<pre><pre>Barcelona International Provisional Race Result 4 th July 2025 1st Open BICC, Ross Olive of Wickford 1 st OPEN BBC, CLIVE &amp; JILL ROGERS &amp; NEIL SALES OF Radstock Barcelona is the capital and largest city in Catalonia, it is also one of the largest cities on the Mediterranean Sea, located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs. Perhaps most importantly, it is considered by many to be the greatest pigeon race in the World. On Friday 4 th July 15,598 birds were liberated at 6.45am to make their epic journey home. The UK race was a joint race between the BICC and BBC and a total of 95 members sent 333 birds to compete against the best in Europe. This was just 9 birds less than last year, but more members sent, including several members flying over 800 miles and two over 900 miles! Records were there to be broken. The UK birds joined 5,818 from Belgium, 4,515 from The Netherlands, 3,678 from France, 1,233 from Germany and 20 from Luxembourg. The race caused huge interest on the BICC website. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Barcelona weekend, over 4,000 individual logins and over 60,000 page views were recorded each day as fanciers in the UK, Eire and Europe kept looking for early times. The actual PDF of the provisional result was downloaded over 1,500 times each day as well, as fanciers were keen to keep up to date with the RESULTS OF THIS GREAT, BUT TOUGH RACE. This is a joint report by Clare Norman and Mike Jackson. Many thanks go to the sponsors of the BICC RACE. MIRCEA CIOC FOR A PORTRAIT PHOTO OF THE WINNER AND BENZING FOR SPONSORING A BENZING SMART LOFT System to the winner. This report is based on member’s verifications and the final result may differ. 1 st OPEN, 1 st South East Section BICC, Ross Olive of Wickford. Ross timed his exceptional blue hen, flying exactly 700 miles, to win 1 st BICC National Barcelona. Ross has named this super hen Danielle, after his wife. Like every great pigeon, there is a good story behind her. Bred in 2019, Danielle was initially raced north with great success, being a consistent hen with her best result being 1 st Essex Central Federation, 6 th London North Road Combine Thurso from 507 miles in 2023. Ross moved her to the stock loft in 2024, but she kept catching his eye as she looked so well. With Ross now focussing more on south road racing he made the decision to bring her back out in 2025 and have a crack at Barcelona! Her preparation for Barcelona was minimal, but clearly sufficient. With no private training before being sent to a couple of club inland races and into St Philbert with the BICC where she was 13 1/2 hours on the wing. She was paired up for Barcelona and sent sitting 10-day eggs having had a little light training between St Philbert and race marking. And, as they say the rest is history! Ross Olive Pedigree of Danielle 1 st OPEN, 1 st SECTION C BBC, 2 nd OPEN, 1 st South West Section BICC, Clive &amp; Jill Rogers &amp; Neil Sales of Radstock. The partnership also took the treble in the South West Section, taking 2 nd &amp; 3 rd SECTION, 46 th &amp; 49 th OPEN. THEY TIMED A CHEQUER HEN, GB22A33930, NAMED TREETOPS TOP NOTCH. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE have sent a prepared team of pigeons, eight in total, to Barcelona and we were really excited about the race. When the race day arrived and with the strong westerly wind, we realised we would be at quite a disadvantage. But this small brave hen flew out of her skin to get home, and we were absolutely thrilled to bits when she arrived. Her sire was bred at Treetops Loft. His father is a double grandson of Zwart Goud, when paired to a granddaughter of Zwart Goud and New Laureaat. The dam is a daughter of Golden Barcelona. The hen was trained from Holmsley and Fontwell and was sent to CSCFC Vire, when we famously forgot to verify our pigeons! Then CSCFC Fougeres and