First open and first centre section was a yearling on 1281mpm over 197 miles for M and J Barton of Brighton. Melvyn timed a Vandenabeele cock containing the bloodlines of Ali McCloud of the Teeside Federation. This cock was acting up in the days before the race, suggesting that he was coming into excellent form. Melvyn and his friends pooled their resources to obtain the best stock birds they could to breed pigeons capable of competing in and winning national races.
M and J Adcock and Son of Croydon were second open and second centre section with a two year old on 1227mpm over 233 miles. The partners timed a Vandenabeele cock.
R Obertelli of Wallington timed a yearling on 1224mpm over 231 miles to take third open and third centre section. Rene clocked a blue hen on its first channel race and sent sitting overdue eggs.
Aiden Jones of Canterbury was fourth open and first east section with a three year old on 1207mpm over 227 miles. Aiden timed a widowhood cock which was a latebred and only had a couple of single tosses as a youngster. It has been a consistent pigeon winning numerous positions in the East of England Continental Club. Its breeding is Vandenabeele, being bred from a pair of pigeons that Aiden had from Justin Rogers of Penzance.
D Heywood & Son
D Heywood and Son of Laindon timed a yearling on 1206mpm over 247 miles to take fifth open and section east section. The partners clocked a hen on its third channel race of the season, a daughter of Scholsey, fourth open Tours.
J Andrews and Sons of Thornton Heath were sixth open and fourth centre section with a three year old on 1202mpm over a distance of 235 miles. Thier timer was a gift bird from Neil Steptoe.
D Wilton & Son
D Wilton and Son of Chadwell St Mary were seventh open and third east section with a three year old on 1193mpm over 239 miles. Father and son clocked a son of their top breeding hen, Miss Consistent.
Eighth open and fourth east section was a yearling on 1188mpm over 250 miles for T Buckfield of Hockley. Tony actually timed three pigeons, the first two of which came together. All three were raced on the widowhood system, the first two being hens.
Mark & Karen Gilbert
Mark Gilbert of Windsor clocked a five year old on 1182mpm over 240 miles to take ninth open and fifth centre section. Mark clocked a hen flown on the widowhood system and containing Koopman x Supreme bloodlines.
Completing the top ten and in sixth centre section are B and J Gumbill of Horsham with a three year old on 1181mpm over a distance of 209 miles.
Around the sections
Clive & Jill Rogers & Neil Sales
Clive and Jill Rogers and Neil Sales of Writhlington were first west section and seventeenth open with a two year old on 1170mpm over 255 miles. The partners' hen came straight on line. It was injured in April this year si had been rested for recovery prior to the race.
Wyatt & Gray
Wyatt and Gray of Nailsea were second west section with a yearling on 1067mpm over 271 miles. Merv timed a hen bred from stock off his friend Dave Vowles of Street. It was raced on the natural system.
Phil Newton
Phil Newton of Weston super Mare was third west section. Phil timed a cock raced on the natural system and sent sitting seven day eggs. It was on its fourth channel race of the season.
Mr P Chamberlain of Northants was first north-centre section and thirty-seventh open with a three year old on 1129mpm over 303 miles.
Rodney Oakes of Northants was second north-centre section with a yearling on 1116mpm over 305 miles.
Mike Turner
Mike Turner of Alconbury was third north-centre section. Mike timed a red Vandenabeele cock containing M and D Evans bloodlines.
Steve Surrey of Wisbech timed a yearling on 1100mpm over 321 miles to take first north-east section and fifty-sixth open. Steve's timer was a De Meyer Soontjen blue pied hen on its fifth race of the season.
T & N Hart & Son
T and N Hart and Son of Cambridge were second north-east section with a six year old on 1093mpm over 289 miles. The partners clocked a widowhood cock containing Wildermeersch bloodlines.
Norman Myers of Newmarket was third north-east section with a Van Reet raced on a traditional widowhood system.
Ian Barnbrook
Mr I Barnbrook of Alveley was first north-west section and forty-eighth open with a three year old on 1108mpm over 327 miles. First section was a hen sent sitting overdue eggs. It was purchased at a breeder buyer sale and was bred by Danny Hughes.
Booth & Roper
Booth and Roper of Tewkesbury were second north-west section with a four year old on 913mpm over 296 miles. Trevor and John clocked a chequer widowhood hen that the day before basketing went missing from her section and was later found in with the young birds, playing up to a latebred yearling cock. She was left with the cock and the next day basketed for the race. in 2016 she was second section, ninth open from Portsmouth with the Midlands National Flying Club (over 7,000p.) and twenty-seventh section, one hundred and ninety-first open from Coutances with the National Flying Club.
Booth & Roper's hen
Mr & Mrs Lloyd
Mr and Mrs G Lloyd on Moreton on Lugg were third north-west section. Gwyn and Joy clocked a two year old blue Jan Aarden x Vandenabeele cock. It was sent to the race pipping eggs & has been on roundabout all season. Husband and wife timed three out of their six birds on the day. They were surprised that after all the hours on the wing none of them were desperate for water but went for food instead & they looked in great condition showing no signs of dehydration. This is this cock's third channel race, the previous race from Messac he was sixth club and fourteenth Fed. Gwyn and Joy may well try him out at five hundred miles next year.
Queen of Le Mans
Paul Swindell of County Down was first Irish section and two hundred and forty-second open with a yearling on 700mpm over a distance of 517 miles. Paul timed the first ever bird into the Irish section from a British International Championship Club race. The section winner, Queen of Le Mans was bred from chequer cock, The Wizard. The dam is a daughter of Extreme Heat, fourth Irish National Flying Club Quimper 2013. Incredibly Paul also clocked a second pigeon, King of Le Mans for second section. King of Le Mans had obviously encountered a hawk on route as he had three tail feather missing.
King of le Mans
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British International Championship Club race from Le Mans.