Recent Results

2015

The 2015 International Races

The first of the International races was Pau International.

We had a very good race considering the North westerly winds. Only one bird in the centre section was fast enough to beat our first three birds.

Below is the press report of the Pau International race.

The triple International winners Geoff and Catherine Cooper timed one of their team on 618 mpm to top the West section against the wind and take 7th Open. The Coopers’ team hasn’t been out of the first three in the section in any of the five BICC races this season and at Pau they clocked seven crackers.

The first bird of seven clocked winning 1st section was a three year old daughter of Daybreak Junior. Daybreak Junior has won 1st and 2nd section 5th BICC & 6th BICC in the Barcelona Inernational race. Plus 3rd section Pau and 4th section Tarbes. Her Dam is a half sister to Gina, the mother of Farmer George 1st International Bordeaux. She was flown widowhood, racing back to her cock The photo that accompanies this report was taken just after she arrived home in very good condition. This year she has previously flown four channel races prior to Pau, Falaise, Alencon and Tours. Last year she won 30th National BICC Pau International. Second West section and 12th National for Geoff and Catherine Cooper was a four year old chequer cock flown widowhood. His sire is a brother to Farm Stellar, being a son of the Brother to Farm Boy. The dam of the 2nd section winner is Farm Dream, a full sister to Farmer George 1st International Bordeaux. He had three channel races prior to Pau. His main performances over the last few years include, 30th BICC Alencon, 52nd BICC Le Mans and 68th BICC Tours.

The west section (provincial) result saw the Coopers have a field day with five pigeons on the result to take 1st , 2nd, 4th,7th, 8th & 10th section and 7th, 12th,17th, 24th, 36th & 42nd Open.

The Barcelona International

As always this was a testing race for birds flying to the West of England.    We only sent one, a three year old cock called Wriggleson who has won many national prizes.  We clocked him to win 15th National.  We were amazed that he managed to get home as he returned with a large gash across his back.  He was soon up and flying around so hopefully he will be a candidate for next year’s Barcelona race.

 

St Vincent International

This race was a huge success for our loft, We won 3rd and 10th International 10737 birds, plus 1st and 2nd International hens.

 

Below is the press report for the International St Vincent race.

Geoff and Catherine Cooper way out west at Peasedown St John clocked the first of their six timers to win 1st West section 1st National BICC plus 1st International Hens and 3rd Open International vel 1069 mpm. This makes it FOUR INTERNATIONAL WINS for Geoff and Catherine. Not only did they win the BICC but the Cooper team finished at 1st, 3rd, 11th, 55th, 57th & 63rd Open, a fantastic team performance. Congratulations both. This is what Catherine had to say about their latest International success:- “We clocked a yearling hen on the day called Farm Ivy, flying 530 miles to win 1st National BICC St Vincent International and 1st International hens and 3rd International. Farm Ivy is named after our youngest grand daughter Ivy, whose birthday was this weekend. The hens are all raced on widowhood, with the cocks not flying out. Prior to St Vincent she had four channel races, taking 3rd prize from Messac. Two weekends off with just loft flying she was then entered into the International. She is very well bred, her grand sires are Farm Boy, top racer and sire of Farmer George 1st International Bordeaux and Starlight, winner of 2nd International bred and raced by Etienne Mierlaen. The sire of Farm Ivy is a son of Farm Boy when paired to his daughter and the Dam is a son of Starlight paired to his half sister.

We clocked a second pigeon on the day to be 3rd National, 10th International. This was also a widowhood hen, a three year old called Farm Evie, after another grand daughter. Evie’s sire is a son of Legend 1st International Dax for Brian Sheppard and her dam is a daughter of Farm Boy. Our third pigeon, another widowhood yearling hen, clocked early next morning will be 11th BICC National. The third hen is a nest sister to Farm Ivy, the first hen. All three hens clocked are grand daughters of Farm Boy. A comprehensive loft report on the Coopers can be found on the BICC web site.

The map below is the radar map of the early birds from St Vincent. The Cooper’s loft is way out on its own in the West of the UK, flying against the drag of thousand of birds going the other way. To achieve the winning velocities the birds have to fly straight from the racepoint to their home.  You can see that the Cooper birds have to make two sea crossings in order to get home in the quickest possible time. Then factor in the hard sea conditions where the wind is nearly always blowing into or across them, you soon realise how hard International racing is for these birds, though they make it look easy.

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In 2015 we were top prize winner in two local clubs, in one we didn’t race over 250 miles and in both clubs we didn’t race all the races.

The first three weeks racing 2015.

