Mark Gilbert (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
First, second and fourth open and first, second and third central section were clocked by Mark Gilbert of Windsor, a fancier that needs no introduction to those who follow the national and international racing scene in the UK and Europe. Mark flies 505 miles from Agen and clocked three yearlings on 1259, 1238 and 1196mpm respectively. His first on the clock was a direct daughter of Kannibaal Barcelona, bred and raced by Etienne Meirlean of St Martens-Latem. Mark purchased Kannibaal Barcelona and paired it to a daughter of Etienne's Golden Vleugel. Second open for Mark was bred from a daughter of Southfield Supreme when paired to a double grandchild of Dr Brockamp's George, the father of Euro Diamond and Mistral. George was bred by George Carteus out of As 571 which won a long distance ace pigeon award two years in succession. Fourth open was from similar bloodlines being bred from a son of Euro Diamond. All three hens were raced on the roundabout system.
Geoff & Catherine Cooper (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Geoff and Catherine Cooper clocked third open and first west second with a two year old flying 512 miles on 1237mpm. This dark chequer cock, named Farm Stellar, has been amongst the first to the loft every race so far this season and was second open BICC Falaise earlier in the year. Farm Stellar's last race prior to Agen was Tours with the BICC. Given the weather on the day with strong side winds and rain and thunder, Farm Stellar definitely deserves his name.
John Tyerman
John Tyerman of Bracklesham Bay timed a two year old to take fifth open and fourth centre section flying 459 miles on 1179mpm. John's blue pied hen was reared in August of 2012 so was not raced as a young bird. As a yearling it went to Stratford on Avon and Newark and previously this season it had BICC Falaise and NFC Cholet. Bred from John's old Carmichael x Kirkpatrick family it was sent rearing a single young bird, its cock having been lost earlier in the season. This hen is a great-granddaughter of Decimal Lady which won many prizes including second open from Bordeaux. On the sire's side it is a granddaughter of the Barcelona cock. John clocked all five of his entries to take sixty-fifth, one hundred and eighth, one hundred and twenty-sixth and one hundred and thirtieth open as well.
R & N Steptoe
First east section and sixth open was clocked by R & N Steptoe of Oxted and was a yearling flying 488 miles on 1172mpm. The partners' clocked a blue pied hen, the sire of which was bred by W Steptoe and is a Cooper Deweerdt x Dennis Blackey Soontjen. The dam is from an A Parker Southwell from Millenium Boy lines when paired to a daughter with the bloodlines of the partners' NFC Carentan open winner. This hen, now named Crackerjack, was raced on the widowhood system earlier in the season after sitting for ten days on its first nest of eggs before being separated. In preparation for Agen she was re-paired and sent sitting fourteen day eggs.
Dorin Melinte
Fifth centre section and seventh open went to Dorin Melinte of Stanmore with a yearling flying 514 miles on 1165mpm. Dorin timed a hen of Van Lint x DeKlak bloodlines and bred from pigeons he obtained from Fred Riley of Enfield when Fred held his father's bereavement sale. Dorin races his pigeons on the roundabout system and this hen was sent sitting ten day eggs. Prior to basketing Dorin's son Denis popped a chicken's egg into the nest.
Gladwin, Jarvis & Family
Gladwin, Jarvis and Family of Leigh on Sea timed a two year old flying 510 miles on 1141mpm to take second east section and eighth open. John Gladwin's first in the clock was a Formula One Lofts bred Frans Zwol, a 2012 latebred. As well as training, it had just the one inland race as a young bird. As a yearling it was sent to Agen where it took sixth section and eighteenth open over 514 miles. In preparation for Agen 2014, it had Alençon, Tours and Falaise, all with the BICC. In addition to being a great racing hen, this bird has also bred a first open Essex Amalgamation north road winner for John and Gaynor Ashenden.
Bob Loft
It gives me great pleasure to report that Robert A Loft from Tenterden clocked a three year old to take ninth open and third east section flying 476 miles on 1136mpm. Working for the RPRA, I had a 'phone call a few weeks ago from an employee of a sawmill that had an infestation of pigeons in the roof space and where the manager was going to get a marksman in to deal with them. He asked me if I knew of anyone who could help get the few ringed pigeons out of the building before this happened. The only person I could find on my database was the excellently named Bob Loft, so I rang and left a message for him. Bob not only agreed to help, but also managed to trap all nine ringed pigeons and get them back to their owners before the inevitable happened to the ferals. What a brilliant job! I would like to think that Bob's ninth place in this race from Agen is payback for his sterling work on behalf of the fancy as a whole. Bob timed a widowhood cock bred down from his long distance family.
Mark Currivan (Ken Hine's grandson) with other grandchildren
Mr and Mrs Ken Hine of Hayes timed a two year old on 1135mpm over 510 miles to take fifth centre section and tenth open. Ken passed away a couple of year ago but the racing name is still in operation and the loft is managed by his grandson Mark, assisted by Jeff Byles. Mark's first on the clock was a widowhood hen, being a granddaughter of a blue chequer cock from W Lawrence of Scotland, this being one of four that Ken exchanged with him. This cock has the best of the Engage bloodlines from Jim Biss and was paired to a Fear Brothers' hen, the dam of which is a direct daughter of the Fear Brothers' classic winner from Pau. The dam of this winner also contains long-distance blood as its sire was bred by Alwyn Hill from Wingdown when paired to the champion Pau hen. Mark clocked a second pigeon, the same way bred as his first, to take seventeenth open.
Around the sections
Brain Sheppard with Champion Jingles
Second west section was a five year old timed by Brian Sheppard of Trowbridge on 1088mpm after 511 miles. Brian clocked a second bird to be third west section, this was a yearling on 1053mpm. Brian was the first ever UK fancier to win an international race with Legend, timed in 2003 from Dax to beat more than seventeen thousand pigeons. As well as the second west section winner, which was sixteenth open, Brian timed two more pigeons to take third and eighth section, twenty-third and sixty-sixth open.
First north east section was won by Peter Mallett of Bury St Edmunds with a five year old flying 554 miles on a velocity of 531mpm. Peter timed a widowhood cock that was second section from Pau in 2013. It was mated in March and allowed to sit first round eggs before being put on the widowhood system. Prior to Agen it had been to Falaise, Alençon and Tours.
First north central section was timed on the third day by John Rumney of Houghton-le-Spring. John timed a five year old on 507mpm over 747 miles. John timed early on the Sunday morning after a day of thunder and heavy rain on the Saturday which must have made the going incredibly difficult for his pigeon. This plucky, dark chequer hen was bred from a pigeon gifted to John by Brian Denny and containing Eddie Wright's Mr Gallant lines when paired to Brian's own family. This cock was mated to an inbred Eric Cannon pigeon when crossed with a son of Brian Denny's Tuff Nut.
This concludes the report of the provisional result of the British International Championship Club from Agen in conjunction with the International.