<pre><pre>Fougeres OB National 1 st &amp; 2 nd OPEN 1 st &amp; 2 nd SECTION A Steve, Yvette &amp; Lauren Harris of Portchester with “Beau” &amp; “Ada” For our first journey across the channel this year, Pat and Steve were heading off to Fougeres, a nice distance to start the BBC members season off. After clearing customs with no problems at all they set off for the liberation site, with 2,420 birds on board, made up from 2,370 BBC, 43 birds from the Premier 100 CLUB AND 7 BIRDS FROM ROMSEY &amp; DISTRICT SRFC. We must thank our marking stations who did a wonderful job as usual on such a busy day, with all the paperwork arriving to David Parsons on time. Thank you to Clive and Jill Rogers who stepped up and allowed us to mark at Treetops at such short notice, Nick Stevens for convoying the Radstock birds to Southampton. Kevin Foster and his team at Higham, who by agreeing to run Higham has brought in a new members for the BBC and allowed old members to be able to send. Also Aurel at Ironbridge who done very well for the first time running the marking station for a channel race. It can be very daunting when faced with what channel paperwork is required. Having Ironbridge has also given our Section E members the chance to be able to support the BBC and has seen members return. Southampton marking station saw 1,558 birds marked there within 3 ½ hours so a big thank you to everyone who mucked in and helped it was very much appreciated. We all had an inkling on what the weather forecast would be for the weekend, so it was no surprise to hear that on Saturday we would be held over. (Mark Gilbert &amp; Steve Appleby) -Saturday 18 th : Due to rain heavy in some areas moving across the channel from east to west this morning the control team has decided to holdover the BBC convoy at Fougeres. Prospects for a race tomorrow are good. Sunday 19 th : The BBC convoy was liberated at 08:00 hours under broken clouds and sunshine. The convoyer reported the birds cleared the site exceptionally well into a light northerly wind. Conditions on the flight are good with visibility in the channel about 5 miles, As we cannot always guarantee what is written in your handbook will stay the same due to unforeseen circumstances, please check “Latest News” on the British Barcelona Club website for all the latest information regarding racing, marking stations and times and anything else we need to inform you of. Paulton Rover FC Marking Station Great News, we have a marking station at Paulton Rovers Football Club for Messac, Bordeaux and Guernsey YB/OB races. Thank you to Geoff and Catherine Cooper and everyone at Paulton for making this possible. Marking will still be 8.30am – 10.30am. If anyone is able to help please let us know. CPH Paperwork Members Must Bring To the Marking Station For Every Channel Race 1. A copy of your CPH Certificate with your CPH registration number on it. 2. Your completed Racing Pigeon Establishment Operator’s Declaration Form, signed and dated for 2024. 3. Your Vet’s Attestation to prove that you have had your annual Vet Visit for 2024 racing. 4. Your vaccination form with every pigeon recorded on it which is housed on your premises. All positions are provisional until the paperwork is returned and checked. It was great to be able to telephone Steve to congratulate him on their win, a first class pigeon man and a lovely family who deserve all their accolades. 1 st &amp; 2 nd OPEN 1 st &amp; 2 nd SECTION A STEVE, YVETTE &amp; Lauren Harris of Portchester. First of all, we would like to thank Clare and all the team for doing a great job. Our first bird is a Vandenabeele Blue hen which was gifted to us last year by my good friend and club mate Mr Kenny Cleife, she is from his Roelef Goosen lines. Our second bird was also gifted to us last year in a kit of five young birds from our good friend Roger Lowe. Sire is a grandson of Hooyman’s ‘Beauty Harry’ who is also sire to Roger’s 1 st SECTION WINNER, 8 th OPEN NFC FROM THE SAME RACE POINT ON THE SAME DAY. “OLYMPIC KING” BRED BY DEREK WALSH OF IRELAND. New kittel blood lines. Thankyou both so much for giving us such quality birds. Steve Harris with Grandchildren Beau and Ada A good performance from Ricky flying against the wind in to Aylesbury. 