Mark Gilbert of Windsor was first open and first CS section with a two year old cock on 1041mpm over 560 miles. Mark timed a second pigeon, another two year old on 775mpm to also take sixth open and fourth CS section. In a change to his usual strategy, the UK Pau winner was raced on the natural system with the birds having been paired up a few weeks previously. The winner was nearly fourteen and a half hours on the wing in the extreme heat throughout France, proving his metal at the distance racing. This cock is bred from a full brother of Southfield Hugo, 1st national BICC Perpignan 2017 and 1st national BICC Barcelona 2018. It is also a half brother to Southfield Gold Lady, 1st national BICC Barcelona and 1st national BBC Barcelona 2020, 1st section, 5th national BICC Marseille 2019. It is also a double grandchild of Golden Barcelona the 2014 Gold Wing winner.
Paul Basham of Bursledon was second open and second CS section with a two year old on 974mpm over a distance of 524 miles. Paul's dark chequer hen was raced on the north before being turned south in preparation for Pau. The sire of this winner was bred by Jelle Jellema and is a son of Jill. The dam came from a co-breeding project between Mark Gilbert and Hugo Batenburg, with Southfield Hugo (double national winner) and a daughter of Lloyd (1st international Barcelona 2018) respectively.
John Chipperfield of Herne Bay timed three pigeons to take third, fourth and seventh open, first, second and third ES section. All were two year olds on 834mpm, 789mpm and 771mpm respectively over a distance of 559 miles. First on the clock was a grand-daughter of John's Barcelona winner Herne Bay Sophie and a great-grand-daughter to the international winner New Laureaat. The second and third birds are sisters, with the sire being the South World Cock known as the Bordeaux Cock from Jim Buress of Liverpool. The dam is a daughter of Lady Teresa and the grand-daughter to New Laureaat, both bred by Mark Gilbert. They were raced on the roundabout system
Popovici and Luca of Harrow were fifth open and third CS section with a three year old on 782mpm over 570 miles. Luca's dark chequer cock contains Jan Aarden bloodlines on the dam's side and Mirko Milovic's on the sire's.
Mr and Mrs Gardner of Portskewett timed a two year old on 748mpm over 581 miles to take eighth open and first WS section. The sire of the section winner is a direct son of Incredible, the ten timed national and international winner that was at stock at Louella Pigeon World. Terry acquired this eleven year old breeding cock and at the same time his wife bought a hen from a full brother to Imperial and In The Genes, and a half-sister to Imperial. These two were then paired together and have proved to be great breeders. This dark chequer cock has been across the channel five times already this season.
Ninth open and fourth ES section was a five year old on 745mpm over 574 miles for Dave Hales of Hockley.
Completing the top ten and in second WS section are Brooks Brothers and Wilcox of High Littleton who timed a three year old on 733mpm over a distance of 561 miles. This was a home bred cock raced on the widowhood system. It contains the best of the partners' old family of pigeons being bred from a son of 3rd open CSCFC Pau x a daughter of Mendip Hope, 1st section, 16th open BICC Pau. These bloodlines go back to Fear Brothers, Venners and Vic Priddy.
Around the sections
David and John Staddon of Ditcheat were third WS section with a five year old on 673mpm over 547 miles. David and John timed their single entry, a red cock called BRB. It was raced on the chaos widowhood system and has previously been 3rd section, 51st open NFC Tarbes 2022, 3rd section, 8th open CSCFC Tarbes, 3rd section, 9th open BBC Tarbes and 1st section, 16 national BICC Perpignan 2022. He is bred from the partners old Deweerdt bloodlines, with the sire coming from Geoff and Catherine Cooper's Farm Boy and the dam, Shapway Ruby was from Southfield Pau, 1st national BICC Pau for Mark Gilbert.
John Black of Hitchin timed three pigeons to take first, second and fourth NC section. All were two year olds and first on the clock was on 684mpm over 600 miles. Second and third timed at 607mpm and 556mpm respectively. The section winner was a red chequer, roundabout cock on its third channel race this season. The sire is a mealy cock bred by Guy Read from the Isle of Wight and the dam is a grand-daughter of Seb, father of Wingdown, bred by Jamie Clarke on the one side. On the other side, the dam has Lady Teresa, 1st Perpignan, 2nd Pau, bred by Johnny Chipperfield of Herne Bay. Second section is a roundabout hen containing J and K Jellema bloodlines.
Mircea Liviu Dehelean of Wellingborough timed a two year old on 584mpm over 619 miles to take third NC section. Mircea had the longest flying pigeon of the race, a cock raced on 10 day old eggs. It is bred from his best breeding hen, Ms Messi, who carries the bloodlines of Messi of Verweij de Haan and Jellema. The sire was a gift from his best friend Dan Nitoiu and contained 50% Jan Polder and 50% Imbrecht Germain bloodlines. This pigeon is also a half-brother to 5th BICC Narbonne international 2019 and many other winners in Romania.
That concludes the report of the provisional result of the British International Championship Club race from Pau, held in conjunction with the International.