Brendan Chambers (Dundrum) - 1st Fed St Malo

[willie reynolds]

Chambers tops Fed from St Malo

The East Down Combine had their last race of the old bird season from St Malo in France. The forecast for the English Channel for the Friday wasn’t particularly good so the race was brought forward to Thursday 25th June. The pigeons were liberated at 07.15am in an east wind, which was to turn westerly en route. The early pigeons made good time with pigeons reported home from before 6pm. However the race was stiff enough and only 14 birds were recorded in the East Down Combine on the Thursday, but lots more made it on the Friday and the result was completed by the early afternoon.

The winner of the South Down Federation this week, taking 2nd section, 6th Open is Brendan Chambers Dundrum. Brendan has had some quite impressive results in the Old Bird Derby and Kings Cup over the past five or six years but this was probably his best position yet. Brendan’s lofts are based on the Braspenning and Verheye bloodlines and it is no surprise to learn that the pigeon timed here is a two-year-old Braspenning x Verheye cross. This hen was racing on the widowhood system. Due to family commitments Brendan’s first race this year was the South Down Fed’s race from Mullingar on May Day. Perhaps this later start has benefited his pigeons as they have raced well since the channel racing started.

Dundrum’s J Maguire & Ptrs are 2nd Fed, 3rd section, 8th Open winning £266.58 in the process. They too have a good record from French races. The pigeon timed here is a three-year-old Busschaert hen that was 38th Open in the Old Hens race from Sennan Cove as a yearling. It was sent to the King’s Cup last year but of course the birds were brought home so it didn’t get a chance to fly it. This year Keith and Josie decided to send her to the Derby as they felt her nest condition (sitting on a newly hatched youngster) was better at this stage.

L & A Toner Annsborough follow on from their 3rd Fed last week by taking 3rd Fed here again. This week they are also 4th section, 12th Open winning £180.01. The pigeon timed here is a three-year-old Soontjens hen that originated from J Dalby & Son, Chatters near Cambridge. This pigeon was sent in the exact same nest condition as the Maguire pigeon, on a youngster just hatched. Liam and Andy have put up some very good performances in Derbies and Nationals lately and had the best East Down Combine bird in last year’s Young Bird National from Sennan Cove.

Annsborough’s Gallagher Bros are 4th Fed here and the former National winners are really in their element in these difficult French races. The pigeon timed here is a two-year-old blue cock out of a son of ‘Home Alone’, the only bird on the day in the Friendship National from Sartilly in 2000, when paired to a gift bird from club mate Mickey Croskery. The dam was 30th Open from the King’s Cup so plenty of good French blood here.

Fifth Fed this week goes to another French stalwart, Annsborough’s RJ Keown who takes 6th section 16th Open timing around 7am on the second day. This is a great hen as she was 2nd Open in this race last year. She is a three-year-old hen whose sire is his ‘National’ cock. His four grand parents were all timed from France so the breeding for this type of race is definitely there. The National cock itself was 130th Open in the Yearling National, and followed this ten days later by taking 6th club Sennan Cove, and then went on to take 132nd Open from Portsmouth in the same year. Last year he was 7th club Sennan Cove, and 106th Open Portsmouth. The dam has been twice second from Talbenny.

James Cleland Annsborough is another name that springs to mind when talking about people who race well from France. This week James is 6th Fed, 14th section and 25th Open. James’ pigeon is a two-year-old hen that is a daughter of the pigeon that was 6th Open from Fougeres National helping James to win the two bird Average in the year of its inception. The dam is a daughter of RJ Keown’s pigeon that was second Open in the Lamballe Derby in 2004.

Annsborough’s Mickey Croskery is riding on the crest of the wave of the moment having topped the Combine twice in the previous four races and was second Open in the other two. This week he is 7th Fed 15th section, 26th Open. Mickey’s pigeon is a two-year-old hen and it’s the last daughter of the ‘69’ cock who is the sire of the much-talked about ‘Pool’ cock. This ‘69’ cock was a prolific racer for D Croskery & Son. The dam is a half sister of the sire.

D Croskery & Son, with some impressive National and Derby results to their name have two birds in the Fed result. The first of these is 8th Fed, 18th section, 34th Open. This bird is a two-year-old Wily Thas cock that was timed on the second day from Quimper last year to take 21st Open. This pigeon is the same way bred as the hen that was 1st Open Bude last year and 1st Open Penzance Classic this year for Mickey.

Their second pigeon is 10th Fed, 21st section and 36th Open and is a two-year-old hen. It was 3rd club, 4th Fed, 4th section, 4th Open from Talbenny this year. The breeding here is De Klak from new birds brought in three years ago from Jobey and Gordon.

Last year’s Derby winners Pritchard Bros Annsborough who take 9th Fed, 19th section and 35th Open complete the result. This pigeon was actually 9th Open last year and is a six-year-old Harthog cock. This pigeon was 2nd section F from Bude last year in the NIPA.

Full Result: 1, B Chambers Dundrum 1070; 2, J Maguire & Ptrs Dundrum 1003; 3, L & A Toner 891; 4, Gallagher Bros Annsborough 836; 5, RJ Keown Annsborough 701; 6, J Cleland Annsborough 574; 7, M Croskery Annsborough 565; 8, D Croskery & Son Annsborough 523; 9, Pritchard Bros Annsborough 520; 10, D Croskery & Son 516:


• This week’s Friendship National will have a £2 Nom. One bird per loft.
• It is hoped to have a young Bird race from Navan on Wednesday 15 July. This will be open to South Down Federation members only. Birds will be race marked in their own clubrooms with normal rules applying in that there must be five members present for race marking. Birds will cost 25p each. Pick up times will be Tyrella 9am, Dundrum 9.15am, Annsborough 9.30am, Newcastle 9.45am and Annalong 10am. Clocks will be checked out in Dundrum at 7pm. No clocks will be checked after this time.

• The committee and members of the South Down Federation wish Charlie Pritchard a speedy recovery.

Brendan McLoughlin PO