Foxgrove Carteus - photo courtesy of Chris Sutton
Fred Hall - photo courtesy of Chris Sutton
First open and first centre section was won by F Hall and Daughters from Worthing with a four year old on 1098mpm over 744kms. Fred timed a widowhood cock, the sire of which is a grandson of Armstrong and George, whilst the dam is a grand-daughter of As 571, the father of George. Now named Foxgrove Carteus, in rememberance of George Carteus who died last year, Fred's UK winner features at sixty-first place in the overall provisional international result. Fred timed a second pigeon the following morning, a full brother to his winner.
Mick Sheehy
M Sheehy of Maidstone was second open and first east section with a two year old on 1055mpm over 785kms. Mick clocked a widowhood cock, the sire of which was bred by Wignall and Barnie and contains Chris Gordon, Snydale Express bloodlines. The dam was a Busschaert via Paul Kilcoyne of Weston Super Mare.
Mark Gilbert (r)
Mark Gilbert of Windsor timed a three year old, widowhood cock on 1054mpm over 813kms to take third open and second centre section. The dam of Mark's winner is his Agen winner in 2014 and the sire is a son of Brockamp's Euro Diamond.
The wing of Farmer Sparey
Geoff and Catherine Cooper of Peasdown St John were fourth open and first west section with a five year old, widowhood cock on 998mpm over a distance of 825km. The Coopers timed Farmer Sparey, a grandson of George, first open from Tarbes. The dam of Farmer Sparey was bred by Clive Lister and is a grand-daughter of Brockamp's George.
Mr and Mrs Ken Hine of Hayes were fifith open and third centre section with a three year old, chequer cock clocked on 995mpm over 822kms. Since Ken's death the loft has been managed by his grandson Mark, assisted by Jeff Byles. On the sire's side this cock contains the bloodlines of Wingdown and on the dam's side it features a hen purchased from Ettiene Devos. The loft timed a second pigeon containg Biss x Fear and Wingdown bloodlines which is provisionally eleventh open.
Dave & Daniel Watson
Sixth open and fourth centre section was a two year old, blue pied widowhood cock on 981mpm over 809kms for D G Watson and Son from Ashford Common. David and Daniel's winner is bred down from their own family of pigeons.
Keith Turner
Mr and Mrs Keith Turner and Sons from Fingringhoe were seventh open and second east section with a three year old cock on 958mpm over a distance of 851kms. The sire of this cock won eleven first prizes for the Turners and its bloodlines go back to the Red Daniel line of Staf Van Reets.
Dorin Melinte
Eighth open and fifth centre section was a yearling hen on 955mpm over 827kms for Dorin Melinte of Stanmore. Dorin timed Little Princess, a grand-daughter of his great long distance racers Junior and Spanish Princess on the sire's side. The dam was bred for Dorin by Lucian Costache. Raced on the natural system, Little Princess was sent sitting a nine day old squeaker.
R & N Steptoe
R and N Steptoe of Oxted were ninth open and third east section with a four year old on 937.6mpm over 786 kms. This blue pied hen contains Janssen x Van Reet x Soontjen bloodlines being a grand-daughter of their national winner. It was flown on the natural system and sent sitting a newly hatched squeaker.
Tenth open winner
Completing the top ten and in fourth east section is Alan Dimes from Orpington with a two year old on 937.4mpm over a distance of 802kms. Alan timed the same cock that was sixth open from Agen as a yearling last season and which contains Louella Jan Aarden bloodlines.
Around the sections
Brooks Bros & Wilcox
Brooks Brothers and Wilcox of Bristol were second west section and fifteenth open with a three year old on 998mpm over 828kms. The partners timer is a blue widowhood hen that was bred by John and David Staddon. Its bloodlines are the Cooper's Deweerdt family as it is a grand-daughter of Farm Boy, the Bordeaux international winner for the Coopers. Rob and Suart timed four further pigeons to feature in the top twenty of the provisional section result.
Clive & Jill Rogers & Neil Sales
Third west section and nineteenth open was won by Clive and Jill Rogers and Neil Sales of Writhlington with a two year old on 747mpm over 823kms. The partners winner was bred by Tony Cottrell of Wimborne and it contains Nigel Rigiani and Chris Gordon bloodlines.
John Black
John Black of Hitchin was first north-centre section and thirty-eighth open with a three year old on 664mpm over 873km. John clocked a red, widowhood cock , the dam of which came from Gosling and Jarvis, being a daughter of their good cock, Matt. The sire is a grandson of Raymond Moleveld's Don Leo and John Chipperfield's Montauban winner.
Mr & Mts Errington - photo courtesy of Chris Sutton
Mr and Mrs Errington of Rushden clocked a four year old on 613mpm over 905km to take second north-centre section and fifty-eighth open. Mel timed a home bred widowhood cock, the sire was 968, his Jan Huybregts cock which won a ling distance ace pigeon award in 2014. The dam is 50% Supercrack bloodlines crossed into his own family of pigeons.
William Blunt
William Blunt of Biggleswade was third north-centre section and seventy-seventh open with a two year old on 583mpm over 880km. Bill's winner contains Staf Van Reet bloodlines and was raced on the natural system.
Alan & Tom Wright - photo courtesy of Chris Sutton
First north-east section and fourteenth open was a three year old on 846mpm over 934kms for A and T Wright of Norwich. Alan and Tom clocked a Jos Thoné x Van Bruaene widowhood cock on its third channel crossing of the season.
Alison & Clive Sewell & Phil Masters
Mr and Mrs Sewell and P Masters from Leiston were second north-east section and twentieth open with a four year old on 731mpm over 894km. Clive, Alison and Phil timed Ali's Pride, a cock was bred from a pair of pigeons gifted to them by Tony Calver of Ipswich.
Wigg Brothers of Antingham were third north-east section and ninety-sixth open with a three year old hen on 543mpm over 600km. The sire of Barry's hen was bred from a nest pair containing John Wills x Pat O'Sullivan bloodlines, whilst the dam was from his old Westcott family, being an aunt to his first section Barcelona cock.
Bruce Johnston
B Johnston of Kidderminster was first north-west section and thirty-third open with a three year old on 671mpm over 938km. Bruce timed a blue pied cock containing Jos Thoné bloodlines, one of a batch that he purchased from Mike Chadwick. Raced on the natural system, it was sent feeding a fifteen day old squeaker.
Nigel Matthews of Bridgnorth was second north-east section and fiftieth open with a two year old on 622mpm over 946km. Nigel timed a natural hen sent sitting fifteen day eggs.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British International Championship Club race from Agen, held in conjunction with the international.