MAC Press Officer Mervyn Eagleson recorded the wins in the INFC Young Bird season. INFC Skibb YB Nat - Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine was timed by former winner Danny Dixon of Rasharkin. He timed his red chequer hen at 15.53pm flying 266 miles to the lofts in Dunloy. She is bred from two direct Gert Heylen birds and three days earlier won 1st Club, 7th Combine and 131st Open NIPA Fermoy 12,993 birds. In the past Danny has won 3 x 1st Open Nationals having previously won this race two decades ago back in 1999 followed by a NIPA Rosscarbery YB National in 2006 and a Penzance YB National in 2010.
INFC Penzance Grand Nat – Best in the Mid Antrim Combine was Danny Dixon of Rasharkin. An excellent race here from Danny timing his first 6 birds in 22 minutes to take the top six positions in the Mid Antrim Combine and 7th, 14th, 35th, 41st, 42nd & 43rd Open INFC from a distance of 339 miles to the lofts in Dunloy. The first bird a blue hen was bred from his ace Wildemeersch stock cock "Belgie Cock" which is a great grandson of the famous "De Beer". The dam was purchased at a sale for Martin Graham of Ballymena last year and she is a daughter of "The Big Hen". Second bird timed a blue chequer cock is De Rauw-Sablon x Joss Josson. Only 11 birds from the Mid Antrim Combine made the National result.
Highest Prize-winners were J & M Milliken collecting the Mami Simpson Memorial Cup which was presented as usual by Club President Tony Simpson. They also won the OB Inland Nat NIPA, James McFetridge Memorial Sprint Cup, Matt Barkley Memorial Inland Ave, Penzance Classic Cup, Old Bird Knock-Out, Old Bird of the Year, and YB Inland Nat NIPA.
W & J McLean won Yearling Nat NIPA, OB % Bird Fermoy, 5 Bird YB Cup, Talbenny YB National for the second year, Young Bird Average and Young Bird of the Year. Harold Cubitt won Penzance Old Bird, Talbenny Old Bird, Bude Old Bird, Young Bird Knock-Out and Best Ave NIPA Young Bird Talbenny & Skibbereen. A C & T Tweed won Tweed Cup for the St Malo Old Bird Nat from France, and Old Bird Average Cup. In St Malo the loft timed on the second day at 12.46hrs flying 488 miles doing velocity 670 and finishing 2nd MAC, 4th Sect B & 25th Open NIPA just 4 birds in Ahoghill Centre and 79 total in the NIPA.
Race winners were as follows: Old Birds – Mullingar J & M Milliken 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th MAC vel 1665, Tullamore J & M Milliken 3rd & 4th MAC vel 1567 (D Dixon 1st MAC), Roscrea J & M Milliken 8th MAC vel 1453, Gowran Park J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 1251, Fermoy J & M Milliken 11th MAC vel 1284, Corrin Trevor Whyte 5th MAC vel 1191, Barleycove Inl Nat J & M Milliken 1st MAC vel 1505 (T Whyte 4th MAC), Fermoy Comeback J & M Milliken vel 1565, Gowran Park (2) J & M Milliken 11th MAC vel 2066, Fermoy (3) F Barkley 1st MAC vel 1697 ( W & L McLean 2nd MAC, J & M Milliken 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th MAC), Fermoy 5 Bird W & J McLean 1st MAC vel 1689 (J & M Milliken 2nd and 3rd MAC), Talbenny J & M Milliken 9th MAC vel 1508 (D Dixon 3rd MAC), Bude H Cubitt 3rd MAC vel 1449, Castletown Yearling Nat W & J McLean vel 1425, Penzance & Penzance Classic D Dixon 11th MAC vel 1498, Fermoy Comeback J & M Milliken 1st MAC vel 1611 also 1st Sect B & 8th Open NIPA 378/5218, St Malo A C & T Tweed 2nd MAC vel 670.
Young Birds – Area Lib (1) Mullingar W & J McLean vel 1300 (D Dixon 4th MAC), Area Lib (2) Tullamore J & M Milliken vel 1442 4th & 5th MAC, Area Lib (3) Tullamore 1st MAC (D Dixon 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th MAC), Gowran Park H Cubitt vel 1234 (D Dixon 5th MAC), Fermoy (1) W & J McLean vel 2028 1st MAC and 1st Sect A 35/886, Fermoy (2) J & M Milliken vel 1386, Fermoy Comeback W & J McLean vel 1466 10th MAC, Talbenny Nat W & J McLean vel 1310, Corrin & 5 Bird D Dixon 1st MAC, Skibbereen YB Nat J & M Milliken vel 1952 1st & 2nd MAC and 2nd Section B.