1 st SECTION D 3 rd OPEN RICKY Turner of Aylesbury. Very happy to win the section for the 3 rd time in 3 years and to be 3 rd OPEN ON A very hard race. My first bird is bred from my mate Paul Douthwaite from Scarborough and has been a very consistent pigeon for me. Went to BICC last week and was 8 hours on wing but looked good so I did fancy him to come this week. I only keep a small team 18 cocks and race a few hens only keep 30 young birds at most. I feed Vanrobeys which I find very good food, had a fantastic season last year winning Fed 9 times and winning Combine. This year so far I have had 4 first clubs so birds have been coming well and well done to the winner. Ricky Turner 4 th OPEN 3 rd SECTION A NICK WILSON OF PORTSMOUTH. I THINK SHE IS GOING TO BE 5 th because Dave beats me on clock variants! She is a Jos Cools x Vandenabeele out of a hen I bought in Blackpool. She got hawked last year and it’s made her really nervous hence a bad trap!!! Nick Wilson’s Hen Dave Waterhouse 5 th OPEN DAVE &amp; LISA WATERHOUSE OF BEDHAMPTON. CONGRATULATIONS TO STEVE AND YVETTE HARRIS ON their great performance. Our bird is one of my Leo Hermann family which is from a pigeon called The Countess and the cock is a son of Eurovision. I raced the hen on roundabout and fed on Champion Plus. Congratulations to all the section winners and a big thank you to the marking station and the convoyers the birds returned in immaculate condition. John Clapcott of Poole 1 st SECTION B 6 th OPEN. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY WELL DONE TO THE WINNERS. MY winning pigeon is a 2 year old cock which was bred by my good friend Ray Dibben from Poole from his CHANNEL WINNING PIGEONS AND NOW I AM BEATING HIM WITH HIS OWN PIGEONS. John Clapcott Tony Stephens Tony Stephens of Poole 2 nd SECTION B 7 th OPEN. THE PIGEON I TIMED IN WAS A BLUE COCK AND IS ONE OF MY consistent birds, he is a vandenabeele from Bryan Shipley stock. Well done to all the winners. Mark Gilbert 2 nd SECTION D 8 th OPEN MARK GILBERT OF WINDSOR. ON SATURDAY WE HAD THE FIRST BRITISH BARCELONA CLUB race of the season from Fougeres and the weekends racing turned out to be a little more tricky than we first thought it would be. The 2370 birds were libbed at 8am into a north wind and northeast winds were recorded all the way along the journey in what turned out a very warm day. We timed our first bird at 12.56 to record a velocity of 1284 ypm which we knew wouldn’t be quick enough but was enough to gain us a prov result of 2 nd SECTION, 8 th OPEN. Our yearling widowhood cock is a grandson of Jan Hooymans ‘New Harry’ x ‘Brenda’ and ‘Den Boswachter’ on the father’s side. His mother is from a brother to Gino Clicque’s ‘Golden King’ x a daughter ‘Prince Rudy’. Definitely birds bred for this sort of day. Congratulations to Steve Harris &amp; family for winning the race and also well done to Pat Harris for doing such a good job looking after the birds as usual. 1 st SECTION C 9 th OPEN JOHN DRAPER OF FARINGDON. I CONFIRM THE HEN THAT WON 1 st SECTION C FROM Fougeres is a 2 year old flown on the roundabout system, she is Lambrecht x Vandenheede bred from stock obtained from my friend Clive Elliott. She was also 271 st OPEN IN THE CSCFC CARENTAN RACE A FEW WEEKS BACK. John Draper Ray Dibben 10 th OPEN RAY DIBBEN OF POOLE. FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IT’S NICE TO BE FLYING BACK OVER THE channel and to see that the races are being well supported, well done to everyone that entered and well done to all involved in the smooth running at the marking station. I would like to say that this pigeon is a pedigree bird but it is not, it’s a mixture of the pigeons I have brought in over the years to blend in to race the channel. A big thankyou to Clare and Martin for all you do especially in hard times as stressful as it’s been to you both we wish you well and hope your health improves and we keep seeing you at the marking stations. 