The first three weeks racing with Carlingcott HS in the West of England SR Combine. Very pleased how the children and grandchildren of the top birds are performing.
The first week 1st, 5th, 6th club, a dgt of Misty was 1st, our 2nd bird was Wriggleson one of our international candidates, 3rd bird for us was a G/S of George.
The 2nd race we took the first 5 posistions, our 1st bird was a G/S of Farm Boy, 2nd bird was a G/S Farmer George 3rd bird a G/S of George.
The 3rd race we were 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th, our 1st bird was the nest sister to Farm Star (1st nat Tours), 2nd was a daughter of Farmer George and wollongong and our 3rd bird was a G/S of Farmer George. These races we are flying Lyndhurst 46 miles and Bedhampton 69 miles, not bad for a family known for it’s performances in the long distance races.

The next few weeks racing.

Littlehampton 89 miles. 355 birds: 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th.

Falaise National BICC 194 miles. 4187 birds: 47th, 82nd, 114th, 117th, 153rd, 154th, 176th.

Falaise Provincial (West section) 536 birds: 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th.

Falaise HLFC 194 miles: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th.

Carentan CHS 147 miles 255 birds: 2nd, 7th, 9th, 11th.

Alencon HLFC 227 miles 144 birds: 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th.

Fougeres West of England SR Combine 213 miles 2735 birds: 9th,11th, 29th, 33rd

Fougeres CHS 213 miles 170 birds: 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 8th, 11th.

Tours HLFC 307 miles 129 birds: 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th,10th.

2014

Geoff and Catherine Cooper (Peasedown St John, UK) enjoy another season at the top in 2014

The Cooper dynasty of racing pigeons continues to go from strength to strength. 2014 saw the Coopers achieve several top ten positions in challenging BICC international races; including yet another national victory from Tours to add to their collection.

Check out the above new article in the “Pipa article” section

Also in Chinese is the “Chinese Ariticles” section

Farmer Sparey wins 1st Combine Bordeaux

 

Geoff and Catherine Cooper timed a two year old chequer widowhood cock, named Farmer Sparey, after Mark Sparey of Wales who fancied this bird when he visited this spring.  He was paired the end of January and reared one youngbird.  Prior to racing he and the rest of the birds had two training tosses of 20 miles, then just loft exercise twice a day.

As a yearling he flew through to Saintes then this year as a two year old he flew a couple of inland races then two BICC races, the last one being TOurs here he was 25th National.  He was then sent to Pau International, which was going to be his last race for the season but when Geoff was basketing four two year old late breds for this race Farmer Sparey was bouncing round the loft, telling Geoff that he was in top form so he was picked up and sent.  They had four back in good time from six sent and all returned in excellent condition.

The sire of Farmer Sparey is George Junior, who won 4th Classic Carentan.  He is a son of George  1st NFC Tarbes.  George has been a prolific breeder for Geoff and others.  He is one of those birds whose children turn out to be superb breeders, regardless of what hen he is paired to.  George is G/Sire to 1st International Bordeaux, 2nd International Bordeaux yearlings for Mark Gilbert plus a host of many other top National birds for the Cooper’s and others.

The Dam of Farmer Sparey was bred by Clive Lister and is a grand daughter of Brockamp’s George.

Woodson and Misty score at St Vincent National/Interntional

Another International race, another North West wind ! First in the clock was a three year old chequer widowhood cock called “Woodson” winning 2nd west section 4th National St Vincent. . He went to Poitiers before St Vincent, and was first home and 19th National. His sire is “Woody” who won 1st sect 8th National FC Tarbes 570 miles plus winning top club and Combine prizes from Chale 72 miles. The sire of Woody is a brother to Farm Boy. Farm Boy was a top racer winning 12th Int. Dax, 3rd National and 7th National Dax and he bred Farmer George 1st Int Bordeaux.
The dam of Woodson is a sister to Georgia Jean, winner of 8th International Pau. She is a Grand daughter of Legend 1st International Dax and Farm Boy 12th International Dax and sire of Farmer George. Woodson’s pedigree is full of the top International lines of the Cooper’s loft. The Cooper’s second in the clock taking 10th National was a five year old blue cock called Misty. He is one of the Cooper’s top racers, previously winning 1st WS 10th National St Vincent, 7th National Alencon plus 4 x 1st and many other top club and Combine positions.
His sire was a top racer called Keogan and his dam is grand daughter of Legend 1st Int. Dax in 2003 for Brian Sheppard and Farm Boy 12th Int Dax and sire of 1st Int. Bordeaux. She is a full sister to the dam of Woodson who was 2nd WS 4th National in this race.

