In first place with a flight time of 1 hour 53 minutes and 10 seconds flying at a velocity of 901.41 yds per minute was a gay pied cock from the loft of A. Annis & Son. (Winning sweepstake ticket no. 15 - Tiana Walton).

A chequered white flight hen from Knowles & Son came in second with a velocity of 900.24 yds per minute and a flight time of 1 hours 53 minutes and 20 seconds

In third was Darral Crowhurst's blue pied hen which flew at 898.92 ypm with an overall flight time of 1 hour 53 minutes and 30 seconds.

No birds have been reported missing.

Huge thanks go out to Jaimie Clarke, fellow flyers Mark Cowell, Alan Annis, Wayne Mason, Simon Knowles, Darral Crowhurst, and all the members of the Herne Bay pigeon club for their generosity, time and sportsmanship.

Press Information

Widowhood is a live audio performance with racing pigeons and the pigeon men who train them. The work is driven by an interest in the complex relationship racing pigeons hold with domestication and wildness, and the mystery that surrounds their ability to find their way home.

It explores the rituals of race preparation, the ingenuity of strategies employed in the training and husbandry of the birds, and the related ideas of love, loss and longing.

Working with Pigeon Racers from clubs across Kent, Buckeridge will release a number of birds to fly home from the Matt's Gallery garden. She draws our attention to the anticipation that builds around their return - focussing on their keepers and the lovelorn widow bird who is left behind and who waits, hoping for their lover's safe return.

The event starts promptly at 2pm, please arrive from 1:30pm.

Matt’s Gallery thanks the Arts Council England and Ron Henocq Fine Art for their generous support.