Since being formed many top positions have been won and they have an excellent record in the Champions League. Can they add to the list in 2022?
The Champions League winners over the years are as follows. 2008 R H Clements Harryville, 2009 D Dixon Rasharkin, 2010 M Graham Ballymena, 2011 Simon Millar Randalstown, 2012 Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey, 2013 A Darragh Cullybackey, 2014 Steele & McNeill Rasharkin, 2015 D Dixon Rasharkin, 2016 J & M Milliken Rasharkin, 2017 D Dixon Rasharkin, 2018 J & M Milliken Rasharkin, 2019 Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 2019, 2020 D Dixon Rasharkin, 2021 Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill.
My thanks again to Mervyn Eagleson for again listing the seasons winners in Rasharkin.
Old Bird winners -
24/04 Tullamore - J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd vel 1421 (1st & 9th MAC 42/1207).
The pigeon racing season got underway on Saturday 24th April with the opening race from Tullamore in Co. Offaly. The NIPA liberated at 11am in a light easterly wind. Best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine with a velocity of 1421 were the Rasharkin partnership of John and Mark Milliken who timed their 2-year-old dark chequer Lambrecht hen at 13.45pm for the 133 miles fly to their lofts. The hen which was unraced last season was sitting on overdue eggs as they were about to be split up to go on the widowhood system.
1/05 Roscrea - Trevor Whyte 1st & 2nd vel 1515 (3rd & 12th MAC 56/1833).
07/05 Gowran Park - Norman Bradley vel 1455.
14/05 Fermoy - J & M Milliken velo 1524 (4th MAC 70/1966).
22/05 Castletown - J & M Milliken velo 1360 (27th MAC 55/1475).
29/05 Skibbereen OB Inland National - Norman Bradley 1st & 2nd vel 1502 (5th & 15th MAC 47/365).
29/05 Fermoy Comeback - Freddie Barkley vel 1514 (11th MAC 47/1123).
1/06 INFC Skibbereen OB Inland National - Danny Dixon (1st MAC) The Irish National Flying Club held their opening race of the season from Skibbereen. Birds were released at 9.45am in a light north easterly wind on Tuesday 1st June. Danny Dixon of Rasharkin had the top four positions in the Mid Antrim Combine with his first bird placed 74th in the North Section. Danny's winner a yearling blue chequer cock timed at 16.05pm for the 266 miles fly to Dunloy is bred direct from "Heartbreaker" when paired to maybe the last daughter of "Superke".
06/06 1st Talbenny - Harold Cubitt 1st & 2nd vel 1330 (3rd & 17th MAC 52/961) Super result for the Chairman Harold Cubitt, took 1st with his good Van Loon bird, winning for the 4th time and the breeding from clubmate Willie McLean.
12/06 2nd Talbenny - Freddie Barkley vel 1346 (2nd MAC 46/547).
12/06 Fermoy - J & M Milliken 1st & 2nd velo 1471.
16/06 INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National - D Dixon ( 1st & 2nd MAC) The Irish National Flying Club got their channel 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. 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 miles 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.
19/06 Skibbereen NIPA Yearling National - William McFetridge vel 1686 ( 2nd MAC ) The Skibbereen Yearling National birds were released on Saturday 19th June at 07.45am in a light south wind. There was a close finish in the Mid Antrim Combine with Young McManus & Sons of Ahoghill just pipping William McFetridge of Rasharkin for the top spot. The two birds are placed 2nd and 3rd Section B and 8th and 9th Open NIPA 300/2454
19/06 Bude -A C & T Tweed vel 1485 (7th MAC 41/367).
26/06 Fermoy (4) - Harold Cubitt vel 1034.
01/07 Penzance & OB Classic - A C & T Tweed vel 1217 (12th MAC Penzance & 10th MAC Penzance Classic).
