Jason Parke (r) with Kenny Glass, Windsor Social.
The NIPA where racing from Tullamore, County Offaly yesterday for the first race of the old bird season. All fanciers that where ready would have been very happy to see the sun shining considering the poor weather we have been experiencing lately.
Word came through that the convoy of over 18,500 birds had been released into the blue skies and sunshine. It was a perfect start for the birds.
Wind at the release point was southerly and was to increase the further north the birds travelled which would suit the longer flyers and was the case as they dominated all the early positions. Set in the village of Bushmills we see not only the winner but also the Top 5 of the NIPA all from the Windsor Social club. Bushmills is a small village nestled in the beautiful North Antrim coast famous for the Giants Causeway and the world famous Bushmills Distillery. It’s a beautiful place to visit in very good weather.
This small village reminds me of Belgium where you see several lofts in villages all near each other.
Well I’d like to congratulate R J Parke on not just winning the mighty NIPA but taking the top three places from over 18,500b. This is the very first time Jason has ever won the NIPA and what a way to do it. I saw the result posted in their club on the Saturday and thought to myself whoever can beat that velocity will win the NIPA.
It was brilliant news when Joey Vage messaged me to confirm they had took the top three places. By the way Joey you do a fantastic job on getting the results out so quickly, not an easy task.
The partnership consists of father and son Roy the dad and Jason the son but now Jason does all the work helped by his lovely wife Rhonda. This couple are the salt of the earth you get what you see and every time I’ve been down they get the pan on. I think that’s why my-self and Norman Bradley have put the weight on, well Norman anyway. Jason and Rhonda have eight lovely children and he will tell you that he doesn’t spend too much time with the bird’s, he just keeps it so simple as he’s always busy with his lovely family.
He was standing waiting on the birds when he looked in the direction of Portballintrae and saw his NIPA winner folding up and racing to the loft. He said this little hen hit the trap that hard he wasn’t sure if he heard the beep we all listen for. He was about to check when two more hens hit the trap and ran in and he heard the bleeps so didn’t bother checking to later. Yes all three pigeons where hens.
During the week he was telling me how he races them and told me Jimmy my hens are starting to please me. They are just road trained no loft flying and he feeds them then when they get a drink he claps his hands and they all go into their own boxes and he pulls down a cover until their next training spin. He said to me he actually thinks their paired to him and not the cocks as they drive at him and look to him to be treaded. He said when he sees them do this he knows their right. How right he was.
The winner is a line of pigeons he has got from his good friend Andy Boyle of the same club. Jason asked me to thank Andy for all the top pigeons he has given him and also the guidance in health care of the birds. The winning pigeon is a lovely blue hen of Van Rijn crossed with Lou Wouters and Grondelaer breeding. The bird in second open was a gift from his friend Trevor Scott for helping with a loft and who was 4th Open behind Jason’s three. The lines of this one are the best of his Stickers Donckers and Van den Brandes he acquired from A & R McAuley. Third open was a Herman Beverdam crossed with a Lambrecht.
The Windsor boys certainly had a brilliant start to the season taking the top five in the NIPA with the lofts of Trevor Scott in fourth and good friend Kenny Glass in fifth.
Let’s hope we are reading more open winners coming up to the North Coast soon. Jimmy McSeveney PO.
NIPA Race/Date
Tullamore 21/04/18 – Lib 10.00am wind South West
NIPA Open Tullamore 698/18,564 – 1-1B R & J Parke Windsor Soc 1921, 2-2B R & J Parke 1915, 3-3B R & J Parke 1912, 4-4B T Scott & Son Windsor Soc 1910, 5-5B K Glass Windsor Soc 1905, 6-1A G & S Smith Cookstown 1899, 7-2A G & S Smith 1898, 8-3A D Coyles & Son Coleraine Premier 1893, 9-6B T Scott & Son 1887, 10-7B T Scott & Son 1884, 11-8B T Scott & Son 1882, 12-4A R McAlary Coleraine Premier 1877, 13-5A D Coyles & Son 1876, 14-6A J L Madden Coleraine Premier 1875, 15-7A D Coyles & Son 1875, 16-8A Speirs & Campbell Cookstown 1873, 17-9A Diamond Bros & G McLaughlin Coleraine Premier 1872, 18-9B T & J McDonald 1871, 19-10B K Glass Windsor Soc 1870, 20-10A D Coyles & Son 1866.
Result in each NIPA Section:-
Sect A 49/1697 – G & S Smith Cookstown 1899, G & S Smith 1898, D Coyles & Son Coleraine Premier 1893.
Sect B 104/2888 – R & J Parke Windsor Soc 1921, R & J Parke 1915, R & J Parke 1912.
Sect C 154/3753 – A McNaughton Glenarm & Dist 1806, D & J Armstrong & Son Carrick Social 1792, A McNaughton 1785.
Sect D 76/2283 – P McGarrity Crumlin 1737, J Gregory & Sons Colin 1733, I Gibb & Sons Glenavy & Dist 1730.
Sect E 127/3506 – P McFadden Monaghan 1831, P McFadden 1829, Allister & Kruger Monaghan 1796.
Sect F 39/825 – B Griffith Ards 1607, McCartan & Woodsides Killyleagh & Dist 1599, McCartan & Woodsides 1599.
Sect G 63/1932 – R Adamson Bleary 1759, T & K Mawhinney Ashfield 1740, R Adamson Bleary 1737.
Sect H 86/1680 – J Walsh Strabane 1837, D Booth Foyle 1817, D Booth 1817.
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