BICC Nort Sur Erdre before being paired up ready for the Barcelona race. She laid only 6 days after pairing and was sent on 6-day old youngsters. For preparation for the race, she was fed on Versele Laga Champion Plus with additional popcorn maize, hemp and peanuts with the addition of Jelle Jellema Power mix the week before basketing. Our grateful thanks go to both Martin Norman and Mark Gilbert for their expert knowledge on methods of preparation for this race. With both being previous winners, we sort their advice, and they never held back on their help. Congratulations to Ross Olive on winning BICC Barcelona and to all who timed. Thank you to everyone who called and sent messages of congratulations to us, it was very kind of everyone, and we had some lovely comments made as well, which made us very proud. We were very pleased to get another bird back from this gruelling race on day 6, Wednesday 9 th . The cock bird was still in good condition considering what he must have been through. GB22N39897 is a blue cock, and he was prepared exactly the same as the hen and was sent on youngsters that were 3 days old. His sire was a double grandson of Golden Barcelona, and his dam was a granddaughter of Southfield Hugo/Double Orion and Southfield, ‘The 089’ Zwart Goud, Snelle Jelle, New Laureaat, Kleine Jade all in this pedigree. On Thursday morning, day 7 we confess to sleeping in a bit until 6:30, and then shock, horror! Another pigeon was waiting for Clive as he walked down the garden to open the trap to let him in, timing at 6:44 am. GB22A33929 is a chequer cock bird that is the nest mate to our winning pigeon, which totally proves the good breeding of that pair of stock birds. He was very tired and quite dehydrated, with the heat he has had to endure, which is not surprising. This pigeon was late back from Pau in 2024. He was reported to me on the winning day of the Pau race by a man in France that lived quite close to Alencon. I asked him what time he came into them, and it was about 5pm. That could have been a winning bird on the day had he been able to continue. Unfortunately, and very curiously he was reported at a falconry centre in France, and they had their falcons out flying, he arrived by landing down by their feet and they were able to pick him up. He was exhausted - whether he had been chased by their falcons they do not know. He was not injured just flown out. They took him home, as they felt it was hardly fair to keep him there to recuperate with the falcons in their clear sight and earshot. They released him when he was recovered and looking to get out of his crate. This was 29 th June 2024, and they took him away from their house into a field that was good for liberation and let him go. The pigeon came back to our loft two days later on 1 st July 2024. We didn&#039;t send him again in that year, but he had the same races in 2025 as our other Barcelona contenders. I am still in touch with the falconer who found him, so I have emailed them to let them know that I had sent him to Barcelona and then straight away to let them know he is back from Barcelona. He has now replied to say he is thrilled to know that the bird is still racing so well for us. Clive &amp; Jill Rogers &amp; Neil Sales of Radstock Treetops Top Notch Pedigree of Treetops Top Notch 2 nd , 3 rd , 5 th &amp; 9 th OPEN 1 st , 2 nd &amp; 3 rd SECTION D, BBC &amp; 3 rd OPEN, 1 st South Centre Section BICC, Mark Gilbert Winkfield, Windsor. Mark also took 5 th , 15 th 22 nd , 30 th , 32 nd 33 rd &amp; 34 th OPEN BICC. THERE WERE no day birds clocked in Europe on Friday so this was an indicator it would definitely not be an easy task for the UK birds to make it home before Saturday lunchtime. As it turned out the UK winner was not timed until 3pm, even so we were not expecting the UK to struggle as much as they did and maybe the inclement weather Saturday morning stopped