Stephen McFlynn wins the NIPA St Malo with “Peggy’s Boy” -
The Premier Old Bird National for the NIPA was flown as usual from France, birds were race marked at the various Centres on the Monday evening and released as planned in St Malo on Thursday 22nd June at 6.30am in a light northerly wind. A hard race was expected and that’s how it turned out with just over 40 birds recorded by local lofts on the day of liberation and under 100 over the three-day event. Best overall was Stephen McFlynn of the Castledawson HPS who timed his blue threeb year old cock now named “Peggy’s Boy” at 8.12pm to record velocity 1033. He was overjoyed and could hardly keep up with the many messages of congratulations. He was sent sitting eggs, dam was from Charlie Savage and her mother flew France on five occasions pure Southwell these birds and the sire came from Rubin Dunseith who was giving up the birds. “Old Hand” J C Reid from Ballycarry & District was runner-up followed by Jeff McMaw from Carrick Social who has a excellent record from the distance. He is favourite for the 2 Bird Ave having timed day birds at 7.32pm and 7.53pm. on a night to remember. All the gallant arrivals deserve the highest regard for their efforts.
NIPA St Malo OB National Open 353/1309- 1-1A S McFlynn Castledawson 1033, 2-1C J C Reid Ballycarry & Dist 1027, 3-2C J McMaw Carrick Soc 1027, 4-1G C O’Hare & Daughter Ballyholland 1022, 5-2G Gary Hughes & son Newry City 1006, 6-3C J McMaw Carrick Soc 1000, 7-1F C McManus Corrigs 983, 8-2A P O’Connor Coleraine Prem 975, 9-1E G & S McMullan Drumnavaddy 965, 10-2E S & N Lester Laurelvale 950, 11-3E David Calvin Bondhill 904, 12-4E G Marsden Hills & Maze 900, 13-5E S & N Lester Laurelvale 888, 14-3G Brendan Chambers Ballyholland 859, 15-4G C O’Hare & Daughter Ballyholland 787, 16-1B W Blair Ballymoney 723, 17-6E R Adamson Lurgan Soc 721, 18-3A R Corey Coalisland 701, 19-4C L O’Neill & Sons Harmony 686, 20-7E Tom Wilson Gilford & Dist 681.
NIPA Sect C St Malo 60/256 – J C Reid Ballycarry 1027.9, J McMaw Carrick Soc 1027.2, J McMaw Carrick Soc 1000, L O’Neill & Sons Harmony 686, H Begley & Son Trinity RPC 614, N J Arthurs Ballnycarry 580, L O’Neill & Sons Harmony 515, J Burrows Eastway 491, M/M R Reid & Son Carrick Soc 480.
NIPA Sect D St Malo 32/115 – S & W English Lisburn & Dist 528, Tomlinson & Wilson Dromore 484, M O’Reilly & Son Lisburn & Dist 479, J Waring & Son Lisburn & Dist 448.
NIPA Sect F St Malo 22/69 – C McManus Corrigs 983, R & S Malcolmson Harmony 660, Burgess & Brennan Bangor 429, J Linden & Son Killyleagh Central 256.
NIPA Sect G St Malo 34/142 – C O’Hare & Daughter Ballyholland 1022, Gary Hughes & Son Newry City 1006, Brendan Chambers Ballyholland 859 C O’Hare & Daughter Ballyholland 787, A McAteer & Sons Ballyholland 659, C O’Hare & Daughter Ballyholland 523, O Markey Ballyholland 488, Ron Williamson Newry & Dist 472, L Fallon & Son Newry & Dist 56, P Murtagh & Son Ballyholland 433.
NIPA Centre results (Those available when going to press).
Newry Centre St. Malo - Big congratulations to Cormac O'Hare & Dtr of Ballyholland H.P.S winning Newry Centre and finishing 4th National, plus 1st Section G. 1st: Cormac O'Hare & Dtr Ballyholland 1022, 2nd: Gary Hughes & Son Newry City Inv 1006, 3rd: Brendan Chambers Balyholland 859, 4th: Cormac O'Hare & Dtr 787, 5th Aidan McAteer & Sons Ballyholland 659, 7th: Cormac O'Hare & Dtr 523, 8th Owen Markey Ballyholland 488, 9th: Ron Williamson Newry & Ditrict 472, 10th Leo Fallon Newry & District 456.
Portadown Centre St Malo – First day S & N Lester Laurelvale 950, S & N Lester 888, Second day Tom Wilson Gilford & Dist 681, A McDonald Portadown & Drumcree 672, Tom McClean Edgarstown 669, G & C Topley Laurelvale 584, R Cassells 540, R K Abraham Laurelvale 480, J Robinson Edgarstown 465, Dowey Bros Laurelvale 444.
