Chris and Denise Kavanagh (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
First open and first section E is Chris Kavanagh from Oxted in Surrey with a three year old hen on 1865ypm. Bred down from birds that Chris bought from Lier market, it was sent sitting seven day old eggs. Chris only has a small back garden loft and doesn't keep pedigrees etc. as he prefers the basket as a selection method. This hen should have gone to Guernsey with the BICC but laid too soon, so was then selected for Carentan with the NFC.
First open old hens from Carentan (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Second open and second section E went to P L Kelly of Harlow who clocked a four year old hen on 1848ypm. The sire of Paddy's winner is a direct son of Tom Thumb, a top racing cock for his friend Vic Shaw, having won seven federation prizes with over two thousand pigeons competing. The dam of this pigeon is a Germain Imbrecht bought from Louella Pigeon World.
Les Stevens (L) pictured with Eric Lowery
Les Stevens of Sittingbourne was third section E and third open with a yearling hen on 1837ypm. This hen was not paired for breeding in 2013 but towards the middle of the season it was put in with the young birds and was trained with them. Its sire is a Koopman from Tony and Lynn Sutton of Burham and its dam is a Cooreman, a daughter of Beckham and Lilia.
Peter Sabba
Pete Sabba and Daughter from Hillingdon were fourth open and fourth section E on 1836ypm with a two year old hen. Pete keeps his eye on the European racing scene and imports pigeons to improve his strain. The sire of his winner is a Hermans Ceusters bred by Premier Stud and the dam is a Frans Zwols hen coming from the bloodlines of Inteelt Smeulders.
J & J Brady
J & J Brady of South Benfleet took fifth open and fifth section E with a two year old hen on 1817ypm. Their hen was on its first channel race of the season and was sent sitting hatching eggs. It was bred from the partner's 2008 national winner paired to an Eric Cannon hen.
Steven Buckle
Steven Buckle of Northwood timed a yearling hen to be sixth section E and sixth open on 1775ypm. Steve's pigeon was bred down from a kit of ten Soontjens that he was gifted by Clive Baldwin five years ago. First into section A and seventh open went to D Walker of Bordon with a two year old hen on 1755ypm. Dave's hen is a red Jan Aarden with Red Barcelona bloodlines bought from Tumley Lofts Stud as part of a kit of six and it was sent feeding seven day old squeakers. First section H and eighth open, a yearling hen, was timed by Eddy and Clayton Oxborough from Great Yarmouth on 1741ypm. This is the partner's fourth national section win flying to the east coast of the UK and this time they clocked a pigeon bred down from Mike Staddon on the dam's side and Staddon x Biss on the sire's. Terry Haley of Watford was seventh section E and ninth open on 1737ypm with a three year old hen.
Leon Hall
Completing the top ten we have Leon Hall from Oxford who was also first into section F with a three year old hen on 1712ypm. Leon clocked a hen bred down from Norman Sibleys Fed cock. Flown on the natural system, she was sent feeding five day old squeakers.
Around the sections
Lee Patterson
Section B was won by Lee Patterson of Portsmouth, who was also twenty eighth open. Lee timed a pigeon bred from his good mealy cock, number 13, which was clocked three times in the top fifty from Bergerac. It was sent to Carentan feeding seven day old squeakers. Second and third section B, thirty second and thirty third open went to Wearn Brothers and Neilson from Ramsdean.
First section C and one hundred and forty sixth open went to John Halstead of Gillingham. This is John's eleventh section win since 2002 and was his single entry into the hens race. The sire of this pigeon is Big Bucks, itself a son of Nyland Ashley which won second from Barcelona in 2008.
Mike Staddon
Mike Staddon of Crewkerne was second section C and one hundred and seventieth open. Mike clocked further hens to take eleven places in the top twenty. His first on the clock was bred from a Chris Gordon x Invincible Spirit on the sire's side and the dam was also bred by Chris Gordon and was gifted to Mike by Roland Thresher. Terry Vincent of Dorchester was third section C and one hundred and eighty eighth open.
C Stevens
Section D was won by C Stevens from Sidmouth who was also one hundred and eightieth open. Mr and Mrs P Naum of Watchet were second section D and one hundred and eighty third open. Paul clocked a hen from his Janssen based family that he has had since 1984 with the original pigeons coming from Albert Tarleton's Golden Ball and Skyleader bloodlines. Third in section D and one hundred and eighty seventh open was timed by André Prinsloo of Honiton.
Sherman and Wells of Oxford timed second section F and sixty third open. Third section F and sixty ninth open went to Basil Chupka of Reading.
Bill Harris of Elton
Bill Harris of Elton in Gloucestershire was first section G and one hundred and forty seventh open. Bill's section winner was bred by Mike Cooper and Jenny Ellis of Dorset and was raced by them as a young bird. In 2011 Bill needed three hens to make up his pairs and the partners supplied them, two returned to their loft but the red hen decided to stay with Bill. The bloodlines of this winner include Janssen x Busschaert on the sire's side and Janssen Van Den Bosche on the dam's.
Nigel Templar
One hundred and fifty sixth open and second in section G was Nigel Templar of Bristol. Nigel clocked a Van Dyck x De Klak hen, the dam of which is out of Hero, a winner of two nationals in Holland and which was purchased from Raymond Moleveld. Third section G and one hundred and fifty seventh open was timed by T & D Clarke of Bristol.
David Taylor
Second in section H and fifteenth open went to D Taylor of Cambridge. David timed a Corbett Busschaert hen flown on the round about system on its fourth channel race this season. It was bred by Mr Foster from St Helens. Third section H and twenty first open was timed by John Black of Hitchin.
Cliff Sanders
Cliff Sanders of Atherstone took first section I and forty sixth open. Cliff's first pigeon was a two year old Willie Jacobs cross with a pigeon from Bryan Jones of Crewe. It was sent sitting a fourteen day old squeaker.
John Fretwell's hen
John Fretwell of Evesham was second section I and fifty first open. John's hen was bred from Tim, a chequer cock bred by Tim Gould paired to a pure Marcal Sangers hen. Third in section I and fifty third open went to Mr and Mrs Armitage from Redditch.
Louis Yemm
Louis Yemm of Newcastle under Lyme timed first section J and sixtieth open. Louis is twelve years old and this is his first year competing in national races. He timed a yearling that was bred for him by Neil Boulton of Stoke on Trent.
Geoff Kirkland
Second section J and seventy fourth open went to Mr and Mrs Geoff Kirkland from Stoke on Trent. Geoff and Barbara timed a pure Ceulemans yearling, mealy hen that was sent showing to a young cock. Michael Burden from Blythe Bridge was third section J and seventy fifth open. D & J Hawkins and Evans of Doncaster took first and second section K, twelfth and sixteenth open. The partner's first pigeon was bred out of One So Wonderful on the dam's side and Starcraft, a direct son of Rolls Royce, on the sire's. Third section K and twenty third open was timed by Mr and Mrs R Newton and H Down from Doncaster.
Tony Hughes
Winning section L and in thirty eighth open was M Hughes and Son from Rochdale. Mick and Tony timed a yearling hen on its first channel race of the season. It was raced on the natural system and sent feeding a large squeaker.
Tom Whitehead
Tom Whitehead from Preston was second section L and fifty seventh open. Tom's pigeon, Kate, was bred from a combination of pigeons from Mr and Mrs Dickens and Tony Mardon. Third section L and sixty second open was Mr E Little and Son from Chorley.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the National Flying Club race for old hens from Carentan.