them getting over the channel. Our first bird arrived at 15.35pm to provisionally score 1 st Sect, 2 nd OPEN BBC, 1 st Sect, 3 rd Nat BICC Barcelona and she was our pool pigeon and the GDSBNFC single bird nom so looks like being 2 nd OPEN in that result too. She was racing to a big baby so we knew she would be keen to get home. Our bird 307 has now been clocked 3 years on the trot from Barcelona and her list of previous prizes are as follows: 1 st OPEN GDSBNFC PERPIGNAN 2024, 2 nd SECTION, 7 th National BICC Perpignan 2024, 1 st SECTION, 1 st OPEN BBC BARCELONA 2024, 2 nd SECTION, 2 nd National BICC Barcelona 2024, 4 th SECTION, 5 th OPEN BBC Barcelona 2023, 5 th SECTION, 11 th National BICC Barcelona 2023. She is from a son of Kees Droog’s Blue Champion x Rozalynn, when paired to a daughter of Jelle’s Jack and Dafne. We would like to congratulate Ross Olive for winning the British International Championship Club and also our good friends Clive and Jill Rogers for winning the British Barcelona Club. We are happy to say Clive and Jill’s exceptional pigeon is through our Golden Barcelona lines and we could not be happier for them. Mark and Troy 4 th OPEN, 1 st North Centre Section BICC, Mircea Liviu Dehelean of Wellingborough. Mircea timed his warrior of a chequer cock flying 755 miles at 18:03pm on the second day. The longest flying pigeon to be timed on the winning day and over 2 days ahead of the next pigeon to be timed into the North and furthest flying section. Mircea has named the pigeon Barcelona Dream, as it fulfilled a dream to time from Barcelona. Not only did he time, but to be so high up in the result and with a family of pigeons he has carefully cultivated over the years. The cock was initially raced on widowhood earlier in the season up until his second BICC race. After that he was paired up and timed to have a 6-day old young bird in the nest for Barcelona. Prior to the two BICC races, the cock flew 6 inland races. Breeding wise, the cock is inbred to Mircea’s best breeding hen, Miss Messi, who contains the best blood of Verweij de Haan crossed into Jelle Jellema blood. Miss Messi has bred champion Marathon pigeons already in Romania and in the UK. She has bred pigeons to win many prizes including 5 th OPEN 2 nd SECTION BICC NARBONNE 2019, 50 th OPEN. 3 rd SECTION BICC PAU INTERNATIONAL 2023, 107TH OPEN, 7 th SECTION BICC PAU INTERNATIONAL 2024, AND SHE IS NOW THE GRANDMOTHER TO 4TH OPEN, 1 st North Centre SECTION BICC BARCELONA INTERNATIONAL 2025. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BREEDING IS THAT OF MIRCEA’S BEST friend Dan Nitoiu of Romania. Dan is a well-known marathon specialist in Romania, who was his childhood friend, and neighbour. The lines of Dan’s birds are Wijnands x Bert Saarlous x Imbrecht Germain. This was Mircea’s second ever attempt at Barcelona. He sent only 4 pigeons and at the time of writing he has 2 pigeons’ home, so 50% returns. An admirable result for a man who is still establishing himself given that he only started up with pigeons in England in 2019. For sure this is the best ever performance north or south into Northants and it will inspire many others to chase their dreams and turn them into reality. Mircea’s 1 st bird Mircea’s 1 st bird 6 th OPEN, 2 nd South East Section, G M Preece &amp; Son of Dover. The partnership also took 7 th , 8 th , 9 th , 10 th , 11 th, 21 st 23 rd &amp; 31 st OPEN. A TEAM PERFORMANCE TO REMEMBER. WE WERE ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED with the team’s dominant display. When the pigeons arrived, we initially assumed there must have been a break in the weather over the Channel and expected more birds to pepper the result in the UK. However, that didn’t happen—and we were pleasantly surprised to see our team maintain their POSITIONS TIGHTLY TOGETHER ON THE RESULT SHEET. IT WASN’T UNTIL LATER THAT EVENING THAT THE FULL significance