Andrew Mabin (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
First section D and first open was timed by Mr and Mrs Mabin of Buckfastleigh and was a yearling flying 203 miles on 1411ypm. This is the fourth time the Mabins have won a National Flying Club race. From Messac they timed a bird bought at a breeder buyer sale and bred by clubmate Phil Bond. As a young bird she went to Carentan with the NFC. Andy generally races on the roundabout system but for the national races he has devised his own system based on natural jealousy. This involves pairing the pigeons and then taking the hen away and introducing a new hen to the cock. Once this new hen is down on eggs the original hen is re-introduced in order to make the sitting hen jealous. This hen is then basketed for the race.
Graham & Sandra Williams
Mr and Mrs G Williams from Camborne were second section D and second open with a yearling flying 228 miles on 1379ypm. Sandra and Graham clocked a hen named Celtic Lass and which is of the Jos Thoné bloodlines that they obtained from John Gregg of Cumbria. This hen was raced on roundabout earlier in the season but was then re-paired and sent sitting ten day old eggs.
Stuart Wilcox (r)
First section G and third open went to Stuart Wilcox of Bristol with a three year old flying 251 miles on 1370ypm. Stuart timed Nosey, his all pooler that last year was sixth from Carentan with the High Littleton Flying Club and earlier this season, second section, second open from Messac with the Central Southern Classic Flying Club. The sire of Nosey is Chips, bred by Benny Steveninck and a son of Chipo, first national ace pigeon sprint in Belgium. The dam to Nosey is the Golden Hen bred by Frans Zwols. Stuart timed his second pigeon on 1369ypm to take second section G and fourth open. This was a hen named Alan's Girl after his neighbour Alan Keepins who helps Stuart with feeding and exercising the hens every morning. Alan's girl is one hundred percent Frans Zwols being a daughter of Champion Ferdinand on the sire's side and of Frans Zwols' 817 on the dam's.
Wile & Lias
Mr and Mrs G & M Wile and S Lias from Bristol timed a three year old flying 250 miles on 1367ypm to take third section G and fifth open. Garth and Maxine Wile fly with their son-in-law, Stephen Lias. The partners clocked a chequer widowhood cock of Willy Van Houtte x Silver Toye bloodlines on the one side and the breeding of local fancier Terry Humphreys on the other. Last season this cock was first club, first federation, first open from Messac with the Bristol Federation.
Ken Sluman
Ken Sluman of Bideford was third section D and sixth open with a three year old flying 246 miles on a velocity of 1362ypm. Named Stevestone Limber, this Janssen De Klak cock was bred from a direct Arrie Van Beek carring the lines of Krasduif 700 and Lichte 719. The dam of this winner is bred down from birds obtained from Ken's good friend Tom Sherwood.
Brian Milkins
Brian Milkins of Bristol timed a three year old flying 250 miles on 1359ypm to take fourth section G and seventh open. This was a Busschaert cock from the old Pearson and Dransfield lines and is closely related to Brian's first club, first combine winner from Tours in 2010 with over one thousand, six hundred birds competing.
Nev Charlton's grizzle hen
First section F and eighth open was a yearling flying 242 miles on 1351ypm for Neville Charlton from Netherton. Nev clocked a grizzle hen, the daughter of a Jos Thoné cock bred by his clubmates Peter and James Parker. The dam of this section winner is a Soontjen hen that has always been at stock. The nestmate to this grizzle hen won the section from Fougères with the British Barcelona Club.
Gary Jacobs
Gary Jacobs of Penzance timed a yearling flying 233 miles on 1346ypm to take fourth section D and ninth open. Pigeon flying into Penzance is not for the fainthearted as the area is awash with hawks. Gary purchased his winning hen at a breeder buyer sale and it was bred by his good friends Steven Moore and Richard Stephenson from Middlesborough. Sent to Messac sitting eight day eggs, this was only its third race this season as it was badly hawked before racing started. A stalwart of the sport, Gary spends a lot of time helping repatriate pigeons stranded on the Scilly Isles.
Completing the top ten we have C A J Riley from Blandford Forum with a yearling on 1343ypm and which was also first into section C.
