Richard, Billy & Josh Goodier
The winner of first and second section B and first and second open is Richard Goodier and Sons (Billy & Josh) from Exeter. The partners timed two yearling hens racing on the roundabout system. These hens were Quarter Mile Wissy and Quarter Mile Dolly. The first on the clock was doing 1406ypm and was bred from Peter Van de Merwe on the dam's side and Goodier Jan Aarden x Sue White Kipp on the sire's, with the Kipp coming from Frank Sheader Rainmaker lines. This pigeon was bred by Chris Stevens from Devon. Their second timer was a chequer Vandenabeele on 1405ypm that the partners bought at Kingsteignton Three Counties gold ring sale and which was bred by John Halstead. The sire of this hen is Luxor, winner of first section with the National Flying Club, the dam goes back to Bennaton, Carrie, Jester and Saffron lines. The Goodiers have had many excellent pigeons from John Halstead in the past. They sent fourteen yearlings to Carentan and one four year old hen and were only short four of the yearlings on the day.
Bill Pitney
Bill Pitney from Weymouth timed a two year old chequer cock on 1404ypm to take third section B and third open. Bill flies in the Weymouth Homing Society and has done since he was twelve years old when he was the youngest ever member flying in the club. His winner is bred from his third section Sennen Cove National Busschaert cock when paired to a Braspenning hen out of a great grand-daughter of Van Morsel. Bill keeps an open loft and this cock was sent sitting eight day eggs, having previously been to Littlehampton with the Dorset Federation. Bill's love of pigeons comes from his grandfather who flew in the Greengate and District FC in London back in the 1930s.
Brian Milkins with Ed Wilcox
First into section C and in fourth open is Brian Milkins of Bristol on 1385ypm. Brian's timer is a two year old cock, 51, a full brother to the pigeon that won first north west section, first open from Messac with the Central Southern Classic Flying Club in 2013. 51 was flown on conventional widowhood and is a direct son of what Brian calls his number one Van Dyck pair, both bred by the late Gerrit Lahuis from Sleen in Holland. In actual fact they have some Van Dyck blood but with a mix of Van Loon and Smeulders Janssen added in. In their pedigree are First Lady, Kannibal de 38 from Ad Schearlackens and Kolonel from Van Den Abeele amongst others. This pair have bred a first open from Messac, a fifth open from Carentan and a ninth open from Cholet prior to this fourth open from Carentan.
Phil Hutchings from Bradpole near Bridport clocked two together to take fourth and fifth section B and fifth and sixth open on 1374ypm and 1364ypm respectively. Phil's first bird is a three year old, dark chequer cock which scored well in the previous two years from Carentan. His second is a two year old red cock. Both pigeons are Corbett Busschaerts bred from stock bought from Louella Pigeon World. Phil only keeps about sixty birds in total, including young birds and they must earn their place in the loft. He doesn't participate in club racing as his location means that is impractical, but he does belong to the Weydor Specialist club where he and his wife are treasurers and he is president.
Phil Newton
Phil Newton from Weston Super Mare was not only seventh open with the British International Championship Club from Falaise but also scored second section C and seventh open from Carentan with the British Barcelona Club on the same Saturday. Phil timed a hen bred from his own family on 1352.9ypm and flying to the perch as she has never laid an egg. She is, however, a good consistent bird for Phil as last year she was sixteenth open from Messac and one hundred and thirty ninth open from Bergerac, both races with the Central Southern Classic Flying Club.
Bill Stribling
Also from Weston Super Mare, Bill Stribling took third section C and eighth open on 1352.3ypm. This pigeon was bred from Phil Newton's Phil's Girl when paired to Reject which in turn was bred from Phil's last Classic winner. Reject was gifted to Bill for his stock loft as it was never rung. The basis of Bill's pigeon breed is Venner from Street and the infamous Van Newton pigeons from his clubmate.
Nyland Brave
Sixth section B and ninth open went to John Halstead of Gillingham on 1347ypm. John timed Nyland Brave, a six year old, blue widowhood cock which has previously won second open with the British Barcelona Club from Vire in 2010. It has also won second section, eighth open from Messac with the Central Southern Classic Flying Club in 2012 and has been five times in the top fifty with the National Flying Club. Myland Brave is bred from Reynaert Figo x Kees Bosua lines, the Bosua side of which come from Crammond and Langstaff, being a full sister to their Messac winner.
Terry Greenfield
The furthest section winner on the day was Terry Greenfield from Telford who was first section E and tenth open on 1346ypm. This was Terry's first race with the British Barcelona Club so he was very pleased with his performance. Terry timed a four year old Peter Van De Merwe cock flown on the widowhood system. He has been racing since 1972 and has two young grandsons who are interested in the pigeons.
Around the sections
Chris Whittingham
Second section E and eleventh open went to Chris Whittingham from Wheaton Ashton, near Stafford. Chris timed a two year old, blue cock on 1344ypm. Bred by his brother, John, this pigeon has Johny De-po bloodlines.
First and second in section A were timed by Johnny Attrill of Salisbury. His first bird, State Express, was timed on 1340ypm and is a Bosua and a full brother to the French Young Bird derby Race winner, Le Belle Etoire which won £10,000 for Crammond and Langstaff. His runner-up in the clock was also bred by Crammond and Langstaff, another Bosua named Nightmare. Nightmare has won three x first section, two x second section and a fourth section in his racing career, racking up several thousands of pounds in prize money.
Gordon and Pat Emm from Downton near Salisbury were third section A and twenty ninth open with a Gaby Vandenabeele bred from Massarella stock on 1308ypm. This pigeon has previously scored sixteenth section, fifty ninth open from Carentan and fifty seventh section, eighty fourth open from Guernsey amongst other prizes.
Roger Lowe with Owen Abery, RPRA Southern Region Young Fancier of the Year 2013
Roger Lowe from Reading topped section D on 1264ypm. Roger timed a yearling widowhood cock the sire of which is a direct Freddy Vandenheede and the dam is Red Rose, winner of second open with the National Flying Club.
Peter Wells
In section D Peter Wells from Dunstable had a fantastic race as he took second, third, sixth, seventh and eighth section. His first in the clock was doing 1246ypm and was a blue, yearling hen of Mereka Vink bloodlines which he obtained from Simon Schofield of Leeds.
Mick & Lyn Chaplin
Section G was won by Mr and Mrs Mick and Lyn Chaplin of West End near Woking on a velocity of 1076ypm. The partnership also took second and third section. Their winning bird is a four year old widowhood cock of Wildemeersch x Burgher bloodlines and is bred down from their original stock. It was on its third race of the season. Next in section G we have Tony and Carol Welch from Chichester who timed a three year old, pure bred Janssen on 1017ypm.
Hildred, son of Felix
Section J was won by Nigel Lane of Romford on 957ypm. Nigel clocked a two year old cock named Hildred, a son of Felix, one of his stock cocks thanks to arriving back from Messac as a yearling with a severe eye injury that put paid to his racing career.
That concludes the report of the provisional result of the British Barcelona Club's first race of the 2014 season from Carentan.