Farming Life - Wednesday 16/10/13

[willie reynolds]

IRISH NATIONAL FLYING CLUB - SKIBBEREEN YOUNG BIRD NATIONAL

The curtain came down on the 2013 racing season when the Irish National Flying Club held their Young Bird Inland National from Skibbereen in Co Cork on Friday 20th September. 325 members sent 2804 birds to compete for £11,698 in pools and prizemoney. This was down on last year’s entry but this may have been due to the race having been brought forward to the Friday or to losses throughout the young bird season. As with the Old Bird National the race was divided into 3 sections and I will cover the top 5 in each section in this article.

The birds were liberated at 10am in calm conditions and on route the wind was to turn southwest and then westerly. This change in the wind is reflected in the velocities with the early pigeons in the North section doing velocities of over 1800 with the winners of the Middle section and the South section doing 1771 and 1640 respectively.

1st North Section, 1st Open, I Rollins & Son Hillsborough & Maze, Vel 1835, Flying 240 miles, winning £997 and the Tom Marshall Trophy

The winners of this year’s Skibbereen Young Bird National are the father and son partnership of Ivan and Clyde Rollins. It is basically only Clyde these days although the birds are still located at Ivan’s house. They had a great race here with other birds taking 26th, 87th, 166th and 183rd North section. Clyde feels that he has only started to race properly this past 4 years and they have had a great couple of years racing and last year were 1st and 2nd Open Young Bird Rosscarbery with the NIPA and this year were 1st Sect D 4th Open in Old Bird Rosscarbery. Things didn’t look too prosperous at the beginning of the young bird season when at the beginning of July Clyde took 69 young birds to Dromore for a training toss and was 43 missing overnight. Having gone all over the country to collect the missing birds he still ended up losing 24 from this toss. As a result, Clyde missed the first two races (area liberations) and felt that he was always playing catch up but he didn’t panic and he more than caught up at the end of the day.

The winning pigeon is a light cheq tipped hen racing on the darkness. She was 31st Open NIPA Rosscarbery the week before. She was sent to Rosscarbery 15 days on eggs but Clyde slipped her a young bird the night before basketing for that race so she was still sitting on that young bird going to the Skibbereen National. The pigeon was bred by Andre Nauwelaerts and was collected at Lier market when Clyde was on the John Hollinger organized trip to Belgium in February. Now, John knows Andre well so a lot of guys on the trip had ordered young birds from Andre which they picked up at the Lier Market. When Clyde collected his bird it was in a basket of 9 birds between 3 guys. When Clyde looked at them this was the one he fancied but the agreement was that they would put the transfers in a hat and draw them out. Clyde was lucky to pick his National winner out of the hat. The hen had five races before the National and was Clyde’s most consistent racer having been 1st, 3rd, 4th , 5th and 14th bird to the loft and was 67th Sect D, 157th Open from Roscrea with 24, 557 birds competing. The youngsters were basket trained throughout the season and this peaked towards the end as we got nearer the big races. The young birds aren’t encouraged to pair but as they fly together they inevitably do towards the end of the season and they hit peak form at this time. Feeding is a Frazers mix.

Mid Antrim Show Season –

Ballymena & District: The show season will commence on Monday 28th October with classes for Young Cocks and Young Hens Through the Wires, penning from 7.00pm. We look forward to seeing the usual clan of members and friends. All cups and trophies should be returned to the Ballymena Clubrooms at Fountain Place this Wednesday evening 16th October at 7.30pm. Other local clubs should send their details in for inclusion, there might be some changes to the usual nights. Clubs should also forward details of the annual prize nights so we can make arrangements to cover the publicity.

Kells & District: The local club will have another Social Evening planned to take place in the Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim on Friday 1st November, pay at the door. Prior to the main event the Kells & Dist HPS will present the prizes for the year. It is hoped the night will include, Interview with a top loft, presentation from Loftcare in Doagh, Ryan Barr will be there with Diagnostic Kits, North Coast Classic will have Entry Packs for the race in 2014, the usual Pigeon Quiz & Photo Round, items from the past with old books, newspaper cuttings, scrap books etc. Big Raffle as well with plenty of prizes. The Hot Buffet will have a £10 entry or £5 to include tea or coffee and scone. This year an auction will be held for Macmillan Nurses Cancer Care, 75% going to the charity and the remainder retained by the club towards the running of the event. I will include a full list of the birds next week, its quite a list from local lofts and England.

