Ray Roberts (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton
K Roberts and Son from New Addington took first centre section and first open on 1929ypm. The partners had two birds drop together and their second timing could well turn out to be second open. Son, Ray, does most of the work with the race birds whilst his father, Ken, looks after the stock. First on the clock was a blue hen bred by Ray's good friend Dave Batts from the West Midlands. It is a Hermans-Ceusters bred pigeon from stock obtained from Premier Stud. Second to clock was its cock, which is bred down from Wicky and Kirk Bullen bloodlines going back to a second open national winner. The two pigeons were sent paired up and sitting fourteen day old eggs. At the end of the day, the partners had six out of their eight entries home.
Steve Coxell
Steven Coxell of Ongar was first east section, second open on 1903ypm. Steve timed a youngster he had from Dave Payne of St Neots as the two fanciers exchanged six young birds earlier this season. This chequer hen with a tic eye was flown on the darkness system and had been showing to some of the young cocks. Guernsey was its first channel race and it had previously been flown inland with the M11 club. Its sire has won several prizes on the north road for Dave. Second centre section and third open was timed by Mr and Mrs Andrews of Croyden on 1900ypm.
J and J Brady
Second east section and fourth open went to J & J Brady from Benfleet on 1884ypm. The partner's young bird was a hen raced on the darkness system and on its first channel race. Bred from a Geoff Kirkland cock when paired to a direct Jos Thoné hen, it was sent sitting a single egg on top of a large nest she had built inside a cardboard box.
John and Brady Donovan
Third centre section and fifth open was timed by John and Bradley Donovan and P J McHugh of Warlingham in Surrey on 1867ypm. The partnership clocked a Staf Van Reet, chequer pied hen bred from a three times Bergerac winning cock for Gary Dye when paired to a hen borrowed from J Donovan and Sons. Preparation included between fifty and sixty training tosses and then six young bird races prior to Guernsey.
Peter Donovan (photo courtesy of Chris Sutton)
John and Bradley's uncle, Peter Donovan of Croydon, took fourth centre section and sixth open on 1846ypm. Peter's youngster was bred by Andy Bury from Canterbury and was racing to a perch. Its sire is a Brockamp bred down from Euro Diamond and the dam is a Van Reet. The grand-dam of this young bird is a daughter of Reza which won many first prizes in races of up to nearly thirty thousand pigeons.
Dave Downing
First north section and seventh open was clocked by Dave Downing of Newmarket on 1845ypm. Dave timed a Vandenabeele hen raced on darkness and sent sitting overdue eggs. A consistent performer in all the young bird races this season, it had a small youngster put under it before basketing for Guernsey. Dave's pigeon was bred from a Red Star Lofts cock when paired to a Red Star Lofts x M & D Evans hen. This was Dave's first race with the BICC as he was previously a north road fancier. After moving house a year ago, Dave only turned south with his young birds this year.
Rob and Andrew Wilton
Rob Wilton and son, Andrew, from Chadwell St Mary clocked third east section and eighth open on 1842ypm. The partners timed a chequer cock on its first channel race. Raced on the darkness system, it was bred by the Jutla Brothers of Penge Lofts and its bloodlines are Peter Van der Merwe x Vandenabeele. Fourth east section and ninth open went to Dave Heywood and son, Gary, from Laindon on 1829ypm. Father and son clocked a chequer hen whose sire was bred from a National Flying Club winner when paired to a British International Championship Club winner. The dam is a grandaughter of Brockamp's Euro Diamond. This pigeon had one inland race as preparation for Guernsey.
Meg Murray
Completing the top ten and in fifth east section, we have Meg Murray of Burnham-on-Crouch on 1825ypm. Meg timed a young cock that had previously been reported by a non-fancier in Canterbury. It was collected by a local fancier and liberated on the Sunday when it returned to Meg's loft. Now known as the Sunday cock, it's sire was from a pair of birds gifted to Meg by her clubmate Lee Bastone. The cock of this pair is a Mardon Van Reet x Soontjen and the hen a pure Soontjen with Sabre and Secret bloodlines in the pedigree.
Around the sections
D Osbourne & Son
Second north section and eleventh open was clocked by D Osbourne and son, Lee, from Ipswich. Lee timed a light chequer hen flown on the darkness system and sent sitting twelve day old eggs. Its sire is an Ian Stafford Jos Thoné with Natioonal Investment bloodlines and the dam is a Wal Zoontjen with The President in its pedigree. Third north section and sixteenth open went to Stewart Hallett of Newmarket. Stewart clocked a young darkness hen bred from a Robbie Govier sire when paired to a Janssen x Dordin hen from Nigel Loker.
Brian Sheppard
First into the west section and in ninety second open is Brian Sheppard from Trowbridge. Brian timed his single entry to win the section, this being the same dark grizzle cock that took second west section from Guernsey two weeks previously. Bred from a cock that won first section, ninth open from Tarbes when mated to a National Flying Club section winning hen, it contains all the best of the old Venner and Trueman Dicken bloodlines. This time it was sent sitting fourteen day old eggs.
Rob Brooks
Second west section and one hundred and third open went to Brooks Brothers of High Littleton. Trosky's son, Rob, now manages the loft and he timed a red pied hen bred down from one of the Chuckle Brothers, top performers for the loft, having both flown Tarbes. It was racing to the perch on its first channel race. J Smale of Abergavenny was third west section and one hundred and fourth open. John's first on the clock is a chequer, white-flight hen containing the best of A & T Deacon Southwell lines and Dave Impett's Goldmine hen. This pigeon also contains the bloodlines of two Thurso winners, Westra Eddie and Gillian.
That concludes the report on the provisional result of the British International Championship Club race from Guernsey for young birds.