of the performance truly sank in. The six pigeons that arrived on the winning day are as closely related to one another as their placings. Our premier breeding couple, Jack Jones x 168, feature prominently once again—continuing to prove their class at the highest level. Adding to the weekend’s highlights, we were thrilled to hear of a top-performing pigeon into Northern Ireland in the Friendship National from Poulgastel, France. The sire of that bird is a full brother to the sires of our 6 th and 12 th National Barcelona 2025. Jack Jones and 168 also featured in our 8th, 9th, and 10th National Barcelona - in the pedigrees of five out of our six pigeons on the winning day. Massive respect goes to the O’Neill family for their excellent conditioning. Getting pigeons home through sea and fog is no easy task. We’re absolutely delighted for you all. All our winning day arrivals pedigrees can be viewed on our website www.internationalseapigeons.com Geoff &amp; Clayton Preece 11 th OPEN, 3 rd South Centre Section BICC, Adrian Ghetes of Stanmore. Firstly, I would like to congratulate the winner, what a fantastic performance! I also want to congratulate everyone who clocked from Barcelona this year, as it was an extremely hard one for the UK. I was really happy to clock a 2-year-old cock bird, there are only a couple of 2023 pigeons in the result, and this makes me feel like he is a real warrior, and a very promising prospect for the future. For preparation, I started last year to select the strongest pigeons by racing all my yearlings to one International race and he went to Agen in 2024. This year I started with a few club training races from 100-140 miles and then with the BICC to Alencon at 222miles, Nort sur Erdre 296 miles and St Philbert 294 miles. Then again back with the club to 140 miles and the last one from 110 miles, a week before basketing for Barcelona. The bloodline on the father’s side comes from a French pigeon, who is a son of 1 st International Ace pigeon Barcelona for 4 years. His mother is a granddaughter of the famous Mr Gijs of Arjan Beens. I hope he will produce the same top results in the future. Before I finish, can I say a huge thank you to our secretary, Clare, who does a lot of hard work for me and for us. I really appreciate this and want to thank you again! Adrain Ghetes 13 th OPEN, 8 th South East Section, L &amp; K Buddle of Dover. We are happy with our result in the BBC and BICC Barcelona race, being provisional 1 st , 2 nd , &amp; 3 rd SECTION G, 4 th , 6 th &amp; 7 th OPEN IN THE BBC AND 8 th , 9 th &amp; 11 th ES, 13 th , 16 th &amp; 18 th National BICC. The first in the clock is a 4-year-old cock bird. He has previously been 41 st National BICC Dax and 69 th National BICC St Maixent. He is superbly bred with both his parents being 1 st OPEN/NATIONAL WINNERS. HIS SIRE IS TRIPLE TWO, 1 st OPEN BBC BARCELONA, 2 nd ES, 3 rd Nat BICC. His dam is Daphne, 1 st National BICC Marseille and 3 rd National BICC Perpignan. The second is another 4-year-old, hen, we call Spar, having previously won 3 rd ES, 6 th National BICC Agen, 39 th National Perpignan &amp; 122 nd National BICC Pau. Her breeding is as follows: Her sire is a grandson of Mark&#039;s Southfield Melissa, 1 st International Agen 2011 &amp; Starlight, 2 nd International Tarbes, with Euro Diamond &amp; Southfield Supreme in his pedigree too. She was bred by Andrew Macmillan. The dam is a granddaughter of Mark&#039;s Southfield Iron Man, 1 st Nat BICC Perpignan 2018, 2 nd Nat BICC Marseille 2018, 7 th Nat BBC Palamos Spain 2018, 135 th National Tarbes 2017 &amp; Southfield Dark Star, 1 st Nat BICC St Vincent in 2018, 19 th OPEN NFC TARBES ON THE DAM SIDE, WITH A DOUBLE granddaughter of Jelle Jellema&#039;s Orion on the sire’s side, bred by Mark Sparey. The third in the clock is our great old Barcelona hen, 18-192, a 7-year-old still racing strong. She has now won the following positions from the Barcelona race: 2025, 3 rd Sec G - 7 th OPEN BBC BARCELONA 11 th ES - 18 th National BICC Barcelona. 