The NIPA have released in St Malo at 6.30am in a light Northeast wind , wind at release site is 8mph and will not be any stronger as the day goes on, visibility is perfect along the whole route and your birds cleared really well. That was the good news early on Friday morning although the weather conditions were a concern even before the birds were sent to France. Sunshine and heat are a bad combination but the hope was for a good race with good returns after a very poor race the season previous. Just four gallant birds made home lofts on the day with only a small number clocked in race time of three days. A lot of lofts held back for the big Kings Cup event this weekend but the weather remains a major concern. Well done to every single bird that made home, birds even recorded in the far flying Derry & Strabane.
Brilliant result for the Portadown & Drumcree HPS with Bobby Creaney timing one of four day arrivals at 6.45pm recording velocity 1076, a loft with a good cross channel record. Its a third club winner following the late Ralph Wilson winning twice from Dinard, in 1968 and 1973.
NIPA St Malo 365/1378 –
1-1E B Creaney Portadown & Drumcree 1076, 2-2E D Coulter Glenavy & Dist 1032, 3-1D N Black & Son Dromara 968, 4-1F K Murray Killyleagh & Dist 963, 5-1G Mal Maguire & Son Newry & Dist 693, 6-3E S Craig Edgarstown 688, 7-4E H Cordner Annaghmore 688, 8-2G R Williamson Newry & Dist 678, 9-1B J & N Lamb Crumlin & Dist 660, 10-1H J McLaughlin Amelia Earhart 655, 11-1A W & J McLean Rasharkin & Dist 652, 12-5E Capper Bros Bondhill Social 636, 13-6E S & N Lester Laurelvale 632, 14-3G D Carroll Millvale 628, 15-2H E McGettigan Strabane & Dist 617, 16-1C J McGrugan & Son Doagh & Dist 617, 17-2D W Catherwood & Sons Harmony 609, 18-7E G & C Topley Laurelvale 605, 19-3D J Waring & Son Lisburn & Dist 590, 20-4G Lyons & Kennedy Hills & Maze 589, 21-3H Henderson Crawford Limavady 585, 22-8E S & N Lester Laurelvale 585, 23-4D G Benson Lisburn & Dist 569, 24-5D G Benson Lisbrn & Dist 559, 25-4H Liam Millar Limavady 548, 26-2B H Turkington Kells & Dist 546, 27-2F N & A McCavera Killyleagh & Dist 537, 28-2C B & K Mullan & Dunlop Wheatfield 519, 29-3C A & N Lewis Doagh & Dist 507, 30-4C A Thompson Ballyclare & Dist 501, 31-3B A Darragh Cullybackey 492, 32-5C R Mills & Son Larne & Dist 482, 33-4B McAlonan Bros Cullybackey 465, 34-2A K Carolan Coalisland & Dist 464, 35-5G R Williamson Newry & Dist 441, 36-9E H Cordner Annaghmore 435, 37-5B McConville Bros Crumlin & Dist 425., 38-6B F & J & G Dickey Randalstown 390, 39-6C Degnan & McKee Carrick & Dist 349, 40-3F J & R Quinn Killyleagh & Dist 346, 41-4F Benson Bros Corrigs 337, 42-10E M Robinson Bondhill Social 335, 43-6D J Waring & Son Lisburn & Dist 331, 44-6G McCracken Bros Banbridge 322, 45-7C McDowell & Crawford Carrick Soc 315, 46-11E W G Neill Annaghmore 291, 47-7G C & G Quinn Drumnavaddy 261, 48-12E J Serplus Laurelvale 260.
Sect A 37/123, B 55/185, C 69/298, D 24/85, E 83/375, F 21/52, G 34/149, H 41/110.
NIPA Centre Results:
Muckamore Centre St Malo OB Nat – J & N Lamb Crumlin & Dist 660, McConville Bros Crumlin & Dist 425.
Foyle Centre St Malo OB Nat – John McLaughlin Amelia Earhart 655, Eddie McGettigan Strabane & Dist 617.
Cullybackey Centre St Malo OB Nat – W & J McLean Rasharkin & Dist 652, Henry Turkington Kells & Dist 546, Alan Darragh Cullybackey 492, McAlonan Bros Cullybackey 465.
Coleraine Centre St Malo OB Nat – Henderson Crawford Limavady 585, Liam Millar Limavady 584.
NIPA Race/Date
St Malo (France) OB National Friday 29/06/18 – Lib 6.30am, wind Lt NE
NIPA Sect A Clubs
Coalisland & District – Kevin Carolan 464.
NIPA Sect H Clubs
Amelia Earhart – John McLaughlin 655.
Limavady – Liam Millar 585, Henderson Crawford 548.
Strabane & District – Edward McGettigan 617.
NIPA Sect B Clubs
Cullybackey HPS – Alan Darragh 492, McAlonan Bros 465.
Crumlin & District HPS – J & N Lamb 660, McConville Bros 425.
Kells & District – Henry Turkington 546.
Randalstown –F & J & G Dickey 390.
Rasharkin & District – W & J McLean 652.
NIPA Sect E Clubs
Annaghmore – Hector Cordner 688, 435, W G Neill 291.