The third young bird race of the season was flown from Tullamore in County Offaly and the winners of 1st Mid Antrim Combine this week are J & M Milliken of Rasharkin. This partnership consisting of John Milliken and his grandson Mark are one of the top lofts in area and are always hard to beat right through to France. This week’s winner a blue chequer cock sitting on a small youngster broke from a batch of four and was timed at 12:43pm for the 133 mile fly. The dam is Lambrecht and the sire Van Den Bulk. With a poor weekend weather forecast birds were race marked on Thursday with liberation on Friday in Tullamore at 10.11am in a Lt SW wind.
Fermoy (1) 17/09/19 - Best in the Mid Antrim Combine this week are brother and sister partnership William and Jean McLean from Rasharkin & Dist. They timed their blue chequer hen at 11.14am for the 206 mile fly to the lofts. The winning hen was bred by club-mate Jackie Steele and is from a sister of Jackie's famous 02 Cock. It's the lofts second Combine win of the season have won 1st MA Combine and 13th Open NIPA in the Fermoy 5 Bird OB Classic. Additionally this week they win 1st NIPA Sect A, a fantastic all round result. The NIPA birds were in Fermoy County Cork, 14,581 birds were released on Saturday at 8.15am in a helping Southwest wind.
Dixon has top three places from Corrin 07/0919 - Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine was timed by multiple national winner Danny Dixon of Rasharkin. Danny had a great race taking the first three positions in the Mid Antrim Combine. His winner timed at 15.22hrs for the 215 miles was his good red chequer hen. She is bred from two direct Gert Heylen birds and a couple of weeks earlier won 1st Club, 1st Mid Antrim Combine & 105th North Section from Skibbereen young bird National 266 miles.
MAC Corrin 5 Bird Championship - Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine was timed by multiple national winner Danny Dixon of Rasharkin. He timed his good red chequer hen at 15.22pm flying 215 miles to the lofts in Dunloy, the hen also finished 1st Section B and 13th Open NIPA 1045 birds. She is bred from two direct Gert Heylen birds and a couple of weeks earlier won 1st club, 1st Mid Antrim Combine & 105th North Section from Skibbereen young bird National 266 miles.
Milliken 1st & 2nd in the MAC Skibb YB Nat 14/09 - The best two birds in the Mid Antrim Combine were recorded by John and Mark Milliken of Rasharkin flying 266 miles. First bird a blue chequer pied cock sitting on eggs 3 days was timed at 12:30 hrs and also wins 2nd Section B. This Lambrecht cock is a grandson of the ace pigeon Goede Geschelpte. The second bird a blue chequer Soontjen hen timed at 12:32 hrs is down from Glen Buckley & Son bloodlines. She was flying to her mate and is also placed 4th Section B. This was the partnerships second Combine win in the young birds having won the third race from Tullamore.
The club paid out £1,000 and prizes were presented by Wendy Cooke and Annie Twaddle. Top sponsors for the season included Noel Twaddle Contracts, Davy Taylor Tree Surgeon, Garvagh Taxis, and Elaine Taylor Florist. Leading lofts were – J & M Milliken,
A fantastic night for the members in Rasharkin & District HPS, as usual Chairman Harold Cubitt kept everyone fully engaged over the entire night, and assisted by long time Secretary Jackie Steele. Many thanks for the invite and we look forward to January for the MAC presentation at the Ballymena & District prize night.
The prize winners at the Annual Dinner and Prize Presentation for Rasharkin & Dist held in Ballymoney.
Highest Prizewinners at Rasharkin J & M Milliken with club officials President Tony Simpson,
Chairman Harold Cubitt, Secretary Jackie Steele and Treasurer Tommy Tweed.
Harold Cubitt won Bude and Penzance with guest Annie Twaddle.
W & J McLean had super season winning YB of the Year in the NIPA Section A.
The A C & T Tweed partnership had the only club bird back from Saint Malo in France.
President Tony Simpson presents Mami Simpson Memorial Cup
to J & M Milliken, 5 x 1sts in MAC.
Secretary Jackie Steele with guest Wendy Cooke at Rasharkin & District.
Norman Bradley keeps the news up to date on Facebook.
Trevor Whyte won the Old Bird race from Corrin.
A happy Willie McLean collecting prizes from Wendy Cooke.
William McFetridge with Wendy Cooke.
Looking after the big Raffle, Laura the niece of Tommy Tweed and Mrs Cubitt.
Winner of 7th Open Penzance for Danny Dixon and almost £1,000.
The famous Red Lightning winner of 3 x 1st MAC for Danny Dixon.