Ballymena Season Report 2022 by Mervyn Eagleson -

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willie reynolds
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Ballymena Season Report 2022 by Mervyn Eagleson -

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Ballymena & District HPS - End of Season Report 2022

With the racing season now over it's time to highlight the cup winners and the top results of the Ballymena & District members in 2022.
Johnston Eagleson & Sons were the Highest Prizewinners winning the majority of the races including 6 x 1st club wins on the channel and also had the best bird in the Town (Ballymena & Harryville clubs) on 14 occasions. They also won 1st Mid Antrim Combine and 1st Section B from Gowran Park old birds and took the top 6 places in the Combine from Fermoy OB and won the Combine OB Inland averages. The partnership also won the NIPA Section B Old Bird Inland Fancier of the year award. Bertie Blair was next best with five club wins, the best of these the NIPA Skibbereen OB Inland National were he finishing a good 2nd Section B and 5th Open NIPA 4363 birds. Martin Graham was best in the NIPA St Malo OB National winning 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 3rd Section & 46th Open NIPA with his blue cock "Hugh's Delight" and also won a Bronze Award with the cock for being in the open prizes twice in the NIPA OB National results. Martin is always there abouts in the channel Nationals and has a CV full of top results. Robert Alexander won the cross channel averages and was placed 2nd Combine, 4th Section & 57th Open in the NIPA St Malo OB National. Racing with the INFC and Joey Wright had the only club bird in the Penzance YB National winning 7th Combine & 156th Open. Joey is just back in to the sport and is a former National Champion with the INFC.

2022 Top Prizewinners - J Eagleson & Sons, Blair & Rankin, R Service & Son, R Alexander, G & A Eagleson, M Graham, Reynolds & McCormick, Jim Harris, Joey Wright.

Cup Winners
J Eagleson & Sons won - Highest Prizewinners, OB Inland Average, OB Fermoy 5 bird, NIPA Skibbereen Yearling National, Bude, 1st Talbenny, Penzance, Penzance OB Classic, Best average 2nd Talbenny & Penzance, Talbenny YB Derby, YB of the year GB22B31065, 6th YB Race, Fermoy YB 5 Bird, NIPA Skibbereen YB National, Best Average two NIPA YB Nationals
Blair & Rankin won - OB of the year GB20B21349, NIPA Skibbereen Inland National, 2nd YB Race
Martin Graham won - NIPA Old Bird National St Malo. Robert Alexander won - Cross channel average, Joey Wright won - INFC Penzance YB National, Joint winner INFC Points. G & A Eagleson won - Joint winner INFC Points

OB Races Winners:

Tullamore 16/04/22 - Bertie Blair Velo 1931, 12th Combine, 20th Section, 79th Open NIPA 13,860 birds. Good result for Bertie Blair timing the winner at 12.24hrs recording velocity 1931 for the 126 miles. His winning 2-year-old blue chequer Lambrecht cock was sitting on eggs was best in the Town.
Roscrea 23/04/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th club, 3rd Combine 1715 birds & 10th Section 3029 birds. Johnston Eagleson & Sons had a good day’s racing taking the top seven positions in the club. Their winning 3-year-old chequer w/f hen was timed at 12.35pm. Sire is their good Van Den Bulck stock cock from the P & D Breeding Stud and the dam is Lambrechts. A full sister topped the Combine by 12 minutes from a tough Fermoy last season.

Gowran Park 29/04/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th club. Johnston Eagleson & Sons take the top six positions in the club here. Their winning blue chequer hen was in a kit of 6 from Jackie Steele of Rasharkin. Breeding is the best of Jackie's Lambrecht family the "38 Cock" and famous "02 Hen". Johnston's winning hen bred last year’s young bird section winner from Gowran Park.

Fermoy 07/05/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th Club, 8th, 9th & 11th Combine 1750 birds Johnston Eagleson & Sons have the top eight in the club and their third win of the season. Their winning yearling blue chequer hen sitting on eggs topped the Combine and Section B from Gowran Park as a young bird last season. The sire is Van Den Bulck and was purchased from Trevor Simpson of York and is a grandson of both "Kittel" and "Best Kittel" while the Lambrecht dam and her nestmate were purchased in a kit of 6 from Jackie Steele of Rasharkin in 2020. The dam won the club last week from Gowran Park and her nestmate has won 2 x 1st clubs including 3rd Combine Fermoy. Sire of the dam is a son of Jackie's good 38 cock paired to a sister of his famous 02 hen.

