duncan timed a Van Lint x Wildermeersch with the Van Lint bloodlines coming from Louella Pigeon World, whilst the Wildermeersch came from Paul Wilson. Duncan timed a second pigeon, a Vandenabeele bred from stock he obtained from Crammond and Langstaff, the sire of which was a grandson of Eisenhower with the dam closely related to one of the partners' section winners.
Brian Harris & grandchildren
B Harris and Son from Kidderminster took first section J and fifth open on 1364ypm over 203 miles. Brian clocked a darkness, blue hen bred out of his Dutch Frans and Annie Van Pinxteren birds that he obtained from John Birch via his good friend the late John Knowles. These pigeons have De Klak, Gus Hofkens and Louis Van Loom bloodlines with a touch of Jan Aarden. The winning hen has been named Isabel and was followed by Skyla, her nestmate, which should provisionally take ninth section. Isabel and Skyla were bred from a half brother and sister pairing, both being sired by the partners' number one stock cock from the original birds obtained in 2004.
Williams & Hassall
Second section J and sixth open went to Williams and Hassall of Quarry Bank on 1360ypm over 208 miles. Jean and Bill timed a early bred young hen that was just starting to show to a cock and on its seventh race this season. This hen is a half-sister to the partners' St Nazaire section winner through the dam and contains their long established Busschaert bloodlines. The sire of this hen is a Walter Docx cock that they obtained from Mike Webster. The partners have had an excellent season and have won the best average for a single pigeon over all the old bird national races.
Wile & Lias
Mr and Mrs G & M Wile and Lias of Bristol were second section G and seventh open on 1354ypm over 134 miles. Garth Wiles flies with his son-in-law Steve Lias and the partners timed a young hen flying to a fourteen day old squeaker. The sire of this hen is a good race cock for Nigel Templar and the dam came from Nigel's Gerrit pair and has bred numerous winners for Garth and Steve.
Roger Lowe
Roger Lowe of Reading timed on 1350ypm over 154 miles to take first section E and eighth open. Roger sent thirty-five pigeons and had twenty-eight on the day with three dropping in the next morning. Roger had two pigeons drop together, a cock and a hen, both closely related to My Little Diamond. First to trap was the hen, bred from a full brother of Nemesis when paired to Going for Gold, the winner of the Central Southern Classic race from Carentan in 2011. Second to trap, the cock is a great-grandson of Lucky 13, winner of many prizes.
R Stokes
R E Stokes of Stourbridge was third section J and ninth open on 1348ypm over 208 miles. First on the clock was a blue hen bred by his sons Dave and Ian, the sire of which is a Vandenabeele purchased from Graeme Warman's entire clearance sale. The dam of this winner was bred by Ron Williamson.
Completing the top ten and in first section F is A Docherty of Swindon on 1348ypm over 149 miles. Alex sent seven and had all seven back within an hour. Alex's family of birds are Koopmans that have been successful for him in the sprint and middle distances races and the section winner contains bloodlines that he obtained from Premier Stud.
Around the sections
Clive Turner
Section A was won by D Turner from Dorking on 1278ypm over 153 miles. The section winner was a blue hen bred from two yearlings from the race team and inbred to Toey Staf Van Reet bloodlines originating from Tony Mardon. The grandmother of this section winner was purchased from Paul Janssen as a squeaker at Lier market.
Second section A went to M Tuck from Godalming on 1200ypm over 143 miles. Mick clocked a medium sized chequer pied cock flown on the natural system and sent driving its hen to nest. Third section A went to Tom Powers from Whitehill on 1177ypm over 135 miles.
Mike Whitcombe
Kevin Bakes from Havant was first section B on 1344ypm over 117 miles. Second section B was M Whitcombe from Southampton on 1324ypm over 113 miles. Mike had twenty-six out of the thirty he sent on the day and two the following morning. A blue, Van Loon cock, this pigeon was bred from a brother to Mike's national winner last season. Johnny Attrill of Salisbury was third section B on 1299ypm over 118 miles.
Mel & Sue King
Mel and Sue King of Blandford Forum were first section C on 1266ypm over 96 miles. Mel and Sue timed a cock raced on the darknes system and bred from a pair of Houfflijn pigeons from Rob Rome of Cheltenham. The dam of this section winner is a daughter of the partners' Eric Limbourg cock containing Black Opium bloodlines, whilst the sire is out of Eros x Helen. C Riley, also of Blandford Forum, timed on 1244ypm over 91 miles to take second section C. John Halstead of Gillingham was third section C on 1239ypm over 105 miles.
Second section E went to Micky Watts from Southminster on 1347.7ypm over 211 miles. Micky races a family of Vandenabeeles that he obtained from Myrtle Lofts. Roger Lowe's second bird was third section E on 1347.2ypm.
Lloyd and Kelly from Abingdon were second section F on 1328ypm over 158 miles. Eamon had twenty-nine out of the thirty he sent, first on the clock was a darkness cock sent sitting ten day old eggs. This cock was bred for Eamon by Maurice O'Donnell of Ireland and contains his best Jos Joosen bloodlines. The grandsire of this cock is a brother to first international Marseilles, whilst the dam is a granddaughter of first international Perpignan. Third section F went to G Seeney of Didcot on 1293ypm over 156 miles.
Mr and Mrs Peart from Gloucester were third section G on 1336ypm over 165 miles.
First section H was won by C Crick and Son from Stotfold on 1336ypm over 202 miles. The section winner was a darkness cock sent sitting eggs and bred from a pair of Louis Coreman pigeons bought from Bob Fenech in 2013. Mr and Mrs Strowager from Leiston were second and third section H on 1134.7ypm and 1134.4ypm over 261 miles. Roger's first on the clock was a grizzle hen bred from his section topper in the any age race, which in turn was bred by Bob and Jamie Langrish from Lancashire.
Section I was won by J Hambidge from Chipping Norton on 1286ypm over 180 miles. John sent a team of eighteen and had thirteen home in under an hour with the section winner being bred from a pair of Van Reets that he had from Keith Arnold. This hen was paired up and sent sitting eggs. Mr and Mrs Stretton and Daughter were second section I on 1276ypm over 225 miles. Roy timed a blue chequer containing his old Wildermeersch x Ponderosa Janssen bloodlines. Flying 234 miles, E Froggatt of Rugeley was third section I on 1262ypm.
Peter Hagland
Section K was won by Peter Hagland of Doncaster on 1339ypm over 280 miles. Pete's section winner was bred from his well established Herman Beverdam family that he has been flying for the past twenty years. M and A Sherwood of Sheffield were second section K on 1329ypm over 274 miles. The partners timer was a Vandenabeele hen bred from stock they obtained from Bill Hague. Third section K went to H Burrows and Son from Barnsley on 1315ypm over 283 miles.
E Taylor of Crewe was first section L on 1320ypm over 260 miles. B P Lee of Congleton timed on 1292ypm over 256 miles to take second section L. Culshaw and Goluch from Bury were third section L on 1280ypm over 286 miles.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the National Flying Club young bird race from Guernsey.