More Federation Success for Rab Braniff

[Administrator]

News and Results from Thurles (1) 02/05/09.

The Ulster Federation for the third week of the O/Bird season had its transporter in Thurles for the first time. The pigeons were ring marked as usual on Friday evening, and with the forecast showing Showers on Saturday afternoon in the North of Ireland, it was the common belief among many of the fanciers that an early liberation was on the cards for Saturday morning. Saturday morning arrived to yet more glorious racing conditions and the Ulster Federation liberated at 9.00am in a Lt South Westerly Wind. Early indications are that the early bird this week again is to the Wheatfield Loft of Rab Braniff, what makes it extra special is that it is the same winner as last week from Kildare (2). Rab could very well have a back to back Federation winner from two different race points, and I have learned that this pigeon already has a 1st Federation to its name while racing as a youngster in the Ulster Federation. Well done Rab.

Ulster Fed Club Results Thurles (1)

Wheatfield HPS – R Braniff & Son 1764, 2nd J & D Braniff 1761, 3rd J & D Braniff 1755, 4th J & D Braniff 1755, 5th J & D Braniff 1755, 6th J & D Braniff 1755, 7th Rab Braniff & Son 1754, 8th J & D Braniff. The former Millar Gold Cup Winner makes it two in a row and has them coming exceptionally well, which you have to have to beat the J & D Braniff team, Rab has successfully done it the last couple of weeks and I hear it is last weeks Federation winner again, with early indications pointing towards Federation success again, not two many of back to back Federation winners about from two different race points, is the hat-trick on the cards. Well done Rab.

Grosvenor HPS 32/616 – 1st F Toner 1756, 2nd A & A Ferran 1755, 3rd P & K McCarthy 1750, 4th J & L Smyth 1749, 5th J Maguire 1748, 6th F Toner 1748, 7th T Kearney 1742, 8th P Farrelly & Son 1738, 9th J Lennon 1738, 10th F Toner 1736. Frankie Toner takes tops spot this week along with 6th and 10th club for good measure. Big Tony Ferran takes runner-up spot with the same pigeon that topped the Club and finished 1st Federation from Kildare this year with 2,695 pigeons competing. Paul and Kathleen take 3rd with Joe and Linda slipping into 4th spot, Jamesy Maguire moves up a couple of places on last week into 5th Club with the Kearney loft finishing 7th ahead of Peter Farrelly in 8th and Jim Lennon who knows a thing or two about how to win the 2 Bird in 9th Club.

Andersonstown RPC 14/246 – 1st Johnston Bros 1756, 2nd J Jackson 1745, 3rd P Elliott & Sons 1745, 4th P & P McMahon 1745, 5th G Boyle & Son 1745, 6th Johnston Bros 1739. Very Well Done to Michael and Martin on this their first success of the season, and I also hear through the grape vine that they lift the DTW and all the pools with this one. The Jackson loft is in a close second ahead of the Elliott loft in 3rd on the same yard.

Lagan Valley RPC 25/415 – 1st Smyth & Adams 1755, 2nd R & A Gore 1754, 3rd R & A Gore 1752, 4th A & R Milliken 1751, 5th F Taggart & Sons 1751, 6th D Jones & Sons 1749, 7th H Jennings & Sons 1748, 8th H Jennings & Sons 1748, 9th R & A Gore 1744, 10th Smyth & Adams 1742. How pleasing it is to see this partnership name back at the top of the race result sheet. This is the first success for the loft since 2007. Eddie has put a lot of hard work in over the last number of weeks and perhaps this is the start of the Smyth and Adams dominance once again. Robert and Ashley Gore are continuing to knock on the door and have the pigeons in fine form they have finished runner-up now the last two weeks perhaps third time lucky.

Shankill & District HPS 19/442 – 1st D Balloch 1751, 2nd D Smyth & Son 1751, 3rd J O’Boyle 1744, 4th E Drake 1743, 5th A Taylor & Son 1742, 6th D Smyth & Son 1742, 7th A Taylor & Son 1742, 8th W Gilmore 1740, 9th J & R Newberry 1739, 10th Calderwood & Waite 1738. Well done to Davy Balloch who records his first success of 2009 following a 5th Club last week from Kildare. The Smyth and Son loft come close only pipped on the line, but knowing these boys they will be knocking on the door again.

