Dickie Pearmain and family - photo courtesy of Chris Sutton
The winner of the race and in first east section, was R Pearmain & Son from Wickford in Essex. Dickie and son, Steve, timed a four year old hen early on the second day to record a velocity of 1094ypm over a distance of just short of six hundred and twenty miles. Named Mary of Donegal, this hen was second open from Perpignan in 2012 and contains the best of the Dutch long distance bloodlines. Not raced as a young bird, it was trained to the coast and started its racing career as a two year old. The Pearmains can now add a national win to their fifth open from Marseille and their fourteenth open from St Vincent.
Mark Gilbert (R) pictured with Phil Sendell
Mark Gilbert was first centre section, second open with a two year old on 1080ypm. Mark's first in the clock was a roundabout cock, a grandson of Brockamp's Perpignan 06. The dam is a daughter of Southfield Supreme when paired to a daughter of Brockamp's George. Mark clocked another closley after wards to take second centre section, eleventh open. His second on the clock was a widowhood cock with the bloodlines of Brockamp's Euro Diamond x Deweert's Manus and Ted. Mark clocked further birds to achieve sixteenth, twenty third, twenty fourth, twenty fifth, twenty seventh, thirtieth, thirty first, thirty fourth, thirty fifth, thirty sixth, thirty seventh, forty second, forty eighth and forty ninth open.
John Lane with Sham's Boy
Second east section and third open was timed at the Whitstable loft of J Lane and was a two year old cock on 966ypm. This was the same pigeon that was third section, fourteen open from Agen earlier in the season. John's bird was bred for him by his good friend Terry Johnson. Known as Sham's Boy it was sent sitting twelve day eggs and had had a trainer from Lilliers before being sent to Perpignan. John clocked a second bird for twenty seventh open as well.
Geoff (R) and Clayton (L) Preece
G M Preece and Son of Dover were third east section, fourth open with a German bred four year old on 960ypm. Geoff and Clayton timed their chequer white flight cock named Jack Jones. This pigeon has now raced from across the channel a staggering thirty six times. Jack Jones was first open from Perpignan in 2010 and on that occasion became the first and only UK bird to be clocked on the day from that racepoint. It was bred by Soffel-Gr. Ophoff of Dorsten in Germany and was purchased as a squeaker. Geoff and Clayton timed further pigeons to take forty sixth, fifty ninth, sixty fourth and seventy seventh open.
Simon Knowles
Three times winners of the Triple Europa Cup, F Knowles and Son of Wingham, Canterbury clocked fourth east section, fifth open with a five year old hen on 942ypm. Prior to Perpignan it had two club races from Bedhampton and two from Pithiviers with the East of England Continental Club, plus training. This pigeon was the partners' first home from the Agen international taking thirty seventh open.
John Chipperfield with son Joe
The Herne Bay loft of John Chipperfield timed a three year old dark chequer hen to take fifth east section and sixth open on 912ypm. Full of the best Southwell bloodlines it was flown on the roundabout system, the same as it was from Falais and Pau earlier in the season. John has twice won the BICC in the past.
Adam Turrell
Seventh open and sixth east section was clocked by Adam Turrell from Maidstone in Kent and was a three year old hen on 906ypm. Adam timed a 2010 Ven Der Wegan x Jan Polder that he purchased as a youngster in a kit of six from the House of Aarden. This hen has had nine channel races and has always been a consistent performer, previously this season it has been to Alençon and Le Mans with the BICC and Tours with the Kent Invicta South Road Combine. A newcomer to international racing Adam has entered four races this season and timed in good performers in all four.
Jackie and Paula Harris
Eighth open and seventh east section went to J Harris and Daughter of Dagenham with a three year old cock on 903ypm. Jackie and his daughter, Paula, sent three and timed three to also take twelfth and twenty third open - a great team performance. Their first home was a chequer, bred out of stock they bought from the British Barcelona Club stud containing the blood of three Spanish diploma winners when paired to a Jimmy Shepherd Southwell hen. Their second in the clock has the bloodlines of J Sieburn from Holland on the sire's side and Jim Biss and Jimmy Shepherd Southwells on the dam's.
R and N Steptoe
R & N Steptoe and Son from Oxted timed eighth east section and ninth open, this being a two year old cock on 901ypm. This pigeon is of Van Reet x Janssen x Soontjen bloodlines and having been flown on the widowhood system all season, it was re-paired and sent to Perpignan sent sitting fourteen day old eggs. Preparation for the race included two inland races followed by Messac and Tours.
Don and Elaine Harvey
Completing the top ten we have Don Harvey of Dover with a three year old on 885ypm, this also being ninth east section. Don sent two and clocked two, his second being thirty sixth open. His first bird is a three year old widowhood cock named Taffy as he was lost from an inland race and reported in Wales. This pigeon is bred down from a Mick Spencer cock when paired to a Dutch hen. Don's second bird, also a widowhood cock is of Mick Spencer and Keith Nethercott breeding.
Around the sections
Mark Sparey
Mr Mark Sparey of Abertillery was first west section and twenty second open with a four year old widowhood cock on 815ypm. His Perpignan pigeon is bred from one of his top stock cocks, the £30 cock - named, as that is how much he cost from the bereavement sale of the late Peter Owtrim. Mark liked the look of him and he has since bred numerous winners. The dam of this pigeon is bred from a daughter of a full sister to Mark Gilbert's Dax international winner, Southfield Supreme. Over the past few seasons Mark has won two Welsh nationals and is now making a name for himself in the international races.
Gordon and June Mears
Second west section and fifty seventh open went to Mr and Mrs G Mears of Newport with a two year old natural cock on 640ypm. This cock had flown Alençon, Tours and Tarbes already this season and was sent to Perpignan on hatching eggs. The Mears allow their pigeons an open loft all day and they are hopper fed.
John (L) and David (R) Staddon
Third west section and seventy third open is the Somerset partnership of father and son, John and David Staddon with Shapway Unbreakable, a cock on 448ypm. This cock has numerous national prizes to his name. The Staddons clocked a second bird to be provisionally fourth section, this being known as Shapway Star. Both pigeons were raced on a modified widowhood system earlier in the season but were re-paired and sent sitting eggs for Perpignan.
First north section
First into the north section and in forty third open were Barber and Wilkinson of Great Yarmouth with a seven year old on 703ypm. Bred from Jim Biss stock, the sire is a son of Emboli when paired to a daughter of Engage and the dam is a daughter of Pacer paired to Salve. It was a latebred in 2006 and wasn't raced until 2008, since when it has been a steady performer, having flown Tarbes with the National Flying Club for the last three seasons. Perpignan was its fifth race of over six hundred and fifty miles.
The winner from Perpignan - photo courtesy of Chris Sutton
That concludes the report of the British International Championship Club race from Perpignan in conjunction with the international.