Corrin 14/05/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Club velo 1669, 3rd, 8th, 9th & 10th Combine & 4th, 10th, 11th & 12th Section 3038 birds. Johnston Eagleson & Sons have the top four in the club and the Town and their fourth win of the season. Their winning 3-year-old blue chequer hen timed at 13.39pm won 1st club and 2nd Combine in the opening race of the season from Tullamore last year. The dam a double Combine winner from Tullamore and Corrin is the best of Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill bloodlines and the sire is "The Pest" their best Lambrecht stock cock. A full sister of the winning hen won Ballymena & District three weeks on the trot in 2017 and finished 1st, 3rd & 5th Mid Antrim Combine.

Gowran Park 21/05/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st Club velo 1773, 1st Combine, 1st Section B & 70th Open NIPA 14314 birds. The comeback race was held from Gowran Park on Saturday 21st May. Birds were liberated at 9.00am in south south westerly winds. Best bird in the area winning 1st Mid Antrim Combine and 1st Section B was the Ballymena & District fanciers Johnston Eagleson & Sons. Their 4-year-old dark chequer cock was timed at 11.37am flying 158 miles to the Cullybackey Road Lofts. Sire is a Lambrecht cock brought in from England and dam is a gift hen from Jimmy Rock of Harryville. This hen is bred down from Jimmy's Penzance Classic Open winner.

Skibbereen NIPA Inland National 21/05/22 - Bertie Blair 1st Club, 2nd Combine, 3rd Section & 5th Open NIPA 4363 Birds. J Eagleson & Sons 5th, 7th & 8th Section & 29th, 43rd & 46th Open NIPA Great result for Bertie Blair winning his second race of the season. The winning 2-year-old Lambrecht cock feeding a big youngster has been the first bird to the loft in every race this season, and won the opening race from Tullamore. It's the best of Jackie Steele's Lambrechts and contains his famous "02" and "Quiverman" bloodlines. Johnston Eagleson & Sons next best with a 3-year-old blue pied hen of Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill bloodlines. The hen won the club in this same race last season.

1st Talbenny 28/05/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st & 2nd Club, 2nd & 4th Combine, 4th & 6th Section 1480 birds. Johnston Eagleson & Sons had two good birds ten minutes clear in the town. The first hen timed at 14.08pm was a two-year-old blue chequer Lambrecht hen. This one was in a kit of six from Jackie Steele of Rasharkin and is off a brother of Jackie's "02" cock and granddaughter of "Quiverman". One the same way bred was grandsire of W & J Smyth's 1st Open Penzance Classic winner last season. Johnston's second bird timed at 14.10pm was a two-year-old dark w/f Lambrecht hen. This hen was first bird to the loft from 1st Talbenny last season and is half-sister to last week’s Combine & Section winner from Gowran Park

2nd Talbenny 04/06/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st club velo 1200, 13th Combine, 13th Section & 57th Open 8235 Birds. Johnston Eagleson & Sons had the best bird in both Ballymena & District and the town timing at 11.23am. Sire of the winning 2-year-old chequer cock was on loan from clubmate Bertie Blair and originated from Paddy McManus of Ahoghill. Dam is "Channel Queen" winner of 2 x 1st Combine's on the channel, including 6th Open INFC Penzance YB Grand National for Johnston. "Channel Queen" was a Lambrecht bought in a kit of six from Jackie Steele of Rasharkin.

Fermoy 04/06/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th Club. Johnston Eagleson & Sons win with a yearling chequer pied Van den Bulck hen.

Fermoy 5 Bird 04/06/22 - J Eagleson & Sons win with a 3-year-old blue pied hen that won 5th Section & 29th Open Skibbereen Inland National a couple of weeks ago

Skibbereen NIPA Yearling National 12/06/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st Club velo 1651 2nd Combine & 3rd Section B. Johnston Eagleson & Sons had the club winner timing a blue pied hen at 12.37pm. The Lambrecht sire also bred their Combine and Section winner from Gowran Park earlier in the season and the dam was a gift hen from Keith Kernohan of Harryville. This hen contains the best of Keith's Vermeerbergen/Wilms stock. Robin Service the hard working club treasurer was runner up 12.43pm with his good blue pied hen that won the club in both Skibbereen National's last season including 1st Mid Antrim Combine and 29th Open in the INFC Skibbereen National. The Soontjen sire has bred 13 x 1st prize-winners and it's blood runs through most of their Combine and Section winners. The dam was a gift hen from Jimmy Rock of Harryville and is bred from Jimmy's good 6 x 1st winner.

