John & Jill McClements
First open and first west section was won by Mr and Mrs McClements of Ivybridge, near Plymouth with a yearling on 1673mpm over 270 miles. John and Jill have been sending overseas for a few years but never had such success before. They had three drop together to probably take first, second and third open in the final result. Another two trapped back shortly afterwards to possibly take fifth and seventh open on the final result as well. The first two cocks, a mealy and a red are nestmates with the G/dam on one side and the G/sire on the other, both being stock birds bought from Andy Parsons of Salisbury when crossed with the McClements own family of Janssen based pigeons. Third to clock was a three year old Jan Aarden containing Black Rico bloodlines.
Zbigniew Nowak of Plymouth was second open, second west section with a yearling on 1644mpm over 273 miles. Originally from Poland, Zbigniew timed a pigeon bred from a stray that he brought over to England with him. The father of this winner was the third back to the loft.
Luscombe & Williams' pigeon
Third open and third west section was a yearling on 1592mpm over 272 miles for Luscombe and Williams of Plymouth. The partners timed a Staf Van Reet pigeon which was raced from Coutances the previous week.
David & John Staddon
David and John Staddon of Shepton Mallett were fourth open and fourth west section with a yearling on 1558mpm over 290 miles. Father and son timed a cock, the sire of which was bought from Barry and Pete Winter and is known as Winter Gem. Winter Gem is bred from Pearler, a full brother to Little Gem. The dam was home bred and is a full sister to John's Joy.
Dave Johnson
Dave Johnson of St Austell was fifth open and fifth west section with a yearling on 1496mpm over 292 miles. Dave timed a dark chequer roundabout hen, the same pigeon that he timed in the top ten of the section from Cholet with the National Flying Club. It is bred from Dave's old Logan family of pigeons.
Sire & dam of the Cooper's pigeon
Sixth open and sixth west section was won by Geoff and Catherine Cooper of Peasdown St John with a two year old on 1489mpm over a distance of 302 miles. Husband and wife clocked a son of Farmer George, first international Bordeaux and Wollongong. They timed a second pigeon, a hen, half a minute later.
R and R Wilton of Somerset clocked a two year old on 1480mpm over 293 miles to take seventh open and seventh west section. The Wilton winner was a Hereman Ceuster pigeon raced on the chaos system.
Lee and Dyer of Plymouth were eighth open and eighth west section with a yearling on 1462mpm over 271 miles. This winner was a yearling hen containing Vandenabeele and Mark Dorrington bloodlines that has been clocked in four races so far this season and was twice the first bird back from channel races.
Brooks Brothers and Wilcox from Bristol timed a two year old on 1460mpm over 303 miles to take ninth open and ninth west section. The partners clocked a cock from their long distance family of pigeons mixed with the bloodlines of Legacy, Isla's Rainy Day Boy, Little Gem and George.
Completing the top ten and in tenth west section is Joe Raeburn of Wiltshire with a yearling on 1458mpm over 303 miles. Joe's pigeon contains his old distance bloodlines down from Wilf Reed on the one side.
Around the sections
Mr Harris
Mr and Mrs Harris and Daughter were first centre section and fourteenth open with a three year old on 1438mpm over 262 miles. The partners' timer was the same hen that was second section old hens in the 2016 national race.
Farr and Woodhouse of Aldershot were second centre section and twenty-fourth open with a two year old on 1376mpm over 293 miles.
Mark Gilbert of Windsor was third centre section.
Alan Jackson of Tilbury timed a yearling on 1226mpm over 309 miles to take first east section and sixtieth open. Alan timed a pigeon bred from a Gosling and Jarvis bird when paired to his South East Classic Club Tarbes winner. Earlier this season the same pigeon was thirty-eighth open from Falaise.
M Connolly & Son's pigeon
M Connolly and Son of Canning Town were second east section and seventy-fourth open with a yearling on 1178mpm over 310 miles. Micky and son, Michael timed a hen, the sire of which was bred by Robbie and Andrew Wilton, whilst the dam is a Casaert from Billy Lynch. The partners raced north road previously, but decided to go south this season.
Tom Williams of Orpington was third east section. Tim clocked a widowhood cock, the sire of which was Mr Reliable, while the dam is a daughter of Fred, a merit award winner for Darrol Luxford.
Phil Lane
P Lane and Son of Wooton clocked a three year old on 1288mpm over 348 miles to take first north-centre section and forty-third open. Phil clocked a Van De Drushe cock that is the worst trapper in the loft. Both sire and dam were purchased at Frank Tasker's entire clearance sale.
Marek Krasowski
Marek Krasowski from Bedford was second north-centre section and forty-fifth open. Marek's blue hen contains Jan Aarden bloodlines.
Dominic Gruzelier
Dominic Gruzelier of Houghton Common was third north-centre section. Dominic clocked the same hen that was second section from Alençon two weeks previously.
L Rix and Son of Mildenhall timed a three year old on 1010mpm over 371 miles to take first north-east section and one hundred and thirty-ninth open.
Shaun Ewing
Shaun Ewing of Downham Market was second north-east section and one hundred and forty-sixth open with a five year old on 992mpm over 386 miles. This hen was lost off the loft as a youngster and only came home as a yearling. It was first raced as a three year old.
Jaqui and Terry Ivatt of Ipswich were third north-east section. The partners timed a De Rawn Sablon hen which has bred winners when paired to a specific Janssen cock.
M & C Lee
M and C Lee of Worcester clocked a two year old on 1255mpm to take first north-west section and fifty-third open. The partners blue chequer hen flew Coutances the week previously and was fourth back to the loft. The breeding is Deweerdt of Brian Denny bloodlines.
Matthews and Harris of Bridgnorth were second north-west section and seventy-fifth open with a three year old on 1177mpm over 378 miles.
John Rodway
John Rodway of Rushwick was third north-west section. John timed a eight year old dark cock sent sitting eggs.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British International Championship Club race from Cholet.