Thurles - Birds returned from Talbenny - 07/07/09

[willie reynolds]

Mickey Croskery Tops Combine from Thurles

The East Down Combine pigeons were sent to Talbenny in Wales for their second channel race of the season on 6 June. However the weather was unsuitable for racing with heavy showers, a lot of them prolonged and fresh winds. As it the forecast wasn’t much better for Sunday in Wales it was decided to bring the birds back to Ireland for a possible race on Sunday from an Irish race point.
The race point chosen was Thurles, and the pigeons were released into a northeasterly wind at 9am on Sunday morning. This proved to be a good decision as the other organisations that remained in Talbenny were unable to get a race until Monday.

The pigeons were in great condition coming home from Thurles and the Transportation team deserves a lot of credit for the way they looked after the pigeons from Thursday night until Sunday morning.

Once again this was a superb race for South Down Federation members who had 14 birds in both the section and Open results.
Pride of place once again goes to Annsborough’s Mickey Croskery who takes 1st, 2nd and Fed, 1st, 2nd and 13th section, 1st, 2nd and 28th Open. It was at this stage of the season last year that Mickey started his run of three consecutive Open wins. It would be a lot to expect to repeat that achievement but this result shows that his birds are in the right form to give it a go.

Mickey’s Open winner here is a two-year-old ash hen. The dam is a Janus & Fox through John Jobey, from the Up North Combine. The sire is the pigeon known as the ‘Pool’ cock. Now I have written about this pigeon quite often before but referred to it as the ‘Pooled’ cock assuming that it had won a few pounds in the club pools. However it turns out that Mickey won this pigeon in a game of pool in a game of pool. The bird was originally reared by Mickey for Shaw Bros of the Grosvenor club for whom it won an Ulster Fed Open. The Shaws were taking a temporary break for the sport and Mickey challenged Gary to a game of pool to get the pigeon back. Gary being a good sport probably let Mickey win the game!!!

The second Open pigeon is a two-year-old De Klak hen from the original strain obtained from Jobey & Gordon. Mickey’s third bird, a yearling hen is also from the same bloodlines.

Annsborough’s Patrick Brown who had got off to a great start to the season is back in contention again with three birds in the Fed result this week. All three birds are from K Rooney & Son Annalong. The first of these is 3rd Fed, 3rd section, 3rd Open and is a yearling whose dam, a Wily Van Herck was 1st Fed from Tullamore this year. The sire is a Soontjens x Bastiens Bros cross and is from the same family as Kevin and Kristopher’s Skibbereen Classic winner.

Patrick’s second pigeon takes 5th Fed, 7th section. 20th Open. The dam of this one was 1se section Pilmore Beach last year and is a Soontjens x Lindelauf cross. There were six pigeons reared from this pair in their first year together and 5 of them have been winners for both the Rooneys and Patrick.

The third bird timed by the Lakeside Lofts was 10th Fed, 14th section, 29th Open. This one again is a Soontjens x Lindelauf cross.
D Croskery & Son Annsborough keep their good run of form going with two birds in the result. The first of these is 4th Fed, 6th section, 14th Open. This pigeon is a yearling cock that has raced well securing a few prizes and from the new De Richt birds. It is the same way bred as their Young Bird Derby winner.

Their second bird is 8th Fed, 10th section, 25th Open. This one is a two-year-old cock from the pigeons obtained from Rodney and Jason Walker.

Annsborough’s James Cleland is 6th Fed, 8th section, 22nd Open this week. James’ pigeons always come into form as we hit into the business end of the season where most of the major races take place. The pigeon timed here is a Pros Roosen yearling hen. These birds appear regularly in the result for James.

The result is completed by Annsborough’s R McDowell & Son who are 7th Fed, 9th section, 23rd Open. Robert’s birds have been performing consistently throughout the season and he will be seeking to get another big result from the Old Bird Derby.
The pigeon timed here is a yearling hen that was 6th Fed from the first Mallow this year. The breeding is Van Hagan x Kenyon.

Full Result: 1, 2, M Croskery Annsborough 1213, 1212; 3, P Brown Annsborough 1209; 4, D Croskery & Son Annsborough 1182; 5, P Brown 1177; 6, J Cleland Annsborough 1174; 7, R McDowell & Son 1172; 8, D Croskery & Son 1171; 9, M Croskery 1170; 10, P Brown 1169:

• There will be a Free Nom from the Penzance Classic race for yearlings only. One bird per loft to compete for £50 presented to the Fed by Gary Shaw. There will also be the usual £2 nom for this race
• All three French races will have a £2 Nom. One bird per loft winner takes all.

Brendan McLoughlin PO