The Messac winner for Fagg and Nicholas
First open and first section E went to Colin Fagg and Linda Nicholas who race into Sittingbourne in Kent. The partnership clocked a roundabout hen bred by Frans Laermans in Belgium. Colin and Linda have been buying birds from Frans since 2004 and have been very pleased with what they have obtained. This is this hen's third channel crossing this year after her being injured earlier in the season. After that, Colin gave her a fifty mile single up in the week before basketing to make sure she knew what was expected of her. The birds are raced on Versele Laga Superstar Plus IC and Matrix.
Mark Bulled and daughters
Mark Bulled from Harlow was second section E and second open with a two year old, chequer pied cock flown on the widowhood system. Mark is a well known distance flyer in the internationals but he also keeps a small team to race at the other distances. This team is based around the Frank Sheader Soontjens crossed into a red Busschaert cock from John Taylor. Added into the mix is a Staf Van Reet hen from Mark Sands and a Van Loon cock from Robbie Wilton. To date this family has bred Mark forty x first federation winners.
D Wilton and son Robbie
Provisional third section E and third open went to the Grays loft of D Wilton who flies with son, Robbie and grandson, Andrew. The partnership clocked a three year old, Braspenning widowhood cock on its second outing across the channel this season. It had already won four x first club and a first federation beforer being sent to Messac. The partnership's Braspenning bloodlines come from J Redfern and Louella Stud.
Fourth open and fourth section E was to the Heywood Loft in Laindon. The partnership clocked a two year old, blue pied cock which is a full brother to Playboy, the lofts NFC winner from Fougères. Both of these pigeons are bred from The Bihorel cock who won with the British International Championship Club from Fougères.
Dave Waterhouse
First section B and fifth open was clocked at the Portsmouth loft of Mr and Mrs Waterhouse. A roundabout hen named Taylas Lass was their first home and has the bloodlines of Jacob Poorvliett x Chris Hebberecht. This pigeon was third club and tenth federation from Fougères a couple of weeks ago. The race team are fed on Marimans corn and Gem Super Widowhood.
David Coward-Talbot
Sixth open and fifth section E was won by David Coward Talbot of Chelmsford, no stranger to top racing success. David clocked a blue, yearling hen bred by Graham Jones of Wheatley Hillin Durham. She is a full sister to Richardson and Son's first Up North Combine winner from Lilliers in 2012 and a direct daughter of Graham's Peter Veenstra blue cock crossed with a Jacob Poortvliet stock hen. This pairing are responsible for many winners for Graham and his good friend Albert Woodroffe.
Steve Coxall
Seventh open and sixth section E was clocked by the Ongar loft of Steve Coxall. Steve timed a yearling widowhood cock on its third channel race of the season. It is bred from a Robbie Wilton Janssen cock paired to a daughter of Paddy Kelly's five times Lerwick Hall of Fame winner. Raced on the classic widowhood system it is fed on a standard widowhood mix.
Mark Gilbert
The Windsor lofts of Mark Gilbert clocked eighth open and seventh section E. Mark timed the same roundabout hen that was fourth open from Cholet two weeks ago. A dark chequered daughter of Southfield Star which was second open NFC Saintes in 2011. The dam is from Dutch Master and Gerrie.
Mick Carrick holding Jeff
Mick and Tracey Carrick from Chesham timed ninth open and eighth section E with a yearling cock named Jeff as he was bred by their good friend Jeff Hull. A latebred, this was its first time across the channel. The partnership clocked a second bird, bred by Pete Hackling from Bolton, shortly afterwards.
Completing the provisional top ten we have Daniel Clark and Son from Molash who were also ninth section E. The partners clocked a three year old hen bred from Hartogs purchased from Colin McBride of Northern Ireland. It was raced on the Frank Bristow widowhood system where the hens spend the week on a perch in front of their covered up boxes and then race back to retired cocks on the weekends.
Sullivan and Gent partnership
Section A was won by Sullivan and Gent from Brighton with a two year old, blue, widowhood cock the sire of which is a son of Tiny Tim and the dam is a granddaughter of Ermerveens Hope bred by Ian Stafford. The partners have named their winning bird Danny Boy as good friend and fellow fancier, Danny Philips sadly passed away that day at the young age of forty two. Second section A was won in Brighton at the loft of Tracy Andrew. Tracy retired a few years ago and after having raced on the widowhood system for many years, decided to revert to the natural system so he could enjoy the birds in his free time. The pigeon was from an egg gifted to Tracy by Martin Greatham.
Second section B was won by Wearn Brothers and Neilson from Ramsdean. The section C winner was Stuart Jack from Salisbury Plain who has won the section on six occasions in the past. From Messac he timed a two year old widowhood cock of Hermans Ceusters bloodlines which was bred by Stuart's friend Gordon and has now been named after its breeder. Second section went to G Glaze from Shaftsbury.
Richard Goodier with Billy and Josh
Top honours in section D go to the partnership of Richard Goodier and Sons (Billy and Josh) of Marsh Dean, who clocked a Jos Thoné x Jan Aarden hen racing to a two day old squeaker. She is named the Platinum hen as she was rung with a platinum ring for the Three Counties gold ring race in 2011 and she went on to win it.
Eamon Kelly
The partnership of Lloyd and Kelly, aka Eamon Kelly of Abingdon, topped section F with a Roger Maris cock bought from Crowley and Green in 2011. Originally raced on roundabout it was re-paired and went to the race driving a hen to nest. Second section went to the loft of D, S and R Wiggins of Oxford.
Mr & Mrs Chambers
Section G was won by the Devizes loft of Mr and Mrs Chambers with a two year old Vandenabeele roundabout cock bred from a pair of Kuwaiti birds that were entered in the Europa one loft race in 2004 and which the partnership bought at auction. Second section went to Nigel Templar of Bristol who clocked a Van Dyck based cock which was second section third open from Carentan and then fourth section from Cholet with the NFC earlier in the season.
Gary Jones and grandchildren
Gary Jones from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire was the winner in Section H. This was Gary's first National Flying Club race since taking a twenty year break from the sport and then re-starting three years ago. Gary clocked a yearling, grizzle cock named Berty which was raced on the natural system. Second section was timed by the Beech and Bond partnership from Newmarket.
Graham Jones
Section I saw the Redditch loft of Jones and Adams in the top spot with a three year old, Soontjens hen on her third channel race of the season. Rob Rome of Cheltenham was second section with a latebred hen still carrying two nest flights having never been basketed as a young bird. It is bred from Geronimo 183 from Patrick and Dimitri Houfflijn, and contains bloodlines that have bred numerous winners.
Harris and Daughter from Telford won first section J and the second section went to JA Hamplett of Stafford. Section K was won by HA Rawson and Son from Mansfield whilst second section went to Colin Dixon of Mansfield who timed a Wildermeersch pigeon from birds that originated from Jake Cotterill and the Mitchell Brothers.
George Appleton with his son
Finally, the section L winner was George Appleton of Denton in Manchester. George timed a yearling cock named Daleside Expected, bred from a Lindelauf cock paired to a Louis Cooreman hen bred by bob Fenech. Second section went to S A Goldstraw from Congleton with a Kees Boshua cock.
That concludes the report of the National Flying Club race from Messac.