Farm Star wins 1st National Tours 2014

Gareth Watkins reports on Farm Star 1st National Tours.
In first place yet again, taking 1st west section and 1st Open with a pigeon recording 1174 ypm, is the world class West Country partnership of Geoff and Catherine Cooper of Peasedown St John near Bath.
Geoff and Catherine timed a two year old dark chequer cock to win 1st National. After leading the way in two earlier National races this season, only to end up 2nd and 4th in the final result, they were relieved to see their name stay at the top of the leader board on this the third occasion!!
The timer, as mentioned, is a two year old widowhood cock now named “Farm Star” and he has been a good consistent racer for Geoff and Catherine, always in the first few to the loft. As a yearling he won 2nd club 24th Combine Saintes 394 miles.
His sire is a son of “Euro Star” who bred 5th National Carentan and 1st Ace pigeon Europe Wuhan Golden Sands Derby. The Dam is a hen called “Margie” who as a yearling flew the national programme through to Tarbes 570 miles. She is down from Farm Boy and Mtotto two of the most prolific breeders in the Cooper loft.
Farm Star has flown 3 inland races and two channel races prior to this race. If all goes well his main race will be Bordeaux/Agen International with the BICC on the 28th June.
A comprehensive loft report on the Coopers can be found on the BICC web site.

Farm Stellar wins 3rd National Agen and 2nd National Falaise 2014.

 

We timed Farm Stellar to win 3rd National (1st OB) Agen International.  The wind was strong North West all the 500+ miles to home.  The radar map shows how Stellar had to fly on his own, without the help of the wind or any other birds..

Stellar is a two year old cock which has been amongst the first to the loft every race so far this season, after returning badly injured from Saints as a yearling. Like all the birds, he was raced widowhood.

The first national race of the 2014 season was from Falaise in France, a distance of 196 miles.  We were for a long time winning this race, only to end up second with Stellar when all the birds times  were recorded.  We were still very pleased with this result.

His sire is a pigeon called “Brother to Farm Boy”. who is a full brother to Farm Boy who won 12th International Dax, 3rd Nat Dax and 7th Nat Dax and 3rd Euro Diamond Dax and 7th Ace pigeon Euro Diamond. Farm Boy is the sire of Farmer George 1st International Bordeaux. The Dam is a daughter of the nest sister to Mark Gilbert’s Darkie, winner of two 1st Nationals.

 

4th National Carentan 2014

2013

Falaise National.

 The National birds in the West Section had it all to do in this race with the wind in the west at 10 – 15 mph here in Wales accompanied by heavy drizzle from mid morning which blanked out the Welsh Valleys.

 Yet again the west section winner could be found 50 miles to the east at the Peasedown St John loft of Geoff and Catherine Cooper. Catherine writes:-

“We started the 2013 old bird season in the BICC the same as we finished the 2012 old bird season– with a 1^st section win.  The section winner from Falaise is “Scar”, who won 1^st section in the last old bird race in 2012 with the BICC from Le Mans. Scar is a three year old widowhood cock named Scar because he came back badly hawked from a race last year.  Last week, Scar won 1^st Poole a distance of 48 miles with Paulton HS with 660 birds competing.  He had three training tosses prior to racing of 20 miles and then three inland races of approximately 50 – 60 miles. His sire is a nest brother to Stroller who won 2^nd section from St Vincent International with the BICC last year.  These are all down from the best of our family known for excelling when the wind and conditions are against them.

Once again the birds arrived home in very good condition after a one day holdover, going straight to their hens, not looking at the drinkers, at the time of writing we have six home from eight sent.”

BICC National Alencon 2013

G & C Cooper’s with good friend Peter Miessner holding their timers in the BICC Alencon race including 4th sect 6th Open.

Geoff and Catherine Cooper timed a two year old widowhood cock flying 228 miles to win probable 4^th West Section, 6^th open.  Their first bird is called Wriggleson, as his sire is Wriggler who won 1^st BICC Falaise National and 5^th National Dax.  Wriggleson’s dam is a daughter of George, 1^st National Tarbes and sire/g.sire of many top National and International winning pigeons.  Geoff and Catherine also clocked two other birds within a couple of minutes which will figure high up in the result, their velocities are 1186 and 1184.  The second pigeon clocked was Misty who has won many top National prizes and the third one clocked was out of a sister to Misty.

 

Pau International .

