The fifth race of the old bird season was from Castletown in County Laois in Ireland. The birds were released at 8.20am in a light north west wind and an excellent race was to follow. Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine on 1413ypm was clocked by Sam Crawford at 13.20pm for the 241 mile fly to the lofts in Moorfields. Sam re-joined the sport last season and this was his second Combine win since re-joining having won the Fermoy 5 Bird Combine in the young bird season last year. Last week’s Combine & Section B winners Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill were Combine runners up on 1400. Their winner a 2 year old blue pied hen flying paired up is bred off Belgium stock and was 3rd Club and 10th Combine last week from Fermoy. Other winners included Johnston Eagleson & Sons on 1399 who had the best 3 birds in Ballymena & Dist their winner a good 5 year old Lambrecht hen, Associate member Dennis Craig on 1384, Kells fanciers McFarlane & Agnew 1381 and Surgenor Bros 1380, Marcus Morrow having his third club win of the season on 1377, Stewart Bros winning Randalstown on 1376 and J & M Milliken the Rasharkin winners on 1360. Mervyn Eafleson PO. Thanks to Mervyn for sorting the Champions League and Old Bird Knock-out which starts in Castletown, followed by Skibbereen, Talbenny (1) & (2), Bude and Penzance, full details on http://www.pigeonnetwork.com
Mid Antrim Combine Castletown 55/1475 - S Crawford Associate 1413 Young, McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1400 J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1399 D Craig Associate 1384 J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1382 McFarlane & Agnew Kells 1381 Surgenor Bros Kells 1380 J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1378 J Rock Associate 1378 W & J Smyth Ballymena 1378 T & M Morrow Associate 1377 J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1376 Stewart Bros Randalstown 1376 Young, McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1370 A McBride Associate 1370 J Rock Associate 1369 Young, McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1369 J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1368 Young, McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1366 W & J Smyth Ballymena 1366 F & J & G Dickey Randalstown 1365 S Crawford 1364 Young, McManus & Sons 1363 R Service & Son Ballymena 1362 A McBride 1362 C Moore Ahoghill 1362 J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1360 J Eagleson & Sons 1360 J Eagleson & Sons 1360 J Eagleson & Sons 1359 Young, McManus & Sons 1359 Surgenor Bros Kells 1358 Surgenor Bros 1357 Surgenor Bros 1357 Young, McManus & Sons 1355 J Eagleson & Sons 1354 S Crawford 1353 Surgenor Bros 1353 J Eagleson & Sons 1353 J Rock 1351
Combine Old Bird Points Fancier of the Year - Week 5
J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 186 Young, McManus & Sons Ahoghill 117, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 43, J Rock Associate 41, S Murphy Kells 27, A McBride Associate 24.
Champions League 2021 - Top 2 in each group progress to the quarter finals. Just five local clubs competing, no reason I can see for the others missing out.
Group stage ends at Skibbereen Inland National. q/f 2nd Talbenny, s/f Bude final Penzance.
Group 1 - R Service & Son Ballymena 15, Surgenor Bros Kells 11, Stewart Bros Randalstown 3, T & G Balmer Ahoghill 0, W McFetridge Rasharkin 0
Group 2 - T Whyte Rasharkin 17, W & J Smyth Ballymena 15, F & J & G Dickey Randalstown 11, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 7, H Turkington Kells 0
Group 3 - J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 69, H Cubitt Rasharkin 8, C Young Ahoghill 0, C & D Jackson Kells 0, Houston Bros Randalstown 0
Group 4 - D Dixon Rasharkin 6, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 3, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 0, H Boyd Kells 0, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 0
The fifth race of the old bird season was from Castletown in County Laois in Ireland. The birds were released at 8.20am in a light north west wind and an excellent race was to follow. Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine on 1413ypm was clocked by Sam Crawford at 13.20pm for the 241 mile fly to the lofts in Moorfields. Sam's winner a yearling blue chequer cock on roundabout was 2nd club last week from Fermoy and was also 2nd club from Fermoy last season as a youngster. It was purchased from Peter Martin of No Mercy Lofts and is Leemputten breeding from Wright Bros of Doncaster. Sam re-joined the sport last season and this was his second Combine win since re-joining having won the Fermoy 5 Bird Combine in the young bird season last year. Last weeks Combine & Section B winners Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill were Combine runners up on 1400. Their winner a 2 year old blue pied hen flying paired up is bred off Belgium stock and was 3rd Club and 10th Combine last week from Fermoy. Other winners included Johnston Eagleson & Sons on 1399 who had the best 3 birds in Ballymena & Dist their winner a good 5 year old Lambrecht hen, Associate member Dennis Craig on 1384, Kells fanciers McFarlane & Agnew 1381 and Surgenor Bros 1380, Marcus Morrow having his third club win of the season on 1377, Stewart Bros winning Randalstown on 1376 and J & M Milliken the Rasharkin winners on 1360.