Super performance from this little lady. I had the pleasure of witnessing this little lady racing up the field as if she was coming from a training toss, straight unto the trap and in in a flash. There were more miles left in this girl. Congratulations Paul, a superb performance from both her and you. Adrian Moffatt PO.
Coleraine Centre St Malo - Paul O’Connor Coleraine Prem 975, Paul O’Connor 585, R Gage Windsor Soc 375. Just the one bird on the day.
Lisburn Centre – G Marsden Hills & Maze 900, G Marsden 665, G Marsden 662, W Begley & Son Trinity RPC 614, G Marsden 589, D Coulter Glenavy & Dist 587, G Marsden 559, S & W English Lisburn & Dist 528, Milne Mairs Lisburn & Dist 520, M O’Reilly & Son Lisburn & Dist 479, J Waring & Son Lisburn & Dist448.
Ballymoney Centre St Malo – W Blair Ballymoney 723, A C & T Tweed Rasharkin & Dist 625, J McConaghie Ballymoney 507.
Cullybackey Centre St Malo – Bamber T Young & Sons Ahoghill 627, Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 575, A Darragh Cullybackey 372.
Muckamore Centre St Malo – Scott & Ryan Hope Crumlin & District 611.
Foyle (Derry) Centre – G McCauley Strabane & District 532, D W Lofts Foyle 266. Well done Gerald McCauley from Strabane and Darren Hamilton from the Foyle RPS in the City of Derry, only bird in race time.
NIPA Race/Date
St Malo OB Nat Thurday 22nd June 2023 – Liberated at 6.30am in a Lt North wind.
NIPA Sect A St Malo 37/129 – Stephen McFlynn Castledawson 1033, Paul O’Connor Coleraine Prem 975, R Corey Coalisland & Dist 701, Paul O’Connor 585, B Morgan Coalisland & Dist 516, J McConaghie Ballymoney 507, B Morgan Coalisland & Dist 461, J Campbell & Son Cookstown Soc 370, G Marshall Cookstown Soc 355.
NIPA Sect A Clubs
Coalisland & District – R Corey 701, B Morgan 516, 461. Congratulations Richard Corey, winner today from St Malo. Velocity 701.056.
Coleraine Premier HPS – Paul O’Connor 975, 585. Paul timed a second bird early this afternoon. Super flying Paul at 495 miles. Flying time of the winner 14hrs 54. Paul clocks the only day bird in the club. Brilliant flying on a, really tough fly. This game hen will finish high up in the Section and Open NIPA. I had the pleasure of seeing her coming up the field, tramping on, onto the trap and in like a flash. Congratulations Paul. The loft finishes 2nd and 4th Sect A, 8th and 37th Open NIPA. A fantastic result flying this far North. Adrian Moffatt PO.
Cookstown Social – J Campbell & Son 370, G Marshall 355. Jason Campbell. Brilliant got one 06.39am third morning St Malo flying 468 miles. 1st club Cookstown 4th centre J Campbell & son 370 ypm. 2nd Cookstown 5th Centre G Marshall 355ypm St Malo OB National. Been 4 years from the club has been won so chuffed said Jason Campbell, she is a daughter of my pencil pied yearling who was 22nd in 2019 as a yearling also.
Castledawson – S McFlynn 1033 with “Peggy’s Boy”. A big well done to club mate and chairman Stephen McFlynn on winning 1st Section A, 1st Open NIPA in Thursdays St Malo race. It’s a well-deserved win for this hard-working club man, enjoy this great achievement and may there be many more to follow and congratulations from all of us at Castledawson HPS. Mervyn Lynn Secty.
Windsor Social – R Gage 375. Congratulations to Rudi Gage timing out the France race this morning Saturday at 8.00am.
NIPA Sect B St Malo 51/179 – W Blair Ballymoney 723, Balmer T Young & Sons Ahoghill 627, A C & T Twed Rasharkin & Dist 625, Scott & Ryan Hope Crumlin & Dist 611, Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 575, R Gage Windsor Soc 375, A Darragh Cullybackey 372.
NIPA Sect B Clubs
Ahoghill Flying Club – Bamber Tom Young & Sons 627. Super result with best bird in the Cullybackey Centre, trained special for the big one.
Ballymoney HPS 16/77 – W Blair 723, J McConaghie 507. Despits advancing years Willie Blair can still record a good one, top rascer over many years and a Former MI Fancier of the Year.
Cullybackey HPS – Mr & Mrs Robinson 575, A Darragh 372. Two of the best distance lofts in Mid Antrim, Mr & Mrs Robinson previously Ahoghill win their first France race in their new club ahead of the clubs best racer over many seasons Alan Darragh.