 The race turned out to be an absolute triumph for the small British contingent as not only was the overall International winner clocked in the UK but British pigeons took the following positions in the Open result:-
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th,16th, 24th,34th,63rd & 68th. A truly remarkable set of performances put up by the seven fanciers concerned. Congratulations to you one and all – you have made the British fancy extremely proud.
First in the clock and taking 1st,8th & 15th Open International was the West Country partnership, and now double International winners, Geoff and Catherine Cooper of Peasedown St John, a small village situated near the historic city of Bath. Geoff and Catherine had a marvellous weekend also winning 1st ,5th,6th,47th & 65th Open BICC.  as mentioned above, this is the second International win for the Coopers as they also won 1st International Bordeaux (Agen) in 2011.
The Coopers have developed a team of pigeons that will fly in all winds and weather and the 2013 Pau International was a good example of racing in all winds.  The birds were liberated in a north east headwind, turning east on route, a side wind, then southerly, a tail wind and finally in the UK south westerly. Their chequer white flight hen, called Wollongong, landed a few minutes before Geoff’s expected arrival time and they knew then they had a good bird.  They  clocked two more hens, Georgia Jean and Carla Page to be provisionally 5th & 6th Open BICC and 8th and 16th Open International.  Last year Georgia Jean was 1st Section 27th National BICC Pau International.
Prior to basketing for the Pau International, Wollongong and the other hens had four consecutive channel races then two weekends off before going to Pau.
Wollongong, is a 2010 hen bred from Gina, a half sister to George, the 1st Grand National winner and sire/g.Sire to many top birds, when paired to a grandson of Euro Diamond and Marseille King from Clive Lister.  She has been an excellent racer, winning 4th High Littleton Open Tours as a young bird, not raced as a yearling then raced through to Pau International as a two year old where she won 3rd  section, 35th  BICC Pau International.
All birds at the Cooper loft are raced on widowhood.  The hens are raced exactly the same as the cocks, paired up in the early spring, some reared, some only sat eggs,  then exercised twice a day when racing starts.  They all see the cocks before basketing and they always have their cocks waiting for them when they get home.  The racing hens are paired to cocks bred from the stock loft or retired racers.  The widowhood cocks are raced the same, always seeing their hen before they go to the race and always their hen waiting for their return.They started this season with about 55 cocks and 27 hens in the race team.
The Cooper family is based on the Deweerdts of Kortemark Belgium.  Geoff and Catherine visited in the 80′s and 90′s and purchased from Deweerdt’s best.  These were the foundation of their present day family, with a small number of top winning pigeons introduced over the last 30 years.   This family has bred a record number of top winning pigeons for other fanciers as well as for themselves.
George the 1st Grand National winner has bred three different children which have bred 1st International Bordeaux Old Birds, 2nd International Bordeaux Yearlings for Mark Gilbert, and Scotty 3 x 1st National Section plus many other top performers.

taken just after Wollongong came home from Pau International.

Geoff and Catherine’s  two other hens clocked on the day were ,as mentioned above, a three year old hen called Georgia Jean which wins 2nd WS 5th National and provisionally 8th International. In last year’s Pau International race Georgia Jean was 1st West Section. She was raced widowhood, not roundabout, coming back to the cocks just as widowhood cocks are raced.
She is very well bred, her sire is Blue Legend, a son of Legend 1st International Dax 2003 for Brian Sheppard and her dam is a daughter of George, winner of 1st Grand National Tarbes and g/sire to Farmer George 1st International Bordeaux. She is called Georgia Jean in memory of Brian’s wife Jean who was a good friend of Geoff and Catherine.

The next pigeon clocked was a two year old hen called Carla Page who won 3rd West Section, 6th National and provisionally 16th International. She is called Carla Page because she was bred by Alan and Carla Hudson, before Carla and Alan were married, hence Carla Page, and given to Geoff and Catherine to race. She was also raced widowhood.
Her Sire was a son of Mistral an exceptional racer for HP Brockamp when paired to a hen Carla and Alan bought from Geoff called Miss Magnus, who is a daughter o Magnus, a top International racer for Deweerdt.
Finally Geoff and Catherine would like to congratulate all those other British fanciers who timed well up in the race.

 

Agen International

No result of the BICC  would be complete without the name of Cooper near the top and in this Agen race Geoff and Catherine clocked on the day yet again to take 2nd West section 8th Open vel1087 ypm. Geoff and Catherine clocked a three year old grandson of Farm Boy, who was a top National and International racer and stock cock for them.  He is called Sol, after Geoff and Catherine’s grandson, who was for the first time watching the pigeons come home. Sol arrived home just as it was getting dark, flying exactly 14 hours.  Geoff had to put the lights on in the loft to read the clock and wing stamps!
He is raced widowhood and his last race was Tours with the BICC when he was the second bird home.  His next race will be Perpignan International, a distance of abut 638 miles.  Sol has previously won 3rd Lyndhurst, 44th National Alencon, 7th section 29th National Agen and 3rd section 43rd National Bordeaux.
After being in the basket for six nights Geoff says that the birds looked very well on their return, a credit to those looking after them.

