Farming Life - Wednesday 23/09/15

[willie reynolds]

The Irish National Flying Club Young Bird National was held on Wednesday 2nd September with the birds liberated in Penzance at 9.50am in a light northerly wind. The race was sponsored by Frazer’s Animal Feeds and Veterinary Services for Birds. The entry was up on last year with 467 members from across Ireland sending 2,923 birds (last year 401 members sent 2,332) and members were racing for total pools and prizemoney of £21,033.

The northerly wind was something that the birds hadn’t encountered in any of their previous races as the majority of the young bird races saw southerly or southwesterly winds. It was 3.56pm before the first pigeon was recorded to Gregory Bros of Rathnew and with the northerly wind it was going to take another few hours for the birds to reach the northern members. The winner was timed at 6.56 in Lisburn to L Magee & Son who had two together to take first and second Open. They were closely followed by Glen and Johnny Buckley who ended up on the same yard. At the end of the day there were 45 birds recorded.

1st & 2nd North Section, 1st & 2nd Open L Magee & Son Lisburn & District, Vels 975.66, 975.57, Flying 302 miles, winning £834, the J.M.K McGugan Perpetual Cup and the De-Scheemaecker Trophy for best two bird average.

The winners of the Penzance Young Bird National are the Lisburn lofts and L Magee & Son who had an incredible race here with two birds together to take 1st and 2nd Open in such a difficult race. The birds wouldn’t have been in the same basket as one is hen and the other a cock. The senior partner Lenny passed away three years ago but son Jackie retained the partnership name and no doubt Lenny would have been extremely proud of this result. This loft was bang on form at this time as they were 6th Open in the Fermoy- 5 -Bird with the NIPA on the Saturday following Penzance. What makes this result all the more impressive is that Jackie has in modern day racing a very small set-up. He only gets forty rings every year.
Prior to the National both pigeons had all the young bird races including Talbenny. The winning pigeon now known as ‘ISA’ is a blue hen racing naturally. The sire is from their own Busschaert lines which go back as far as 1977, while the dam is from Conor McManus, Ligoniel, who has had some birds from Jackie. The second bird is again from the Busschaert lines with the dam coming from Ian Donaghy of Derriaghy.
Training is three times a week with John Abernethy and feeding is Garvo mixed corn from The Maze Pet Stores.

3rd North section, 3rd Open G Buckley & Son Annaghmore, Vel 975.30, Flying 301 miles, winning £987

3rd North section, 3rd Open are G Buckley & Son Annaghmore , another household name , having been 1st Open NIPA Lamballe in 2004, 1st Open NIPA Portland in 2005 and 1st Open NIPA Lamballe in 2007 plus many other top positions over the years including 2nd Open King’s Cup 2009, 7th Open King’s Cup 2010 and 8th Open Friendship National 2010. . The partnership is Glen and son, Johnny who come from a very strong pigeon family. The pigeon timed here is a blue hen sent just looking at her cock. She had every race except Talbenny and was always a steady racer. Breeding is their own Soontjens lines crossed with a Leo Van Rijn from Kevin Darling. The sire was 1st Open Skibbereen with the NIPA last year when they were 1st and 2nd Open with two nest brothers. The grandsire is off a son of the Lamballe Open winner in 2004. (This son of the Lamballe winner is the main breeder in their loft now). The grandsire is a daughter of the Portland winner. Glen and Johnny use a mixture of training and flying at home to keep the birds in form. Any training is usually from Newtownhamiltion (15-20 miles) while feeding is Beyers.

A local fancier in the Lisburn area had a stock pigeon escape from his loft. GB2014L-47524, please contact Tel: (028) 92 602203.

The fancy should be aware this is the time of the year to claim various awards. The RPRA (Irish Region) details are listed in the recent BHW, all claims by 3rd October. Mileage Awards are as usual – 0-250 Miles, 251-450 Miles, Over 450 Miles, Best Single Bird Performance OB or YB, Young Fancier for any of the above 8-16yrs racing on own. Finally Club Secretary to submit claims for Single Bird Performance Talbenny (2) & Penzance. Application Forms available from Region Secretary with SAE to M/M Reid, 131 North Road, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim. BT38 7QJ.

Claims for all the NIPA Average Cups and various awards must be made inside 14 days from the final race, deadline date is this weekend Saturday 26 th September. Secretary George McDowell Secretary of Mid Antrim Combine must have all claims and trophies by 26th September. Old Bird Inland Average, Cross Channel Average, Old Bird Ave, B Eagleson Memorial Cup best average Talbenny, Penzance Classic, Bude and Penzance, Old Bird of the Year, Young Bird Ave, New North Cup best average Bude & Talbenny YB, Combine Average, Young Bird of the Year.

NIPA require all cups and trophies to be returned, in a clean condition please and same goes for the INFC, these can be returned to Trevor Topping or Ronnie Johnston or left with either Tom Marshall or Robert Kirkwood. The Annual Dinner & Prize presentation will be held as usual in the Stormont Hotel in Belfast on Friday 27 th November, NIPA Ladies Night will take place on Friday 13 th November in the Templeton Hotel in Templepatrick.