Around the sections
Tony Baughen
Section A was won by A J Baughen from Liphook with a yearling flying 229 miles on 1135ypm. Tony timed a Honeysuckle Janssen cock that had just been re-paired and was driving hard. Second section went to F Hall and Daughters with a two year old flying 217 miles on 1129ypm. Fred clocked a cock flown on roundabout earlier in the season but paired and sent sitting four days. Third section was Tom Powers from Whitehill with a two year old flying 230 miles on 1105ypm.
Rob Jones
The section B winner was a yearling flying 216 miles on 1332ypm for Bartlett and Jones from Southampton. Rob timed a Soontjen hen sent unpaired due to losing her cock from Cholet a few weeks previously. Tony Cowan of Southampton timed a yearling flying 211 miles on 1307ypm to take second section B. Tony's hen contains the lines of Nadira, an international winning pigeon twice in the same season. Third section was a yearling flying 225 miles on 1272ypm for M Waters of Salisbury.
Spracklen & Thomas
Second section C was timed by Spracklen and Thomas from Dorchester and was a three year old flying 201 miles on 1330ypm. Neville's pigeon, Dream Boy, is a great grandson of Mark Gilbert's Southfield Supreme. Third section C was taken by a yearling flying 211 miles at 1312ypm for D Vincent of Axminster.
Second section E for Mark Gilbert
Mark Gilbert of Windsor timed two close together to take first and second section E. Both yearling, roundabout cocks flying 255 miles, Mark's first, a grandson of Drapa's Hero, was clocked on 1299ypm and his second, from his 2011 second open Tarbes winner, on 1298ypm. K R Cripps of Windsor was third section E with a three year old flying 257 miles on 1289ypm.
Steve Slade
Mr Steve Slade of Calne timed a two year old flying 252 miles on 1333ypm to take second section F. This pigeon took first section from Guernsey with the Central Southern Classic Flying Club earlier this season and its breeding is Janssen x Jan Aarden. Lloyd and Kelly of Abingdon were third section F with a yearling flying 263 miles on 1323ypm.
Petherbridge & Son
S Petherbridge and Son from Milton Keynes timed a yearling flying 296 miles on 1216ypm to take first section H. The sire of Scott's winner was a gift bird from his friends Eric, Margaret, Gary and Glen Corkett of leighton Buzzard. Second section H went to Collishaw and Johnson from Sleaford with a three year old flying 364 miles on 1171ypm. This pigeons was from their old family of Westacott based pigeons. Patmore and Rayner from Saffron Walden were third section H with a four year old flying 301 miles on 1137ypm.
Rob Rome
T J Durows of Birmingham timed a yearling flying 317 miles on 1272ypm to take first section I. Second and third section I were timed by Rob Rome of Cheltenham and were both yearlings flying 281 miles on 1257.8ypm and 1257.7ypm respectively. Rob timed a Houfflijn x George Carteus hen raced on total widowhood, followed by a Houfflijn x Reimus hen.
Treharne & Son (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Section J was won by G Treharne and Son from Nantyglo with a yearling on 1326ypm. Graham and Stuart's section winner was bred from direct Eijerkamp stock birds, the sire being a Van Loon and the dam, Janssen x Van Loon. Second section J was a two year old flying 318 miles on 1316ypm for R Stokes and Son from Kidderminster. Brothers, Ian and Dave timed a Busschaert cock. C Lloyd of Cannock was third section J with a yearling flying 337 miles on 1302ypm.
J Booth
The winner in section K was J Booth of Castleford with a two year old hen flying 407 miles on 1233ypm. Raced on the roundabout system , it had previously been to Carentan and Vholet with the NFC. Second section K was a two year old flying 408 miles on 1225ypm for Ian, Kayleigh and Jake Gaunt of Wakefield. Father, daugher and son timed a young bird bred by Danny Moon of the Mitchell and Moon partnership. A Baker of Retford was third section K with a yearling flying 382 miles on 1209ypm.
Ernie Sellars
Section L was won by Ernest Sellars from Stockport with a five year old flying 318 miles on 1316ypm. Ernie clocked a Daun Thorsten hen, one of a batch of six youngsters he bought from Karl Guenther of Dumfries. Second into section L was R Jones and Son from St Helens with a two year old flying 388 miles on 1303ypm. Third section L was H Gray of Rochdale with a yearling flying 399 miles on 1294ypm.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the National Flying Club race from Messac.