Barcelona International

Over in the west section the winner here was clocked to the ultra successful Peasedown St John loft of Geoff and Catherine Cooper – a partnership who recently won 1st Open Pau International to add to their 2011 Agen International win.  The Cooper’s Barcelona winner is a seven year old widowhood cock now named “Daybreak Junior”  was clocked at 8.34pm to win 1st section 6th Open.  He has been a good honest racer for them, always in the first few to the loft.
Prior to this he has won :- 3rd Fed. Messac,
29th sect. 202nd Classic Bergerac, 211th Nat. Tarbes,338th Nat. Messac,209th Nat. Tarbes, plus 3rd west sect. 54th Nat Pau/Int., 3rd west sect. 18th Nat. Tarbes/Int.,
2nd west sect. 22nd Nat. Barcelona/Int.

 

His pedigree is full of top performance pigeons. His sire is Daybreak, a top racer who won a coveted National Merit Award. Daybreak Junior’s grandsire is also the grandsire of Mark Gilbert’s International winner Southfield Supreme.

  Daybreak Juniors Dam is Miss Pau, who flew Pau International as a yearling.  She is a daughter of  Miss Somerset, winner of the NFC YB Somerset cup and Miss Somerset’s sire is “21″ a top breeder and racer for the Coopers.

St Vincent

Geoff and Catherine Cooper clocked “Wriggleson” a three year old widowhood cock to win 3rd sect. 6th National St Vincent.  His preparation for this race was a couple of inland races then in May BICC Alencon where he was 6th National. Next race for him was BICC Tours where he was 69th Open followed by Saintes with the WESRC, then two weekends off and basketed for St Vincent on the Monday. His Sire is “Wriggler” who won 1st National Falaise, 5th National Dax plus many prizes in the top 1% of National races.  His Dam is a daughter of the Cooper’s top breeder George, who won 1st Grand National Tarbes and is sire and grandsire to many top birds including 1st and 2nd International Bordeaux. Geoff and Catherine’s other timers finished at 18th,20th,26th & 30th Open.

2013 Club racing.

In 2013 we had a good season club racing with the same birds that were our National/International team.

We flew in three local clubs and we were 2nd highest prizewinner in all three, flying mainly inland and short channel races.  We topped the West of England S.R. Combine over 4,000 birds, with Farmer Fox, from Truro a distance of 144 miles.

2012.

This year was another amazing year for the Cooper pigeons. Flying to the West of the UK, where the strong west winds are favouring the east of the country, the Cooper pigeons have won this year six x 1st provincial (sections). In the International races where the majority of the birds are heading east to Belgium, Holland and Germany, what the Cooper’s have achieved this year is remarkable. They created a new UK record of six x 1st provincial, all on the day of liberation, flying nearly 1000km ending with a rough sea crossing with rain and strong side winds.

The birds have got to be tough as well as fast to keep doing this.

One of the top racers in the Cooper loft is “Misty”.

“Misty” won 1st CHS, 5th Combine Lyndhurst, the first race of the season, inland and only 70km. Six weeks later he won 1st CHS, 5th Combine Saintes 630 kms and three weeks after that he won 1st WS (prov.) BICC, 10th BICC St Vincent International, the only bird on the day in the WS. He not only beat all the other birds in the West Section he beat all the birds in the Centre Section, only nine birds in the East of the country beat him.

“Misty” is from a son of Keogan top racer and a daughter of “Blue Legend” a top breeding son of “Legend” the first ever International winner in the UK.

Another superstar in the racing loft is “Scotty” who has previously won 1st WS provincial Falaise BICC and 12th National Fougeres BBC.

In 2012 “Scotty” has won 2 x 1st provincials, 1st WS (prov.) 5th BICC Bordeuax/Agen International approx. 840 kms then four weeks later he went to Bordeaux National BBC winning 1st C provincial 9th National. In both these races he was flying into strong west winds, racing against pigeons flying 250+ kms to the east.

Scotty’s sire is “Georgeson” a top breeding son of “George” 1st Grand National Tarbes. George is also the Grandsire of Farmer George, 1st International Bordeaux. This brings his total to 3 x 1st provincial wins plus many other top prizes.

A top racing hen is “Georgia Jean” who won 1st WS (prov.) BICC, 22nd BICC Pau International. She was raced as a young bird, not raced as a yearling, then raced this year as a two year old. She is also bred from the very best of the Cooper pigeons. Her sire is “Blue Legend” a son of “Legend” 1st International Dax and her Dam is “777” a daughter of “George” 1st National Tarbes and G.Sire of 1st International Bordeaux.

