The final NIPA old bird race of the season was the St Malo old bird National from France. Birds were liberated on Thursday 1st July at 11.30am in light variable winds. As expected, no birds were recorded on the first day due to the late liberation. The first fancier to record a second day arrival in the Mid Antrim Combine was 76 years old, Tom McAlonan of McAlonan Bros who timed at 12.22pm on Friday afternoon. This game 2-year-old dark chequer hen sitting 12 - 14 day eggs had a hard 481 mile fly to the lofts. This year it had most inland races and had 1st Talbenny before being sent to the National.
The hen is bred down from birds Tom got from Campbell & Francey and is from a father and daughter pairing. Tom only concentrates on the channel racing and has an excellent record in this OB National event. This latest 1st Combine, 2nd Section B and 7th Open NIPA can be added to his recent list of positions including 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 4th, 5th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th and 10th Section B plus 9th, 13th, 17th, 24th, 29th, 33rd, 42, 44th, 45th and 70th Open NIPA and has also won 1st Section B & 17th Open NIPA Penzance OB Classic.
Next best and runners up in the Combine were Rasharkin fanciers A & C & T Tweed who finished 5th Section & 43rd Open NIPA. Other lofts to time arrivals were Martin Graham of Ballymena & Dist at 17.46pm on the second day and a further two more on the third morning at 08.04am and 10.15am. Martin's three birds were placed 6th, 8th & 10th Section and 50th, 100th & 110th Open NIPA. Martin is another fancier who only concentrates on the National events and has had many big results including 1st Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National in 2017, 1st Open NIPA Skibbereen Inland National 2004 and 2nd Open NIPA Lamballe OB National in 2003. William Livingstone had the best bird in Ahoghill timing at 19.34pm on the second evening and placed 7th Section and 72nd Open, Sam Murphy timed the only bird in Kells & Dist on the third morning at 09.27am and placed 9th Section and 104th Open and Mr & Mrs Robinson of Ahoghill who have had a super channel season clocked on the third morning at 10.50am and finished 11th Section B and 116th Open NIPA National. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
Mid Antrim Combine St Malo OB National 38/146 - McAlonan Bros Associate 725, A & C & T Tweed Rasharkin 578, M Graham Ballymena 570, W Livingstone Ahoghill 533, M Graham Ballymena 424, S Murphy Kells 409, M Graham Ballymena 397, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 390.
Mid Antrim Combine OB Points Fancier of the Year Top 10 - Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 327 J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 284 D Dixon Rasharkin 142 Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 141 H Boyd Kells 104 J Rock Associate 85 W & J Smyth Ballymena 83 S Murphy Kells 72 Surgenor Bros Kells 65 J & M Milliken Rasharkin 59. Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill are the 2021 OB Points fanciers of the year. They had an excellent old bird season topping the Combine on 5 occasions.
2021 MA Combine cups to date
OB Inland Average - J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena, OB Knockout - Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill, OB Champions League (Ahoghill) Mr & Mrs Robinson, Bryan Eagleson Memorial cup best average first four channel races - Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill, William McIlhagga Memorial cup 1st Combine in NIPA OB National - McAlonan Bros Associate, Meritorious Diploma for best single bird average Talbenny & Penzance - W & J Smyth Ballymena & District HPS 1314 (Ken-Aird Lad).
NIPA Open St Malo OB National 419/1980 sponsored by S G Briggs & NIPA -
1-1G Ron Williamson Newry & Dist 817, 2-1B J Connolly Ballymoney 762, 3-1E W G Neill Annaghmore 736, 4-1C G McNeilly Ballyclare 734, 5-2E R Telford Annaghmore 729, 6-2B McAlonan Bros Cullybackey 725, 7-2C W O’Boyle Ligoniel 723, 8-1D Spence Bros Lisburn & Dist 722, 9-3B A Darragh Cullybackey 719, 10-3E P Hope Edgarstown 718.
