Peter Donovan (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Peter Donovan of Croydon took first centre section and first open on 1935ypm with a yearling hen. This hen was bred by Dewi Staples-Jones of Croydon and contains Mark Adcock bloodlines, these being Romani Janssen x Busschaert. Guernsey was this hens first race this season as it was used as a widowhood hen previously this season. It was sent sitting eight day old eggs.
J and J Brady
First east section and second open was a two year old hen timed by J & J Brady of Benfleet on 1885ypm. The partners clocked a pigeon bred from a son of their old Janssen cock, which they purchased from Edwin Scheffer. The dam is a grandaughter of this same cock. It was nineteenth open from Guernsey two weeks previously and this time was sent sitting chipping eggs.
Meg Murray
Meg Murray of Burnham-on-Crouch took second east section, third open on 1817ypm with a yearling hen. The sire of Meg's pigeon was bred from birds she obtained from Stuart Ager in a young bird swap and its bloodlines are Mark Evans Vandenabeele through the Roman Lord. The dam is a Kavanagh Busschaert that Meg brought with her when she moved down south from the north east. A chequer, this hen was sixth section and seventh open from Guernsey two weeks previously. It was paired to another hen and both were sitting the same egg, which hatched a week before basketing - these two hens were the first two back from Guernsey for Meg.
Lee and Joe Jackson
Third east section and fourth open was a yearling hen timed by P Jackson and Son, (actually Lee and Joe) from Bromley on 1809ypm. The partners timed a Van Loon bred down from their old family crossed into Corneel Bertels. Having been flown on the widowhood system for much of the season, this hen was paired up and sent sitting on seven day old youngsters.
First north section and fifth open went to H Cook and Son and Grandson of Kings Lynn with a two year old hen on 1716ypm. These three generations of the same family fly to a small, back garden loft in the centre of the town. The partners had two birds drop together and they were timed sixteen seconds apart. Their first in the clock is a Jan Aarden x Busschaert the sire of which was bought from Doug Gartland of Surrey, whilst the dam was purchased at charity sale and was bred by D Garnett of Cheshire. Second in the clock is a red yearling Hagan bred from a direct cock that is a granson of Gianni when paired to a R Moleveld pigeon, a grandaughter of Carcasonne.
Doug Grant
Fourth east section and sixth open went to the Pevensey Bay loft of Doug Grant. Doug clocked a three year old hen on 1698ypm with Delbar x Janssen bloodlines, being a previous winner of first open from Guernsey.
Adam Turrell
Adam Turrell of Maidstone timed a three year old hen for fifth east section and seventh open on 1679ypm. Adam's first pigeon is a Staf Van Reet x Willy Thas on its seventh channel race of the season, having previously flown Falaise, Alençon, Le Mans, Tours, Bergerac and Guernsey I. Adam had one hundred percent returns from this Guernsey race.
Peter Gretton
Peter Gretton of Brighton was second centre section and eighth open with a two year old hen on 1650ypm. The sire was bred by Mr and Mrs Streatfield, whilst the dam is a Staf Van Reet from C Locke of Cambridgeshire. This was Peter's only entry and it was sent sitting ten day old eggs.
Eric Neilson
Third centre section and ninth open was a three year old hen clocked by Wearn Brothers and Neilson of Ramsdean on 1641ypm. The partners clocked a hen bred from Keith Arnolds multi-award winning family of Staf Van Reets. Completing the top ten and in second north section we have Nicholae babes of Ely on 1630ypm. Nicholae timed a four year old hen which came into his loft in 2009 as a stray young bird. Having agreed to keep it, Nicholae's kindness has been richly rewarded as it has gone on to win many prizes including seven times first prize.
Around the sections
Third north section and twelfth open went to T Head of Willington. This hen is of Van Reet x Jan Lotterman Koopman bloodlines and it was used as a widowhood hen earlier in the season. It was sent to Guernsey feeding a five day old squeaker.
Mark Sparey
The west section was won by Mark Sparey from Abertillery who was also fifty fourth open. Mark clocked the same hen that finished fourth west section two weeks previously. The sire is Mark's top breeding cock and the dam was bred by Mark Gilbert from a son of James Bond when paired to blooldines such as Tips, Dutch Master and Gerrie.
Second west section and fifty fifth open was timed by Mr and Mrs Durham and Son from Gwent. Adrian, Karen and son, Jack, clocked a yearling chequer hen containing the best of Smith and Baker 21 lines on the sire's side and the dam is a Houben via Cary Grother. Third west section and sixty third open went to John Halstead from Gillingham. John's timed a full sister to his 2011 Palamos winner, this being the best of Biss Natrix and Southwell bloodlines.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British International Championship Club race from Guernsey for old hens.