Race marking arrangements and times for this week’s Skibbereen old bird NIPA National in Ahoghill Centre are as follows, Cullybackey members 3.45pm till 4.30pm. Randalstown : 4.30pm till 5.15pm. Ballymena 5.15pm till 6pm. Ahoghill 6pm till 6.45pm. Could all clubs please send 2 members to assist with race marking and loading the transporter. Entry fees will be collected on Wednesday night in Ballymena clubroom from 7.30pm to 8pm. Ballymena & Dist entry forms and payment on Tuesday evening 7.30pm until 8.00pm.
Mid Antrim Clubs Castletown
Harryville HPS 14/ - S Crawford 1413, Johnston & Richards 1388, D Craig 1384, K & K Kernohan 1378, J Rock 1378, A McBride 1370, J Rock 1369, S Crawford 1364, A McBride 1362, L Mullan 1360.
Ahoghill Flying Club 9/315 – Yoing McManus & Sons 1400, 1370, 1369, 1366, 1363, C Moore 1362, Young McManus & Sons 1359, 1355, Balmer T Young & Son 1350, Young McManus & Sons 1345. Brooke Supplies 2 Bird Club – Mr & Mrs Robinson 1332, Chris Moore 1318.
Ballymena & District HPS 9/265 – J Eagleson & Sons 1399, 1382, 1378, W & J Smyth 1378, J Eagleson & Sons 1376, 1368, W & J Smyth 1366, R Service & Son 1362, J Eagleson & Sons 1362, 1360. Johnston Eagleson & Sons have the top 3 positions this week and their fourth club win of the season timing a 5 year old blue white flight Lambrecht hen. This hen was winning Ballymena & District for the third time and among her many prizes includes 2nd & 3rd Mid Antrim Combine. The second bird timed a 2 year old blue chequer cock topped the Combine two weeks earlier from Gowran Park 60/1843. William & Joe Smyth again knocking on the door are next best. The officials and members extend their sincere sympathy to club member James Harris on the sad passing of his father last week.
Kells & District HPS 7/172 – B Swann & Son 1394, McFarlane & Agnew 1381, Surgenor Bros 1380, 1358, 1357, 1357, 1353, C & D Jackson 1350. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – B Swann & Son 1394, Surgenor Bros 1380, C & D Jackson 1350, Gregg Bros 1334, S Murphy 1314.
Broughshane & District HPS 4/69 – T & M Morrow 1377. 1351, D Houston & Son 1306, Mrs V Gage 1276, M Neilly 1273, Mrs V Gage 1273.
Randalstown HPS 8/215 – Stewart Bros 1376, F & G & J Dickey 1365, J Millar 1343, Stewart Bros 1334, 1334, J Millar 1328, 1327, N Percy & Son 1319.
Cullybackey HPS 11/228 – Alan Darragh 1372, 1365, G Gibson 1338, J & J Greer 1317, 1308, T Picken & Son 1306, N & S Anderson 1304, D Robinson 1278, D & K Kirkpatrick 1274, C & R McIntyre 1264.
Rasharkin & District HPS 11/237 – J & M Milliken 1360, N Bradley 1351, J & M Milliken 1326, Steele & McNeill 1319, T Whyte 1306, F Brakley 1399. Danny Dixon – 1341, 1338.