Crumlin & District – S & R Hope 611, best in the Muckamore Centre. Scott and Ryan would like to thank Kyle Johnston for gifting us the bird they timed from St Malo, 1st Club 32nd Open and 4th Section B. Also like to thank Sammy Maginty for the hen we timed out of Penzance on Thursday, 3rd club 193rd Open and 29th section. She was also the hen we timed Talbenny YB Derby last season. Appreciated lads, we'll be back next season for another couple lol. Photo of bird
Rasharkin &District HPS – A C & T Tweed 625. Another bird trained special wins a Merit Award in the NIPA.
Congratulations to G & S McMullan (Geoffrey McMullan) on finishing 9th open and 1st Sec E from a very hard Nipa St Malo National. All the rest of Drumnavaddy Inv Hps members would like to say a big congratulations.
NIPA Sect E St Malo 77/391 – G & S McMullan Drumnavaddy 965, S & N Lester Laurelvale 950, David Calvin Bondhill 904, G Marsden Hills & Maze 900, S & N Lester Laurelvale 888, R Adamson Lurgan Soc 721, Tom Wilson Gilford & Dist 681, Larkin Bros Meadows HPS 674, AMcDonald Portadown & Drumcree 672, Tom McClean Edgarstown 669.
NIPA Sect E Clubs
Annaghmore – G Buckley & Son 592, 555, W G Neill 446, A McMullan 410, Robert Buckley 292.
Bondhill Social – David Calvin 904, 352, Ron Williamson 314, 305.
Edgarstown 14/62 – T McClean 669, R Cassells 640, J Robinson 465, G & C Simmons 418. Well done Tommy taking the win from a very difficult French race and with only 4 birds home in race time. Tommy is a man never far away in the big races. A special mention also goes to Jimmy Robinson timing his hen for the third time to claim a Silver Diploma medal. Well done to all who timed.
Gilford & District – Tom Wilson 681.
Laurelvale – S & N Lester 950, 888, G & C Topley 584, R Abraham 480, Dowey Bros 441, J Serplus 312, S & N Lester 279. I may be biased, in fact I am biased, but I would be surprised to find another club in the country with a better performance from this race than Laurelvale and I’m talking about 2023! Some highlights of this result you may not be aware of but i can't let go without mentioning. S & N Lester have 3 birds in the result. G & C Topley's pigeon has just won a Gold Award for this performance. That’s 4 times, yep, 4 times in the result in this race !!!! Many of us wonder how to get a pigeon to win a prize once in this race. Unreal. Dowey Bros pigeon has just won a Bronze Diploma award for this performance. Twice in the prizes in this race. Jim Serplus's pigeon has just won a Bronze Diploma award for its performance. Again twice in the result. Well done to everyone who clocked in yet another gruelling marathon event. From Facebook Laurelvale.
Lurgan Social – R Adamson 721, E Wright & Son 353.
Markethill HPS – 1st R. McCracken 597.06 timed second morning. Congratulations Richard finishing 33rd Open and 14th Section E.
Monaghan HPS – Richard Mulligan 490.
Meadows – Larkin Bros 674, HT&J Larkin 546, Larkin Bros 497. Congratulations to Paul Larkin and Jim on another fantastic result in the old bird Nat finishing 21st Open, 8th section as well as 51st Open, 22nd section. The junior Larkins getting in on the act clocking their ‘90 hen to claim 43rd Open, 21st section and sealing bragging rights in the Aghagallon lofts for the old bird season.
Portadown & Drumcree – A McDonald 672. Congratulations to Allan McDonald clocking the only bird home from St Malo in the club, and a former Kings Cup winner as well.
NIPA Sect H St Malo 38/99 – G McCauley Strabane & District 532, D W Lofts Foyle 266.
NIPA Sect H Clubs
Foyle RPS – 1st DW Lofts (Northland Stores Rosemount) winning 2nd Section, 83rd Open 1309 birds. Darren kindly offered to sponsor the race for the winner of the race in memory of his late father William and no better man could have won it. Well done Darren. (Cake baked by Marcella Page).
Strabane & District Inv RPC – Gerald McCauley 532 flying 495 miles. First pigeon recorded at the Foyle Centre. Very well done to Gerry McCauley, who is no stranger to successful French racing. Gerard (Nippy) McCauley just timed from St Malo 3.06pm second day. 2yr old cock bird which had flown Talbenny earlier in the season. From everyone at the club congratulations. Well pleased with the results .1st club (only bird), 1st section H, 44th open from St Malo in France flying into Strabane in Northwest Ireland 500miles. Thanks to Stevie Lester who gifted me a kit of young birds and this is one of them. This is my 8th time now to win my club and 3rd time to win section from this race point.
