Ballymena
Northern Ireland
By Mervyn Eagleson
If a fancier wins 1st Open Nipa in to the Ballymena area it is classed as a fantastic achievement, Bertie Blair of Ballymena has amassed 7 x 1st Nipa Open winners in his racing career including 1st Open Nipa Talbenny YB National with "Faith", 1st Open Nipa Tramore 15459 birds and 1st Open Nipa Tramore 12849 birds. What a racer!!
Starting out
Bertie Blair began racing pigeons in 1968 at the age of 19 and raced to his home address in Wakehurst Park in Harryville in the Ballymena Town. Bertie's pigeons were gathered up from many local lofts and although a few prizes were won Bertie's main interest at the time was football, playing as a midfielder for Raglan Homers on a Saturday morning and Chimney Corner 2nd's in the afternoon. The Blair family was steeped in football brilliance with his late father Robin doing nets for Ballymena Utd and Sligo Rovers, brother Geoff played for Glenavon, Crusaders, Carrick and Ballymena, his late brother George also played for Ballymena Utd and his brother Martin played for the Ballymena Utd reserve team. A few years later, in 1974 Bertie went into partnership with his brother in law Billy Rankin and raced in the Harryville club as Rankin & Blair. They raced to Billy's home address in Brooke Park, only a stone's throw from where Bertie was reared. At that time Brooke Park was littered with pigeons lofts and had the likes of Jackie Boyle, Ken Gillen, Johnston Eagleson, Billy Sempey, Rab Surgenor, Sammy Armstrong and Jim Cameron to name but a few all competing in the club. The first season racing young birds in 1974 was a great success and ended with the partnership winning 1st Section & 2nd Open Nipa Haverford West Young Bird Derby with "Doreen's Choice". A few years later Bertie moved to Chichester Park to race on his own and then around 2000 went in to partnership again his brother in law Billy and raced as Blair & Rankin. After Billy passed away Bertie kept the Blair & Rankin name in memory of Billy and still races under it to this day.
Success
Just some of Bertie's top performances over the years, unfortunately a lot have been either lost or forgotten.
2nd Open Nipa Haverford YB Derby 1974
14th Open INFC Thurso Friendship National 1985
42nd Open INFC Lerwick Kings Cup 1985
12th Open INFC Penzance YB National 1925 birds 1987
5th Open INFC Penzance Yearling National 4057 birds 1992
1st Open Nipa Tramore YB 15459 birds 1994
22nd Open INFC Penzance YB National 2393 birds 1994
1st Section & 5th Open Nipa Arklow 12985 birds 1998
1st Open Nipa Tramore YB 12849 birds 1998
1st Open Nipa Carnsore Point 5559 birds 2002
82nd Open Messac INFC Kings Cup 2048 birds 2005
1st Mid Antrim Combine & 23rd Open INFC St Malo Friendship National
2nd North Section & 2nd Open INFC Penzance YB National 1879 birds 2011
20th Open INFC Penzance YB National 2652 birds 2013
1st Section & 9th Open Nipa Clonmel 25549 birds 2014
1st Open Nipa Mullingar Area Lib 2355 birds 2014
1st Open Nipa Mullingar Area Lib 2130 birds 2015
1st Open Nipa Mullingar Area Lib 3357 birds 2016
1st Mid Antrim Combine & 24th Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National 3794 birds 2019
1st, 8th, 11th & 12th Section, 1st, 57th, 91st & 92nd Open Nipa Talbenny YB National 2218 birds 2019
125th, 126th & 129th Open INFC Penzance YB National 1527 birds 2019
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 13th & 19th Mid Antrim Combine Roscrea YB 1000 birds 2021
2nd Section & 5th Open Nipa Skibbereen OB Inland National 4363 birds 2022
2023 Season
5th, 8th, 10th & 12th Section, 115th, 180th, 202nd & 218th Open Nipa Skibbereen OB Inland National 4180 birds
6th & 10th Section B Nipa Fermoy 5 Bird
209th North Section & 254th Open INFC Penzance Yearling National 3070 birds
1st Mid Antrim Combine, 2nd Section & 20th Open Nipa Fermoy Yearling National 2183 birds
6th & 11th Section, 30th & 71st Open Nipa Penzance OB Classic 1905 birds
