BICC

Tarbes Update

The outright winner of the race and central section from Tarbes was Alastair Muir with the only bird clocked on the day. The write up on him was in last week’s article. As there were only a few birds home on the second day, the race was open for several more days, and in that time we had, 96 birds verified. Of course, I know that there were more birds home than that but some fanciers did not bother to verify their later birds. David Hales had ten home on the second day, but could not put them all on the clock because you have to put two rubbers in for each bird, so that meant that he could only clock six of them as then his clock was full. A fantastic result. His first bird was 4th Open and his sixth bird was 43rd Open.

1st. 4th. West Section R G Barrington. His first bird is a 3-year-old dark chequer widow cock bred from his Old distance family, based on the Jan Aarden and Van der Wegen strain. This was his first race this year with the BICC; he had also been to Littlehampton, Tours and Saintes. He has been first bird to loft on three occasions and has always been very consistent. This is the first open position he has taken. Ray’s second pigeon is a seven-year-old dark chequer widow cock also bred from his own distance family based on Jan Aarden Van de Wegan. It has had one training race at 200 miles this year. He has been 41st Open BBC Palamos and 4th Section 39th Open Perpignan BICC. This pigeon had been "hawked" and lost half of his tail with feathers taken out of his rump; he arrived in pouring rain. Otherwise, he was in fair condition. The second pigeon that he timed was the sire of his first bird. He regularly medicates his pigeons for canker and worms. They have cider vinegar twice a week, grit in their nest boxes and the widowhood cocks have food in front of them in their nest boxes at all times. Ray feeds Country Wide Super Widowhood Endurance Plus fats and peanuts. Ray has been racing pigeons since he was 8 years old - 55 years. He sent two birds to the race so has 100% home.

Ray Barrington

2nd West Section Mr Mrs J H Hooper.

3rd. West Section Mr Mrs Gardner. This gentleman’s name keeps coming up and I am always pleased to see it, as I know I will have a lovely chat with his wife and him. I hope one day we will get down to their part of the country and we will be able to meet.  His blue pied hen had been sitting 10 days so the day before basketing he took her away and put her on the system. The distance from Tarbes to their home for the pigeon is 592 miles and 2yards. She is a Great Great granddaughter of “De Barcelona”, a Louella pigeon. Her Grandmother was 50th. Open Palamos with the BBC. The Sire a Blue Pied Cock was brought from Tony at Ponderosa V I P long distance pigeons. He was also 9th. Open Welsh South Road National Tarbes.  He flew Messac with the BICC 263 miles and Saran 324 miles. His birds are fed on Maize, Peanuts and Vitamin C.

2nd. Central section James and Driver.

3rd. Central Section R Watman.  Bob returned to the sport when he retired from work, and this is only his second full year racing.  He tells me everything has changed since he last raced, but he is enjoying the birds more than ever. He only joined the BICC last year. His winning dark chequer widow cock came into his loft last year as a baby; he reported it and was told it belonged to the very good flyers Crowley and Green. They kindly let him keep the pigeon and he is very grateful that they did. Bob has bred one youngster from it this year. Hopefully another winner for him. Bob is very impressed with the condition of his birds on return from the race and said they always come back from BICC races in excellent condition and he would like to thank the Convoyers for looking after them so well. He had two birds home in good time and they   will be going to Perpignan with the BICC next. He feeds a light mix and gives them cider vinegar and brewers yeast. They fly around the loft morning and night for about 40 to 50 minutes each time. He will be sending his hens to the old hen’s race. He has been married to his wife June for 46 years.

Bob Watman

4th. Central Section J M Parker. John Malcolm Parker from Leigh, Reigate, with a three year old blue hen sent feeding four-day-old babies. It is bred from his own family - a mixture of Cannon, Southwells, Gilbertson, Fear Bros, M. Spencer and a few Vandenabeele. John has been racing pigeons since 1959, and races on the Natural system from his garden loft. His birds are hopper fed on Irish mix, layers pellets, Homoform and a few peanuts. It has had two or three inland races also from Dorking Coly and Saran with the BICC. This winning pigeon has won 1st. Wadebridge, 2nd Kingsdown 4th Newton Abbott as a young bird in club races. She was also 36th Open and 15th South West section in the LSECC from Guernsey as a young bird. She was 31st Open last year from Messac in the South Coast Fed.  She was in reasonable condition when she arrived home, and John is hoping to send it back to Tarbes next year. He got 2 out of 4 birds back, but the second bird was out of race time. John also had a good race from Barcelona with the BICC coming in at 29th. Open and 8th. Central section. with his pool pigeon.

John Parker

5th. Central Section W P Aherne.  I spoke to John and he told me he has had a lean time these last few years, due to work and ill health. Therefore, he was pleased to get this result from Tarbes. He told me about some impressive performances he has had in the past. 1st. 2nd. 5th. Barcelona. 2nd. Pau National and 3rd. Dax. Today’s winning bird is a Grand Daughter of 5th. Barcelona whom he calls Eric after his good friend, paired to a Jim Biss Hen. He had three pigeons on the second day - all related. He tells me he does not do much training, as he hates the motorway.

6th. Central Section D Bullen & Son. Their winning pigeon is a dark red cock, which is no stranger to winning as this year it has already been 7th. Section 16th. Open Poitiers and in 2009, it was 1st. section 2nd. Open Poitiers. They are a father and son partnership that have raced pigeons all their lives.

6th Central Section for D Bullen & Son

1st. North Section Peter Mallett

2nd. 3rd. North Section Brooks & Hardwicke

4th. North section Mr Mrs L Appleby

5th. North Section S Holmes & J Sealey. This husband and wife team had to go to work and Steven tells me that he found his two year old late bred Grizzle Hen in the loft when he got home; she had flown 610 miles.  She is bred from a cock that has flown the Pau International three times. The Hen is a stock hen bred from a Desmond Coulter x Norman Barrett. It was sent sitting 10 day eggs. He races on the natural system to an open hole and trains the birds wherever they happen to be going as long as it is not on the line of flight. She was not raced as a young bird, and had one race inland as a yearling. This year she had two inland races and was sent to Messac with the Wilts Fed. Steven only has an 18 foot long loft so all his birds must fly Tarbes and Pau before they are considered for his stock team. He only feeds clean corn and no medicines. Steven tells me he now has four birds home from the race.