Loft Feature - D & B Lyness, Lurgan Social

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willie reynolds
Posts: 6785
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2008 4:44 pm

Loft Feature - D & B Lyness, Lurgan Social

Post by willie reynolds »

Thanks Gerald !!

One of my last reports prior to taking a break from the scribing almost two years ago, (how time flies) was on my visit to the Golden Duif Awards in 2010. Now with a new addition to my family Miss Chloe Nakitta McCormick entering the world on November 2nd I have decided to curb back slightly on my Full Time work allowing more time for my good lady and Miss Chloe, I think as you get older in life you start to appreciate life outside of work. So with some luck and many late nights ahead this may facilitate for a few reports to be put together over the coming months. Even though I took a break for a couple of years my father ’Homer’ continued to hold the mantle, I simply as will my father, never run out of reports to write on pigeon men who deserve a mention, this leads me on to this weeks report which coincides with my first few lines, while at the awards in 2010 I has the pleasure of meeting many of the European elite as well as a fancier not to far away from myself in Northern Ireland that being Denis Lyness of Lurgan. I did tell Denis that I would call to see him so where better place to re-start my loft profiles.

Denis Lyness and his fabulous wife J acki have four sons and 8 grand children, I’m mentioning Jacki at this point because Denis was very vocal of his admiration for his wife, who he quite openly admits pigeons would be impossible without her endless work, commitment and unwavering support. And I must admit while in Jacki’s company while Denis showed my father around the lofts, it was just as if you where talking to Denis, Jacki’s knowledge was superb, simply one of those wives that we all as pigeon men would love to have.

Denis has been involved with pigeons an absolute life time in fact since 1948 when at the age of 8 he raced pigeons to orange boxes on the garden wall in competition with his brother Benny over 60 years ago (D & B Lyness). In all my time doing loft reports, I enjoy most the fanciers of old who elaborate on the good old days and can draw comparisons on the old and present days of racing and feeding systems and more importantly how they for see the future based on past and present.

The name Denis Lyness, may or may not ring a bell with many, me included and what an education I was to get, to be fair this only come about through doing the research following my visit prior to doing this report. Denis certainly isn’t one to seek the lime light with results or performance. During my time at his family home he talked about his famous Busschaert family of the ‘Little Black’ lines that brought about unprecedented success for him during the late 70’s early 80’s sourced from the late Bertie Fletcher also getting a mention a pigeon named ‘Master McGrath” I have to say the conversation was just in general, never did he admit to rearing such a champion racer/breeder. Yes the famous “Master McGrath” was bred and raced by Denis Lyness and partner Jim Cassells before being passed over to the Fountainhead Stud in England where he produced generations of Champion pigeons, on the road he was a winner of many prizes including 1st Open NIPA 29,000 pigeons he went on to breed countless winners one for instance was a winner of 1st, 9th and 14th Open NIPA with some 28,000 pigeons competing each time.

As mentioned previously Denis has been involved with pigeons since 1948, when he raced in competition with his brother Benny releasing the pigeons from afar to see who could beat who. As he progressed in the sport of pigeon racing he became a member of a number of Clubs over the years two of the earliest ones mention was the Knocknashane and Queens Club the latter Denis joined in 1958. When Denis moved to his current address in 1974 only a few doors down from the formidable Jackie Patience winner of 2nd & 6th Open INFC Kings Cup 1989 and 1st and 2nd Kings Cup 1995 to name just a few positions, the partnership of Jim Cassells & Denis Lyness was to be formed and without exaggeration what a force they turned out to be including becoming Northern Ireland Fanciers of the Year. When mentioning Kings Cup success the Cassells & Lyness partnership where putting in commendable performances themselves including 10th and 40th Open in 1993 from Rennes. In the early 90’s the results continued especially within the INFC Yearling National just a few I identified 106th in 1992, 41st & 82nd in 1993 and 17th in 1994. The consistency was continuing but no where near the levels of success that the partnership enjoyed in the late seventies and early eighties.

I can not begin to quantify the prizes and positions won by the partnership of Jim Cassells and Denis Lyness during those late 70’s and 80’s, to be perfectly honest they where awesome at every level of competition, to the point that Denis openly admits that he failed to appreciate what they actually had, pigeons to dominate just not the Club, or Section but the NIPA Open with small numbers being sent (success came to easy) !! Denis admits they simply where that winning family just not one individual pigeon but a team of them that where winning turn about and the stock where producing turn about. Small numbers where reared for racing with exceptional results, but the winning pigeons where sent on and sent on, a mistake as was the continual selling, for when Denis returned to Bertie Fletchers in an attempt to buy the remaining Busschaerts they had already been sold.