Bude 12/06/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Club velo 1168, 16th & 17th Combine. Johnston Eagleson & Sons timed a red yearling hen having her third channel race of the season. Sire was gifted to Johnston by clubmate Bertie Blair and is a full sister to Bertie's 1st Open Talbenny young bird national winner and the dam was on loan again from Bertie.

Penzance 18/06/22 - J Eagleson & Sons velo 1153. Johnston Eagleson & Sons won both races with the same 2 year old blue chequer cock that won 2nd Talbenny. The sire was a red cock on loan from clubmate Bertie Blair and originated from Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill. Dam was "Channel Queen" winner of 2 x 1st Combine's on the channel including 6th Open INFC Penzance YB Grand National for Johnston. "Channel Queen" was a Lambrecht hen bought in a kit of youngsters from Jackie Steele of Rasharkin.

Penzance OB Classic - J Eagleson & Sons velo 1153
NIPA St Malo OB National 23/06/22 Martin Graham 1st Club Velo 495, 1st Combine, 3rd Section B & 46th Open. Robert Alexander velo 350 2nd Combine, 4th Section & 57th Open. "Hugh's Delight" wins 1st Combine for Martin Graham

The NIPA Old Bird Derby was held from Saint Malo in France on Thursday 23rd June. Liberation took place at 06.15am in a light north-easterly wind turning south westerly en-route. Last season around 140 birds made it home in the three-day race, this season only 72 game birds were timed by their delighted owners. Only four birds were recorded in the Mid Antrim Combine with the best of these timed by two times National winner Martin Graham of Ballymena & District who timed his 3-year-old blue chequer cock sitting 10-day old eggs at 15.52pm on the second day. This was the third season in a row the cock had flown the French OB Derby having won 2nd club in 2020, 10th Section & 109th Open in 2021, and this season 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 3rd Section & 46th Open NIPA. This year's result wins Martin the NIPA Bronze Diploma for a bird twice in the Open prizes in the OB National. Dam was a gift hen from top distance flyer Hugh Boyd of Randalstown and the sire a half-brother of "Brenda Anne" on the sire’s side. "Brenda Anne" was the only bird in Section B and placed 7th Open for Martin in the NIPA St Malo smash of 2017. This result follows up two good results last season when Martin won 6th, 8th & 10th Section, plus 50th, 100th & 109th Open NIPA St Malo OB National and then a week later 12th North Section & 19th Open Kings Cup from St. Allouestre. Martin has amassed many top National & Derby position over the last number of years with the best being 1st Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National 2018 with "Denman", 1st Open NIPA Skibbereen Inland National 2004 and 2nd Open NIPA OB National Lamballe in 2003. Martin's bird was flying 474 from St Malo and return home having been hawked on one wing. He is calling him " Hugh's Delight" after Hugh Boyd who gifted him the mother. Well done again Martin always thereabouts. Runner up in the Combine was another Ballymena & District fancier Robert Alexander who lives only a stone’s throw from Martin. Robert timed a 3-year-old dark chequer w/f hen at 08.59am on the third morning and like Martin's bird she also had an injury to one of her wings. This hen was sitting on a one-day old chick and is bred down from McCracken Bros of Banbridge, birds he's had, for a number of years. For all her efforts she wins 4th Section and 57th Open NIPA National. Last season Robert had his best result when he won 30th Open in the King's Cup race from St Allouestre.

Young Bird Races:

1st Kilbeggan 16/07/22 - Bertie Blair 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Club velo 1448

2nd Kilbeggan 22/07/22 - Blair & Rankin 1st & 2nd velo 1394, 17th & 18th Combine 1285 birds. Bertie Blair had the top two in Ballymena & Dist on 1394. His winning blue pied Stickers Donckers hen is a double granddaughter of Gary Gibson's "Golden Pair"

Tullamore 29/07/22 J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Club, 14th, 15th & 16th Combine 1547 birds. Johnston Eagleson & Sons had the best four birds in both Ballymena & District and the Town. First two were timed on the same second. One was a blue cock from Harmony Lofts and is Ceuster coming down from Syndicate Lofts and the other a chequer pied cock is from a Heremans Ceuster x Van Den Bulck hen paired to a Lambrecht cock gifted to Johnston by Danny Dixon.