2 nd SECTION C GEOFF &amp; CATHERINE COOPER OF PEASEDOWN ST JOHN. WE CLOCKED A YEARLING COCK, HAVING his third channel race of the season. He looked very well when he arrived, still fresh and full of fly. He is a great grandson of, Orion (Jellema), Sumerian fighter (1 st Int Barcelona) and Saar (Jellema) and a grandson of Farm Darkie when paired to Lady of the Night. This year all the old birds are being raced natural, due to the problems of Peregrines around the lofts. The first bird was sent sitting eggs 2 days. When the birds are away to a race, all eggs and babies are taken in home and the eggs put in an incubator and the babies in a box with hand feeding several times a day. They have been racing very well on this system, keeping up with many of the sprint birds entered in these early channel races. The birds came well as a team with several more arriving close after the first. At the time of writing we have 34 out of 38 home. Congratulations to the winners on a testing day, and thank you to the conveyers for looking after the birds so well. Geoff Cooper 1 st SECTION E TEAM AUREL OF TELFORD. I AM VERY PROUD TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR SUPER PIGEON “ CALL ME MR A!” 1 st SECTION E WITH BRITISH BARCELONA CLUB FROM FOUGERES FRANCE 303MILES. What a super performance being the first pigeon over 300 miles in a NE wind! They say “the apple don’t fall far from the tree” and this is true! The sire is “Sorin Etterbak” a gift from my brother Sorin Florea line of Etterbak Debusschere Roger 10 th Nat Barcelona when paired to a daughter of “Super breeder George “ Euro Diamond . The dam is no other than our Champion Nela , 1 st SECTION E BBC BORDEAUX FEW YEARS AGO WITH 4H LEAD TIME, 540 MILES. “Nela” is the very best of our old bloodlines of Champion Vasile 1 st Nat Ace Pigeon when paired to Menne und Tochter x Dtr of Schicht 1 st Nat As-Taube Fond of Emiel Denys Well done to the winners and special appreciation to our section friends Dave Harris , Nigel Shaw and Sebastian Szul! Team Aurel 2 nd SECTION E DAVE &amp; KYLE HARRIS OF NEWPORT. Kyle (left) is holding our first bird timed, he is a two year old widowhood cock who has flown consistently well for us over the water, flying Guernsey three times and now Fougeres, he is from a half brother to half sister pairing, through Richard Lutner’s second Midland National cock, he is the old dark Busscheart family when paired to &quot;Violet&quot;, a daughter of the 3&amp;6 cock for Evans &amp; Gibbons. On the mothers side is our old Evans and Walker Soontjen family, grand - sire is the last son of our No1 pair &quot; The Pink ring&quot; cock when paired to &quot;Violet&quot;. Dave (right) is holding our second timed bird, this is another two year old widowhood cock and is an Evans &amp; Walker Soontjen, he is full of the old lines, our No1 cock &quot;The Gauty Cock&quot; appears eight times in the pedigree of this pigeon, stretching back over twenty years, what a family this has been over the years and still competes. Thank you to Aurel and all who helped make it happen again up in the Shropshire area, we had six of our eight entries on the day and one the following morning, which is credit to the convoyers and those who looked after the birds so well after a holdover. Kyle &amp; Dave Harris D &amp; K Simmons Blue Hen 1 st , 2 nd &amp; 3 rd SECTION J DARREN &amp; KIRSTIE SIMMONS OF CHELMSFORD. OUR FIRST PIGEON HOME WAS A LITTLE blue hen bred from Stormont Lofts Lambrechts down from the Lincia lines which has been consistent this year. Second one was a red cock also bred from Stormont Lambrechts. 3 rd SECTION WAS A BLACK HEN CALLED Cloudy (Kirstie’s fav bird) whose parents are the section winner and a Craig Lister black cock. 1 st SECTION G PETER ENGLISH &amp; DION TOWNSEND OF PORTSLADE. THE DAM TO THIS PIGEON WAS FROM DANNY Knapp and she is a Jan Aarden and the great grandfather I bought as a breeder buyer from Peter McMahon and it was a Wim de Troy x Gaston Van de Wouwer. I have has a few good results across the channel over the years and this year I partnered up with Dion Townsend. This is our first water race as a partnership and we are very happy with the result. My first two Pigeons was from Chris Neve, he gave me two young birds in 1998 as they were