Luff and Walker Brothers of Dursley were first open and first NW section with a two year old on 1067ypm. The partners timed Elgin Princess, the sire and dam of which were bred by their good friend Steve Bennett of Bristol and both contain impressive long distance bloodlines. The sire is from a son of Jellema's Sophie x with a daughter of Watleys Supreme and Watleys Clare. The dam is a direct daughter of Watley's Supreme when paired to Watleys Clare, a blend of the best of Mark Gilbert's and the Cooper's bloodlines. The partnership turned all their birds north this season due to the complicated racing situation in the UK. Elgin Princess' last race before Elgin was Thornton 309 miles.
Geoff and Catherine Cooper of Peasedown St John timed a three year old on 801ypm to take second open and second NW section. The Coopers clocked Farm Grafter, an inbred grandson of Farmer George and also containing the bloodlines of Wollongong, New Laureaat, Special One and Kleine Jade. Two weeks previously, Farm Grafter was second section from Berwick.
Andy Parsons of Salisbury was third open and first SW section with a four year old on 707ypm. This hen has scored twice from Tarbes with her best being 19th open. The sire is a half-brother to Dancer and Proud Mary his NFC merit award winner, whilst the dam is from a daughter of Mark Bulled's Legacy. Andy timed a second pigeon, a three year old on 547ypm to also take tenth open and second SW section. This was also a hen, the grandsire of which is another NFC merit winner for Andy, named Big Sam. The sire of the dam of this hen is the result of another swap with Mark Bulled.
Brian Millard of Temple Cloud clocked a four year old on 662ypm to take fourth open and third NW section. Brian's pigeon contains Koopman x Vanducke bloodlines gifted to him by his good friend Steve Bryant from Bristol. A consistent racer, it has had section wins from across the channel in the past. It was flown on the widowhood system.
F Quinn of Radstock was fifth open and fourth NW section with a three year old on 645ypm. Frank clocked a grand-daughter of Andy Parson's five times Tarbes cock when paired to Frank's Nethercock hen. Last season it was fifteenth section, one hundred and tenth open Bordeaux.
Clive and Jill Rogers and Neil Sales of Radstock timed a two year old on 636ypm to take sixth open and fifth NW section. Their blue, white flight cock was bred from a Padfield Family cock when paired to a Dave Hawthorne hen from the House of Aarden. It was raced from the south before being turned north with the specialist clubs, CSCFC and BICC.
Guy Reed of Shanklin on the Isle of Wight was seventh open and first SE section with a three year old on 635ypm. Guy timed Chanel, one of several of sisters that have scored from Pau, although she herself never made that racepoint. Her bloodlines are Deweerdt based and her pedigree contains the Cooper's George and Stan Dangerfield's first open San Sebastian winner. Guy's Deweerdt based family is bred down from Emiel. Spiritus and Liesbet. In more recent times he has introduced some Andy Parson's bloodlines.
K and J Zerafa of Portsmouth timed a two year old on 602ypm to take eighth open and second SE section. Kevin and John timed a hen bred from a son of Mark Gilbert's Southfield Melissa, first international Agen. The dam was bred by Joost De Smeyter and is a daughter of Nico, first national ace extreme long distance KBDB 2014. It was sent sitting fourteen days.
Brooks Brothers and Wilcox of High Littleton were ninth open and sixth NW section with a four year old on 560ypm. This pigeon was bred by Peter Fox of Syndicate Lofts and contains Cor de Heijde bloodlines.
Darren Ede of Southampton was eleventh open with a yearling cock on 538ypm. This cock is a grandson of Mark Gilbert's Iron Man.
Chris and Jane Howse of Devizes timed a two year old hen, raced on the roundabout system, on 523ypm to take twelfth open. The sire is a son of Merit Man, the NFC certificate of merit winner and the dam is a double grand-daughter of two open Dax international winners. The sire came from Brian Sheppard and the dam is a daughter of Crowley and Green's Brimstone.
Graham Rann and Daughters were thirteenth open with a three year old, blue chequer hen on 511ypm. Named Boo-Boo, this hen has flown Pau with the NFC winning 57th section. The sire is a son of Faithful, 8th international Agen etc. and Jackie's Pride, 1st section, 6th open Tarbes. The dam is a grand-daughter of Pazatto and Etterbak.
Mannor Lofts of Southampton were fourteenth open on 494ypm with a two year old hen. Martin, Clare and Jack Norman's pigeon contains Andy Parson's bloodlines on the sire's side, whilst the dam is a Venner hen from Mick De Carteret of Guernsey. The grandsire on Mick's side was 11th open Agen, timed at 5am in the morning.
Bob Bate of Lovedean timed a three year old on 476ypm to take fifteenth open. This was a chequer hen containing the Taylor Brothers of Newbiggin, Northumberland bloodlines. Bob timed a second pigeon, a red cock bred down from his Barcelona cock and his fourth open classic Tarbes hen.
Around the sections
P Rixon of Reading was first NE section with a six year old on 469ypm. This hen was 40th open BICC as a youngster, was consistent as a yearling but then returned badly injured and missed a whole season of racing. It was raced on the south earlier in the season before being turned north.
The runners up behind Andy Parsons in the SW section were Nick and Christine Smith from Salisbury with a three year old on 338ypm. The sire of this pigeon was a pencil blue cock from the late Fred Bloor and the dam was a daughter of Andy Parsons' 5th open Palamos winner.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the Central Southern Classic Flying Club race from Elgin.