Another top racer is “Scar” who won 1st WS (prov.) Le Mans BICC National, his sire is a nest brother to “Stroller” who was 2nd WS St Vincent BICC International a couple of weeks before.

“Bro. Farm Boy”” won 1st WS (prov.) from Tours and then four weeks later was 6th WS (prov.) Barcelona BICC International. He is a full bother to “Farm Boy” a top racer and sire of “Farmer George” 1st International Bordeaux.

“Daybreak Junior” won 2nd WS BICC Barcelona International. This was the wettest summer weekend, bringing the first of many summer floods to the West country. “Daybreak Junior” is a son of “Daybreak” who won a coveted National Merit Award.

To give you an idea of how the birds have to think and orientate on their own when racing, the size of the WS province within the British International championship club is nearly as big in area as the whole of Belgium! Living in the West of England, in order to win top National prizes in an International race the birds have to fly on their own from liberation to home, they cannot follow the main drag of the birds or they win nothing..

The Cooper family of pigeons are a true family of pigeons, all the top racers and breeders are related, there are winners or good breeders in every generation on the pedigrees. Geoff inbreeds to all his top birds and then looks for a good cross to maintain the vigour. He tries many crosses and very few have stayed. The crosses that are successful are crossed back into the family to ensure the winning genes are not lost.

Season 2012

4th Classic with a son of George

5th National BICC Carentan with Euro Titch

5th Bicc Agen National/International with Scotty a grandson of George

1st Bicc WS (prov.) Agen National /International with Scotty a grandson of George

1st National Carentan for J & D Staddon winner bred from a half sister to George

1st Classic (A & S Thompson) with a sister to HBP top racer.

1st Bicc WS (prov) Pau National/International with Georgia Jean, a grand daughter of George

14th National Fougeres with a grand daughter of JW

2 x 5th West of England SR Combine

1st National WS (prov) Bicc Tours with Bro. Farm Boy

22nd Bicc National/International Barcelona, 2nd WS (prov)Barcelona National/International with Daybreak Junior

39th Bicc National/International Barcelona, 6th Bicc WS (prov)Barcelona National International with Bro. Farm Boy.

3rd Bicc WS (prov) Pau National/International

1st CHS Lyndhurst, 1st CHS Saintes with Misty down from Farm Boy and Legend 1st International Dax.

3rd National BBC prov. Niort

2 x 1st HLFC

1st CHS Carentan

The results of Geoff and Catherine Cooper’s birds are very well known but what is not so well known is how well they perform for others.

This year Geoff and Catherine bred the Dam of the winner of the UK Classic race from Messac. The Dam was a full sister to “HBP” 3rd National/International Dax.

They also bred “Shapway Lord George” who was the sire of 1st Carentan National for J & D Staddon. “Shapway Lord George” is a half brother to George 1st Grand National Tarbes etc.

The list of winning pigeons for other fanciers with the bloodlines of this family is growing every year. They include International winners, many National winners and many Classic and Combine winners. The family has bred more overseas International, National winners and top National prize winners than any other UK family.

Birds from Geoff and Catherine have produced:
1st International Dax, 2nd International Yearlings Bordeaux for Mark Gilbert.
1st Grand National Pau for Harding Bros
“Morning Glory” 2 x 2nd Grand National Pau for Paul Kendal
1st National Saintes for Stan Dangerfield
1st Classic Pau for Witney and Reed
2 x 2nd National for Richard boylin
1st Grand National Tarbes for Paul Kendal
7th Grand National Tarbes for Paul Kendal

1^st Classic Messac for A. S. Thompson

1^st National Carentan for J & D Staddon

2011  1^st and 2^nd International  Bordeaux.

Geoff and Catherine Cooper clocked a two year old chequer widowhood cock called Farmer George at 17.32.17 UK time to win probable 1^st International Bordeaux total convoy 22,029 birds. Farmer George was 45 minutes clear of the next bird in the total convoy, he must have left the liberation site and flown straight for home against the drag of the birds (only 600+ went from the UK) into a North wind (headwind).

They clocked another bird,called “Shiraz” whio is a son of “PD” when paired to a daughter of “Half Blood Prince. He is 2nd International. He is named “Shiraz” because local club member John Smallcombe, who won the National section G from Tarbes the same day, with a bird whose parents were bred by Geoff and Catherine, called round in the afternoon with a bottle of Shiraz for  them. They told him they would open it and drink a glass to celebrate his win whilst they waited for their International birds.  They had just finished the first glass when “Farmer George” came racing to the loft.  As he already had a name they called their second bird after John’s bottle of shiraz wine!