Bondhill Social – Capper Bros 636, Malcolm Robinson 335.
Edgarstown 13/52 – Sam Craig 688. Well done Sam on your fantastic win the only bird home in the club on race time!! Sam over the years has had a good record from the Cross Chanel races, The hen clocked is something special she was timed in the same race in 2016 and was 119th Open, 40th section E. In 2017 she was not raced at all due to a bad injury in training! She was patched up and left to heal the rest of the year! Sam started training her this year again and got her set up for this race she done him proud by homing on the second morning at 7.15am to take 1st Club, 6th Open, 3rd Section E and a Bronze Diploma. Well done again Sam from all the members
Laurelvale – S & N Lester 632, G & C Topley 605, S & N Lester 585, J Serplus 260.
Portadown & Drumcree – B Creaney 1076.
Big test from France for Mid Antrim lofts –
Willie & Jean McLean from Rasharkin had the winner from St Malo Old Bird National, timed early on the second day to record 1st Club, 1st MAC, 1st Sect A & 11th Open NIPA. The bird was raced on Roundabout then went to St Malo on 10 day eggs. It was one of a kit of youngsters bought in 2015 for racing from club-mates Steele & McNeill. Breeding is Aad van Berkel, and is a half-sister to Steele & McNeill’s 2014 Mid Antrim Combine Old Bird of the Year “Super Mario”. At the end of the second day just a handful of birds were recorded, J & N Lamb from Crumlin won 1st Sect B & 9th Open NIPA, followed by Henry Turkington from Kells and birds in Cullybackey for Alan Darragh and Tom McAlonan, McConville Bros from Crumlin timed late on the second day and Frank Dickey had the only bird in Randalstown, timed 3rd morning at 5.21am flying 468 miles. Tom McAlonan has been timing out of France for many years, and Cullybackey HPS have a long tradition of success at the distance. The bird was a 2 year old Dk Ch cock timed in the Penzance Classic last season and three races in Ireland before France this year. Was 10 days on eggs and bloodline was the late Davy Campbell birds bred direct from his Classic Connections and a famous Bronze cock. These lines have been scoring for a long time, not just for McAlonan Bros but many others.
Crumlin lofts to the fore in the final two races -
The Premier OB Nat race from St Malo in France was not just what we were looking for in the final race of the old bird season. Birds were collected at the various Centres including Cullybackey and Muckamore last Tuesday evening and just short of 1,400 NIPA birds were released in St Malo at 6.30am on Friday in a Lt NW wind. We had just four gallant arrivals on the first day and locally at the end of day two just five birds had been recorded in Section B. Leading the way was John & Niall Lamb from Crumlin & District, three other birds between Kells & Cullybackey and then a final 2nd day bird for McConville Bros of Crumlin & Dist who had topped the NIPA in a race the week previous from Fermoy. F, J & G Dickey of Randalstown HPS win 1st Club, 2nd Combine, 6th Section B & 38th Open St Malo with a 2yr old hen who’s been a steady racer having won from Corrin last year. She was sent sitting 8days. Her sire Sticker Donckers cock has bred 6th Open Friendship National for Liam O’Neill & Sons of Larne, 1st Club Corrin, 2nd Club, 2nd Combine, 2nd Section B & 11th Open Bude, 1st Club Talbenny. Dam (Leslie Madden Lambrecht) is Dam to 5 x 1sts Club, 1st Corrin, 2nd Bude etc. with cock above.
Penzance was also flown the week previous, in both it and Fermoy the birds had great difficulty with the warm conditions, a lot missing on the day. As far as the race from France is concerned it’s hard to know the answer for the future, in very different weather conditions only a handful made it last season in race time of three days.
NIPA Section B St Malo – J & N Lamb Crumlin & Dist 660, H Turkington Kells & District HPS 546, A Darragh Cullybackey 492, McAlonan Bros Cullybackey 465, McConville Bros Crumlin & Dist 425, F & J & G Dickey Randalstown 390.
MAC St Malo – W & J McLean Rasharkin & Dist 652, F & G & J Dickey Randalstown 390.
John & Niall Lamb Crumlin & District – The St. Malo pigeon is a yearling Blue Pied cock sent sitting on eggs. He was raced up Ireland as a young bird, 4 or 5 races on the land. This year he got 4 races up Ireland and one Talbenny (South Wales), then the Fermoy comeback race the week before St Malo. As for his breeding he is bred off a hen of their own family (Busschaert x Peter McClarence being Delbar, Van Ree & Meulemans crossed with a Van der Veken from Gerald Delaney) - she was a prize-winner from Truro. Her sire was a prize winner from both the Young Bird and Yearling Nationals from Penzance and Sennen Cove. The sire of the St. Malo bird was bred for John by Carl Reynolds of Dollingstown, being from his father’s old Black Gold Jurion family of birds he has had for many years. John has named the St. Malo bird "Riley's Boy" after his latest grandson Riley, Niall's son.
Amelia Earhart St Malo
John McLaughlin finished of the year in style by clocking his good cock, affectionately nicknamed 'Mr Easy’, to be 1st Club, 1st Section H and provisionally 10th Open from St Malo France.
