The young bird racing season continued with the sixth race from Fermoy in County Cork. The Nipa liberated on Saturday 26th August at 8.15am in north westerly winds with the outcome a very tough race. Shane Johnston of Ballymena & District has his young birds in some form at present and for the second week in a row wins 1st Mid Antrim Combine on 1278ypm. Shane timed his cheq hen at 12.53pm for the 202 mile fly to it's home loft's to win 1st Ballymena & Dist, 1st MA Combine and 3rd Section. Shane had a great team effort from his birds and took further positions in the Combine of 3rd, 6th, 13th, 21st, 27th & 31st. Shane's winner was bred by Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill. The sire a Gert Heylen cock and the dam a direct Van den Brande hen that's breeding winners every year. Well done Shane, 3 x 1st Club and 2 x 1st Combine wins in a row. Some flying.
Danny Dixon was 2nd & 4th in the Combine on 1262 and 1247. The first bird was out of his good grizzle cock when paired to a direct Rudy Van Reeth hen and Danny's second bird is bred off his 2nd Open bird beaten by loft mate in last year’s Fermoy race when paired to a Herman Ceuster hen. Both birds acquired from Derek Nicholls. Keith Kernohan took fifth spot in the Combine on 1246 with the same blue hen that topped club and Combine in the opening young bird race from Kilbeggan. D Magill was 1st in Harryville and Gary Gibson was best in Cullybackey on 1242. Gary timed one from his Donckers family. The sire won 1st club, 1st Harryville Centre, 2nd Combine and 4th Section from the Fermoy 5 Bird young bird race last season and the dam was 2nd club beaten by loft mate and 4th Combine Roscrea 1445 birds. She's from a son of Fly Mo the nestmate to Danny Dixon's good 2nd Open cock and she's a granddaughter of the Golden Couple.
Anthony McNeill had the top three in Randalstown his winner doing 1231. All three of Anthony's birds are bred off Geoff Dickey Sticker Donckers. Jonathan Barkley and Laura Surgenor topped Kells for the second week on the trot on 1214. Their winner this week is a blue white-flight cock, it's sire is Frans Zwols from the late Lexi Mullan and the dam was gifted by good friend and clubmate Geoff Surgenor and contains bloodlines of his good 'Marion' hen. Jackie Steele had another winner in Rasharkin on 1187. Jackie timed a black Lambrecht cock the sire being the 02 Cock and the dam "Isla" 3 times 1st Section B and then put to stock. Isla is a daughter of Jackie's good 38 Cock. Trevor Whyte was best in Ahoghill on 1151. The sire was gifted to Trevor's son Joshua by Paddy & William McManus and is a son of their good red Van den Brande cock. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
Mid Antrim Combine Fermoy 50/1205 - S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1278, D Dixon Rasharkin 1262, S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1247, D Dixon Rasharkin 1247, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1246,S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1245, D Magill Harryville 1244, G Gibson Cullybackey 1242, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1234, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1231, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1231, D Dixon Rasharkin 1228, S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1225, D Dixon Rasharkin 1225, D Dixon Rasharkin 1225, D Dixon Rasharkin 1225, D Dixon Rasharkin 1224, D Dixon Rasharkin 1224, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1223, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1219, S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1216, A Barkley & Son Kells 1214, J Rock Harryville 1213, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1213, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1212, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1208, S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1208, A Darragh Cullybackey 1205, A Darragh Cullybackey 1200, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1198, S Johnston & Son Ballymena 1197, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1197, H Boyd Kells 1196, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1194, G Gibson Cullybackey 1191, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 1189, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1187, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1187, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1187.
NIPA Sect B Fermoy 79/2071 – S & N Maginty Muckamore 1304, 1301, S Johnston & Son Ballymena & District 1278, S & N Maginty 1266, S & J Bones and T Yates Muckamore 1263, D Dixon Ballymoney 1262, S & J Bones and T Yates 1261, 1261, S Murphy Muckamore 1258, S Johnston & Son 1247.
Shane Johnston with his Mid Antrim Combine winner from Fermoy.
Nipa - Mid Antrim Combine Fermoy 5 Bird
Kernohan loft tops Combine & Section from 5 Bird Championship –
K & K Kernohan & Sons of Ballymena & District were best in the Fermoy 5 Bird classic event timing at 12.59pm to record 1246. Keith's winning blue hen has been on fine form all season having won 1st club & 1st Combine in the opening young bird race from Kilbeggan 654 birds, 5th Combine Tullamore 1276 birds, 5th Combine Fermoy 1205 birds and now 1st Combine, 1st Section B & 55th Open 884 birds Fermoy 5 Bird. She's a Willy Jacobs x Emiel Dillon youngster purchased from Oroory Hill Stud. Bertie Blair was runner up in both the Combine and Section on 1231. Bertie's blue pied hen was slipped a young one before basketing and contains his own 1st Open Talbenny National winner and Glen McNeilly's 2nd Open yearling National bloodlines. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
Mid Antrim Combine Fermoy 5 Bird - K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1246, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1231, A Barkley & Son Kells 1214, A Darragh Cullybackey 1205, A Darragh Cullybackey 1200, G Gibson Cullybackey 1191, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1187, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1172, A Barkley & Son Kells 1157, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1156, A Barkley & Son Kells 1153, Surgenor Bros Kells 1148, W McFetridge Rasharkin 1144, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1137, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1131, F Barkley Rasharkin 1118, K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena 1116, D Dixon Rasharkin 1113, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1108, W McFetridge Rasharkin 1102.
NIPA Sect B Fermoy 5 Bird 32/154 – K & K Kernohan & Sons Ballymena & Dist 1246, Blair & Rankin Ballymena & Dist 1231, S & N Maginty Muckamore 1224, A Barkley & Son Kells & Dist 1214, A Darragh Cullybackey 1205, A Darragh 1200, S & J Bones and T Yates Muckamore 1198, D & H Stuart Ballymoney 1192, Gary Gibson Cullybackey 1191, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1187.
Lewis (l) and Callum Kernohan with their 1st Combine & 1st Section winner from Fermoy 5 Bird.