Their third bird is called “Chimney Pot” and is grandson of “Titch” who was an exceptional racer and breeder, being the sire of “JW” 1^st National Falaise, and grandsire to “George” 1^st Grand National Tarbes and a great grandson to Emile 1^st International Bordeaux for Deweerdt.

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1st National Falaise West Section British International C.C. for Geoff and Catherine Cooper.

“Scotty”, a Grandson of top racer and breeder “George”, wins 1^st National Geoff and Catherine Cooper timed a two year old chequer cock called “Scotty” to win first National West Section in the British International C.C. Falaise race194 miles.

“Scotty’s” sire is a son of “George“. “George” won many prizes, including four first prizes and 1^st Grand National Tarbes and two RPRA  Long Distance awards. “Scotty’s” Dam is a daughter of Mark Gilberts “Southfield Supreme” 1^stInternational Dax. “Scotty’s” pedigree is full of winning genes representing the best of the Cooper bloodlines.

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Geoff and Catherine Cooper have a Great National race from Alencon.

Geoff and Catherine Cooper had a brilliant weekends racing with the British International Club from Alencon 228 miles.  They entered seventeen birds into this race and were probably 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd  section, timing their birds within a few seconds of each other,  they had all seventeen home in a few hours.

The first bird clocked was “PD” who was 2^nd National provincial from Tarbes in 2010 National/International, when the Cooper’s were 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd  National G provincial in 2010, 912 kms with “Woody”, “PD” and “Scotty”.

“PD” is a grandson of “Farm Boy” an exceptional racer and breeder and a Grandson of “Wriggler” who was 1^st National Falaise and 5^th National Dax.

The second bird clocked is a brother to the “Farm Boy”, this family is full of winners with the bloodlines of “Farm Boy” in.”Farm Boy” is one of those rare pigeons that not only raced well, but breeds well, as do his brothers and sisters.

The  3^rd clocked was a pigeon called “Gilby”, who is bred from a son of Mark Gilberts International Dax winner, who has bred many top winning birds, and a sister to “JW”.  “JW” won 1^st National Falaise and 9^th National Dax plus and is a son of “Titch” who was a prolific breeder in the Cooper’s loft, being the sire and grandsire of  many top National prize winners including being Grandsire to “George” 1^st Grand National Tarbes.

After being told they were 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd National section when the result was published t a bird had been verified late and was actually now 1^st West Section making Geoff and Catherine’s birds 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th west Section.

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Geoff and Catherine Cooper won 3^rd National West Section Tours with a  two year old chequer widowhood cock called “Farmer George”.  He went to the Central Southern Classic race from Carentan where he was the first bird home.  The following week he went to again to Carentan with Carlingcott HS where he was the fifth bird home but was injured, he had badly damaged his keel.  He had four weeks off to get over this injury and then entered into this race.

His sire is“Farm Boy” Geoff’s top International and National prize winner, and his Dam is a daughter of “George” 1^st Grand National Tarbes, when “George” was paired to a daughter of “21” another top racer and breeder of the Cooper’s.  So far this season Geoff and Catherine’s birds have won, 1^st, 2^nd, 2^nd,3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th and 6^th  West Section in the BICC National races.  They sent twelve birds to this race and had all twelve home on the day.

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The last old bird race of the season was Tarbes International with the British International Championship Club.
Geoff and Catherine clocked three pigeons in an hour to win 2nd, 3rd and 4th SW section, 16th 18th and 23rd National. Their first bird, winning 2nd SW was a five year old widowhood cock called “Stumpy” as he has twice broken the same leg.  He has only been lightly raced because as a yearling he cut himself across his keel and so had very little racing and over the last couple of years he has broken the same leg twice.  Geoff was confident that given  the opportunity he was capable of putting up a good performance.  Stumpy’s Sire is  a son of “Morning Glory” twice 2nd Pau National for Paul and Helen Kendall and his Dam is “Miss Dax” who as a yearling won 93rd International Hens from Dax,  and 5th section, 20th, NFC Dax.  “Miss Dax” is a grand daughter of “Twenty One”.

Their second bird was six year old “Eustace” who has won 3rd National Tarbes section G, beaten by two loft mates for first section,  35th National Tarbes, 8th National Falaise, plus many other top National and Classic prizes.  His Sire is a son of “Twenty One” who was a top racer and breeder for Geoff and Catherine and his Dam was a half sister to “Farm Boy” who was a super racer and fantastic breeder, “Farm Boy” was the  sire of the 1st International Bordeaux winner “Farmer George”.

