First National Southfield Hugo (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Mark Gilbert (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
First open and first centre section was a three year old on 798mpm over 1132kms for Mark Gilbert of Windsor. Mark timed two further pigeons to also win eleventh and twelfth open, sixth and seventh centre section. First on the clock was a son of Golden Barcelona, the second ace pigeon of Europe from Barcelona over three years. The dam is a daughter of New Laureaat when paired to a daughter of Old Laureaat.
The wing of Southfield Hugo (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
G Townsend of Orpington was second open and first east section with a four year old on 624mpm over a distance of 1118km.
Ron & Annette Dove (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Ron Dove of Kingsnorth clocked a four year old on 586mpm over 1082kms to take third open and second east section.
Geoff & Clayton Preece
G M Preece and Son of Dover were fourth open and third east section with a two year old on 535mpm over 1085kms. Geoff and Clayton clocked a blue hen flown on the widowhood system. This hen is a grand-daughter of their Jack Jones cock. As a yearling it flew the Le Mans and Perpignan international races. This season it has had thirty-one hours on the wing prior to being sent to Barcelona. The sire is line bred to Robert Ben's Super Ben and the dam is line bred back to Jack Jones.
Steve Rhodes
Mr and Mrs S Rhodes of Aylesham timed a four year old on 509mpm over 1093kms to take fifth open and fourth east section. Steve and Sally's winner was a dark velvet Jan Polders cock, timed at ten past eight on the third morning of the race. It was bred by the House of aarden and was sent sitting ten day eggs.
Fifth open
Lyden Bros' hen
Lyden Brothers of Sandwich were sixth open and fifth east section with a six year old on 488mpm over 1097kms. John and Jeff timed a chequer hen, that has already won a number of prizes both inland and over the channel at local and regional level in the East of England Continental Club. This hen's performances have improved as she gets older which reflect the performances of her sire. The bloodlines go back to the Lyden's old family of pigeons. Her cock was lost earlier in the season so she has been racing to an empty nestbox since then. Preparation was two short but tough channel races and a couple of 60km trainers.
Jan & Albie Deacon
Seventh open and second centre section was a seven year old on 484mpm over 1077kms for A and T Deacon of Waterlooville. The partners timed a three further pigeons to also take ninth, seventeenth and twenty-first open. All four of the husband and wife's pigeons were flown on the natural system and sent sitting ten to twelve day eggs. First home was a chequer hen, the dam of which was tenth open, second section from Barcelona, whilst the grandsire was first open Brive. Second on the clock was a velvet hen that was badly hawked as a two year old but recovered to fly the hard Pau classic last year. The sire of this hen, Garincha, won multiple positions in the BICC. Third was a cock that was on his third race from Barcelona, the sire of this cock is also a BICC prize winner. Finally, the fourth bird clocked was a cock, apired to the first bird home. This was also its third time at the Barcelona race.
W P Aherne of Neasden clocked a five year old on 481mpm over 1070kms to take eighth open and third centre section.
Nick Walker
Nick Walker of Uxbridge was tenth open and fifth centre section with a six year old on 476mpm over 1136kms. This is the first time Nick has sent to Barcelona, sending a single entry. He only broke this hen out two years ago as she was bred by Paul Stone of West Drayton for Mr & Mrs j Cody of Uxbridge. Whne Jim sadly died, his wife Sonja gave the pigeon to Nick. She was sent sitting on a four day old youngster, only having two races this year before Barcelona. Her first race was Alençon in the BICC which she was two hundred and ninety-second open and Honiton in the club. Last year she was seventy-fourth open, twenty-second section Agen BICC.
David Hales & Duncan Goodchild
David Hales of Hockley timed two pigeons to take thirteenth and fourteenth open, sixth and seventh east section. The first was a two year old on 473mpm over 1131kms. The second, a six year old was on 437mpm. First to time was a blue chequer widowhood hen. This hen flew Tarbes, 580 miles, as a yearling. Her grandsires are Eadhun first and second open UK Barcelona for team RML and Big Wings, seventh open BICC Barcelona for Dave. The second bird home was Dave's first bird last year for fifteenth, open so a steady improvement. He is a blue widowhood cock, an uncle to Dave's first bird and a half brother to top racer, Tubby
Calum Edmiston
Calum Edmiston from Horley was fifteenth open and eighth centre section with a six year old on 4321mpm over 1088kms. Calum timed a blue cock named Blue Monday. This bird was previously 2nd BBC National Zaragoza and has a further number of BICC international timings to his credit. His breeding is Chris Van der Velden and there are a number of Dutch long distance national winners in his immediate pedigree.He had no inland races in his preparation, just three short channel races and lifted in after five weeks doing nothing. He was sent sitting a small squeaker. Calum timed a second pigeon for nineteenth open. this was a two year old hen, paired to and with the same preparation as Blue Monday. She is bred from third ace ZLU Pau over three years x twelfth ace Narbonne ZLU over four years, the strain being Barnstoppel Aarden.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British International Championship Club race from Barcelona, held in conjunction with the international.