That was 24 years ago and I would never have dreamed that one I would race in the Hillsborough & Maze Club for 8 years with Lavery Bros, before going on to join Jack Magee racing in the Lisburn & District Club.
I moved to Lisburn in 2004 and after being out of the sport for 14 years restarted in pigeons in 2012, joining the Hills & Maze Club where Billy Lavery is Club Secretary and was good enough to breed me a young bird.
We have exchanged young birds now and again since then, and whilst my pigeons are all bred with long distance in mind, a Cock Billy had from me bred him a young bird that played a big part in winning 2021 Section D Young Bird Fancier of the Year.
The Mairs Lavery connection goes back to the 1980s when Billy's brother Eric and their father Albert went to my Father's loft in Ballyclare to purchase a few pigeons from his mostly Delmotte/Jurion family of birds. These ,when put to stock, helped in breeding a team that went on to do very well for the Laverys racing from Scotland on the North Road, as we did for a short period back then, winning the Old Bird Average in the strong Hills & Maze Club.
Billy now lives on Gravel Hill Road between Lisburn and Moira and has a very good garden and loft setup where he has enjoyed quite a bit of success over the last 12 years. 2021 was a good year for him particularly the Young Bird Season where he hit the heights culminating in winning the Section D YB Fancier of the Year award. The YB programme started on 17th July with 1st Club Area Lib Tullamore (1) 6th Club Area Lib. Tullamore (2). Once we moved on to Nipa mass liberations his team of darkness young birds really went to town in Section D. Roscrea (1)...6th Sect...26th Open...Roscrea (2)...1st Sect...28th Open...12,988 birds...Gowran Park (1)...1st & 2nd Sect..3rd & 4th Open...11,695 birds...Gowran Park (2)...2nd Sect...12th Open...Fermoy...2nd Sect...12th Open...Talbenny YB Nat...4th & 5th..Sect..81st & 88th Open...Skibbereen YB Nat...8th Sect...23rd Open. The 2021 YB season was a very difficult one with many losses which make these results all the more remarkable.
The main winning pigeons were Blue Cock 59, 1st Club Tullamore, 1st Sect..3rd Open Gowran Park...2nd Sect...12th Open Fermoy...2nd Sect...4th Open Fermoy 5 Bird. This Cock is off a Son of my 6th Open St Malo Hen x a Reynolds & Cairns ( Castlebellingham) Hen. Blue Hen 61, 2nd Sect...4th Open Gowran Park. Sire from the late Sid Grainger x Dam from the long distance loft of John Greenaway ( Bondhill ). Black Cock 69, 2nd Sect...12th Open Gowran Park, Sid Grainger breeding G.Son of Sid's famous Black Hen 'Lady Lier' ace racer/breeder.
Recently retired from work Billy has more time on his hands now so 2022 will be an interesting year at Gravelhill Lofts where he is aiming to get back into some long distance racing. Having already a tattoo of one Hall of Fame pigeon on an arm, it would be nice to give it a mate on the other.
Milne Mairs
Eric ,Albert & Billy Lavery......
1766 Blue Cock .1st Sect. 3rd Open Gowran Park...2nd Sect. 12th Open Fermoy....
1803....Black Cock 1st Sect. 12th Open Gowran Park (2)....
1816. Blue Cock.1st Sect. 28th Open Roscrea.....
1839..Billy Lavery 2021 Section D Young Bird Fancier of the Year.
1375 The origional Lavery Bros loft.