Britannia HPS – 1st T Curran & Son 1750, 2nd T Curran & son 1748, 3rd McGann Bros 1745, 4th T Curran & Son 1732, 5th J & B Smyth 1732, 6th M Kelly & Son 1725. The Curran loft returns to the top spot this week replacing the McGann Bros who finish in 3rd this week. Looking over the Club result for this corresponding race from last year the Curran boys took the first two in the Club that day. Well done.

Fortfield HPS 21/291 – 1st K Doherty 1748, 2nd D Ferran 1745, 3rd K Doherty 1745, 4th Martin & Tabb 1742, 5th Martin & Tabb 1728, 6th K Doherty 1726, K Doherty 1726, 8th K Doherty 1722, 9th Martin & Tabb 1721, 10th T & T Russell 1717. With six in the first ten of the result last week in the Club and five in the top 10 this week, the loft of Kevy Doherty is the one to beat and very much the loft in form. Last week he only managed the runner-up spot behind Davy Ferran this week the place are reversed. Well done to both men on very consistent racing.

Sydenham HPS – 1st J & J Scates 1746, 2nd I Cousins & Sons 1720, 3rd I Cousins & Sons 1720, 4th J & J Scates 1711, 5th J & J Scates 1692, 6th R & S Scates 1692. The J & J Scates team return to the top of the leader board this week to record their 2nd success of the season a head of the ever consistent Cousins Loft.

Alexandra HPS 9/190 – 1st J McErlean & Son 1731, 2nd J McErlean & Son 1717, 3rd J McErlean & Son 1717, 4th J McErlean & Son 1701, 5th J McErlean & Son 1699, 6th J McErlean & Son 1696, 7th Reynolds & McCafferty 1688, 8th Reynolds & McCafferty 1684. Following a 2nd in the first race of the season from Kildare what a way to score your 1st of the season by taking the first six in the Club, a super result and one of those ones you will always remember.

East End HPS – 1st A Cousins & Sons 1720, 2nd A Cousins & Sons 1720, 3rd J & A Scott 1717, 4th J Rainey & Son 1710, 5th J Rainey & Son 1708, 6th J Rainey & Son 1700, 7th J Rainey & Son 1697, 8th J Rainey & Son 1692, 9th R & S Scates 1692, 10th J & A Scott 1650. Well done to the Cousins loft on two excellent arrivals both on the exact same decimal point, this making it two Red Cards on the trot. The Cousins partnership need no introductions to you the reader, they are the current EDC Fanciers of the Year and own without any doubt the best winning family of FVW pigeons in Ireland. They collect the pools in the Club and the Nom was won by the Rainey loft.

East End – 1st H & D J Bell & Sons 1715, 2nd W Willis 1713, 3rd W Willis 1706, 4th Frankie Mudd & sons 1704, 5th H & D J Bell & Sons 1700, 6th T Brown 1700, 7th F Mudd & Sons 1700, 8th W Willis 1699, 9th F Mudd & Sons 1694, 10th F Mudd & Sons 1693. Well done to the Bell team on an excellent win into the East End Club following their 7th Club last week from Kildare. The Willis loft as always is pushing for the top spot, with Frankie Mudd & Sons completing the top four. The 2 Bird result was as follows 1st W Willis who collected the pools and 2nd Frankie Mudd & Sons who collected the Nom.

[willie reynolds]

Ulster Federation Thurles (1) 185/3,256 – R Braniff & Son Wheatfield 1764, J & D Braniff Wheatfield 1758, F Toner Grosvenor 1756.5 S & J Williamson & Son West Belfast 1756.3, Johnston Bros Andersonstown 1755.9, A & A Ferran Grosvenor 1755.5, Smyth & Adams Lagan Valley 1755.4, R & A Gore Lagan Valley 1754, R & A Gore 1752.8, J & D Braniff 1752.2, J & D Braniff 1752.2, J & D Braniff 1751.9, D Balloch Shankill & Dist 1751.79, J & D Braniff 1751.73, Lindores Son & Nicholson West Belfast 1751.6, A & R Milliken Lagan Valley 1751.54, F Taggart & Son Lagan Valley 1751.50, D Smyth & Son Shankill & Dist 1751.4, J & D Braniff 1751.1, J & D Braniff 1750.