Denis admits when you have had that successful team of pigeons that win week in week out, it takes a bit of getting used to when the success just isn’t as achievable when you search and invest and spend the time line breeding and cross breeding new stock to later establish that the new blood just isn’t on the scale of the Busschaerts. To the point Denis decided in prior to me meeting him in Belgium March 2010 that he would no longer keep stock pigeons. When he took that decision the task was in place to identify a new consistent all round winning family, as Denis said he was looking for what every other fancier was looking for SUCCESS. Where do you go ?? Many go to Belgium as did Denis, but without success, Denis just didn’t like anything that he seen, feels as well that many are money orientated.

On return home Denis decided to go to a fancier who just wasn’t a prolific racer, but superb stock man, producing winners year in year out just not for fanciers in Ireland but the British Isles that being Gerald Delaney of the Oroory Hill Stud, Dromore. A few where purchased in 2010 with success and more in 2011 with yet more significant success. To the point now Denis admits that in all his time searching for a replacement family on par with the superb Busschaerts, he has extremely high hopes for these Willy Jacob and Grondelaers and believes that if they continue to flourish as they have started he could very well have a family that could very well match and even surpass the ultra success the famous ‘Little Black’ Busschaert Line achieved for him and Jim. More have been ordered from Gerald for 2012, but as Denis admits you just don’t get pigeons with Gerald you get a friendship, he is always on the end of the phone for advise and help, a more knowledgeable pigeon man you will search hard to find. A superb stock man, who must surely own one of the most successful Studs in Europe, certainly you will find no better Grondelaers strong well balanced pigeons with stunning eye sign, as for the Jacobs, you wont find better anywhere and that includes Belgium for Gerald just recently took stock of all the remaining pigeons that where at the lofts of Willy Jacobs due to Willy suffering ill health during the year, all left at Willy Jacobs loft is a handful of sentimental pigeons. As Denis told me just look around Northern Ireland and see the fanciers winning with the Gerald Delaney ’Jacobs’ and those are just the fanciers talking about it, be sure there are far more. Denis Lyness can not thank Gerald Delaney enough and is full of praise for his stock expertise.

Will list just the performances this year for the loft of Denis Lyness of the Lurgan Social. 2011 O/Birds Tullamore 4th Club; Skibbereen North 2nd & 4th Club; Rosscarbery 4th Club; Rosscarbery Hens National 1st & 4th Club; Talbenny 1st Club; Sennen Cove Yearling 1st & 3rd Club; Fermoy 5 Bird 2nd Club; Kings Cup 1st & 3rd Club. 2011 Y/Birds - Tullamore 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th 7 9th Club finishing 4th Section E and 44th Open NIPA 333 sent 9,810 pigeons vel 1510ypm; Tullamore (2) 1st, 2ndand 3rd Club finishing 14th, 19th and 22nd Section E also 26th, 33rd and 41st Open NIPA 963 sent 27,301 pigeons Vel 1507ypm; Roscrea 5th Club finishing 55th Section E and 123rd Open NIPA 847 members sent 20,077 pigeons Vel 1578 Vel 1578; Roscrea (2) 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 6th Club finishing 6th, 7th, 8th & 17th Section E and 69th, 70th, 89th and 134th Open NIPA 835 members sent 19,768 pigeons Vel 1839; Clonmel 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th Club finishing 8th, 9th, 11th and 14th Section E and 48th, 52nd, 57th and 61st Open NIPA with 884 members sending 20,559 pigeons Vel 1815; Fermoy 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th Club finishing 3rd, 4th & 8th Section E and 70th, 73rd and 98th Open NIPA 848 members sending 18,494 pigeons Vel 1490ypm; Tullamore (3) 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th Club finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 8th Section E and 12th, 13th, 14th, 18th & 59th Open NIPA with 414 members sending 8,339 pigeons Vel 1545ypm; Fermoy (2) 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th Club finishing 6th, 7th, 11th, 14th, 16th & 17th Section E and 93rd, 107th, 143rd, 147th, 152nd & 156th Open NIPA 615 members sending 10,529 pigeons Vel 1944ypm; Fermoy 5 Bird 1st, 2nd & 3rd Club finishing 3rd & 6th Section E and 21st and 40th Open NIPA 315 sent 1,413 pigeons Vel 1944; Rosscarbery National 2nd Club, 33rd Section E and 125th Open 448 sent 3,823 pigeons Vel 1164; Skibbereen National 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Club finishing 131st Open.

Firstly an outstanding set up has Denis everything done in Oak PVC to complement the beautiful a very well maintained spacious mature red bricked bungalow finished to the highest standard with well presented gardens. The loft measures an impressive 38ft by 6ft split up into four sections one of which contains 24 custom built widowhood boxes the rest of the loft is fitted out with Pipo boxes.

