The first young bird race of the season was flown from Tullamore on Saturday 17th July. The birds were liberation at 07.00am in calm conditions. Ahoghill fancier Chris Moore had the best two birds in the Mid Antrim Combine and a fantastic 1st & 2nd Open NIPA Area Liberation 60/1482. Chris timed his winning birds at 09.36am for the 123-mile fly to the lofts in Portglenone. Both birds were gifted by S & J Bones & Trevor Yates of Muckamore and were last round youngsters bred from their stock birds. The winning blue hen is Gaby Vandenabeele from Glenn McNeilly of Ballyclare lines crossed with Leo van Rijn lines of Brian McNeilly of Doagh & District. The second bird timed a blue cock is Andre Roodhoof "De Tom" lines crossed with a Vandenabeele again from Glenn McNeilly. A super start for Chris in this disastrous opening race. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
Mid Antrim Combine Tullamore 28/680 - Chris Moore Ahoghill 1385, Chris More Ahoghill 1384, D Dixon Rasharkin 1377, D Dixon 1377, D Dixon 1377, W & J McLean Rasharkin 1339, D Dixon 1333, D Dixon 1332, D Dixon 1329, J Miller Randalstown 1308, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1290, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1284, S Murphy Kells 1269, H Turkington Kells 1257, S Murphy Kells 1248, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1257, W McFetridge Rasharkin 1213, A & C & T Tweed Rasharkin 1213, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1211, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1209, W McFetridge Rasharkin 1202, C Donnelly Rasharkin 1184, N Percy & Son Randalstown 1174, S Murphy Kells 1172, S Murphy Kells 1171.
Ballymena Area Clubs Area Lib (1) –
Ahoghill Flying Club 4/81 – Chris Moore 1385, 1384, 1124, 1123, T & G Balmer 1049, 936, S & N Doherty 914. Brooke Supplies 2 Bird Club – T & G Balmer 936.
Rasharkin & District 10/231 – W & J McLean 1339, H Cubitt 1243, W McFetridge 1213, A C & T Tweed 1213, H Cubitt 1209, W McFetridge 1202. Danny Dixon – 1377, 1377, 1377, 1333, 1332, 1329.
Randalstown 4/94 – J Millar 1308, N Percy & Son 1174, J Millar 1166, 1166, Stewart Bros 1108, 1086, 1017, N Percy & Son 937.
Ballymena & District HPS 3/124 – Blair & Rankin 1290, W & J Smyth 1284, Blair & Rankin 1211, W & J Smyth 1154, Blair & Rankin 1144, 1144, 1096, 1086. Bertie Blair wins the opening young bird race with a blue cock timed at 09.52am. Sire is Stickers - Donckers and is direct from Gary Gibson's "Golden Pair" while the dam is Pit Bull from clubmate Johnston Eagleson. Runners up were the NIPA Penzance Classic winners Billy & Joe Smyth who timed at 09.53am. These two lofts finish 27th & 28th Open in the NIPA Area Liberation 60/1482.
Kells & District HPS 3/88 – Sam Murphy 1269, Henry Turkington 1257, Sam Murphy 1248, 1172, 1171, 1168, 1167, 1166. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – H Turkington 1257, S McIlveen 1107, S Murphy 432.
Cullybackey HPS – Alan Darragh 1230.
Harryville HPS 6/111 – L Mullan 1208 1153m S Crawford 1146, Johnston & Richards 1089, 1084, 1084, 1084, L Mullan 1083, J Rock 1081, W Jackson 1070.
Hard start to Young Bird season!
In what turned out the hottest day ever in Northern Ireland the NIPA young bird season commenced with a series of Area Liberations, local birds were planned to go to Mullingar but it was not available at the last minute and the convoy was diverted to Tullamore some 20 miles further. Leading birds took just short of three hours in the testing conditions despite being released at the early hour of 7.00am, not the race those who sent were looking for and many birds were still missing at the clock checking. Local fanciers were far from impressed. Chris Moore from Ahoghill was best locally with two birds followed by Danny Dixon. Big 60th birthday celebrations for the Chairman in Cullybackey Neill Anderson, I have included a photo of Neil and son Steven. All the members send best wishes, and me too.
NIPA Area Lib Sect B & Part Sect A Tullamore 60/1,482 –
C Moore Ahoghill 1385, 1384, D Dixon Ballymoney 1377, 1377, 1377, T & J McDonald Coleraine Prem 1373, R & J Parke Windsor Soc 1372, T & J McDonald 1371, M & J Howard Coleraine Prem 1371, W & J McLean Rasharkin 1339, D Dixon 1333, 1332, D J Thompsonm Muckamore 1330, D Dixon 1329, A Henry Windsor Soc 1327, R & J Parke 1327, L & R Hanson Coleraine Prem 1325, S & J Bones & T Yates Muckamore 1312, 1312, 1312, 1312, 1312, 1310, J Millar Randalstown 1308, D J Thompson 1305, T Scott & Son Windsor Soc 1297, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1290, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1284, S & J Bones & T Yates 1279, T Patterson & Son Muckamore 1269, S Murphy Kells & Dist 1269, B & D Coyle Coleraine Prem 1268, S & J Bones & T Yates 1266, T Patterson & Son 1261, H Turkington Kells 1257, S Murphy 1248, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1243, K Glass Windsor Soc 1243, J L Madden Coleraine Prem 1241, A Darragh Cullybackey 1230, M & J Howard 1223, R & J Parke 1223, R Bethel & Son & D Young Muckamore 1220, R & J Parke 1220, W McFetridge Rasharkin 1213.