2024, 2 nd Sec G - 6 th OPEN BBC BARCELONA 2 nd ES - 6 th National BICC Barcelona. 2023, 4 th Sec G - 10 th OPEN BBC BARCELONA 17 th ES - 27 th National BICC Barcelona. 2022, flew Barcelona for first time. She. Her breeding is as follows: Sire Mike, 3 rd Nat BICC Marseille 2014, 4 th Nat BICC Marseille 2011, 9 th Nat BICC Marseille 2013, 13 th Nat BICC Pau 2015, 13 th Nat BICC Agen 2014, 24 th Nat BICC Perpignan 2012, 37 th Nat BICC Pau 2013, 60 th Nat BICC Pau 2013, 64 th Nat BICC Pau 2012, BICC Certificate of Merit Award. Sire of Triple Two, 1 st OPEN BBC BARCELONA 2019. THE DAM IS A daughter of Pipi, 5 th Nat BICC Barcelona 2011, 9 th Nat BICC Barcelona 2014, 10 th Nat BICC Barcelona 2013. BICC Certificate of Merit Award. 1 st bird 2 nd bird 3 rd bird 14 th &amp; 36 th OPEN, 4 th &amp; 15 th South Centre Section BICC, Andrew Parsons of Ford. This is not a race I enter very often, but I must say it was lovely to clock one of the two I sent. My 5-year-old hen is a first cross, being from my long-established Tarbes family developed over 35 years, crossed with a Denney/Rutz bird acquired from Mark Gilbert in 2012. The sire was a son of 5 th Tarbes NFC in 2012, when paired to a hen who was 15 th OPEN TARBES NFC IN 2010, BOTH MULTIPLE TARBES PRIZE WINNERS. THE grand dam was also 5 th National, so a great line for me. As I mentioned, the dam was from Mark and has been a good cross into my family being dam of 5 th NFC in 2018 and others to score from Tarbes. My hen has been in the NFC Tarbes result two times, with her best position being 85 th OPEN. HER PREP was 2 short channel races then a month’s rest. She was sitting 12 days when basketed. Finally, I would like to congratulate all who clocked and highlight Clive and Jill&#039;s bird who probably worked its way from the Kent coast to its west country loft to achieve a fantastic result. Andrew Parson’s 5-year-old hen 17 th OPEN, 10 th South East Section, Dean Childs of Wickford. I timed a 3-year-old hen, who has never done anything wrong and was prepared for Barcelona this year having flown the entire BICC programme up to and including St Philbert. She is bred in the purple, direct from two of my best ever racers. Her father is Chalice John who was 4 th , 12 th and 13 th National from Pau, Tarbes and Perpignan. Her mother was 1 st National Pau. She was sent to Barcelona paired after being on roundabout in preparation. Dean Childs 19 th OPEN, 12 th South East Section BICC &amp; 8 th OPEN 4 th SECTION G BBC, LYDEN BROS OF SANDWICH. THE hen timed by John and Jeff in the 2025 Barcelona race for 12 th SECTION, 19 th OPEN WAS A GIFT SQUEAKER in 2023 from Neil Jones of Sandwich. They didn’t know the breeding of the bird, until this week, but just treated it as a member of the race team. She flew four young bird races, then St Philbert, Messac and Bordeaux as a yearling. She was always home in reasonable time but never in the prizes, a pigeon you don’t particularly notice unless you’re a long-distance flier. This year she had a 10-hour fly in a very testing east wind from Fougeres with the BBC, and she responded very well, although again not in the prizes. A few 60-mile midweek trainers with the local Wingham club to keep her lively and then straight into Barcelona, where the result was extremely pleasing. She was paired in early February and raised a nest, but all the cocks and hens were separated in May and just spend a few hours per week together to help stop the hens pairing. She was also Lyden Brothers nominated pigeon in the Greater Distance Single Bird NFC and took the 3 rd POSITION. It turns out that her dam was Neil Jones 1 st Bordeaux National BBC from Bulled and Menne &amp; Dtrs bloodlines and her grandsire on the male line was Southfield Darren. She has