Penzance - 20/06/09

[willie reynolds]

Mickey is top of the Class (ic)

The East Down Combine pigeons were in Penzance in Cornwall for their last race of the season prior to the French races. Indeed the outcome of this race resembled a French race with many lofts failing to time an arrival on the day of the race. The birds were liberated at 7.30am in a northwesterly wind, which was to turn westerly on the way home. With very little sunshine about throughout the day, and a coolness in the air it is thought that many birds just didn’t leave Penzance at all. There are reports that there are still many Irish pigeons in the Cornwall, so hopefully with the current spell of good weather there will be a few more coming through.

On days like this quite often the cream rises to the top and that is certainly the case here with the winner of the South Down Federation and the East Down Combine being a previous Combine winner for its owner Mickey Croskery. The winning pigeon was 1st South Down Fed, 1st Open East Down Combine last year from Bude. This bird was hotly fancied for this race and wins £294.65 in the East Down Combine Classic, £292 in The South Down Fed’s DTW, and £48 in the £2 Nom plus the first cut of the pools in the 3Bird Championship Club, and the club’s pools and DTW.

Last year on the channel Mickey topped the Combine three weeks in a row. He very nearly achieved that this year again. He was 2nd Open from 1st Talbenny, the following week the birds were brought back to Thurles and he was 1st Open, last week from Bude he was again 2nd Open and here he is 1st Open again from Penzance. Two x 1st Opens and 2 x 2nd Opens in four weeks is quite remarkable.

The winning pigeon here is the hen that won from Bude last year, and was also 3rd Fed, 3rd section 3rd Open Talbenny this year. This two-year-old hen is out of a Wily Thas cock that has bred eight winners including five section winners for both Mickey and for D Croskery & Son. The dam is a De Klak hen from Jobey and Gordon of Dunston, in the Up North Combine.
Mickey’s second pigeon is 5th Fed, 11th section, 24th Open and 15th in the Classic. This one is a two-year-old De Klak hen from the original birds obtained from Jobey & Gordon.

The third pigeon clocked by Mickey to his Seaview Lofts to take 7th Fed, 17th section, 32nd Open and 18th Classic is another two-year-old hen. This one is a sister of the pigeon that was 2nd Open from Thurles and is a daughter of the ‘Pool’ cock.
M Croskery & Son had another good race here with two birds in the result. The first of these is 2nd Fed, 4th section, 7th Open and 4th Classic winning £167.21. This bird was 8th Fed, 11th section, 18th Open last week from Bude. This two-year-old cock was also 9th club from 1st Talbenny when he just missed out on a Fed position. The dam is a Harthog from Colin McBride, Harryville while the sire came from Terry Murphy, Newcastle.

Their second pigeon wins the Nom sponsored by Gary Shaw for a yearling in this race. This yearling cock was 4th Club, 6th Fed, 8th section, 42nd Open Skibbereen Classic this year. It is out of the ‘Broken Wing’ cock obtained from D Croskery & Son and a hen from Mr & Mrs Girvan Newry.

Annsborough’s L & A Toner are 3rd Fed, 5th section, 8th Open and 5th Classic for a great result which sets them up nicely for the French races. The pigeon timed here is a yearling Corbett Busschaert hen from a pair from club mate B Cowan. Prior to this race this hen was sitting tight on a pair of eggs on her own and was slipped a youngster on the day of basketing, which obviously paid off.
P Brown & Son Annsborough are 6th Fed, 14th section, and 29th Open as their season continues on a consistent basis. The pigeon timed here is a yearling cock from Mr & Mrs Claire and Roger Moffett, Gilford.

Dundrum’s Brendan Chambers continues his good run of form, taking 8th Fed, 20th section, 38th Open and 21st Classic. Brendan’s pigeons are mostly Brasspennings or Verheye and this three-year-old hen is a cross of both strains.

K Rooney & Son Annalong, are 9th Fed, 39th Open, and 22nd Classic for another good result for them following their back to back Open wins from Mallow and Talbenny. This yearling Van Reet cock was 8th club last week from Bude and was 6th club Tullamore.
Annsborough’s D Croskery & Son who are 10th Fed and 24th Classic complete the result. This one is a yearling cock out of the ‘Pool’ cock that was reared for Gary Shaw (See Mickey Croskery’s third pigeon above) So who did rear the ‘Pool’ Cock?

Full Result: 1, M Croskery Annsborough 921 Nom DTW £340; 2, M Croskery & Son Annsborough 902; 3, L & A Toner Annsborough 899; 4, M Croskery & Son 883 (Yearling Nom) £50; 5, M Croskery 850; 6, P Brown & Son Annsborough 841; 7, M Croskery 839; 8, B Chambers Dundrum 831; 9, K Rooney & Son Annalong 830; 10, D Croskery & Son 827:

• The next two French races will have a £2 Nom.

Brendan McLoughlin PO.