First open and first SW section was a three year old cock on 1205ypm over 560 miles for David and John Staddon of Shepton Mallet. The Staddons timed a further four pigeons on the day to also take, third, eighth, nineteenth and twenty-eighth open, second, third, fourth and sixth section. The open winner is called Gemini and it was raced on the Staddon's chaos widowhood system. It was bred from their best distance bloodlines, with the sire being Winter's Gem, bred by Barry and Pete Winter from Pearler, a full brother of Little Gem, first and fourteenth open NFC Tarbes grand national and Image, a daughter of Little Gem. The dam, Blue Gem, was bred by Mr and Mrs Bill and Beryl Lewis from their Tarbes Champion, Freelands Gem, the only pigeon in history to win two NFC certificates of merit. This makes Gemini a full brother to the Staddon's great cock Fahrenheit. Second to time was a hen named Stardust, a two year old bred by Dean Pallatt at his Elite Breeding Centre and containing one hundred percent Jelle Jellema bloodlines.
K and J Zerafa of Portsmouth were second open and first SE section with a two year old on 1194ypm over a distance of 527 miles. The Zerafas clocked another ten pigeons in the top twenty-five of the section and the top forty of the open result, including fourth, fifth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth open. The section winner is a fifty percent Wim Kooreman hen, with her sire being direct out of second national Dax, whilst the dam contains fifty percent House of Aarden bloodlines. In 2017 the Zerafa's won the NFC Fougeres race and the prize included a House of Aarden voucher with which they selected a little pied hen bred out of Padfield's Blue Badge. Whilst they were at the House of Aarden, they also bought a small, blue white flight cock. Both hen and cock have bred the business for the Zerafas, so thanks must go to Steve and Lesley Wright. The partners' second bird was bred by their good friend Dean Childs of Essex and is a grandchild of Chalice King (sire of two national winners) and Chalice Darcy (first national Mont De Marsan).
Wearn Brothers and Neilson of Ramsdean timed a Dutch rung three year old on 1040ypm over 540 miles to take sixth open and fourth SE section. The partnership timed another two pigeons to also take eighteenth and twentieth open. The first pigeon home contains Jelle Jellema bloodlines via Jan Williams, whilst the second was the hen that was fourth open from Perth earlier this year and is a Tim Hague x New Laureaat x Special One bird from Nigel Langstaff.
T and J Bernard of Fareham were seventh open and fifth SE section, timing a three year old cock on 1031ypm over a distance of 531 miles. Justin timed a Southwell x Busschaert bred pigeon, sent sitting ten day eggs.
K and S Legg and Son of Portsmouth clocked a three year old, dark chequer hen on 1028ypm over 530 miles to take ninth open and sixth SE section.
A and T Deacon of Waterlooville timed a three year old hen on 991ypm over 533 miles to take fourteenth open. Albi's pigeon is bred from his old Southwell family and was sent sitting ten days.
Booth and Roper of Tewkesbury were first NW section and fifteenth open with a five year old hen on 989ypm over a distance of 617 miles. This hen has been a consistent racer over the longer distances and its sire's parents are a half-brother and half-sister to Invincible Detori. The grandparents on the dam's side are descended from Invincible Spirit and De Smaragd 11. These stock birds came from Louella Pigeon World. Trevor and John timed a second pigeon, a six year old on 898ypm to also take twenty-second open and it is bred down from similar bloodlines.
Joe Raeburn of Melksham was second NW section and sixteenth open with a four year old, red cock on 985ypm over 573 miles. The sire of Joe's winner is West Bound, which had flown Tarbes three times and was bred from a son of Jimmy Sheppard's Nobel Lad (first open Pau) when paired to a double grand-daughter of Champion Gwen (first open San Sebastian). Red cock dam is Champion Julie, bred and raced by Steve Slade.
Around the sections
The runners-up in the SW section were Lanahan and Gerard of Poole who timed two pigeons to take fifth and seventh section on 882 and 660ypm over a distance of 532 miles. First to arrive was a red cock when contains Jelle Jellema bloodlines and was also the partners first pigeon from St Philbert, finishing eighth section and fiftieth open. Second on the clock was a four year old chequer cock bred from John's Zwarte Louders pigeons. Both were raced on the natural system, with the red sent sitting ten day eggs and the chequer feeding a large youngster.
Mr and Mrs J F Mauger of Aylesbury timed a five year old, dark hen on 875ypm over a distance of 595 miles to take first NE section. The section winner is bred from the Mauger's established Chris Hebberecht family of pigeons which they originally purchased from Barry Winter of Howden, the 2013 Tarbes winner.
Ionut Anton of Reading was second NE section timing a two year old, blue cock on 512ypm over a distance of 573 miles.
That concludes the report on the provisional result on the Central Southern Classic Flying Club race from Tarbes.