R J Keown - 1st Fed Plaudren/Vannes

[willie reynolds]

RJ Keown best in King’s Cup race

The premier race of the racing pigeon season took place on Friday 3 July when the pigeons were released in Plaudren (Vannes), France in a light westerly wind, which was to turn fresh southwesterly en route. This race was for the King’s Cup and saw 770 members from across Ireland send 2,619 pigeons to compete for £39, 453 in pools and prizes.

This was the first time in three seasons that the race for the King’s Cup took place with the 1997 race cancelled due to bird flu and then last year bad weather saw the pigeons brought back to Ireland. Thankfully there were no hiccups this year and an excellent race ensued, with over 400 pigeons recorded on the day and with as many more on the second day this was one of the best King’s Cup races for along time. The overall winner was Tommy Moorehouse from Rathnew, Wicklow but South Down Fanciers again did themselves proud with 13 birds making the Open result

The winner of the South Down Federation was Annsborough’s RJ Keown who timed his pigeon at 4.37pm to take 40th Open with winnings of £288. RJ has a great record in French racing and was 2nd Open from St Malo last year and 5th Fed, 16th Open last week. Pigeons need very special preparation for French race and its notable that the same fanciers manage to have their pigeons in form at this time every year. RJ just narrowly missed out on being the best Combine pigeon in the race beaten by 2 yards by last week’s Derby winner T Marshall & Son.

The winning pigeon is a two-year-old cock which had a two races up Ireland then was sent to the 2nd Talbenny when the birds were brought back to Thurles. He was sent to Bude and rested for this race following that.

The dam was 2nd Open Lamballe in 2004, in a year that also saw her win a meritorious award for best single bird performance from Talbenny and Bude. She was 2nd Open from Talbenny and 13th Open Bude.

The sire is a son of the pigeon that was 3rd National for James Cleland from Fougeres when paired to RJ’s black hen that was 3rd Open from Dinard and was twice a winner from Penzance.

James Cleland Annsborough is second Fed here and has another bird in the result at 10th Fed. James is another fancier with an impressive record from France with many top class performances over the years. James first pigeon here timed at 4.48pm is a three-year-old hen. It is a daughter of the pigeon that was 3rd National Fougeres for him when paired to a hen on loan from C & L Woodside, Ballyclare. This pigeon had always been a consistent racer.

James’ second pigeon is a three-year-old cock whose dam was 24th Open in the King’s Cup in 2002, while the sire was 30th Open Lamballe Derby in 2004. These pigeons are from stock proven at this distance.

Annsborough’s Gallagher Bros had two good birds in the Fed and Open results to take 3rd and 5th Fed and 98th and 126th Open. These birds were timed at 17.13 and 17.33 respectively. The Gallaghers have built up a strong team of distance pigeons over the years and have had many outstanding performances from France, with their Friendship National win being the highlight. Last week they were 4th Fed, 15th Open from St Malo.

Their first pigeon is a two-year-old hen down from their own breeding lines with a cross introduced from Ward and McIntosh, Downpatrick. Their second pigeon is similarly bred but this time is a four-year-old cock.

J McNally & Son, Annsborough is 4th Fed, 114th Open this week. This pigeon was 38th Open from St Malo last year and was bred by clubmate B Cowan for the Annsborough Breeder Exchange in 2006. It is a three-year-old mealy cock and contains a lot of good distance blood including pigeons from J Patience. Just looking back through the results I noticed that this loft were 8th Fed in the last King’s Cup race.

Tyrella’s S Milligan & Dtr are 6th Fed, 156th Open here to finish their old bird programme in good style. Sean and Jennifer’s pigeon is a yearling hen bred from pigeons obtained from Kirkwood Bros, Killyleagh. This pigeon sat out for the best part of an hour on her return from this race and could have finished around 100 places further up the Open result. This hen had already been in the Yearling National and the difficult Penzance Classic. She had been sitting on a young bird on here own since the Classic as here mate was lost in that race.

Brendan Chambers Dundrum who topped the Fed last week when he was 6th Open from St Malo, is 7th Fed this week. This bird is a two-year-old Verheye cock, with the sire being one of a set of 6 bought from Louella Lofts for £100. Brendan has built up a growing reputation from the French races having been 7th Fed in the last Kings Cup race and was 3rd Fed the previous year when there were only three Fed birds timed.

D McNabb & Ptrs are 8th Fed with a two-year-old cock that is a Lefebre Dhaenen crossed with their Alex Crawford bloodlines. This will be a satisfying year for Denis and Eileen who made the Open result in their two main targets; the King’s Cup and the Yearling National.

D Croskery & Son Annsborough complete the result in ninth position, ironically with a pigeon reared by the McNabb Partnership. This pigeon was 5th Fed in the last King’s Cup race in 2006. This four-year-old Busschaert hen was timed at 6.19pm here and will now be aimed at winning a coveted Hall of Fame next year.

Full Result: 1, R J Keown Annsborough 1323; 2, J Cleland Annsborough 1297; 3, Gallagher Bros Annsborough 1253; 4, J McNally & Son Annsborough 1226; 5, Gallagher Bros 1217; 6, S Milligan & Dtr Tyrella 1184; 7, B Chambers Dundrum 1169; 8, D McNabb & Ptrs Tyrella 1167; 9, D Croskery & Son 1137; 10, J Cleland 1134:

* A new DTW will start this week from 1st Navan. All lofts wishing to join must do so on the week that they first race their young birds and pay back to the first young bird race.

Brendan McLoughlin PO.