Mr and Mrs Moody (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Mr and Mrs Moody of Portsmouth took first place and first section B with a yearling hen raced on roundabout. This is the first year that they have raced roundabout, having previously raced all their old birds on the natural system. The winning pigeon is bred from a grandson of Grey Gem and the dam is a van Dyke x Kannibaal. The winning pigeon is now named Emily's Girl and was on her fourth race of the season. The birds are raced on Gerry Plus and the Super Widowhood at the end of the week.
Jason Ross (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Second open and second section B is Jason Ross from Portsmouth who would have preferred to be first but was happy enough to be second behind his friend. Good for you Jason! Jason clocked a Gaby Vandenabeele cock which is a grandson off his number one stock cock, Feddy. This cock has bred nine first prize winners plus a Central Southern Classic Flying Club winner. A very consistent cock, he has been a high prize winner himself, having been 1st club Exeter, 2nd Solent Fed etc. Jason also clocked a second bird to be provisionally sixth open and third section B as well. This was also a Gaby Vandenabeele which was bred from his second open Central Southern Classic winner which was also a third open NFC winner when beaten by two loft mates. This was paired to a daughter of a second open CSCFC winner who was also a third open NFC winner. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree there!
Third open and winning section E is John Haynes. His pigeon is a Gaby Vandenabeele hen which has already shown some promise this season from Carentan. Her breeding is from Golden Gaby and Lady Bond. The dam won a lot of prizes for John before being retired to the stock loft and is bred from the top Gaby stock cock, Golden Gaby paired to a hen from Lover Boy, which was given to John by Mark Gilbert. By coincidence, Mark took fourth open and second section E with the first of two roundabout hens who dropped together. Mark's first is a dark chequered daughter of Southfield Star which is a grandson of Drum and Golden Gaby. His second is a sister to Southfield Melissa which was 1st International from Agen in 2011.
Fifth open and winning the car nomination was Daniel Seedwell from Feltham in Middlesex. Daniel clocked a yearling cock named Barry Coe after his recently deceased grandfather who was a lifelong fancier and Daniel's inspiration in the sport. This pigeon is bred down from John McGee's Janssens on the sire's side and is bred from stock from Ace lofts on the dam's. The same pigeon was fourth section, twelfth open from Alençon the previous week and first club, second federation from Kingsdown earlier in the season.
First section H and seventh open goes to the loft of Andy Smith from Wellingborough with a hen raced on roundabout. The bird had a night out the previous weekend from Carentan but regained her form well over the week and made up for that mistake by topping the section from Cholet. Her breeding is Matt Rake's Van Breeman crossed with a pigeon from Micky Locke of Liverpool.
Mike Skidmore
Top spot in section A and eighth open went to the Hampshire loft of Mike Skidmore. Mike clocked a two year old, widowhood cock with Busschaert bloodlines. Mike has raced Busschaerts since 1983 when he acquired direct children from Parkside Superman and a daughter from the Golden Mile Cock. His timer was on his third consecutive channel race of the season.
Ninth open was clocked at the loft of Chris and Danny Willett and Grandsons and was raced on the natural system. This was a Van Loon based bird who's parents were gifted to the partnership by the late Reggie Ship and were based on birds from the Ponderosa stud. The partnership clocked seven out of ten birds sent on the day.
Completing the top ten we have J & P Parker from Reading who clocked a two year old, roundabout hen bred down from their Jos Thoné birds. She had been across the channel many times and was prepared for the race by plenty of tosses from the south coast.
Mel and Sue King are provisional first section C with their widowhood cock name Stourcrest Gwain bred from a pair of direct M & G Casaerts on loan for 2011 from their good friend Brian Goodwin. The sire of Gwain is a son of Nasdaq ( 1st national Souillac) and the dam is a grandaughter of Dior (1st national Brive).
Second section C went to Spracklen and Thomas with a two year old, De Klak x Mark Gilbert, the sire of which is a son of Bommmer-Blauwe x Little Diamond. The dam is a double granddaughter of Southfield Supreme. The de Klak birds have raced well for the loft over the years and the addition of bloodlines from Mark Gilbert will enhance their performance.
Andrew Mabin was first section D who has won the national three times previously. His pigeon is named Granny's Boy after his mum who has always been a great support for him in the pigeon sport amd is bred from Jos Thoné blodlines down from Gladiator, a son of Maximus. Raced semi-natural this is its first channel race this season.
Second in section F is Andy Crook who flies to Newbury in Berkshire with a three year old Staf Van Reet hen raced on roundabout. This bird contains the bast of the Tony Mardon bloodlines. Andy is helped at the loft by his friend Burt Kent.
Section G was won by Joe Raeburn from Melksham with a two year old Gaby Vandenabeele cock bred from stock from Mel and Sue King. The sire is a son of their BICC Falaise winner when paired to a daughter of Eros, winner of NFC Nantes 2002. Second section went to Mr and Mrs Stone from Portishead with a yearling Van Dyke x Boshua cock. This pigeon was a late addition to the team as a substitute for a hen that hadn't laid on time.
Second section H was won by Colin Crick and Son from Stotfold who clocked a chequer pied, widowhood cock of Janssen bloodlines. His sire was a Beverdam cock paired to one of Colin's best racing hens.
Topping section I is the Cotswold loft of Kevin Godfrey. Kevin clocked a cock sent sitting fourteen days at the time of basketing. A mealy of Jan Loots origin, he had a tough fly on the day. Rob Rome of Cheltenham was second section with a hen bred from Patrick and Dimitri Houfflijn x Rob's own family. Rob clocked several pigeons in quick succession and these are likely to feature well up in the section honours.
The section J winner was clocked at the Stourbridge loft of Mr A Jones with a Cattrysse bred from Colin Lloyd's bloodlines. His sire is a son of King Arthur and the dam is a sister to Hazel, both consistent racers for Colin. Martin Williams from Herefordshire was second section with a Roodhooft x Jan Huybrect hen flown on the roundabout system, the sire being a son of the famour Mustang.
It was an especially tough race up into section K where Pearson and Dransfield clocked two to take first and second section. The section winner is a Busschaert x Marcellis hen. Frank's second bird home comes from a cross of Frank's old family paired to a sister of Kirkland's pigeon, The Snake.
Section L was won by a five year old, widowhood cock raced by George Bowyer from Congleton. Flying over 13 hours up into Cheshire he is bred from direct Stoffle birds sourced from Germany. Steve Radcliffe was second section with a cock he bought from Nigel Laycock. It is a son of Champion Schallie and a grandson of Goldspot when paired to Princess.
That concludes the report of the National Flying Club race from Cholet.