Cullybackey HPS: The annual dinner and prize presentation will take place once again in the Adair Arms Hotel in Ballymena on Friday 25th October at 8.00pm, the Open Show will be held in the local Cullybackey HPS Clubrooms at Fenaghy Road on Saturday 21st December the usual 3 in 1 event. The show series will continue on a Saturday evening starting with Young Hens Through Wires on Sat 2nd November. Nov 9th Young Cocks T/W, Nov 16th Old Pairs & Young Pairs, Nov 23rd YC & YH Handled, Nov 30th Fancy T/W & OC Handled, Dec 7th OC Handled & Late Bred Handled, Dec 14th OB & YB Eyesign. Visitors will be made very welcome, good craic on a Saturday night.

NIPA & INFC: Bookings are now being taken for tickets to the Annual NIPA Ladies Night to be held at the Templeton Hotel in Templepatrick on Friday 8th November. Secretary Fred Russell has requested all cups and trophies are returned ASAP and in a clean condition. Could all the INFC 2012 trophy winners please return them to Ronnie Johnston or Trevor Topping. The annual dinner will be held in the Stormont Hetel in Belfast on Friday 29th November.

Northern Ireland Winter Fayre: Will take place on Saturday, 19th October at the Six Mile Leisure Centre, Ballynure Road, Ballyclare, Co. Antrim, BT39 9YU.
Opening 9.00am-4.30pm (approx). At this event fanciers can purchase any of their requirements prior to the breeding season and avail themselves of new stock for sale from various stalls.
They can also enjoy the banter and craic that this event is getting famous for as it is getting bigger and better each year. The response to this event has been great with a number of stalls booked to date including (please note this list can change at any time):

Gem Supplements (R. Kirkwood); NCC One-Loft Race; Bob McMeekin Wooden Products; Arlington Lofts (Roy Irwin); Harmony Lofts (John & Viv Abernethy ); G & R Couriers; Rockview Lofts (Owen Markey); NIPA ; Blaris Lofts (H Jennings & Son); Henry McLaughlin (Paloma Corn); Summit Lofts (Joe Brown ); Maurice Weir – Long Distance Stud ; Blue Sky Products; Oroory Hill Stud (Mr & Mrs Delaney); B & G Cochrane; Telford Bros (Downpatrick) ; Respiro San Dry ; Novara Stud, plus others.

Also Sensational Sale on behalf of Gregg Bros & McCandless – Ligoniel & Dist HPS.
Not to be missed! A great day out for all the family. Bring the kids and they can enjoy the pool while you browse at the Winter Fayre. Any queries Tel: 07737 275820 or E-mail: newkidontheblock07@hotmail.co.uk or check the website for updates on the event www.pigeoncraic.com

North Coast Classic (Coleraine) ONE-LOFT RACE

North Coast Classic Sales: The North Coast Classic One-Loft Race is proud to offer to the fancy this year’s entrants in the 2013 race, just flown. These birds will be sold at public auction over a series of sales in the coming weeks. On offer is the cream of the fancy and these birds represent the cream of every entrant’s loft. Only the very best are entered and the stock on offer has competed in all six hot spot races and the final event itself. The winner, Ace Pigeon, hot spot winners etc. will be offered at public auction. Top reports have been received from fanciers who purchased at last year’s sales and many winners/prize-winners have been reported to the NCC.

Sale 4: Thursday 17th October - Another top sale to include another Hot Spot Winner – entered by last season’s NCC Winner – Willie Neill & Sons – Another star bred lot on offer plus numerous other top bred stock to wet your appetite
Sale starts 8.00pm. Birds on view 7.00pm, venue the Chimney Corner Football Club, Randalstown Road, Antrim. Sale will be On-line for all to pre-bid who cannot attend, with the final bid online, the opening bid in the live sale room. Each online sale will close at 12 midnight on the evening prior to the sale in question. To view all the Lots on offer please log in to www.pigeoncraic.com/auctions.

Here you can avail yourself of all the Lots on offer and all their particular breeding details, results etc. and feel free to place a bid. For fanciers who want to place a phone bid, this can also be arranged. Contact: The NCC Tel: 07548 607756 or email: northcoastclassic@live.com

Photo Caption

I Rollins & Son Hills & Maze, 1st North Sect & 1st Open INFC Skibbereen YB Nat.