President: Nigel Rigiani Chairman: Mike Shepherd Patron: Mark Gilbert BRITISH BARCELONA CLUB’S 50 ANNIVERSARY (Part 9). Des Coulter of Worthing open BBC Perpignan (583 miles) 1992. A few years ago, Eric Cannon and I, had a day out on the south coast visiting pigeon fancier friends and the first loft we visited was the top long distance set up of Des Coulter, who is a specialist at the Classic and National longest events. In 1995 Des won 1 British Section,â¦
Source: British Barcelona Club
President: Nigel Rigiani Chairman: Mike Shepherd
Patron: Mark Gilbert
BRITISH BARCELONA CLUB’S 50
ANNIVERSARY (Part 9).
Des Coulter of Worthing
open BBC Perpignan (583 miles) 1992.
A few years ago, Eric Cannon and I, had a day out on the south coast visiting pigeon fancier friends and the first loft
we visited was the top long distance set up of Des Coulter, who is a specialist at the Classic and National longest
events. In 1995 Des won 1
British Section, 260
International (6,844 birds) San Sebastian Open (534 miles); 1
Section, 4
Open Barcelona (British Barcelona Club) 663 miles and 5
Open Barcelona (British International
Championship Club), a fantastic performance.
His small loft is set in the Sussex countryside, with rolling fields and hills all round. Like the surroundings the loft is
very natural in its looks and its approach to racing the greater distance events. The loft is 14ft x 6ft with bob wire
trapping and has bales of straw and nest boxes everywhere. Des uses three inches of straw on the loft floor as litter
and said he thinks straw helps combat stress for the inmates. The loft has a small section where Des weans his
youngsters, but all the old and young birds are run together in the same section through the summer. Des has an open
loft most of the time and the birds are at liberty to run the fields and countryside. All the birds are raced on the
Natural system, being paired up in mid-March. Des likes races around the 650 mile mark.
The loft has won many premier prizes in long distance races through the years, the high lights of mwhich are: 1992:
open British Barcelona Club Perpignan (583 miles), 1995: 4
open Barcelona, 1994: 3
open Palamos (650
miles),1984: two birds on the day from Lerwick (646 miles), 1981: clocked one on the day from Thurso (550 miles)
won 2
open Combine, 1983: 1
, 3
, 9
Federation Lerwick (646 miles), 1984: 1
, 3
, 7
, 13
Federation Lerwick,
1983: 17
open Combine Thurso, 1980: 5
. Federation Thurso, 1981: 3
Federation Thurso, 1982: 4
Federation
Thurso, 1982: 2
. Federation Stonehaven, 1983: 35
. Federation Stonehaven, 1982: 1
. Federation Berwick, 1983:
Federation Berwick, 1995: 1
Federation Bergerac, 1990: 1
, 17
, 18
open Perpignan, 23
open Palamos, 1991:
, 24
, 35
open Palamos, 1986: 11
, 12
open Combine Bergerac, 1990: 1
, 2
club Niort, 1991: 4
open
Combine Bergerac, 1991: 7
open Combine Niort, 1992: 3
open Combine Rennes, 1992: 9
Federation Bergerac,
1992: 3
, 5
, 7
, 8
open B.I.C.C. Bordeaux, 1995: 5
open B.I.C.C. Barcelona, 1
open B.I.C.C., 160
International
San Sebastian. Des’ champion 1988 Grizzle cock, ‘The Palamos’, won ‘The Spanish Deploma’ in the British
Barcelona Club. A wonderful loft record!
The first pigeon we looked at on our loft visit was the handsome grizzle cock which won 1
Section, 1
Open
Perpignan (584 miles) BBC for Des in 1994. This cock was a perfect type and is a son of Des's 'Thurso Hen', which
flew Lerwick on the day. Des has been in the sport over 50 years and has always been interested in the greater
distance races. He breeds 30 to 40 young birds each year and likes them to have plenty of training, starting at 10
miles up to about 50 miles. He trains and races east to west with Sussex SR Federation and uses the inland races as
training, if he takes cards this is a bonus. He rarely sends his young birds across the Channel as he thinks the losses
outweigh the rewards. He breeds a few late breds from his best bird each year, which he uses to breed from the
following season. The birds are hopper fed on all beans and are trapped on a mixture of smaller grains, including peas
and maize.
Star of the 1995 season was Des's wonderful grizzle hen 'Champion Clio' which won 1
British Section, 160
International (6,844 birds) San Sebastian Open (534 miles). She had no other races before winning the San Sebastian
Open in 1995. She flew the young bird programme from Chichester to Wadebridge and as a yearling flew Bergerac
on the day. This champion hen was wonderful in the hand, being medium appled-bodied and is a daughter of the
1994 Perpignan BBC winning grizzle cock. A truly wonderful family of long distance racing pigeons.
