Their record of wins racing over the English Channel from France has been outstanding from distances ranging from 800km to 900km whilst still winning many first prizes at the middle distances.
Geoff & Catherine Cooper
Their family of pigeons have been developed to compete against the very best in Europe in International racing which has cumulated in four 1st International wins to date and with the tough selection methods applied alongside mutual breeding programs practiced with other top International winning lofts, they will have increased their pigeons abilities even further.
For their birds to win in the International races they must be single minded, well motivated pigeons, with the courage to face over 200km of open seas in the final stages of the race without deviating from the shortest route home. On many occasions their birds have proven to have left a flock of over 20,000 pigeons at the release point to fly alone at a faster speed than those in the competition.
They have also excelled in other lofts too with International, National and many National section/provincial wins achieved with the Cooper pigeons. It gives Geoff and Catherine Cooper a great sense of pride to hear that their bloodlines have won for others, and they leave no stone unturned in the search for top bloodlines to perpetuate the success of their family of pigeons. Their hen “Wollongong” which won 1st International overall and 1st International Hens has spent a year co breeding at Hugo Batenburg’s loft being paired to “Special One”, “Invictus” and “Lloyd”. She has also been paired to “Armando” before coming home to England. It is pleasing she is regarded so highly by some of the top lofts in Europe and “Wollongong” is grand dam of 1st National Cholet for D and J Staddon in 2019, with L and K Buddle of Dover winning two 1st Nationals from Marseille with 50% Cooper bloodlines.
The 2 first International winners of Geoff & Catherine: Farmer George and Wollongong (bred out of a half sister to George).
Geoff and Catherines pigeon “Darkie” is the sire of Mark Gilbert’s 2nd International Bordeaux hens and 3rd International Bordeaux yearlings, whilst “George” is grandsire of 1st, 2nd and 4th Grand National Tarbes for two different fanciers in the seasons 2016, 2017 and 2018. “Darkie” who is a son of “George” is also sire to “Farm Darkie” who in two seasons racing has won 1, 2, 3, section in International racing plus three 1st sections in National races. The same achievements were also made by “Farm Solo” who again in two seasons racing won three 1st National section and is also a grand daughter of “George”.
Darkie, son of George and father to 3rd International Bordeaux yearlings of Mark Gilbert.
In the past two seasons Geoff and Catherine have won to their loft:
2018 section results:
BICC National Falaise:2,3,4,5,8,9,10. BICC National Alencon 1,2,5,6. BICC National Poitiers 5,8,11. BICC National Pau Int. 1,2,3,7,8,9,10. BICC National Agen Int. 3,10,13. BICC National St Vincent Int. 1,2. (Farm Ivy) NFC National Countances YB, 2,6,16.
2018 National results:
BICC National Poitiers. 12,15,21. BICC National Cholet. 13,14,28,32,35 BICC National Pau Int. 2,27,31. BICC National Agen Int. 16,47,57. BICC National St Vincent Int. 3,24.
Farm Ivy 1st Int. hens 3rd Int. St Vincent
2019 section results:
BICC National Falaise. 2,4,6,7,8. BICC National Alencon. 1,10,12. BICC National Cholet. 1,7. NFC National Messac. 6,17. BICC National Poitiers. 4,5,7,8,9,12. BICC National Pau Int. 1,2,5. BICC National Agen Int. 3,8,10. BICC National St Vincent Int. 2 (016 Evie) BICC National Perpignan Int. 2.
016 Evie, 2nd Int. hens & 10th Int. St Vincent
2019 National results:
BICC National Poitiers. 4,8,13,14,19,23. BICC National Pau Int. 31,36,60. BICC National Agen Int. 8,49,53. BICC National St Vincent Int 19. BICC National Perpignan Int. 25.
Many times their birds have won against the wind and overcome the instinct to fly with the rest. They will win over land and sea not only for Geoff and Catherine, but for very many other top lofts too.
George GB04-N27849, grandsire of the loft.
199 Georgeson, son of George top breeder