Section B St Malo 59/241 – John Connolly Ballymoney 762, McAlonan Bros Cullybackey 725, Alan Darragh Cullybackey 719, W McCaw Ballymoney 595, A C & T Tweed Rasharkin 578, M Graham Ballymena 570, W Livingstone Ahoghill 533, M Graham Ballymena 424, S Murphy Kells 409, M Graham Ballymena 397, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 390, C McCook Ballymoney 378, D & H Stuart Ballymoney 360.
Ballymoney Centre St Malo - J Connolly Ballymoney 762, W & L McCaw Ballymoney 596, A C & T Tweed Rasharkin 578, C McCook 378, D & H Stuart Ballymoney 360.
Harryville Centre St Malo – McAlonan Bros Cullybackey 725, Alan Darragh Cullybackey 719.
Ahoghill Centre St Malo – M Graham Ballymena & Dist 570, W Livingstone Ahoghill 533, M Graham 424, M Graham 397, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 390.
Muckamore Centre St Malo – Sam Murphy Kells 409.
Coleraine Centre St Malo – Paul O’Connor Coleraine Prem 401, Sean Diamond Coleraine Prem 371, Liam Miller Limavady 369.
Ballymena & Antrim Clubs St Malo
Cullybackey HPS – McAlonan Bros 725, Alan Darragh 719. Former top prize=winners who had a good distance record especially out of France McAlonan Bros timed at 12.22hrs to top the club from St Malo, getting ahead of the former Kings Cup winner Alan Darragh who has dominated in recent years and timed his arrival at 12.15hrs. Just the two birds recorded in the club, and these were the only two arrivals in the Harryville Centre.
Ballymena & District 8/45 - Martin Graham 570, 424, 397. Martin timed the only 3 arrivals in the club at 17.46pm on the second day and 08.04am and 10.15am on the third morning. His winner a 2-year-old blue cock was sitting on eggs 12 days. It had two races from Fermoy with the NIPA and then privately trained in preparation for France. This cock won the hard Bude last season and was placed 2nd Mid Antrim Combine. He was bred by Danny Dixon of Rasharkin. The sire being the "Belgie Cock" and the dam was in fact purchased by Danny for £900 at a sale of Martins and she is a direct daughter of "The Big Hen" Martins second bird is a daughter of the blue cock he timed as a yearling in the 2018 Kings Cup smash finishing 57th Open that year. This hen also had the hard Bude last season and was sitting 11 days on eggs. His third bird a 2-year-old blue chequer cock sitting eggs 12 days was 2nd club in St Malo last season as a yearling. This one is a half-brother of "Brenda Anne" on the sires side while the dam was bred by another top distance flyer Hugh Boyd of Randalstown. "Brenda Anne" was the only bird in Section B and placed 7th Open for Martin in the St Malo smash of 2017. Martin's three arrivals were placed 50th, 100th & 109th Open NIPA National. Another top French performance for a man who puts a lot of time into his pigeons. Very well-done Martin, yet another top result.
Rasharkin & District HPS – A C & T Tweed 578. A, C & T Tweed had the only bird in Rasharkin & Dist in the seasons premier race from France. See photo Christopher (left) is holding a blue cock winner of Bude 2020 & 2021. This bird is also the winner of Penzance 2021 he contains blood of their old prize-winning cock, “Blue Thunder” who is now 16-year-old being held here by Anne (right). In 2006 he was Mid Antrim Combine Bird of the Year, after winning both Talbenny races and well up in the Penzance OB Classic winning over £700. Tommy is holding the dark hen clocked from St Malo this year, 488 miles from race point to loft. Dam is a mealy hen purchased from BHW scribe Joe Murphy and it contains the best of Scottish long-distance lines. Sire is a black cock gifted to the partnership 2 years ago from good friend Rudi Gage, of the Windsor Social. The dam is a Cheq Hen from Robin Duddy and a red cock from F Simpson.
Ahoghill Flying Club – William Livingstone 533, Mr & Mrs Robinson 390.
Kells & District HPS – Sam Murphy 409. Only bird in the club timed by new member Sam Murphy, this one was the only bird into the Muckamore Centre.
