Flying into the NW - Rosscarbery 15/09/12

[willie reynolds]

Well here we are again, the end of another season, and where does the time go? No sooner has the season started it seems, than before you know it, it’s all over. The past season will probably be seen by many as one of the worst in recent years. The racing has been erratic all season at best, and the losses have been heavy everywhere. Despite this, there have been many super results throughout the season. We have had Open winners, and our share of top Open positions. We have had top individual performances and fanciers who have dominated there clubs the whole season long. But most of all we have in the North West, a lot of very strong clubs with good dedicated fanciers, not all of them winners, but all of them trying hard and without whom, we would not have the quality of racing that we all enjoy.

The last race of the season then, saw the birds at Rosscarberry, for the young bird National, a distance for most of the North West fanciers of in and around 250 miles. This week the pattern of strange racing and strange velocities continues as it has all season. It seems that you get a few birds that break and come on, while the remainder seem to be carried with the drag, go to the back of the Coleraine Mountain, and have a dog leg of an extra hour or more to do before they eventually come home, if indeed they come home at all. This seems to certainly be the case this year, with many North West birds reported all over North Antrim and County Derry.
With this week’s race being a National race and therefore a centre race, some clubs haven’t taken the trouble to post individual club results. In saying that, some clubs don’t seem to take the time to post results for weekly club racing on a regular basis, so perhaps this week should be no surprise. It is a shame though, especially for the big races like the Young Bird National, where members deserve a bit of credit and recognition for their achievements. Perhaps next year the clubs would consider appointing a press officer who could take on this responsibility. I must however thank Ronnie Witherow from the Limavady club, who never missed a week all year when it came to e-mailing the results and information for the club.

On then to the results for the National race itself. Some results I have taken from the Centre result so unfortunately, I might not be able to give a full picture of some of the individual club results and performances.

This week we must start with the Foyle club where we have our Section winner Sean Mc Grotty. Sean didn’t race last week, but got his birds set up for the National instead. And what a super race he had, taking three of the top five positions in the club, first and third in the Derry Centre and of course as we have mentioned before, topping the Section as well. Filling out the top five in the club, is the ever present Paul Maxwell, who has had a bit of an up and down season but is more often than not there or there abouts. Great flying from both Sean and Paul this week. The full result then for the Foyle club looks like this, 1st, 2nd and 4th Sean Mc Grotty 1440, 1370, 1239, 3rd and 5th P Maxwell 1289 and 1159.

Next, to Limavady, where Ronnie Witherow rounds off another fantastic season with yet another win. Ronnie’s winner this week is the same bird that won from Fermoy last week. Ronnie takes three of the top five spots, with John Mc Cool who likes these harder races, takes the other two positions to round out the top five. The full result the for the Limavady club was, 1st, 3rd and 5th Ronnie Witherow 1359, 1195, 1169, 2nd and 4th J Mc Cool 1265 and 1183. Top flying again from Ronnie and John.

To the Derry and District next, where again it’s the Jim and Gary Ramsey show with again, three in the top five. Sean Healy takes a good second, with Stephen Barker in fourth. The full result looks like this, 1st, 3rd and 5th Jim and Gary Ramsey 1331, 1123, 1075, 2nd S Healy 1272, 4th S Barker 1086. Great flying from Jim and Gary yet again.
In the Omagh club this week, we have only one man in the result this week, and it’s no surprise that it’s that man Alan Hall yet again. Alan has been on fire throughout the young bird season and again this week, it’s a clean sweep. A nice easy result then, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Alan Hall 1270, 1254, 1254, 1108 and 1075. Not much to say about this, outstanding flying yet again Alan.

Unfortunately none of the other clubs had posted individual results at the time of writing, so I will have to take the centre result to finish off the round up this week. In the Maiden City club this week, Coyle brothers, Micky and Don round off their season in style, taking the top two positions in the club, and a result that sees them as top young bird fliers for the season. These two birds were actually paired together and not being able to decide whether to send one or the other, opted to send both for a super result. Third spot in the club going by the centre result goes to last week’s winner Frankie Ramsey. The Maiden City’s result then looked like this, 1st and 2nd Coyle Bros 1153, 1152, 3rd F Ramsey 1084. Atop result from Micky and Don.

In the Rock club Willie and Darren Hamilton clean up, taking the first four in the club. This has been an indifferent season for Willie and Darren who never really got started until it was too late. Fifth spot going by the centre’s result goes to Eamon Quigley. The full result then looks like this, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Willie + Darren Hamilton 1428, 1321, 1146 and 1097. Super racing from Willie and Darren.

Only one man in the Strabane result, veteran flyer Tommy Ferguson who takes the win. Tommy’s velocity was 1082.

The top ten in the Derry Centre was as follows, 1st, 3rd and 8th Sean Mc Grotty 1440, 1370 and 1239, 2nd and 5th W + D Hamilton 1428, 1321, 4th J +G Ramsey 1331, 6th and 9th P Maxwell 1289, 1159, 7th S Healy 1272, 10th Coyle Bros 1153.

Well done to all our winners, and those who took positions. And well done again to Sean Mc Grotty on his Section result.
billyknox@btinternet.com