recovered quickly, as the photograph shows, the mark of a good constitution. Jeff &amp; John Lyden Lyden Bros hen 20 th &amp; 24 th OPEN, 6 th &amp; 8 th South East Section, David E Farr of Bognor Regis. I timed two birds from Barcelona. A blue cock bird, GB20N69113, who has now flown and been timed from there three times at 654 miles. This year taking 6 th CS Section, 24 th OPEN, IN 2024, 20 th CS Section, 42 nd OPEN AND IN 2023, 21 st CS Section, 50 th OPEN, WINNING A SPANISH DIPLOMA. HE ALSO FLEW TARBES NFC IN 2022 IN RACE TIME, but the race had been killed on my clock, so his time was not recorded. He is bred around my old family of Dr Rigg Barkers with a touch of Vanabeeele. My second bird, a dark chequer hen GB20N69167, was paired to the blue cock and took 8 th CS Section, 24 th OPEN. IN 2024 SHE TOOK 9 th SECTION A, 135 th OPEN TARBES NFC, IN 2022 12 th CS Section, 26 th OPEN Agen. She is bred from a stock pair given to me by the late great John Wills. Many thanks to the BICC for all the hard work marking and getting our birds into the International races. Congratulations to Ross Olive of Wickford on his fantastic win at Barcelona. And total admiration on the pigeon of David Brierley of Redcar flying 914 miles, what a fantastic feat, well done all the birds timed in the greatest race Barcelona. 26 th OPEN, 2 nd North Centre Section, Petre Daniel Graur. Petre timed a 2-year-old hen. She was raced on the natural system. As a yearling she raced twice from France and this year from Nort Sur Erdre and St Philbert. Her father is from Pallatts, from the Jelema pigeons and the mother is from Menne and Tochter&#039;s pigeons. David Farr&#039;s cock bird Petre Graur&#039;s hen 27 th OPEN, 3 rd North Centre Section, Dave Bunker Brierley of Redcar over 914 miles. My entry for the BICC Barcelona race 2025 is now called Barcelona Dream Girl, after returning home on the 5 th day of LIBERATION INTO REDCAR IN THE NORTH EAST OF ENGLAND. SHE’S CALLED THIS BECAUSE SHE CARRIES STRONG bloodlines of Barcelona Dream the 30-year record holder for the longest flying bird from Barcelona in the BICC at 879 miles bred and raced by Jim Emerton. Barcelona Dream Girl is currently sitting at 27 th OPEN, 3 rd SECTION AT 914 MILES AND HAS BROKEN BARCELONA DREAM’S RECORD. SHE IS CURRENTLY THE RECORD holder, but the race is still on, and this position may change. But at least she’s a record holder for now – wow what a feeling! I prepared her for the daunting task ahead of her by sending her to 5 inland races up to 200 miles and then sent her to Roye over the channel 375 miles, 3 weeks before her big RACE. MY BIRDS ARE CONDITIONED ON AN OPEN HOLE, WITH NO MEDICATION EXCEPT THE MANDATORY VACCINE. I give them my home made, totally natural, supplements. The feeding for this race was fats, fats and more fats, although should they choose every other grain, it is available. Quite simple really, it’s more what I don’t give them which is the most important. I’m very proud of her achievements and Barcelona Dream Girl is a little star. Dave Bunker Brierley Jim Emerton Trophies: The trophies of the Barcelona aficionado Jim Emerton will all be won. The Barcelona Dream Trophy for the highest velocity over 750 miles will be won by Mircea Liviu Dehelean, the Mensa Trophy by Mark Gilbert for the best two bird average and the Jim Emerton Trophy for the longest flying bird in race time is currently held by Dave Bunker Brierley but the race is not over yet! Jim said this about Dave’s performance, ‘Congratulations to Dave Bunker Brierley on his epic performance in the BICC Barcelona International at 914 miles. Dave and I have realised a dream on our long and spiritual journey. The longest flying bird in the entire International so far, she is one in a million. It shows what can be done with dedication and a focused mind set over many years, using my Barcelona Dream strain of birds based on 49 years of cultivation. BRAVO Dave! A special mention to Nick Harvey who bred the father. 