Photo, wing and eye of Wollongong - first open international
In first west section, first place for the BICC and first international, we have Geoff and Catherine Cooper from Peasdown St John in Somerset. This is the Cooper's second international win and they clocked a chequer white flight hen named Wollongong which arrived a few minutes earlier than they had expected, ensuring that they knew they had a good time. Wollongong is a three year old bred from Gina, which is half-sister to George, breeder of many winners including a first grand national winner. Gina was paired to a grandson of Euro Diamond and Marseille King from Clive Lister. Last year she won third section and thirty fifth open BICC Pau.
Geoff and Catherine Cooper
The Coopers clocked two more hens, Georgia Jean and Carla Page to be provisionally fifth and sixth open BICC and eighth and sixteenth international. Their family of pigeons is based on the Deweerdts from Kortemark in Belgium. Both the hens and cocks in the team are raced on widowhood with the hens paired to cocks from the stock loft and the same system used for the cocks. As well as breeding their own winners, Geoff and Catherine’s pigeons have performed fantastically for other fanciers as well.
Darren McFadden with his second open international winner
First centre section, second open BICC and second international, was clocked by the partnership of D & D McFadden from Cranleigh in Surrey. Darren’s first arrival was a blue chequer hen of Van Berkel x Van Braune bloodlines, flown on full widowhood. Previously this season she has been 11th section G from Carentan with the British Barcelona Club and then fifth section A from the same racepoint with the National Flying Club. Both the parents of this hen have been clocked from Tarbes with the National Flying Club in previous seasons and have been outstanding breeders. Darren timed a five year old, grizzle cock an hour later and this was eleventh open with the BICC.
Mark Gilbert
Second centre section, third open BICC and third international went to the Windsor loft of Mark Gilbert. Having won three internationals previously, Mark is maintaining his run of fantastic performances from the distance. Mark’s first pigeon was a hen whose sire is a son of Smaragd 11, the Barcelona winner from 21,176 birds, when paired to his own daughter. The dam is a full sister to Emiel Deweerdt’s Champion Iban. Mark timed a second bird to provisionally take eighth open BICC and thirty fourth open international. This one was a dark chequer hen and both were raced on the roundabout system.
Colin Draper
Colin Draper of Yalding in Kent timed first east section, fourth open BICC and provisional fourth open international. Colin clocked a dark chequer cock of Kirkpatrick bloodlines. He was paired in February and allowed to rear a round of youngsters before being separated and placed on the roundabout system. This cock had five or six tosses prior to racing and was sent to Alençon with the BICC in preparation for Pau. Colin allows the cocks access to their nest bowls prior to basketing but doesn’t show the hens.
Derek Doyle
Derek Doyle of Maidenhead takes seventh open BICC and twenty fourth open international with a two year old latebred gifted to him by John Prentice of Flackwell Heath. The breeding is Ken Hines long distance stock on the sire’s side and the old Dordin strain on the dam’s side. It was raced on the natural system and sent sitting seven day old eggs. This race was Derek’s first attempt at international racing so to do so well is a dream come true.
David Hales
Ninth open BICC and sixty third open international was timed at the Hockley loft of David Hales. David timed a four year old widowhood cock with Alan Parker bloodlines. It had previously been sixth open BICC Pau and third open BICC Marseille in 2012. A half-brother to this pigeon won first open BICC Perpignan a few years ago.
Terry Gardner
Terry and Carol Gardner of Portskewett, Wales took tenth open BICC and sixty eighth open international. The partnership timed a two year old cock sent sitting four day old eggs. The sire of this cock won first national for Terry and Carol and was bred for them by Jack Randall from his hen Lady Jane, which won prizes for him from Palamos on six separate occasions. The partner’s tenth open winner also contains Jan Aarden bloodlines via Louella.
Richard and Sheila Mayes
The north section was won at the Stowmarket loft of Richard and Sheila Mayes who clocked a four year old cock early the next morning. This one is of Jim Biss (obtained from the late Brian Long) x Vandevelde bloodlines and was sent sitting three day old eggs. Consistent Bury St Edmunds fancier Peter Mallett was second north section with a four year old widowhood cock of William Geerts x Robert Venus bloodlines. Third in the north section and the longest flying bird on the result was clocked by G P Debbage from Great Yarmouth. This one was a four year old, chequer white flight hen flying six hundred and forty seven miles.
The loft of Bill Knox
Third in the east section went to Bill Knox of Tylers Hill near Canterbury and who flies as SR & WH Knox. Bill timed a four year old cock that had previously flown Agen and Marseilles. Bill’s pigeon was a Kirkpatrick flown on the natural system.
The 2013 Pau international race really saw fanciers from the UK proving that they are up there with the best that Europe has to offer. That concludes the report of the British International Championship Club race from Pau in conjunction with the International.