BRITISH BARCELONA CLUB'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Part 21
by Keith Mott
Season 2014 represents another milestone in history for the British Barcelona Club, for this year is the club’s 50th anniversary. In celebration of this event it is intended to reproduce some of the articles on past winners that have appeared in the Fancy Press over the years. It is well worth remembering that here in this country we have just three racing organisations that cover the whole of the country, of which only one, the British Barcelona Club, encompasses the Channel Islands, making its races truly National events. To celebrate the Golden Jubilee every section winner in this year’s races will receive a special commemorative medal which will be presented at this year’s dinner at Days Hotel, Bournemouth. In the meantime it is hoped that readers will enjoy the exploits and methods of past winners of this highly successful club. For those interested, it is not too late to join and partake in this year’s celebrations. Good luck to our members for the forthcoming 2014 season. - Michael Shepherd (BBC Chairman).
CHAMPIONS
‘AMIGO’: NU 70 T 17125: RED GRIZZLE COCK.
Raced by R. Trueman-Dickin.
1972: 2nd open British Section Barcelona International (715 miles).
1974: Flew Palamos (698 miles) and then retired to stock.
‘THE BERWICK HEN’: NU 69 11627: BLUE HEN.
Raced by T. W. Hodges of Taunton, bred by D. Coleman.
1974: 1st open BBC Palamos (694 miles) 1,023 birds.
1975: 2nd open BBC Palamos (694 miles) 835 birds.
1969: Flew Berwick (333 miles) as a young bird.
1971: 34th section, 94th open NFC Pau (541 miles) 4,219 birds.
1972: 29th section, 242nd open NFC Pau (541 miles) 4,356 birds.
1973: 47th section, 291st open NFC Pau (541 birds) 4,957 birds.
The winning velocity from Palamos of 1007ypm put up by the ‘The Berwick Hen’ in 1974 was a record at that time for the British Barcelona Club Palamos race and the only other pigeon to record 1000 ypm was the one that was 2nd open in that same 1974 race.
‘CONQUEROR’: SU 72 A 9522: RED CHEQUER COCK.
Raced by A. Reasider.
The British record holder for over 1,000 miles in the fastest time. ‘Conqueror’ was liberated at 06.00hrs on the Friday in Palamos, Spain and arrived at his loft in Scotland at 16.30hrs on the Sunday. He smashed the previous record of five days and five hours in half and then was retire to the stock loft.
1975: 3rd section E, 455th open BBC Palamos (1,012 miles) velocity 675ypm / 923 birds.
‘WELLBANK ENDURANCE’: SU 69 T 4981: RED PIED COCK.
Raced by John Ellis of Wellbank.
1973: 1st section E, 27th open BBC Palamos (1,044 miles).
1972: 2nd section E, 84th open BBC Palamos (1,044 birds).
As a two year old ‘Endurance’ flew Avranches (546 miles) and Beauvais (531 miles) and was retired to the stock loft in 1973. Won Gold Medal, Harker’s Rosebowl, Hare Trophy and Bartlett Sheild.
‘KNIGHTSDALE LADY’: NU 66 N 28449: DARK CHEQUER HEN.
Bred & raced by R. Churchill of Weymouth.
‘Knightsdale Lady’ was the winner of six consecutive prizes from Palamos (657 miles). She also won an RPRA South West Region Meritorious Award and Gold Medal, plus the Lt. Col. Osman Memorial Trophy and was retired to the stock loft in 1973.
1973: 1st section, 1st open BBC Palamos (657 miles).
1971: 6th open BBC Palamos (657 miles).
1970: 10th open BBC Palamos (657 miles).
1969: 15th open BBC Palamos (657 miles).
1968: 17th open BBC Palamos (657 miles).
1972: 57th open BBC Palamos (657 birds).
1967: 3rd club (only three birds on the day), 10th Dorset Federation, 11th Wessex Combine La Reole (450 miles).
‘LIONHEART’: SU 69 A 4480: RED CHEQUER COCK.
Bred & raced by Henry Mair.
1973: 3rd Pigeon Scotland Palamos (1,009 miles).
1974: Retired to the stock loft.
‘PIXIE’: NU 73 T 86506: BLUE CHEQUER PIED HEN.
Raced by T. J. Perrett of Mere.
1976: 1st section, 1st open BBC Palamos (694 miles) velocity 741 / 1,144 birds.
‘ROMONA’: NU 70 N 11221: BLUE HEN.
Raced by R. Trueman-Dickin.
1972: 1st open British Section Barcelona International (715 miles).
1973: 1st section, 2nd open BBC Palamos (698 miles).
‘Romona’ was presented in 1972 with the Belgian President’s Prize Cureghem Centre and RNHU South West Centre South Road Meritorious Award and Gold Medal. Then in 1973 she won another RNHU South West Centre South Road Meritorious Award and Gold Medal.
KEITH MOTT (2014)
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