28 th OPEN, 16 th South East Section BICC &amp; 1 st SECTION E BBC, ALAN ANNIS &amp; SON OF WINGHAM. THE 3- year-old clocked by Alan Annis to win 16 th SECTION, 28 th OPEN WAS ONLY LIGHTLY RACED THIS YEAR, WITH JUST one channel race from Alencon. This was because he was paired to Alan&#039;s favoured Barcelona candidate, but a hawk attack ended her chances, so he became available. His bloodline is very good, his sire being bred by G M Preece &amp; Son of Dover, a grandson of Wiggins, and the dam was bred by good friend Jamie Clark from a daughter of The Machine. Alan&#039;s health has been very poor these last 12 months, and he has struggled to look after his birds at times, but timing from this year&#039;s Barcelona RACE HAS PUT A SMILE BACK ONTO HIS FACE. 29 th OPEN VASILE TANASA OF HORLEY. VASILE TIMED GB19V65448 AT 20:27:24 ON DAY FOUR. THIS VERY consistent bird has previously taken 49 th OPEN PERPIGNAN 2023 OVER 610 MILES AND 34 th OPEN AGEN 2023 over 506 miles. Alan Annis Vasile Tanasa&#039;s bird 32 nd OPEN BICCC, TOTO BUZI OF HAREFIELD, 35 th OPEN BICC, CRISTIAN DUMITRU OF HARROW. 37th Open, 1 st North West Section &amp; 1 st SECTION E BBC, CHAMBERS FAMILY OF CANNOCK. THIS YEAR WE timed in our four-year-old hen who we call Unbreakable. Unbreakable gets her name as she was entered in to a very tough Pointers national flying 445 miles as a yearling, Tarbes 660 miles as a two- year-old and then Barcelona just under 800 miles as both a three- and four-year-old. This hen, as always, looks immaculate upon her return from every race, no matter the distance or difficulty of the event. Her sire is a son of two of our main breeding pigeons, Dutch Thunder and Disaster Girl and Boy, of whom, were excellent racers for us from Tarbes. Unbreakable’s dam was a grift bird called Chantall from our good friend Gerald McPherson of Scotland. Gerald had purchased her from Nouwen-Paeson Cater. She has performed from Narbonne and Barcelona International races in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Given that we are about to move house and start a fresh at a new location, Unbreakable will now be retired to the stock loft to hopefully produce the next generation of our long-established Dutch Family. 2 nd SECTION E BBC &amp; 40 th OPEN BICC, RICHARD CHAMBERS OF RUGELEY. THE DARK CHEQUER COCK THAT I TIMED from Barcelona, 798 miles, is a Padfield x H &amp; P Archibald pigeon. His father was a pigeon we brought from House of Aarden and he is down from the lines of Padfield Gareth, Lady Kenny, Padfield Jack and a sister to Kaysie. On his mother’s side, it’s out of a pigeon we brought from H &amp; P Archibald and was a half-sister to The Proof through Tom Tom on the father’s side and on the mother’s, down from the lines of Pete’s Dream &amp; The Pau Hen. He was sent to the race sitting eggs that started to chip on the morning of basketing. This cock has been a true banker pigeon for me over the years. He was bred with Barcelona in mind, but along the way he has gone to all of the Channel race points including Tarbes as a 2-year-old. As a 3-year-old he took 3 rd NC Section St Philbert and a week later was 3 rd SECTION I NFC MESSAC 339 MILES. Also, in 2024 he was sent to Barcelona, and he arrived just outside of race time on day 10. This year he was set up specifically, with him returning to Barcelona in mind. He was sent early on to 4 inland races then he went to Vire 272 miles in the MNFC and St Philbert 378 miles in the BICC, coming 14 th NC section. I must admit he has arrived in very good condition bar muddy feet. He will now have a good rest over the winter and then I will pair him to a couple of hens. Next year he will go for the Hat- trick from Barcelona. I would like to congratulate the race winners Ross Olive as well as Clive, Jill Rogers and Neil