Mid Antrim Combine - NIPA St Malo OB National
Tom Young Tops Mid Antrim Combine from NIPA St Malo OB National
Tweed Family of Rasharkin wins Silver Diploma with "Tommy's Dream".
The final old bird race of the NIPA season was the OB National from St Malo in France. The birds were liberated on Thursday the 22nd June at 6.30am in light northerly winds and like the previous two season a very tough race followed with only 85 birds recorded over the three days of race time. The first bird timed in the Mid Antrim Combine was to Balmer, Tom Young & Son of Ahoghill at 10.11am on the second morning to win 1st MA Combine, 2nd Section B & 29th Open NIPA 353/1309. Tom timed a 4yo blue cock Willy Jacobs x Grondelear, both parents from Gerard Delaney of O'Roory Hill Stud in Dromore. The cock's a full brother to his RPRA Irish Region award winner and also winner of Queen Elizabeth 65th Jubilee Gold Cup for 1st Combine, 1st Section and 8th Open NIPA Sennen Cove 2018. Runner up in the Combine were Anne, Christopher and Tommy Tweed of Rasharkin who also timed on the second morning at 11.01am to win 2nd Combine, 3rd Section & 30th Open NIPA. The family timed their good 4yo dark w/f hen for the third year in a row to win a highly sought after Silver Award. Last season the hen was placed 7th Section & 71st Open NIPA winning the partnership the Bronze Diploma and in 2021 she won 5th Section & 43rd Open NIPA. She was sitting 16 days at basketing and was slipped a newly hatched chick and was half up her first flight. Fed the best red skin peanuts and sunflower hearts with iron tonic in water 2 days a week. The hen only got 3 inland races this season and was then tossed with Sam Murphy and Homer. Dam is from Joe Murphy and contains top Scottish distance lines and the sire from Rudi Gage of Windsor Social is Fred Simpson x Robin Duddy best bloodlines. In Christopher's own word's - name of the wee hen is “Tommy's Dream” dedicated to my dad and all the hard work he puts in 7 days a week, 365 days a year in the loft and the dream we had as a family to obtain a Silver Award and hopefully a Gold next year. Thanks to Joe Murphy for the dam and Rudi Gage for the sire. Laurence & Heather Robinson were best in Cullybackey with a 2yo blue cock timed at 12.08pm on the second afternoon to win 3rd Combine, 5th Section & 40th Open NIPA. The cock sent sitting 10 days on eggs was a late bred and only a few tosses as a young bird, one race as a yearling and three inland races this year plus 1st Talbenny. His sire is a pure White cock gifted to them by their good friend the late Robbie Elliot of Ballymoney and his dam flew France for them a couple of years back and is down off a Grattan Bros pigeon gifted to them by Tommy Grattan. In the Mid Antrim Combine the partnership win both the old bird average and cross channel averages. Seven times National winner Alan Darragh of Cullybackey timed a 5yo chequer pied hen to win 4th Combine, 7th Section & 72nd Open NIPA. The hen is down from the van Wildermeersch pigeons when paired to the lines of Sir George a pigeon that won 2nd Section from an old bird national. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
Mid Antrim Combine St Malo OB National - Balmer Tom Young & Sons Ahoghill 627, A & C & T Tweed Rasharkin 625, Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 575, Alan Darragh Cullybackey 372.
Mid Antrim Combine OB Points Total 2023 - Danny Dixon Rasharkin 408, Young & McManus & Sons Ahoghill 384, Harold Cubitt Rasharkin 272, A Darragh Cullybackey 270, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 234, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 213
Trevor Whyte Ahoghill 190, Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 187, Gary Gibson Cullybackey 181, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 136.
RPRA (Irish Region) Awards for 2023 - Claims for the Old Bird season to be in writing with the Irish Region Secretary by the 22n July 2023, contact Noel Higginson, 8 Abercorn Square, Ballyclare, Co Antrim, BT39 9FJ. Tel 07518 748717 or e-mail
noelhigginson@hotmail.com - Nothing after this date will be considered, please note its earlier than usual. Individual birds in each NIPA Section for the Meritorious Awards, single bird performance over two cross channel races from 2nd Talbenny and Penzance.
Could all trophy winners from last season please return their trophies to the NIPA office cleaned properly asap please. Claims for awards should be made immediately, so far for St Malo Diplomas we have Bronze Awards R Corey & D Calvin and Silver Award A C & T Tweed.
HOMER. Willie Reynolds
Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683
Mobile: 07538 238364
Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw
Email:
homerbhw@gmail.com
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