The Cloughey partnership of Harper & Young are well known for their performances within the East Down Combine and again this year have added another trophy to their credit for the 2019 season with an outstanding Chequer yearling cock called “Bob” a name given to him for reasons which I will enlarge on in a moment .This game bird has won EDC old bird of the year 2019 and is also Winner of best old bird in the IHU North region 2019 and took 5 open positions in the EDC in 2019 as follows; 21st open Tullamore ,7th open Thurles ,20th open Fermoy ,28th open Mallow & 6th open Derek Wishart Classic Mallow .
The sire of this Cock was a chequer from good friend the late Bob Donaldson of
Cheving Drift H.P.S UNC and the Dam was a cheq hen (Bob Donaldson x Steve Gore) This cock had flown well from the start as a young bird .
2019 was a difficult year for the partnership of Harper & Young and for their great friend John Adair who trains the birds ,with the death of Martin Young and just a short time ago the passing of their great friend Bob Donaldson who over the years right up to the end had supplied the partnership with some top quality birds always making sure that only the best went over to Northern Ireland . This is the reason this super cheq. Cock is called “Bob” after the great Bob Donaldson .
The partnership of Harper & Young are no strangers to winning these North Section trophies . In 2017 it was a young blue cock “Champion 23” which was awarded the cup for the IHU’s North section Young Bird of the year to add to the many other prizes won which included racing with the East Down Combine 5th open Navan , 16th open Mullingar ,4th open Thurles ,3rd open 2nd Skibbereen Derby , was -1st Open Gold Ring , EDC Young Bird of 2017 , was E.D.C 2 bird club Bird of the year and won the YB average on its own . And winnings of some £600 in total The breeding of this cock were ;
Sire Blue Cock (gift from Steve Gore), Full brother to Hen that bred 3 x 1st Open + 4 x2ndOpen .
Dam Blue Hen that won Skibbereen Derby (EDC) for them , when her sister came with her to finish 2nd Open. She is of Bob Donaldson Van Dorp cock (Sire of Loft) of Bobs Hen, bred 50 Fed Winners in N.EAST.
Dam Gore' Hen that bred 3 x1st EDC + 4 x2nd place finishes in Combine. Also Van Dorp.
Prior to this in 2016 they won the IHU North Section Award for Old Birds ( The Jimmy Hughes Cup) with their blue hen “GEORDIE LASS” and that year she had already won The East Down Combine’s Old Bird of the Year for 2016 with her having 5 open placings in the Combine from 6 races flown , and this was the performance which won her this Cup .
“Geordie Lass” was a yearling hen when she won this award and is from a Van Dorp cock a gift from Bob Donaldson and a cheq hen ,a Van de Merwe x Busschaert cross which was a gift from Alfie Hawthorn and the partnership Could Not thank these UNC fanciers enough for their friendship and kindness over the years and the success that Harper & Young have had over the last few years with these pigeons is well known .
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2020 EDC Breeder/Buyer on March 27th 2020
The first Combine event of the new season is the holding of the East Down Combine Breeder/Buyer sale. This Year the date is March 27th just 2 weeks before the first scheduled race of the new season and the relevant information on this for everyone is ;
Only EDC members can buy birds ,but NIPA and Ulster Fed members can enter birds for sale with a maximum of 2 birds per member.
There will be 4 Prizes ,1st -50% , 2nd 25%, 3rd -15% 4th 10%
50% to breeder & 50% to buyer
To be raced for in the 1st Skibbereen YB Derby
Auction will be held in the Temple Golf & Country Club on Friday 27th March 2020
Auction time 8pm
Auctioneer Doley Croskery
IMPORTANT : 1)The buyer must race the bird to their loft
2) Birds Ring numbers cannot be changed under any circumstances
3) All Breeder/Buyers must be claimed on the Derby Envelopes
The address of the Temple Golf & Country club is 66 Church Road
Temple
BT27 6UP
For further information contact Dorothy Smyth on 07789231086
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Clifford Browne