Widowhood is the preferred choice for O/Bird racing, in total 24 cocks with the hens being raced from the fourth race on, as a bit of variation the cocks like many other fanciers are re-paired towards the major channel events to have the selections in variable nesting condition. The cocks will be paired up at the end of January, with no stock now kept at all. Training will commence three to four weeks prior to the first race, starting with a couple from 10 miles, then they went be tossed from Newry a couple of times before proceeding to the Border, once again if they exit the basket and head straight in the direction of home with circling then the will reach their final tossing destination of Castlebellingham (approx 40 miles) from here they will stay and continue to get tossed during racing up to three times per week. On top of this they will get their freedom around the lofts both morning and evening, the mornings that tossing takes precedence they wont fly around the house. They are not forced to fly, good condition pigeons shouldn’t need to be forced they should fly freely at their own will with previous experience proving that this can last well over 30 mins each time disappearing from sight. The feeding is simply 1 ¾ ounce per day, they are hopper fed, only getting nuts and condition seed in their boxes. The cocks will be fed ¾ ounce in the morning and the further once in the evening, now the evening feed will contain both minerals and grit, every day, to this some lemon juice will be added to bind the minerals to the corn, pink minerals are the order of the day with Red Stone (aniseed) grit a plenty. The mixture involved vary, no particular brand, simply the feeding is mixed by hand a combination of mixtures based on what Denis feels the pigeons need, they are worked hard and fed well. With maize and maple peas deemed very important, never a bean will be found in his mixtures. As for the drinkers simply and absolutely nothing other than changed twice per day, has tried and tested over the years many products, and found success comes from hard work, dedication and commitment rather than a bottle. In addition to the water used a big plastic barrel is kept in the back garden filled with water and ½ a stone of lime, over a couple of days the top of the water in the barrel will form a skin, this is removed and he allows for perfect clear water similar to spring water from a well. When the barrel goes about ½ empty it is topped up and stirred once again with the film then removed. Ever since doing this Denis has never seen healthier pigeons. All pigeons will be treated for canker twice per year, also the droppings will be tested by Armand Scheers when he visit’s the Cyril and Hilary Beattie once per year, which normally results in the all clear.

The youngsters on leaving the nest on 28 days will be vaccinated before joining there fellow competitors in their designated section, both cocks and hens share the same section, they are not split at any time during the Y/Bird season although this is something that Denis is considering for 2012. Once moved they are on the Darkness system with the lofts open from 9am till 5pm, this will remain for exactly 9 weeks. With the fast majority of the 60 Y/Birds being moved all within days any outside of the box so to speak are still brought of the darkness the same time as the majority. Feeding for the youngsters is exactly the same, the only difference being maybe a cut back in feeding until the trapping is sorted in the early days of in and out experience. The most annoying and stressful time of the pigeon calendar for Denis as it is for the vast majority of the fancy. Training of the youngsters starts around three weeks prior to the first race starting from 3 miles, they then proceed to 10 miles and then onto 40 miles where they will stay with 3 or 4 visits peer week even during racing, Denis tosses his own pigeons. Simply when the birds exit the baskets they have to head for home straight away, when they do this and are present at the lofts when Denis arrives then they proceed to the next level of tossing.

Well hopefully this give you an insight to a fancier who has in my opinion done it all, had the success by the bag full with the Busschaerts including breeding exceptional racers and breeders like the famous ‘Master McGrath’ just to note ’Master McGrath’ was returned to Denis Lyness for his final months and died at the age 21 (what a pigeon) subsequently Denis has invested hugely in his attempt to re-establish a team of pigeons that could prove and compete like the old Busschaerts, without success. But I was always taught persistence pays and following his purchases from Gerlad Delaney of the Oroory Hill Stud his long awaited desire is finally beginning to flourish.

I will pen off by thanking Denis and Jaqualine for their hospitality during my visit and wish them every success in 2012, and the years ahead. Adie.

Adie McCormick
Irelands Own Pigeon Auctions
PP Photography
http://www.pigeonnetwork.com
Tel 07921883997


See Picture Parade for the D & B Lyness birds -

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Denis Lyness (l) with Glenavy fancier John Withers at a recent Golden Duif in Belgium.

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Denis Lyness and wife Jacki, ace racers in the Lurgan Social.

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Inside the Widowhood Shed of D & B Lyness.

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The racing lofts of D & B Lyness at Geddis Avenue in Lurgan.

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Homer (l) with Denis Lyness and a couple of the Champions from the past.

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Some of the old NIPA Diplomas and the new.

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Some of the cups and trophies won racing in 2011.
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