Mike Staddon (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
First section C and first open was timed by Mike Staddon of Crewkerne and was a six year old hen on 1457ypm over 179 miles. Mike timed Falaise Queen for the third national win of his career. Raced as a widowhood hen for the old bird season, Falaise Queen was sent sitting a nest and was clocked almost half an hour before Mike was expecting her. The sire was bred by Chris Gordon of Old Snydale and the dam was bred by Mike's friend Sheldon Leonard. Mike had three further arrivals close behind and which should feature well up in the final result.
Falaise Queen (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Kenny & Martin Attrill
Johnny Attrill and Sons from Southampton clocked first section B and first open with a four year old hen on 1430ypm after 152 miles. Partners Kenny and Martin timed a Delbar x Verhaagen, the grand-dam of which was a Delbar bred by the Natural Breeding Station. As a young bird the dam of this winner was one of the partners' best racing hens. The sire was a Verhaagen cock bought by their late father as a stock pigeon and which has bred numerous winners.
Sheldon Horn & daughter Rosie
First section G and third open went to Sheldon Horn of Bridgwater with a yearling on 1418ypm over 204 miles. Sheldon's first home was a hen named Quantock Daisy and that has flown consistently well all season. Its first national race was Saintes, followed by Messac where this hen came one hundred and fifty-seventh open. Quantock Daisy is bred from a red cock that was first and fourth national from Vire for Mike Gore and which Sheldon bought from him, when crossed with a hen gifted to him by Pete Clarke.
John Fretwell
First section I and fourth open was timed by John Fretwell of Evesham and was a four year old hen on 1396ypm over 236 miles. A pure Marcel Sangers pigeon, this hen was the same way bred as John's first open British International Championship Club winner from Guernsey in 2012. The sire and dam of this section winner have bred numerous winners at all levels. The sire is a direct son of Flaming Red out of a daughter of Appache and the dam is a daughter of Jumping Jack.
Mr and Mrs D Waterhouse were second section B and fifth open with a yearling hen on 1387ypm after 141 miles. Dave and Lisa clocked Fontwell Lady, a Crammond and Langstaff bred pigeon which they purchased at the Central Southern Classic Club breeder buyer sale last year. Costing £50, Fontwell Lady went on to be third open in the race and won £2,000 for her breeder and the buyers. Sent sitting ten day eggs, this hen was in cracking condition when it arrived, despite the holdover.
Mr and Mrs Paul Naum of Watchet clocked first section D and sixth open with a two year old on 1384ypm over 210 miles. Paul trains his pigeons with the Devon, Cornwall and West Somerset Club which trains regularly to the south coast and the Isle of Wight in preparation for the national channel races.
Second section I and seventh open went to a yearling on 1323ypm after 269 miles for Mr and Mrs J Passey and Family of Appleby Magna on the Warwickshire and Derbyshire border.
Roy Guest
R Guest from Lydney was second section G and eighth open with a yearling hen on 1320ypm over 220 miles. Basketed on a two day old youngster, this hen was bred from birds gifted to Roy by Ted Lock of Nailsea and which Roy has moulded into his own channel family which wins even on the hardest day.
Martyn Yandell
Third into section G and ninth open went to Martyn Yandell of Bristol with a yearling hen on 1310ypm over 205 miles. On its fourth channel race of the season, having already been to Saintes and Messac with the national, this Silvere Toye x Bosua hen is of Wile and Lias breeding.
Mike Johnson
Completing the top ten and in third section B is M Johnson of Bristol with a dark pied hen on 1300ypm over 137 miles. Bred by clubmate Steve Gilchrist, this hen contains Marcel Braakhuis bloodlines that he obtained from J Bulger of Liverpool. Mike used this pigeon as a widowhood hen during the old bird season and then trained it with his youngsters in preparation for Falaise.