Roscrea 06/08/22 -J Eagleson & Sons 1st & 2nd velo 1659 - 2nd Combine, 2nd Section B 2928 birds. Johnston Eagleson & Sons of Ballymena & Dist were runners up in both the Combine and Section with the same chequer pied cock driving it's hen that won both Ballymena & Dist and the Town from Tullamore last week. Sire is a chequer Lambrecht cock gifted to Johnston by Danny Dixon of Dunloy and dam a self bred Heremans Ceuster x Van Den Bulck hen.

Fermoy 19/08/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd & 3rd Club velo 1947 4th, 9th & 11th Mid Antrim Combine & 6th, 12th & 15th Section B 2012 birds. Johnston Eagleson & Sons who had the best three birds in both Ballymena & Dist and the town. Their winning chequer w/f cock timed at 11.02am was bred off a Hermans Ceuster x Van den Bulck hen when paired to a gift cock from Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill, the dam being a daughter of Danny Dixon's "Heartbreaker" and the sire the best of their Van den Brande stock

Fermoy 5 Bird 19/08/22 - J Eagleson & Sons velo 1831, 8th MA Combine. Johnston Eagleson & Sons the winners in Ballymena & Dist with a steady mealy cock bred from two Van den Bulck's direct P & D Breeding Stud. The cock has been placed 6th, 8th & 9th Combine in the young bird season.

Talbenny YB National 27/08/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st club velo 1230, 5th Combine, 6th Section & 74th Open 3191 Birds. Bertie Blair next best 16th Section & 186th Open. Ballymena & District winners Johnston Eagleson & Sons who only sent three birds to the race. Their winning chequer hen was timed at 13.45pm flying 220 miles to win 5th Combine, 6th Section B & 74th Open. This hen won 3rd club & 11th Combine last week from Fermoy. The sire is a son of Martin Graham's 1st Open INFC Yearling National winner "Denman" when paired to a daughter of "Channel Queen" 6th Open INFC YB National Penzance and the dam is Van Den Bulck being a granddaughter of "Gold Dust".

Roscrea 27/08/22 - Blair & Rankin 1st Club velo 1512, 7th Combine & 13th Section 1307 birds. J Eagleson & Sons 8th & 9th Combine. Bertie Blair topped Ballymena & District for the third time in young birds on 1512 with a dark chequer Lambrecht cock. This cock his down from clubmate Johnston Eagleson's "Channel Queen" and birds from Jackie Steele of Rasharkin.

Fermoy 01/09/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th club velo 1347, 3rd
Combine, 3rd Section 1141 birds & 25th Open 9122 birds. Johnston Eagleson & Sons were best in Ballymena & District and the Town for the fifth time in the young birds after timing at 14.53pm flying 201 miles to the Cullybackey Road loft's. Their winning blue chequer Van den Bulck x Hereman Ceuster hen sitting on youngsters was best in the town by 12 minutes. Her sire was purchased from Trevor Simpson of York and is a grandson of "De69" and "Boonen Boy" and the dam was from Jackie Steele of Rasharkin and is a granddaughter of "Pussycat".

Skibbereen YB NIPA National 10/09/22 - J Eagleson & Sons 1st & 2nd Club velo 1341, 3rd Combine, 3rd Section & 51st Open 3026 birds. winning 3rd Combine, 3rd Section and 51st Open NIPA were Johnston Eagleson & Sons who were winning Ballymena & District and the Town for the sixth time in the young bird season. Their mealy w/f hen sitting tight on a dozen eggs was timed at 15.43pm flying 260 miles. This hen is bred from the best of P & D Racing & Breeding Stud's Van Den Bulcks and has been in the prizes a number of times this season. A full brother has been placed 6th, 8th & 9th Combine in the young bird season.

Penzance YB INFC National 10/09/22 - Joey Wright 1st Club velo 637, 7th MA Combine & 156th Open INFC. Joey Wright of Ballymena & District had the only bird in the Town in race time and won 7th MA Combine & 156th Open. Joey's blue chequer cock looking at a hen is bred from the very best of N Black & Sons of Dromara stock. Joey has just returned to the sport after a 40 year absence and while racing in the past he won many top national positions including 2nd Open Friendship National Beauvais in 1975 and the following year with the same Mosaic cock 6th Open Kings Cup National from Rennes and he has also topped the NIPA Open in a young bird race from Arklow with over 30,000 birds competing. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
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