Most of the time at the most recent Committee Meeting held on Tuesday 13th February was spent setting a race programme for the season. It does take a fair bit of time and debate and was worked out along the lines of the programme flown in 2017 with some slight adjustments. Most of the old race-points were used again but members should note that Dunmanway has been added to the list, this point is directly above Skibbereen and would be roughly 20 mile shorter. The old bird National to be flown on Friday 29th June will be from either St Malo or Brest with the decision made after looking at the weather forecast at that time. Both sites have been booked and hopefully we have a successful race after the very poor one in 2017. Young birds will not start until 21st July with two weeks of Area Liberations followed by Gowran Park mass liberation on Week 3. For Mid Antrim lofts, although the liberation has not yet been confirmed for the young birds, in the Area Liberations. It could be Mullingar 100 Miles, Tullamore 125 Miles and then the mass liberation at Gowran Park 160 Miles. Birds will need well trained early and it would be no bad thing weather permitting if we could arrange a race from Navan (80 Miles) around 14th July. This has been tried before and a big lack of interest, lofts holding back and starting training late. If you expect to be early on a Saturday have a look at what the most successful lofts are doing, I have been training the birds for a few years now and the Big Guns are always there from Week 1 training.
NIPA Race programme for 2018 –
Old Birds – 14th April Mullingar, 21st April Tullamore, 28th April Gowran Park, 5th May Fermoy, 12th May Dunmanway (1), 19th May Rosscarbery Inl Nat, 19th May Corrin, 26th May Talbenny (1), 2nd June Talbenny (2), 2nd June Fermoy 5 Bird Champ, 9th June Bude, 9th June Yearling Cock & Hen Nat Rosscarbery, 16th Dunmanway (2), 23rd June Penzance & Classic, 23rd June Fermoy (2), 29th June St Malo or Brest.
Young Birds – 21st July Area Lib (1), 28th July Area Lib (2), 4th August Gowran Park (1), 11th August Gowran Park (2), 18th August Fermoy (1), 25th August Fermoy (2), 1st September Talbenny Nat, 1st September Roscrea , 8th September Dunmanway & 5 Bird Nom, 15th September Rosscarbery Nat.
Irish Nat FC 2018 –
Tuesday 29th May Skibbereen Old Bird, Wednesday 13th June Sennen Cove Yearling, Friday 6th July St Allouestre Kings Cup, Friday 13th July Brest Friendship Nat, Wednesday 5th September Bude or Penzance YB Nat, Saturday 22nd September Skibbereen YB.
Please note the Codes for the two new release sites for the NIPA – Brest No 5126, Dunmanway No 6032. Please apply for distances immediately.
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