Around the sections
The winner of section A
Section A was won by A, M and L Light from Horsham with a five year old hen on 1227ypm over 150 miles. This pigeon was a Gaby Vandenabeele cross with the sire being a full Vandenabeele bred by Peter Stubbs of Redhill. The dam was three quarters Vandenabeele when crossed with the partners' own stock. Louis Severe of Chichester was second section A with a two year old on 1212 ypm after 136 miles. Louis' pigeon was bred by Tony Cowan of Southampton and purchased at the Classic sale. Third section A went to A Abbott of Hove.
Neville Spracklen
Second section C was clocked by Spracklen and Thomas from Dorchester with a six year old on 1457ypm over 179 miles. The partners have a reliable team of pigeons and have recently added stock from Mark Gilbert of Windsor. John Halstead of Kington Magna was third section C.
Brian Reene
Brian Reene and Son from Honiton were second section D with a yearling on 1205ypm over 187 miles. Third section D went to Mr and Mrs Elliott from Barnstaple.
Steve & Paul Kulpa
S & P Kulpa from Reading were first section E with a five year old on 1290ypm over 179 miles. Steve and Paul timed 70, already twice a winner at inland racing, plus regular federation positions. 70 is bred from the partners' long established Meulemans pigeon which they first obtained from Ponderosa UK stub. Mick and Lyn Chaplin of Woking were second section E with a three year old on 1260ypm after 170 miles. The partners timed a Burger x Van Loon pigeon previously used as a widowhood hen during the old bird season. D Seedwell of Feltham was third section E.
Leon Hall & grandchildren
Leon Hall of Oxford was first section F with a five year old on 1193ypm after 203 miles. Leon's family have named this pigeon Three Times A Lady, in recognition of his having toped the section in the old bird race three years on the trot. Leon timed three further pigeon to take third, fourth and fifth section F. All of Leon's winners contain Eric Ceulemans bloodlines and are bred down from the Fed Cock, bred by Norman Sibley of Boston. Second section F was timed by Basil Chupka of Reading and was a two year old on 1036ypm over 180 miles.
Roger Strowger & Little Sarah
Mr and Mrs Strowager of Leiston were first section H with a three year old on 1170ypm over 242 miles. Roger timed Little Sarah, a hen that he purchased at the Norfolk and Suffolk CC fundraising sale and which was bred by Colin Smith of Ipswich. John Black of Hitchin timed a yearling on 1110ypm after 216 miles to take second section H. This hen was bred by John Chipperfield of Herne Bay and both parents were purchased from Alan Darragh of Northern Ireland. Eddy and Clayton Oxborough from Great Yarmouth were third section H.
Mr and Mrs J Wright of Lutterworth were third section I.
Barbara Kirkland
Section J was won by Mr and Mrs Geoff Kirkland from Stoke on Trent with a two year old on 1280ypm after 301 miles. The partners timed the same hen that came second section in this race as a yearling, last season and which contains Ceulemans bloodines. Booth and Roper of Tewkesbury timed a yearling on 1279ypm over 232 miles to take second section J. They also timed a second pigeon to take third section J. The partners only sent the two birds to the race and timed them within five minutes of each other.
Driver, Dawson & Dawson
Driver, Dawson and Dawson of Newcastle upon Tyne timed a two year old hen on 1296ypm after 424 miles to take first section K. Prepared for Falaise with three x ninety miles training races from Pontefract the partners' team of hens were sent sitting chipping eggs. The section winner was bred by Terry Jobes of Doncaster and contains Casaert x Thas bloodlines. Mr and Mrs R Newton and H Down were second section K with a yearling on 1290ypm over 321 miles to take second section K. David Hazel of Gainsborough was third section K.
Mr & Mrs Howman
Mr and Mrs J Howman of Northwich was first section L with a four year old on 1287ypm over 319 miles. Raced on double widowhood through the old bird season, this hen was then paired and sent sitting twelve day eggs. Second section L was won by D Jones of Wrexham with a yearling on 1240ypm after 312 miles. D J Harrison and Son from Southport were third section L.
That concludes the report on the provisional result on the National Flying Club old bird race from Falaise.