Gartnett, Moore & Withers
First open and first section E went to Garnett, Moore and Withers from Gatley with a two year old, black hen on 1543ypm. Flown on the roundabout system and named Linda's Legacy, this hen is a grandchild of Snake, a winner of over £8,500. On the same side can be found the bloodlines of The 81, the breeder of five x first section and now two x first open National winners. The other side of the pedigree contains Flying Ebony, Super Blue and Black Lady bloodlines. The partnership consists of Dave Garnett, Glen Moore and Bren Withers with the pigeons racing to Dave's property and stock birds being kept elsewhere. Over the last two years the partners have started to concentrate on national racing and are now reaping the rewards for all their efforts.
The winning hen, Linda's Legacy
Melvyn, Marion & Liam
Mr and Mrs Fairfax and Liam Meaden from Langport were second open and first section C with a yearling on 1541ypm. Melvyn and Marion have flown pigeons together for over fifty years and were joined by their grandson, Liam, seven years ago. Their first in the clock was a Mike Parker of Glamorgan Elsacker pigeon crossed with Mick Betts' bloodlines and it came from an egg that the partners swapped with fellow club members Aisling Kelway and her father. The partners sent six, clocked five and had their final pigeon the next morning.
Martin Williams
Martin Williams from Hereford was third open and second section C with a three year old hen on 1537ypm. Raced on the roundabout system, this hen contains Roodhooft and Koopman bloodlines and the sire has bred two x first and one x third section in the National Flying Club. Although it has previously taken two x first club, it is not one of Martin's most consistent pigeons but the result on the day is what counts.
Richard Spooner's light chequer hen
Fourth open and second section E went to Richard Spooner from Stafford with a three year old, light chequer hen on 1534ypm. Richard normally races widowhood cocks but had some spare hens so decided to race them to his young bird section. As none of them had been raced before, let alone been across the channel, Richard didn't put ETS rings on them and instead had an ordinary clock set, so it was back to race rubbers for his entry into Carentan. Not anticipating a great race, he was very pleasantly surprised when his first on the clock turned out to be second section.
Dave Harris & family
Dave Harris from Newport in Shropshire clocked a five year old on 1530ypm to take fifth open and third section E. This blue cock, Dessie, is a son of a cock Dave bought at Des Phillips of Telford's bereavement sale and the dam is a Soontjen bred from a Tommy Edward's cock. Flown on the widowhood system Dessie has been a consistent performer and last year he was twenty-third open from Carentan and twentieth open from Messac, both races with the British Barcelona Club. The granddam to this cock has bred multiple winners when paired to the Gauty cock. Dave timed five more arrivals within thirteen minutes.
Around the sections
Lee & Maureen Dyer
First in section A and twenty-second open went to Lee and Maureen Dyer from Nettlestone with a three year old, slatie hen on 1495ypm. Lee and his mother timed Len's Hen, so named as his late great uncle, Len Hodges picked it out as a future star for the loft. The dam came from Billy Flannigan from Ireland and was rescued from a non-fancier by Lee, whilst the sire is a Staf Van Reet. Lee is the youngest fancier on the Isle of Wight and being a self-employed builder he relies very much on his mother's work in the racing loft. A very successful club racing partnership, mother and son have won several national and classic prizes in recent years.
Pete Abrook
P Abrook of Cowes on the Isle of Wight took second section A and thirtieth open with yearling, red chequer cock on 1479ypm. Containing Bricoux bloodlines, this cock has been Peter's first bird twice already this year and as it is only a yearling, hopefully has a great racing career ahead of it.
Mervyn Waters
First in section B and nineteenth open was won by Mervyn Waters of Salisbury with a four year old, blue cock on 1498ypm. This pigeon has flown well in previous races and the sire is a Vandenabeele bought from Martin Mitchell, whilst the sire is an Engels from Louella Pigeon World.
Ray Thomas of Weymouth was second section B and twenty-fourth open with a two year old hen on 1489ypm. The sire of this pigeon is an Ad Schaerlaekens x Herman Ceusters and the dam was a Meulmans, inbred to Donkere Prins, obtained from Ponderosa UK Stud.
Pete Wells & friend, Sugar
P J Wells of Dunstable was first section D and twelth open with a three year old cock on 1515ypm. As a yearling, Pete's pigeon, Little Boy Blue, was first section from Carentan with the BBC amongst other positions. Little Boy Blue is a grandson of Spitfire x M Vink bred by Simon Scholfield.
Eddie Upton
Mr and Mrs E Upton from Newbury were second section D and fifteenth open with a three year old cock on 1509ypm. Eddie races his own family of pigeons and is a hard taskmaster as they all have to fly the complete programme.
Mike Armitage
Section G and one hundred and forty-sixth open was won by Mike Armitage from Ash with a hen racing to three day old squeakers. The grandsire of this pigeon contains the bloodlines of Red Rum. This hen has been flying consistently in the Lion Brewery Midweek Club. Mike clocked another four pigeons shortly after his first.
Joe & Vera Langbridge
Second section G and one hundred and fifty-ninth open went to Mr and Mrs Joe Langbridge of Sidlesham with a five year old, blue pied cock from Joe's Janssen family. Named The Blind Chicken, this cock was first club from Fougères by forty minutes as a yearling.
Bruce McAllister
First into section J and one hundred and sixth open was a yearling timed by B McAllister from Furneaux Pelham on 1336ypm. This was Bruce's first race with the British Barcelona Club as he joined when the London and South-East Classic Club closed. First on the clock was a three year old, chequer cock bred for the distance from a Martin Mitchell of Dover cock and a Bert Shepherd hen. All being well this pigeon should go to Tarbes this season.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British Barcelona Club race from Carentan.