The NIPA were in Wales on Friday 5th September for their young bird National race from Dale. Birds were released at 8.30am in light south westerly winds. Danny Dixon of Dunloy timed two good pigeons out on their own at 13.08pm to win 1st & 2nd Mid Antrim Combine, 1st & 2nd Section B and 4th & 5th Open Nipa from 217 members sending 1888 birds.
Danny's first bird a blue hen was out of 'Eastern Promise' this cock was 2nd Open beaten by loftmate from Fermoy young birds in 2022 and last season 1st Section from a tough Bude race. Both parents of the first bird were from Derek Nicholl of Premier Lofts and are Heremans Ceusters. Danny's second bird a blue bar white flight hen is a full sister to 22nd Open & 2nd Section from the same race last season. Sire is off a son of 'Champion Heartbreaker' when paired to a daughter of his 'Aviary cock' and good Jos Cools hen. Danny had a further two birds placed in the Open result at 7th & 12th Section and 60th & 80th Open.
Johnston Eagleson & Sons were best in the Cullybackey Centre and finished 3rd Combine, 4th Section and 43rd Open on 1370. Their winning cheq wf cock was from their good Louis Thijs cock from Paddy & William McManus. He is sire of many winners including a hen to win 5 x 1st and Section B Champion Old Bird Of The Year in 2019. The dam is self bred from their Vandenbulck 'Dirk' cock when paired to their good 'Double Combine Winner'
Alan Darragh had the winner in Cullybackey on 1357 and won prizes of 5th, 15th, 17th & 18th Section and 52nd, 102nd, 109th & 113th Open. Alan's winner is from the last son of his 14 year old Soontjen hen. She won the Combine and Section herself and bred him many winners over the years.
Bertie Blair of Ballymena who is a former 1st Open winner of Talbenny YB National in 2019 was 5th Combine on 1357 and 6th Section & 54th Open. Sire Vandenbulck from clubmate Johnston Eagleson and dam Vandenbrande from Paddy & William McManus. Gary Gibson of Cullybackey timed two birds in the money for 8th & 10th Section and 63rd & 69th Open. Anthony McNeill had the Randalstown winner on 1349 and finished 9th Section & 68th Open. Anthony's blue cock is from Ceuster /Donker lines, the sire won 54th Open Infc yearling National and the dam won 99th Open Infc Penzance YB National and 48th Open Infc yearling National.
Jimmy Smyth had the top two in Ahoghill and placed 11th & 14th Section and 77th & 93rd Open. Jimmy also won the Mid Antrim Combine young bird knock out beating clubmates Young & McManus & Sons in the final.
Trevor Johnston of Ballymena was placed 19th Section and 121st Open and clubmate Martin Graham 20th Section. Henry Turkington was best in Kells on 1188 with a blue pied cock bred by Danny Dixon and Harold Cubitt had the Rasharkin winner on 1177.
Mid Antrim Combine - Dale YB National 22/213
D Dixon Rasharkin 1470, D Dixon Rasharkin 1470, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1370, A Darragh Cullybackey 1357, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1357, D Dixon Rasharkin 1354, G Gibson Cullybackey 1353, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1349, G Gibson Cullybackey 1348, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1342, D Dixon Rasharkin 1340, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1323, A Darragh Cullybackey 1317, A Darragh Cullybackey 1312, A Darragh Cullybackey 1308, T Johnston & Son Ballymena 1304, M Graham Ballymena 1296, A Darragh Cullybackey 1289, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1274, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1266, Rock & Moore Cullybackey 1255, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1255, D Dixon Rasharkin 1253, D Dixon Rasharkin 1242, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1236, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1234, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1225, H Turkington Kells 1188, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1187, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1177.
Young Bird Points – (Dale & Grenagh)
D Dixon Rasharkin 397, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 293, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 272, G Gibson Cullybackey 227, T Johnston & Son Ballymena 148, A Darragh Cullybackey 144, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 137, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 97, J & J Greer Cullybackey 93, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 89.
Young Bird Club Points Shield – (Dale & Grenagh).
Cullybackey 56, Ahoghill 55, Ballymena & Dist 53, Rasharkin 52, Broughsane 21, Kells 19, Randalstown 12. Mervyn Eagleson MAC Press Officer.
NIPA Dale Y/Bird National Section B 34/295 – 1st & 2nd Danny Dixon, Ballymoney 1470, 1470, 3rd Scott & Ryan Hope, Crumlin 1405; 4th J Eagleson & Sons, Ballymena 1370; 5th Alan Darragh, Cullybackey 1357; 6th Blair & Rankin, Ballymena 1357; 7th Danny Dixon 1354; 8th Gary Gibson, Cullybackey 1353; 9 h J McNeill & Son, Randalstown 1349; 10 h Gary Gibson 1348.
NIPA Centre Results Dale YB Nat available when going to preee
Ballymoney Centre Dale – D Dixon Ballymoney 1470, D Dixon 1470, D Dixon 1354, D Dixon 1340, D Dixon 1253, H Cubitt Rasharkin & Dist1177.
Cullybackey Centre Dale – J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1370, A Darragh Cullybackey1357, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1357, G Gibson Cullybackey1353, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1349, G Gibson 13481342, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill, J Smyth & Son 1323,A Darragh 1317, A Darragh 1312.
Danny Dixon, holding 1st and 2nd Section 4th & 5th Dale Y/B National