only two I had I called them Mr and Mrs Gaffer and a few people have helped me out in every way so I would like to say thank you to Paul and Ryan Platt of Boston, the Cowley brothers, Paul Lewellyn and Terry Pay and there&#039;s many more so thank you very much. Peter English 2 nd SECTION G STEVE NICHOLSON OF WEST MALLING. FIRSTLY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS ON A VERY HARD day. I restarted with pigeons last year with young birds and this was my first channel race for over 15 years. Whilst it was a hard race I managed to get 5 out of 7 home. My first pigeon was a late bred last year and this was his third race. He races to the perch as I had an excessive amount of cock birds with no hens from my young bird team last year. He is a medium sized Janssen x Frans Zwols, the father was a Timbarra Janssen bred down from Benjamin. The mother is a Frans Zwols bred by the House of Aarden. Whilst he had obviously tried hard to get home, he had recovered within the hour and went back out for a fly. Hopefully he will return to the next BBC race and then he will be stopped for the year as i would like a CHANNEL TEAM OF 2 YEAR OLDS NEXT YEAR. Next up in Section J Rob &amp; Andrew Wilton (D Wilton &amp; Son) of Chadwell St Mary. The pigeon we timed is a three year old vandenabeele cock raced on the widowhood system. He’s from Rudy and Fyther lines and is a grandson of our top race and breeder The Terminator..Last weekend was our first year racing from France since 2020 so it was that cocks first time racing from France. D Wilton &amp; Son Cock Bird Convoyers Report Thursday 16 May: Finished loading at S/Green at 4pm. All completed paperwork was returned by Shipping Agent by 5pm. Headed for Portsmouth Docks and arrived at 5.20pm. Immediately fed birds and put fresh water on. Moved on to the ship at 10.45pm. Friday 17 May: Left ship at 6am. Drove 1.1/2 miles to the Vet Inspection Shed. Vet inspected various crates of birds and paperwork (all OK). Left vets at 8.15am and drove straight to Fougeres, arriving at 10am. Birds rested for half an hour then all birds were given a full feed and fresh water. The birds were then left to settle for the rest of the day and the water was topped up regularly and the back doors left open all day. Saturday 18 May: Up at 5am and put fresh water on birds in readiness for a lib later, but at 6.30am Mark Gilbert (Race Advisor) phoned Pat to say it would have to be a holdover as the weather in the Channel was to be very poor all day. So we gave half-feed in the morning and half-feed early afternoon in readiness for a possible lib early Sunday morning. Water was topped up throughout the day. Sunday 19 May: Up at 5am, a lovely morning here in Fougeres. Topped up all waters and got transporter ready for a lib. Pat and Mark talked and agreed for an 8am lib. The birds cleared the site in one batch heading North. Pat &amp; Steve Next Race Nort Sur Erdre – 8 th June 2024 together with the BICC and CSCFC. RACE MARKING IS THURSDAY 6 th June 2024 You must use a BICC Marking Station for this race. Stanway 8am – 11am, Gwent Speak to John Burgham for times 0739089208, Higham 8am – 11am, Northampton 8.30am – 10.30am, Rugeley (Wednesday Evening) 7pm – 9.30pm, Southampton 9am – 11.30am, Steventon 9.30am – 11am, Street 9am – 10.30am, Sunbury 9am – 11.30am. RACE ENTRY FEE IS £4.50 PER BIRD. IF YOU ARE ENTERING THE BICC, BBC &amp; CSCFC, YOU MUST ENTER THE BICC IN THE NORMAL WAY AT £4.50 PER BIRD, THEN CROSS NOMINATE FROM THE BICC IN TO THE BBC &amp; CSCFC. THE COST TO CROSS NOMINATE WILL BE £1.50 PER BIRD. IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE BICC YOU PAY £4.50 TO THE BBC PER BIRD. Example: 5x birds entered in the BICC at £4.50 = £22.50. Cross nom to BBC = 5x £1.50 = £7.50. Cross NOM TO CSCFC = 5X £1.50 = £7.50. Postal entries to be with the Secretary by Saturday 1 st June / Online entries to be emailed by Monday 3 rd June. If you are cross nominating you must still enter the BBC &amp; CSCFC by the closing date. Clare Norman. Tel: 023 8057 3919. Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. </pre></pre>
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