Club Results INFC Penzance

Lisburn & District – L Magee & Son 975, L Magee & Son 975.
Annaghmore – G Buckley & Sons 975, W G Neill 837, 730, T McLean 723, W G Neill 670, 572, 554, J & E Calvin 512, 370.
Rathnew – Gregory Bros 959, 708, 704, 589.
Eastway HPS – D & J Campbell & Bigger 953.
Laurelvale – W Gillis & Sons 952, A Neill 584, 451, 425.
Blackwatertown WE – Collins & Douglas 950, J Brown 668, R G & G Donaldson 622.
Hillsborough & Maze – Kennedy & Lyons 949.
Doagh & District – A & N Lewis 947, M/M B McNeilly 758, A & N Lewis 758, 512.
Ballymoney HPS – D Dixon 939.
Skerries – Walton Family 939, P & J Jones 933, 891, 879, 755, P Rock & Son 702, Walton Family 683, P Rock & Son 466, 414. Well done Walton Family Lofts, probably 11th INFC Penzance Young Bird National.
Ballymena & District – M Graham 931, 903, 772, 678, 466.
Balbriggan – M & U Gorman 929, Hartford & McNally 495.
Wilton Cross – G Douglas 901.
Cabra – J Nash 896, J Farrell 736.
Portadown & Drumcree – Larkin Bros 883, 666, 638, G Matchett & Sons 615, 515.
Dromore – J Greenaway 848, 777, 667, 476.
Ballyholland – J Murtagh & Son 847.
Bondhill – D Calvin 835, Capper Bros 802, D Calvin 768, 747, Capper Bros 718, O Jackson 667.
Downpatrick – P Byrne & Son 821.
Newry & District – R Williamson 811.
Cullybackey HPS – W Scott 796, S Steele 764, A Darragh 714, Reid Bros & McCloy 623, A Darragh 557.
Millvale – Donnelly Bros 793, 637, Mal Maguire & Son 573.
Sallynoggin – Prenter & Nulty 770, B Murphy 746, Brady & Burton 400.
Newton Kilpedder – E Kennedy & Son 769.
Finglas – T McLoughlin & Son 749, D Cummings & Son 606.
Cookstown – V Thom 747, 666.
Edgarstown HPS – G & T Ritchie 727, R Bell & Sons 510. Well done to Graham and Thomas great win form a very hard a testing race, also to Ronnie and Jason, have had a great year with the INFC well done lads.
Millisle & District – McCormick & Muckle 718.
Loughgall – S Corrigan 718.
Dublin North East RPC – L Keogh 712.
Dublin North County RPC – Breada Deegan 705.
Fortfield – A O’Hanlon 687.
Shelbourne Premier – Ingle Bros & Son 670.
Coalisland & District – K Carolan 670, S Hughes 611, G Quinn 590.
Ballyclare & District – M/M C Hayes 657, G & R Lawrie 639, A Thompson 594.
Ligoniel & District – W Wickings 653.
Killyleagh Central – McComb Bros 646.
Dromara – Russell Bros 621, N Black & Son 446, 418.
Annsborough – D Croskery & Son 620.
Crumlin & District – J Harkness 612, McConville Bros 588.
Newtownbreda – T Marshall & Son 601, 573.
Gilford & District – D Campbell 596, C & H Beattie 482, O Fitzpatrick & Son 354.
Crossgar HPS – McCartan & Woodsides 596.
Markethill – P McCall 587.
Wicklow SR Club – K Hodgkinson 583.
Dundrum – J Maguire & Partners 568.
Banbridge Social – M Ewbanks 561.
Comber Social – G Lyttle 555.
Shankill – N Smithers 533.
Colin HPS – G Boyle & Son 522.
Malahide & District – T Nelson 518, 499.
Banbridge & Dist – C McArdle & Sons 505, McCracken Bros 494, B McAvoy 474.
Armagh HPS – D C & P McArdle 479.
Ballylesson – J Kirk & Son 450.
Milltown – C & G Quinn 447.
Annalong – Henry McDowell 436.
Ballybrack – G & P O’Dowd 400. Well done G & P having a cracker of a season getting this bird on the second day in what was a very hard race well done lad’s.

East Antrim Combined Penzance YB Nat – D & J Campbell & Bigger Eastway 953, A & N Lewis Doagh & Dist 947, M/M B McNeilly Doagh & Dist 758, A & N Lewis 758, M/M C Hayes Ballyclare 657, W Wickings Ligoniel 653, G & R Lawrie Ballyclare 639, A Thompson Ballyclare 594, A & N Lewis 512.

Mid Antrim Combined Penzance YB Nat – D Dixon Rasharkin & Dist 939, M Graham Ballymena & Dist 931, M Graham 903, W Scott Cullybackey 796, M Graham 772, S Steele Cullybackey 764, A Darragh Cullybackey 714, M Graham 678, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 623, A Darragh 557, M Graham 466.

North South Federation Penzance YB Nat – J Murtagh & Son Ballyholland 847, R Williamson Newry & Dist 811, Donnelly Bros Newry City 793, Donnelly Bros 637, Mal Maguire & Son Millvale 573.

Photo Captions

L Magee & Son team of Lisburn & District, 1 st & 2 nd Open Penzance YB Grand Nat.
Glen Buckley & Son of Annaghmore, 3 rd Open INFC Penzance.
D & J Campbell & Bigger team of Eastway, best in East Antrim.
Danny Dixon of Dunloy, 1 st in Mid Antrim Combine.
Martin Graham of Ballymena & Dist, timed five birds from Penzance.