Mitch holding the race winner
Taking first and second section C and first and section open is the Swindon partnership of Ernie and Mitch Smith and Darren Baker. Ernie, Mitch and Darren had two come together and they timed to take 1625.7ypm and 1625.6ypm. First on the clock was a three year old, blue cock, that has flown well for the partners and won a lot of prizes. The sire is a son out of their number one pair of Koopmans. The dam was bred by Mark Gilbert and is out of Dutch Master Lines. The second bird is a two year old, blue cock that has already won two races across the water this year. The sire and dam were bred by Ian Crammond & Nigel Langstaff, down from their number one pair of Kees Bosua/Van Osch family. The picture is of Mitch holding the winner which he has aptly named, No Problem, as there was no problem beating his dad!
Roger Lowe
First and second section D and third and fourth open went to Roger Lowe of Reading. Roger timed two yearlings on 1605.8ypm and 1605.7ypm. Roger sent fourteen birds, nine hens and five cocks and his first two were both hens. The first section winner was bred from a son of My Little Diamond when paired to Going for Gold, the winner of first open Central Southern Classic Flying Club from Carentan in 2011. Roger's second bird was a Daniel Aerens, already a winner of twenty-first federation from Yeovil 2,713 birds and eleventh section, 401 birds, ninety-fifth open, Guernsey Classic 2,208 birds. Fougères was an excellent race for Roger as he had ten birds back in less than twenty minutes.
John Halstead with Nyland Vulcan
John Halstead of Gillingham was first section B and fifth open with a three year old on 1598ypm. John timed a second pigeon on 1572ypm to also take third section B and fourteenth open. First on the clock was a chequer white flight, widowhood cock, named Nyland Vulcan. This cock was winning his second first section in the last four weeks. On 6th June he was in front of most of the south and west sections in the National Flying Club when he was first section C, forty-ninth open from Messac (7,053 birds). The breeding is from a half brother/half sister pairing, his sire being Nyland Brave, a Reynaert–Figo x Bosua. Winning third section, fourteenth open is Nyland Javelin, a Busschaert x Vandenabeele widowhood cock that has been a top performer at the shorter nationals for the last couple of seasons.
Pete Wells & daughter, Natalie
Third section D and and sixth open went to P J Wells of Dunstable with a two year old on 1596.6ypm. This blue chequer cock is from Pete's Janssen based family. It was August bred in 2013 and trained late in its year of birth, then raced inland as a yearling. Fougères was its second channel race.
Second section B and seventh open is a three year old on 1595ypm for Mark and Julie Gower of Fordingbridge. Mark's pigeon is a Vandenabeele bred from his good racing hen that has bred at least seven x first prize winners and a first and second section winner. She herself won second, sixth and twenty-third open with the National Flying Club with up to 6,000 birds competing. The pigeon is raced on a loose version of the roundabout system and was on its fifth outing across the channel. It has already won first section from Guernsey with the Central Southern Classic Flying Club.
The Brown's pigeon
Third section C and eighth open was won by Mark and Clare Brown from Woodland St Mary. The partners timed their good blue Vandenabeele/Schoor de Weil/Van Loon cock number 52, that was sent sitting five day eggs. 52 was bred by their very good friend, Steve Bennett of Bristol, his sire being their old champion 33 that Steve had on loan in 2012. 33 is a Gaby Vandenabeele cock that was twice x first combine and was was paired to a sister of Steve’s Champ, a top performer in its own right.
G D Deacon of Newport clocked a yearling on 1588ypm to take first section A and ninth open.
Colin Edwards
Completing the top ten is C Edwards of Romsey with a yearling on 1583ypm. Colin's winner is a dark Van Loon hen sent sitting twelve days. It is bred from his original Van Loons, responsible for many good winners, when crossed with a granddaughter of Chicago and Denver and a dark cock gifted by Martin and Clare Norman. This cock is the sire of their Classic Bergerac winner.
Around the sections
J Fulford of Salisbury was third section A and eleventh open with a yearling on 1575ypm.
Keith Rhodes' section winner
K Rhodes of Telford timed two to take first and second section E, fifteenth and thirtieth open on 1517ypm and 1514ypm respectively. First sectionis a two year old dark Busschaert cock, raced on widowhood, the dam being a granddaughter of his good red hen that won numerous top positions in nationals including fourth open with the National Flying Club. These lines were purchased many years ago from Kevin Curtis of Dorset. The sire is the last son from 95, Keith's chequer cock who won over £5,000 in nationals plus two western Region awards. This cock won Saintes and was put to stock to keep the lines going. Keith's second pigeon is a yearling dark cock, the sire of which is his blue cock 27, that won many top positions at national level including first section J, sixth open NFC Saintes plus two western region awards. This cock was from pigeons purchased from Jim Gibbon of Sunderland down from Gibbo's Girl. The dam is a dark Busschaert hen.
Gordon Rigg
Gordon Rigg of Congelton was third section E and thirty-second open with a two year old on 1544ypm. Gordon's cock came from a team of birds that he is developing for the distance races. It was bred from a Jim Biss based cock when paired to a Dusardyne hen. It was on its first channel crossing as were the nineteen other two year old cocks. Gordon had nineteen out of the twenty sent back on the day.
Joe Langbridge
Mr and Mrs Joe Langbridge of Chichester took first section G, one hundred and ninth open with a four year old on 1440ypm. Joe and Vera timed a latebred they now call Snap, as the sire was also first section G with the British Barcelona Club, when second open from Bordeaux in 2012. This cock was also second open Solent Federation from Fougeres, beaten by a loft mate, hence being known as the Double Unlucky Cock. The dam is from a son of Derek Reid from Weybridge’s Ryan’s Express, firstopen National Flying Club from St Nazaire in 2005.
Mick & Lyn Chaplin
Mr and Mrs Chaplin of Woking timed two, two year olds on 1371.9ypm and 1371.7ypm to take second and third section G and one hundred and forty-sixth and one hundred and forty-seventh open. Both cocks were having their eighth race of the season. Only eighteen widowhood cocks and their hens are kept for racing and after last week's race the hens were left with the cocks to pair up for the National Flying Club, Tarbes and British Barcelona Club, Bordeaux races.
Paul Davies
P Davies of Jersey timed a seven year old on 1303ypm to take first section H and one hundred and seventy-third open. Paul timed a chequer cock called Cheqmate and flown on the widowhood system. The sire was first section, fifth open British Barcelona Club from Bordeaux in 2004 and the dam was first section, thirty-sixth open Nantes in 2003, so this is a case of section winners breeding section winners.
Bruce McAllister & granddaughter, Isabella
B McAllister of Buntingford clocked a four year old on 1540ypm to take first section J and thirty-sixth open. Bruce's first bird from Fougères was a blue cock containing Jos Thoné's Emperor bloodlines and raced on the widowhood system. This cock has scored many times before with the British International Championship Club and the National Flying Club. A very consistent bird, it is possibly one for Tarbes this year.
J & J Brady
Second section J and fifty-sixth open was clocked by J & J Brady of Benfleet on 1520ypm. The partners' dark chequer cock is 100% Jos Thoné bred, having Sumo on all four sides of its pedigree. The full pedigree involves OVI, Jos' olympiad pigeon and a direct brother of Emperor, his international winner. This cock has had four channel races this year, racing on the widowhood system. It was paired after Tours and returned to eight day youngsters.
D Wilton and Son from Chadwell St Mary clocked a two year old on 1515ypm to take third section J and sixty-second open.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British Barcelona Club race from Fougères.