The Irish National Flying Club held their Kings Cup Grand National race from St. Allouestre in France on Thursday 8th July. The birds were released in a light westerly wind at 6.30am. The race turned out a real endurance test with only 42 game birds making it to their lofts over the course of three day event. Of the 42 arrivals only three of them were recorded in the Mid Antrim Combine and the best of these was timed by Stewart Brothers of Randalstown who clocked at 13.50pm on the second day. Their 3 year old dark chequer hen sitting on eggs due to hatch had a 501 mile fly to the lofts situated at The Grange just a few miles outside Randalstown. The winning hen had 4 inland races and 1st Talbenny and was then well tossed before being sent to the Kings Cup. This Lambrecht hen was purchased in a kit of young birds from Jackie Steele of Rasharkin in 2018 and is bred from Jackie's No1 pair. The sire is the "38 Cock" he is sire of 1st Open NIPA Mullingar for Bertie Blair of Ballymena & Dist and is also sire of Jackie's own "Isla" 3 x 1st Section B as a young bird in 2018. A full sister to the "38 Cock" bred 1st Open NIPA Fermoy for J & M Milliken of Rasharkin. The Dam of the Kings Cup hen is "27" and she is also the dam of "Isla" The Stewart Brothers partnership consisting of 69 year old Ian and his 66 year old brother Eric have had many top National results over the years including the winning of two Hall Of Fames with the INFC in 2006 and 2009 along with 9th & 10th Open Penzance YB National and 10th Open Penzance Old Hens National in 2010. Their best position in the INFC Kings Cup prior to this season was 15th Open in 1999. This seasons 7th North Section and 13th Open INFC result just betters it and I'm sure many more top results will follow for the brothers.
Next best in the Combine was top National flyer Martin Graham of Ballymena & District clocking at 16.31pm on the second day after the 504 miles fly to his superb lofts on the Old Cullybackey Road. Martin hen which has been named "Wee Fiona" finished 12th North Section and 19th Open National and also wins the Duddy Extreme Distance Trophy for Saint Allouestre O.B. Furthest flying member in the King’s Cup open prizes. Martin's national record grows each season and only a week ago he was placed 50th, 100th & 110th Open in the NIPA St Malo OB National. He's had countless Top 20 national positions with his top wins being 1st Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National with Denman in 2018, 1st Open NIPA Skibbereen OB Inland National in 2004 and 2nd Open NIPA Lamballe OB Derby in 2003. Martin timed a 2-year-old chequer pied hen sitting 17 days on eggs due to the delay in race marking for the Kings Cup. Breeding on the sire's side is a son of Ronnie Williamson's "Golden Wonder" when paired to Martin's Famous "The Big Hen" while the dam is a daughter of "The Big Hen" this making Martin's bird a double granddaughter of "The Big Hen" The Breeding of "The Big Hen" is Norman Thompson (Walkinshaw) crossed with one of Martin's original Wildermersch cocks and she is now responsible for 59 (Fifty Nine) NIPA & INFC National prize-winners for Martin. Another top result and his best Kings Cup finish to date.
The only other fancier to time an arrival in the Combine was Robert Alexander of Ballymena & Dist who timed his 4-year-old dark pied hen at 11.07am on the third morning flying 504 miles. The hen had just paired up 2 days before basketing and was having it's first ever channel race. Sire is an old Kenyon cock from William McKillen (Ballymena & Dist at the time). This cock contains all the old bloodlines of the famous Smyth Brothers of Ballymena who were twice 1st Open in INFC National races. The dam is bred down from stock obtained from another top distance loft Harry McCloy of Cullybackey. The hen finished 21st North Section and 30th Open National and is Robert's best performance to date. Well done all three of yous Mervyn Eagleson PO.
Mid Antrim Combine St. Allouestre Kings Cup - Stewart Bros Randalstown 585, Martin Graham Ballymena & District 532, Robert Alexander Ballymena & District 368.
Mid Antrim Clubs Kings Cup INFC
Randalstown HPS - Stewart Bros 585.
Ballymena & District HPS - Martin Graham 532, Robert Alexander 368.
Stewart Bros (Eric left with Ian) with their 1st Mid Antrim Combine in the Kings Cup.
Martin Graham from Ballymena holding “Wee Fiona” 19th Open in the Kings Cup.
Robert Alexander from Princess Street had the second bird home into Ballymena from the seasons
very difficult Kings Cup race from St Allouestre in France over 500 miles.