I took a trip up to the loft of Peter & Gavin O’Dowd of Ballybrack club in South Dublin to get some info on their super season this year in the INFC , this father and son partnership have been flying a fantastic pigeon now especially on the channel for the past 10 years now. This year was there first year back in the ISRF after been in the East Coast Federation for a good time before now and what a way to start back racing in the INFC winning the cross channell average in their first year back racing in ISRF with what I would think is a record number of points for a channel average. The lads main aim every year is the cross channel but this family of birds will win from anywhere as Peter told me. Most of their best channel birds have all won on the land before the water so that's always a sign of great pigeons in my opinion. The lads like to try keep the best part of their team fresh now for the water so they only raced about 30% of their team in the first 5 or 6 races this year and they then sent their team to Pilmore Beach the day of the first channel race and after that it's all water. All birds are raced on the natural system here now Peter told me they used to race the widowhood with great success also but prefers natural for the water now, and it's certainly working. Once the water starts Peter tells me they general don't race the land then as in Peter’s words he'd prefer have them on the water to try win the open rather than down the land. The first channel race of the year the lads started like a house on fire having 5 in the Top 20 of the ISRF Open and 11 in the Top 100 been Fancier of the Week in Irish South Road Fed that particular week. It didn’t stop there as week after week the lads were bang there in every race winning the 3 Penzance races and 2nd in the 2 Talbenny events in the old birds. Most will know the Ballybrack club, there's not many harder clubs about to win a channel race in as there is loads of top channel flyers in the club so to have that record in 1 season, and that's most seasons if I'm honest, takes some doing. The icing on the cake this year for the lads was winning 1st ISRF Penzance open, the lads have some real gems in their loft and in some of the pics included you can see all multiple first prize winners on land and cross channel. Gavin is holding the money maker in picture above, now this pigeon is a machine you would find it hard to find a better pigeon anywhere in Dublin, or Ireland for that matter. This pigeon went on a winning streak in 2017 over a 5 week period he won 4500k in prize and pool money, he won Rosscarbery the week before the channel, and then didn’t stop there and went on to be right up at the top of the open result from Talbenny, Talbenny, Bude, and Penzance 4 weeks on the trot winning great money for the lads. He was also ECF Bird of the Year and IHU Bird of the Year in 2017. Already his children are doing the damage on the water for the lads and others who were lucky enough to get something from this lad. Peter also told me every pigeon in his loft must fly Penzance as a yearling or he doesn’t want it and from handling all the lads pigeons and seen the class they have for next year it will take something special to take this title off them. The lads have also won the channel average in the new Tek channel club for the first 2 years it's been running and also some great results this year from some other lofts as Lossey Lacey from my own club clocked a great pigeon this year from Saint Malo to win Sallynoggin and finish 8th Open with a bird bred from the lads so great all round birds but also managed great as the lads put 110% into their birds 365 days a year. Well done lads another fantastic season and another 1st Open win to the list to top of a super season for your loft been ISRF Channel Champions in 2019m well done. Jamie Kelly PO.
G & P O’Dowd collect awards at the ISRF Presentation in Sarsfield PRC. Photo Eddie Barry.
“Isabella” winner of 1st Open ISRF Penzance. Photo Eddie Barry.
Montage of the champion racers of G & P O’Dowd, Ballybrack. Photo Eddie Barry.
Gavin O’Dowd from Ballybrack holding the ace racer in 2019.
Peter O’Dowd of the D & P O’Dowd team of Ballybrack in Dublin.