01 /07 St Malo NIPA OB National -A C & T Tweed vel 578 ( 2nd MAC 38/146) Runners up in the Combine were Rasharkin fanciers A & C & T Tweed who finished 5th Section & 43rd Open NIPA.. 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. This excellent performance won the partnership the cross-channel average and old bird average in the Mid Antrim Combine.
Young Birds:
17/07 Area Lib (1) Tullamore - W & J McLean vel 1339 (6th MAC 28/680).
24/07 Area Lib (2) Mullingar - Fred Barkley vel 1256 (12th MAC 25/510).
31/07 Area Lib (3) Tullamore - R J & W R Reid vel 1129(16th MAC 50/1264).
In Mid Antrim Danny Dixon had the Card of the Day, winning locally for the third race on the trot, he had seven birds together recording velocity 1235 and took the Top 6 in Mid Antrim Combine. First trapped of seven birds out of Saturday's race from Tullamore, it's mother is Red Lightning when paired to Red Gert, the second bird was on the same second and it was a Rudy Van Reeth. Homer.
10/08 Roscrea - Fred Barkley vel 1390.
16/08 Gowran Park - Trevor Whyte 1st & 2nd vel 1220 (8th & 12th MAC 30/626).
23/08 Gowran Park (2) - Trevor Whyte 1st & 2nd vel 1367 (20th, 22nd & 25th MAC 28/525) Danny Dixon had the top 4 birds in the Mid Antrim Combine on 1412.
28/08 Fermoy & 5 bird - William McFetridge vel 1338 (13th MAC 5 Bird).
04/09 Tullamore - Freddie Barkley vel 1433 (2nd MAC 25/454) Freddie was runner up in the MAC for the second time this season having been 2nd from Talbenny in June.
04/09 Talbenny YB National - J & M Milliken vel 1363 (6th MAC 27/128).
11/09 Skibbereen YB National - J & M Milliken vel 1246 (4th MAC 22/145) The final NIPA race of the season was the Skibbereen YB National from County Cork. Birds were released at 9.30am on Saturday 11th September in a light westerly wind. The race turned out an erratic event with large gaps between arrivals and many birds homing after dinner time and the following day. Danny Dixon of Dunloy topped Mid Antrim Combine after timing at 15.26pm to record 1314. The blue hen is bred down from the best of Gary Gibson's Stickers-Donckers stock and is also an aunt to D C & P McArdle's of Armagh 1st Open Skibbereen YB National winner this week.
18/09 Skibbereen INFC YB National - Danny Dixon vel 1484 (2nd MAC).
Chairman Harold Cubitt was to win 2 x 1sts, W & J McLean had 1st Club Tullamore in young birds and RJ & WJ Reid won Tullamore (3). Norman Bradley won 2 x 1sts including topping Ballymoney Centre in the NIPA Skibbereen OB Inland National.
Trevor Whyte winner of 3 x 1sts collecting the OB Knock-out Cup.
William McFetridge was the winner of 2 x 1sts, including NIPA Yearling Nat topping the Ballymoney Centre, 2nd MAC and 3rd in Section B. Willie also won the 5 Bird Championship from Fermoy.
Freddie Barkley won both the Old Bird and Young Bird of the Year. Freddie won 2nd in Mid Antrim Combine Tullamore Comeback with the young birds and scored 5 x 1sts.
A C & T Tweed again excelled at the distance. Winners of the Penzance Cup, Penzance Classic, Old Bird CC Average, and Old Bird National St Malo. The loft won 4 x 1sts and finished 2nd MAC from St Malo OB Nat.
John and Mark Milliken were the winners of OB 5 Bird Championship Fermoy, Old Bird Inland Average, OB Sprint Cup, YB Inland Nat Skibbereen, YB Nat Talbenny, YB Knock-out, YB Ave, Best Ave 2 x YB Nat and Highest Prize-winner.
The Mamie Simpson Memorial Cup for Highest Prize winner presented by club chairman and winner the previous year Harold Cubitt (l) to Mark Milliken.