Doug Grant (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
Doug Grant of Pevensey was first open and first east section with a three year old on 1884mpm over 254kms. Doug clocked Guernsey Golden Boy, a cock sent to the race sitting eggs and on only its fourth race of the season. The sire of Guernsey Golden Boy is a Janssen that Doug had from his late friend Jurgen Josch, whilst the dam contains Delbar bloodlines which he obtained originally from the late John Tripp.
Guernsey Golden Boy (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
John & Pam Gladwin
John and Pam Gladwin of Southend on Sea were second open and second east section with a yearling on 1865mpm over 325kms. Husband and wife timed a Frans Zwols hen bred from some young birds given to them by their son and John Cowlin. This hen is bred from a child of 072 Eagle Boy and D'Artagian 749, the parents of first BICC Alençon and first combine Falaise and much more besides.
Meg Murray
Meg Murray of Burnham on Sea was third open and third east section with a yearling cock on 1857mpm over 336kms. Meg's winner was one of seven pigeons gifted to her by clubmate Lee Bastone. As a youngster it was second open from Guernsey, beaten by Lee and earlier this season it was tenth open from Alençon. The sire is a son of the top Lambrecht, Kingpin and the dam is a Vandenabeele bred from a national winner paired to a BICC winner. Meg timed a second pigeons which will feature at eighth open in the final result. This was a five year old blue chequer cock, one of the oldest racers in her loft. This cock was one of the last birds to be sired by Sooty, Meg's Wooff, Son and Daughter Vandenabeele cock. Sooty came to Meg's loft in 2005 and was always paired to Mealy, a Janssen hen and between them they bred some cracking racers. When Mealy stopped laying, Sooty was paired to a hen off the Willy Thas cock and the Staf Van Reet hen, both great stock birds leaving their mark on the loft.
Fourth open and fourth east section was a two year old on 1807mpm over 326kms for Dennis Brown of Dover.
Jackson & Son's open
P Jackson and Son of Bromley timed a two year old hen on 1793mpm over 282kms for fifth open and fifth east section. This hen is a grand-daughter to the partners' Champion 45, a Jan Huybrect cock, when paired to a direct daughter Of Jos Thoné's ace Sumo.
Sixth open and first centre section was won by G Burgess of Wraysbury with a yearling cock on 1790mpm over a distance of 261kms.
M and J Adcock and Son of Croydon were seventh open and second centre section with a yearling on 1748mpm over 274kms. The partners timed a hen raced widowhood earlier in the season but repaired and sent sitting ten days.
Eighth open and third centre section was won by Philip Gomes of Welwyn with a two year old on 1729.66mpm over 309kms.
Mr and Mrs Coles of Maidstone clocked a yearling on 1729.63mpm over 293kms.
Completing the top ten and in seventh east section are Tommy and Pauline from Gravesend with a yearling on 1729.2mpm over 298kms.
Around the sections
Nigel Templar
Nigel Templar of Hartcliffe was first west section with a three year old on 1125mpm over 213kms. Nigel actually clocked six pigeons which will probably take the first six in the section in the final result.
Dave Staddon
John and David Staddon of Evercreech were second west section with a two year old on 837mpm over 186kms. The partners are having an excellent season, often near the top of the national results and this time they timed a red cock bred from a son of the Cooper's Farm Boy and a daughter of Mark Gilbert's Southfield Pau. This cock was raced on the partners' chaos version of the widowhood system earlier in the season but was sent to Guernsey flying natural as John and David find they hold the moult better if flying back to squeakers.
Chris Williams of Plymouth was third west section.
Vincent Mudd
The north-centre section winner was Vincent Mudd from Roxton with a two year old on 1546mpm over 338kms. Vincent's section winner was bred from a cock loaned to him by Richard Howey. Vincent timed a second pigeon which will probably take second section in the final result.
Mr & Mrs Smith
Mr and Mrs Smith of Rushden were second north-centre section with a yearling on 1499mpm over 338kms. Mick and Sue timed a hen sent sitting eight days, the sire of which is a Willy Tha x Jos Thoné. The dam was a gift bird from their friends the Shipton Brothers.
John Black
John Black of Hitchin was third north-centre section. The bird John got in the any age race was a dark chequer widowhood yearling Southwell hen having her first race of the session, she was used for the widowhood cock all season, then trained with the young birds.
Thompson Bros
The Thompson Brothers of Great Yarmouth were first north-east section with a three year old on 1650mpm over 458kms. Clifford and John clocked a hen sent sitting seventeen day eggs, the four grandparents of which are Melvyn Horn's Gaby Vandenabeeles.
Glen Eastoe
Chapman and Eastoe of Great Yarmouth were second north-east section with a two year old on 1644mpm over 461kms. Glen timed a Gaby Vandenabeele hen bred for the partners by the late Len Frail of Rotherham.
R Fenech and Son from Attlborough was third north-east section.
Booth & Roper
Booth and Roper of Tewkesbury were first, second and third north-west section. First section was a two year old blue chequer cock containing Van den Bosche x Dordin bloodlines on 1422mpm over 282kms. This cock has been a consistent racer all season taking first club earlier in the year. It was raced on widowhood previously, but re-paired and sent to Guernsey sitting eighteen day eggs. Second section was a blue chequer pied hen, again sent sitting eggs and bred down from the same Van den Bosche x Dordin bloodlines. Third on the clock was a grizzle cock bred from Brian Shappard x Jan Aarden bloodlines. Trevor and John have had a remarkable season in 2018, probably their best ever and taking the top three in the section is the icing on the cake.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British International Championship Club any age race from Guernsey.