The third bird clocked was a five year old son of “Day Break” who was a winner of a coveted Certificate of Merit in the National FC, for having a bird three times in the top 100 of the longest race.  The sire of “Day Break” was the Grandsire of Mark Gilbert’s Dax International winner. The Dam was “Miss Pau” who has won 1st  MNHS and 13th Combine from Minstead 45 miles and flew Pau International as a yearling.  Miss Pau is a grand daughter of “Twenty One”.

2011		Organistation		Racepoint	Birds
7,19,20,26.		H.L.F.C.		Hamworthy         46m	509
3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 15.		Carlingcott H.S.		Lynhurst              44m	298
7		Carlingcott H.S.		Bedhampton        72m	249
13, 19, 21, 28, 48, 50,		British Int.C.C Prov.		Falaise National 196m	192
24, 31, 33, 48.		British Int. C.C. National		Falaise National	1855
1, 5, 19, 35, 49, 53, 59.		British Int. C.C. Prov.		Falaise National	303
133, 219, 387, 479, 543, 555, 573		British Int. C.C. National		Falaise National	3940
2, 3, 5.		Carlingcott H.S.		Carentan             142m	219
27		W.E.S.R. combine		Carentan	3542
2, 3, 4, 6, 7.		British Int. C.C. Prov.		Alencon	222
3, 5.		British Int. C.C. Prov.		Tours
3, 5.		British Int.C.C. Prov.		Pau                      560m
54, 81.		British Int.C.C. National	Pau
1, 2, 5.		British Int.C.C. Prov.	Bordeaux             518m
1, 2, 18.		British Int.C.C. National	Bordeaux
1,2.		International OB	Bordeaux		10066
1, 3,		International total lib.	Bordeaux		22029
2, 3, 4.		British Int.C.C. Prov.	Tarbes                 570m
16, 18, 23.		British Int.C.C. National	Tarbes
1,6,7.		Carlingcott.H.S.	Exeter                    68m		307
2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10,11,13,15.		Carlingcott.H.S.	Exeter		290
16, 17, 18.		W.E.S.R.Combine	Exeter		3696
7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.		Carlingcott H.S.	Exeter		432
10		Carlingcott.H.S.	Newton Abbot       74m		385
9,10,11.		Carlingcott.H.S.	Yelverton              98m		301
13, 15, 20.		Carlingcott H.S.	Yelverton		307
2, 6.		Briish Int.C.C. Prov.	Guernsey             128m
4, 5, 7, 11.		Carlingcott H.S.	Truro                   137m		287
5		HLFC/NFC	Fougeres             213m
4, 6, 12, 22		HLFC National  Prov.	Tours                   307m
2, 3, 4.		HLFC Tours club	Tours
1,2,3,4,5,6, (first 29)		HLFC	Hamworthy

2010	Organisation	Racepoint	Birds
1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th 10th	M.N.H.S.	Minstead	416
4th, 5th	West of England South Road Combine	Minstead	4411
3rd, 5th	Paulton H.S.	Portsmouth	380
32nd, 58th	Central Southern Classic	Messac	2126
1st, 6th section	Central Southern Classic	Messac
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th.	H.L.F.C.	Messac
4th, 6th.	H.L.F.C.	St. Malo
6th,	H.L.F.C.	Messac
2nd, 5th, 6th,	H.L.F.C.	Poiters
1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th.	H.L.F.C.	Saintes
10th.	BBC National	Messac	1996
3rd section	BBC National	Messac	471
15th, 39th,50th,	National FC	Poitiers	5954
8th, 14th, 35th,	National FC	Tarbes	2833
1st, 2nd, 3rd,section G	National FC	Tarbes	359
12th, 27th,	National BBC Charity Race	Fougeres	2161
4th, 8th,section	National BBC Charity Race	Fougeres	739
1st, 2nd, 3rd,	H.L.F.C.	Tarbes
1st	M.N.H.S.	Minstead	402
92nd,115th, 135th,192nd,	National FC	Saintes	3484
1st, 3rd, 4th,	Paulton H.S.	Seaton	132
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th,	Paulton H.S.	Exeter	153
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th,6th,	Paulton H.S.	Newton Abbot	201
87th,	National FC	Carentan	3266
2nd, section G	National FC	Carentan	810
1st, 3rd.	H.L.F.C.	Carentan
2nd,3rd, 4th 6th,	H.L.F.C.	St Malo
4th, 10th section G	National FC	St Malo	224
4th,	National H.L.F.C.	Tours	639
1st , 3rd,	H.L.F.C.	Tours
2nd National Averages All Races	National FC	All National Races	4000+ members
1stAce Fancier 2008 ,2009, 2010	National FC	Tarbes	4000+ members
1st L.A. Baker. Best Average All Races sections C, D, G.	National FC	All National Races
2nd Old bird Average	National FC	All Old bird Races