This two year old cock was trained as a young bird and left to winter before being raced as a yearling. He was nicknamed “Mr Easy” due to the fact that he coasted home from every race, behind the rest, and it never took too much out of him. John races his old bird’s celibate, he doesn't believe in breeding of pigeons that have not proved their worth. He decided to let “Mr Easy” have a hen prior to the first cross channel Talbenny, so that he could be sent driving, hoping that this may make him race and it certainly did as he won. He was sent to the second Talbenny, again driving and won this as well. The cock and his hen were left on open hole in the lead up to France, John said they spent much of the day sitting on the factory across the street. John threw some straw in front of the loft and “Mr Easy” went about building a nest. His hen lay and “Mr Easy” would do most of the sitting, rather than the hen. He was sent to France on 5 day old eggs.
John doesn't do 'breeds nor pedigrees’, but said he bought the cock as part of a young bird kit from a Mr Wignal, as 700 mile pigeons. John buys a kit of young birds every year alternating between distance and sprint pigeons and he will cross and take youngsters off any decent ones.
John started the old bird season with 8 pigeons in his loft (he doesn't keep stock pigeons), and St Malo was his fifth win. Congratulations John on brilliant performances from a brilliant pigeon man. Pictured “Mr Easy” with his hen (this hen won the town for John this year). John's massive team of 5 young bird’s lol Sean Campbell PO.
Strabane & District St Malo
Eddie McGettigan was no stranger to success at the distance/channel races when he raced under the banner of McGettigan Bros along with his uncle John in the Maiden City RPS. Therefore it was no surprise, when young Eddie set out on his own this year racing in the Strabane Club, that he would again set his stall out for the channel races and in particular, France.
Eddie clocked his yearling hen on the second morning from France to be 1st Club, 2nd Section H and provisionally 15th Open NIPA, a dream come true for young Eddie, and if the truth be told, a tear was shed when she hit the landing board, such was Eddie's joy and pride at seeing his wee blue hen preform such a task.
This wee hen didn’t race as a young bird, just a few training tosses. This year she had 3 races inland and was sent to Talbenny in South Wales. Her usual cock was lost two weeks ago and she had just paired to another young cock in the loft.
Now to the breeding of the super hen. If you visit Eddies loft, you won’t hear any van der this or van der that. What you will hear is a who’s who of distance racing and in particular, Irish distance racing.
Her sire is of Aidan McAteer’s Friendship National Winner 2012 when paired to Eddies good Alan Darragh bred cock (this cock has bred 5 x 1st Section winners and numerous channel birds). It certainly helps when you are friendly with fanciers of this calibre and able to borrow and beg top class pigeons.
Her dam is bred of Eddie’s Matt Rakes pigeons. I remember visiting Eddie’s uncle John and I handled a few of the Matt Rakes pigeons. John told me at the time that it was Eddie who done all the ground work researching the Rakes birds and eventually going direct to Matt and buying the best available. Certainly a very wise decision by Eddie, a brilliant performance by a very able pigeon man and I think we’ll be hearing a lot more of Eddie in the coming years. Very well done Eddie McGettigan. Sean Campbell PO.
Photo Captions
Final top up of the water before we call it a night all birds are content and cool under the huge ventilation fans. Smooth sailing to France
Bobby Creaney of Portadown & Drumcree winner of 1st Sect E & 1st Open NIPA St Malo 2018.
Willie & Jean McLean from Rasharkin & Dist had the best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine from St Malo.
John & Niall Lamb with grandson Riley had the big weekend winner from St Malo in France, 1st Sect B & 9th Open NIPA.
“Riley’s Boy” Blue Pied yearling cock, 1st Club Crumlin & Dist, 1st Sect B, & 9th Open NIPA, 457 miles timed Saturday 8.26am recording velocity 660ypm.
John McLaughlin holding “Mr Easy” the winner in Amelie Earhart, 1st Sect H & 10th Open NIPA St Malo..
Henry Turkington from Kells & Dist, only bird from France and 2nd Sect B from St Malo.
Frank Dickey had the only bird in Randalstown, timed 3rd morning at 5.21am flying 468 miles for velocity 390.
Sam Craig the winner in Edgarstown, 3rd Sect E & 6th Open NIPA and Bronze Diploma.
Alan Darragh had the winner in Cullybackey HPS from St Malo.
Tom McAlonan from Cullybackey timed his fancied bird at 6.30pm on the second day from St Malo
The now famous “Mr Easy” best in the City of Derry with his hen.
The complete YB Team for John McLaughlin, five in total!
Eddie McGettigan from Strabane & Dist holding his winner from St Malo.
The wee Blue Hen, which scored for Eddie McGettigan of Strabane, 1st Club, 2nd Sect H & 15th Open NIPA St Malo.
Mickey McConville from Crumlin & Dist holding his 1st Open NIPA winner from Fermoy, he also timed a bird from St Malo on the second day.
Bobby Creaney of Portadown & Drumcree winner of
1st Sect E & 1st Open NIPA St Malo 2018.