Sales on winning the two races. Also, everyone who has timed in the race. Big congratulations especially go to David Brierley flying 914 miles into Redcar. What a pigeon and fancier. The Chambers’ Family hen Richard Chambers 6 th Section G Kevin Foster of Longfield Hill. In a very difficult Barcelona race this year with many birds still to get home, well done to all who have birds in the result and back home to fight another day. Also, a big well done to Russ Olive and his hen a previous 500-mile winner. A true champion. I sent two and after a successful 2023 Barcelona and rebuilding a team for the classic races, it was nice to get one in the result. I timed a 3-year-old hen, who flew Tarbes as a yearling, and has been very consistent since, being close to the front in all the Channel races. Taking 67 th OPEN NORT SUR EDRE A FEW weeks back. She is from my direct Ouwerkerk Dekkers, the same family as my 2 nd and 15 th Barcelona birds previously. Her sire a son of Iron Man and Paula, taking 29 th and 38 th Pau and Agen Nationals. Her mother is a daughter of 47 th National, all of these in the International races. 38 th OPEN, 16 th South Centre Section, Mr &amp; Mrs M Gower of Woodgreen. My pigeon is a 3-year-old cock bred from Padfield stock that is a grandson of Kasie, 1 st BICC Barcelona and Blue Badge. Raced on the roundabout system but sent after being with his hen for 2 days. He was raced on the north route as a young bird and yearling, and then turned south as a 2-year-old, where he made a mistake from Guernsey and ended up in a loft in Kent approximately 160 miles away. He was liberated 3 days later and returned home in 4 hours. He was rested and came ok from a 250- mile channel race and then went to NFC Tarbes coming on the third day. This year he never put a foot wrong and raced well from Alencon and St Philbert, coming back full of energy - so off to Barcelona it was! Congratulations to the race winner Ross Olive, with his gallant hen and all members who clocked a pigeon on a very difficult race. Congratulations also to my club mate and good friend Andy Parsons who clocked both of his 2 entries. Kevin Foster’s hen Mark Gower&#039;s pigeon 1 st North East Section, 43 rd OPEN, EDDIE &amp; CLAYTON OXBOROUGH, NORFOLK. WE ARE A FATHER AND SON partnership. Our Barcelona section winner was bred by good friend Dave Fisher. It is a cross between Mark Bulled &amp; Mc Fadden and we sent him to Barcelona last year. That was our first time trying and he arrived just out of race time. Preparation this year was 5 inland races with the East Anglian Fed and one Channel race with the BICC. The cock is raced on widowhood and has always been a steady racer. I would like to thank my dad and good friend Keith for all of their help while I had my back operation in March, without them I wouldn’t have been able to race. I would also like to congratulate all the people who clocked, as all enthusiasts know it’s not easy! Also, a special mention to Doug Gatland who donated a pair of young birds to the winner or the YSB Barcelona winner. Keith Harris, Clayton Oxborough, Edward Oxborough &amp; Craig Oxborough 39 th OPEN, ANTOCE ANDREI OF HARROW, 42 nd OPEN B LUCA OF HARROW, 44 th OPEN F KNOWLES &amp; SON OF Wingham, 48 th OPEN SIMON SHEARSBY OF CORBY, 50 th &amp; 52 nd OPEN M CONNOLLY OF CANNING TOWN, 51 st OPEN JOHN BLACK OF HITCHIN, 53 rd OPEN, MR &amp; MRS S GUY OF TADLEY, 54 th OPEN IONUT FLOREA OF Kingsbury. 55 th OPEN, CONSTANTIN COSTACHE OF CHADWELL HEATH, 56 th OPEN IONUT FLOREA OF KINGSBURY. And that concludes this report, but not necessarily the race. Due to the distance flown by the fanciers in the north, the race will continue for a possible 10 days. A follow up report may well be needed! Mike Jackson BICC Press Officer Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel:07964448291</pre></pre>
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