The Irish National Flying Club got their season under way with the Sennen Cove Yearling National on Wednesday 16th June. Birds were liberated at 11.30am in a light south westerly wind. The race turned out a very tough event with only 6 birds timed in the Mid Antrim Combine. Three times 1st Open National winner Danny Dixon of Rasharkin had the best Combine bird and finished 3rd Open INFC plus £2638. Danny who had the only bird in the Combine on the night timed his winner at 19.33pm for the 342 mile fly, to the lofts in Dunloy. The sire is August van Aert and the dam is a direct Joss Josson. Danny timed early on the next morning to take 2nd spot in the MA Combine and 91st Open INFC. The only other members to time were associate members MDC Magill and placed 165th Open, Ballymena & Dist winners Blair & Rankin 179th Open, associate member Gary Gibson 213th Open and George & Ann Eagleson of Ballymena 229th Open. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
Mid Antrim Combine INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National - D Dixon Rasharkin 1244, D Dixon Rasharkin 800, MDC Magill Associate 563, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 527, G Gibson Associate 445, G & A Eagleson Ballymena 405.
Ballymena & District HPS - Blair & Rankin 527, G & A Eagleson 404. Only 2 bird were timed in the club and both by former 1st Open NIPA Talbenny YB National winners. Blair Blair had the winner with a blue pied cock feeding a 5 day old chick. Sire Grondelaer from clubmate Martin Graham and dam Soontjen from Davy Campbell of Glengormley. George and Ann Eagleson had the only other arrival. This loft won 1st Open in a tough Talbenny YB Derby way back in 1987 and more recently in 2017 they won 1st Mid Antrim Combine from the INFC Kings Cup race from St Allouestre.
