Farm Star (Photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
In first open and first west section are Geoff and Catherine Cooper from Peasdown St John with a two year old on 1074mpm. Flown on widowhood this cock has now been named Farm Star and has been a consistent pigeon for the partners, always in the first few to the loft. As a yearling it won second club, twenty fourth combine from Saintes. The sire is a son of Euro Star which bred a fifth national winner from Carentan and a first ace pigeon Europe Wuhan Golden Sands Derby. The dam is a hen named Margie which as a yearling flew the national programme through to Tarbes and is bred down from Farm Boy and Mtotto.
Geoff & Catherine Cooper (Photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Ron Scammell & Paul Peploe
Second open and second west section went to Scammell and Peploe from Pontypool with a four year old on 1067mpm. Ron and Paul have previous form from Tours having been the runner up in 2013. This year they timed a hen with impressive performances in national racing having been sixty first national Messac, fifty fifth national Tours and fiftieth national Saintes as a yearling in 2011. In 2012 it was seventeenth national Carentan, second national Cholet, eighth national Niort and fifth national Bergerac winning the Welsh South Road National Flying Club Gold Cup for best performance in a season and the RPRA Welsh Region award for best performance. The sire is the Nearly Cock, a winner of three times second open national. The dam's side features the Bernard Clarke Hen, itself a national winner and top stock hen.
David & John Staddon
John and David Staddon of Evercreech were third west section and third open with a two year old named Shapway Rose on 1066mpm. As a yearling it was forty eighth open Saintes with the National Flying Club and was also the partners' first timed from Carentan with the BICC earlier this season. This hen is bred from Lady Sumo when paired to a Verreckt Arien cock and the nestmate to this timer has won over £1400 for the father and son partnership.
Rob Jones
First centre section and fourth open was timed by Bartlett and Jones from Southampton on 1059mpm. Robbie's winning pigeon is a two year old Andreas Drapa x Janssen Van Den Bosch hen raced on the natural system and sent sitting eight day old eggs. It has already had a first club this season from down the coast. The sire is from the partners' national winning Van Den Bosch family. The dam is an Andreas Drapa hen bred down from Carl, a first olympiade winner.
Mark Gilbert with father Geoff (Photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Mark Gilbert of Windsor was second centre section and fifth open with a two year old on 1052mpm.
Frome fancier Keith Haines timed a two year old on 1048mpm to take fourth west section and sixth open.
Tony Wareham of Southampton was third centre section and seventh open with a three year old on 1045mpm. Tony timed a blood red cock bred from stock that he obtained from the late Jack Beggs of Southampton. This was mainly Janssen based on the dam's side and Willem de Brijn on the sire's. It trapped back well to the loft as on other occasions it has taken its time. In fact, Tony clocked five of his seven entries on the day.
Phil & Tess Newton
Eighth open and fifth west section went to Phil Newton of Weston Super Mare with a five year old on 1041mpm. Phil timed a cock sent sitting a three day old squeaker. It has been a consistent racer over its career being forty fifth open BICC Alencon in 2013 and in 2012 it was forty eighth open from Tarbes with the Central Southern Classic Flying Club.
Paul Ayling
Mr P Ayling of Gosport timed a five year old on 1034.9mpm to take fourth centre section and ninth open.
Mr Harris
Completing the top ten we have Mr and Mrs Harris and Daughter from Portchester with a three year old on 1034.5mpm. The partners' first pigeon back to the loft was a Janssen cock named The Ghost and which was bred by Mr and Mrs Cross and Son from Gosport. Its previous results include ninth open, fourth section Carentan with the Central Southern Classic Flying Club (2,258b), fourth open, second section Fougeres with the National Flying Club (7,064b), seventy ninth open, third section Cholet with the NFC (8,886b) and seventh open, second section Bergerac with the Central Southern Classic Flying Club (877b).
Around the sections
Jeremy Davies with daughters Jessica & Heather
First north west section and sixteenth open was timed by T & J Davies of Birtsmorton. (1021mpm) This is Jeremy's second section win in two races with the BICC this season. This time he clocked a three year old cock flown on the roundabout system and which was shown a new hen for an hour before it was basketed.
C Preece of Bridgnorth was second north west section. (1019mpm) Chris' pigeon was a three year old Janssen cock named Ben, the lines of which he obtained from Ian Axe.
John Rodway of Rushwick was third into the north west section. (954mpm)
Tony Calver
Top of the north east section went to Tony Calver of Ipswich. (984mpm) Tony timed a widowhood hen of Wal Zoontjen bloodlines that he obtained via his club mate Colin Smith.
Second north east section was timed by A Wright and Daughter of Otley. (973mpm) Also a Wal Zoontjen, this one was a widowhood cock which was first back for the partnership from last year's race from Tours.
Mr and Mrs P Barker of Great Yarmouth were third north east section. (969mpm)
Gavin Duggan
North central section was won by G Duggan of Chipping Campden. (990mpm) Gavin timed a Jan Aarden cross yearling flown on the roundabout system.
Second north central section was timed by C Barnes of Huntingdon. (988mpm) Curly's pigeon contains a number of bloodlines including Busschaert, Vandenabeele and Darren Peters.
Third north central section went to Mr and Mrs J Wright of Lutterworth. (972mpm) This was a two year old, widowhood cock bred from Jeremy's first section winner from Sennen Cove.
Chris Hunt
The east section was won by Christopher Hunt of Maidstone. (1020mpm) Chris clocked a three year old Jan Aarden widowhood cock bred down from Invincible Spirit and Invincible Dettori lines from Louella Pigeon World. This cock scored five times from across the channel last year.
Second east section went to D Wilton and Son of Chadwell St Mary. (1017mpm) This was a two year old widowhood hen that was nineteenth open from Agen as a yearling.
Third east section was timed by Gosling and Jarvis from Mountnessing. (1013mpm) The partners timed a two year old dark pied cock closely followed by a brother, a yearling named Hiawatha.
That concludes the report of the British International Championship Club race from Tours.