2nd Section & 66th Open Nipa Fermoy 5 Bird YB 884 birds
133rd Open Nipa Dale YB National 2875 birds
101st North Section & 114th Open INFC Penzance YB National 1950 birds
3rd Section & 13th Open Nipa Skibbereen YB National 2633 birds
Some of the recent stars in the loft -
Blue Lambrecht No.1 cock - Sire of multiple winners including 3 x 1st Open winners in the Nipa including "Faith" 1st Open Nipa Talbenny YB National 2019. "Faith" is proving herself well at stock have bred 3 x 1st prizewinners. Sire of the No1 cock was gifted to Bertie by Monty Magill and is a son of Danny Dixon's good "Aviary cock" 2nd Open Nipa Yearling cocks National. The dam is a daughter of Danny Dixon's legendary "Champion Heartbreaker" a winner 1st & 2nd Open Nipa.
Red No1 Hen - Purchased from Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill. She is bred down from a Peter Stakenborg pigeon called "Poulidor". The No1 hen is dam of many winners including 5 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine winners and 3 x 1st Open winners in the Nipa including "Faith" 1st Open Nipa Talbenny YB National 2019.
Mealy Cock - Sire of the Red No1 hen and grandsire of 3 x 1st Nipa Open winners including "Faith" 1st National Talbenny 2019.
The mealy cock was gifted to Bertie by good friends Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill. He was bred from the original Frans Maris birds they had and is down from a bird called "Caeser"
Blue Cheq Cock - 2nd North Section & 2nd Open INFC Penzance YB National 2011
The sire was a Frank Sheader Soontjen from good friend's Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill and the dam was Van Loon from Danny Dixon of Dunloy.
Blue w/f hen "Faith" - Winner of 1st Section & 1st Open Nipa Talbenny YB National 220 miles in 2019 also 1st club Ballymena & Dist and 2nd Mid Antrim Combine from the INFC Skibbereen YB National 260 miles 5 days previous. The sire is the blue No1 stock cock, a Danny Dixon Lambrechts (Aviary Cock x daughter of Heartbreaker) and the dam the red No1 hen purchased from Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill.
Loft Management
Bertie has a great interest in a pigeon's eyesign and when selecting a bird he like's a bright healthy eye preferable a violet eye which he would pair to a yellow eye. He wouldn't be struck on deep pigeons preferring them to have a small apple body and short.
Bertie mainly concentrates on sprint to middle distance racing and will only send a pigeon to France if it's in perfect condition and if the weather forecast for the race is looking good. At present Bertie's stock mainly consists of Danny Dixon and Jackie Steele Lambrechts which have has been very successful, Heremans - Ceusters, Van Den Bulcks and a selection of top breeds from Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill that are breeding winners every season.
He usually pairs up after Christmas and would usually pair half brother x half sister, father x daughter, mother x son and winner to winner. Birds are treated for Canker, cocci and worms before pairing.
Old bird training begins three weeks before the first race and he like's to get at least twelve or so tosses in before the opening race. When racing commences the birds are tossed twice a week.
Young birds are trained hard before their opening race and they too are tossed twice a week during racing. Both old and young birds are treated for canker every four weeks while racing.
Bertie races a mix of double widowhood and natural. Bertie will show the hens to the widowhood cocks before basketing in the opening three old bird races and then the odd time depending how they are racing. His favourite nesting condition is sitting chipping eggs or small youngsters.
Bertie buys his feeding from Furbies in Ballymena and uses Beatties breeding, weaning and moulting mix and Versele Laga Gerry Plus widowhood. Cider vinegar is used in the drinkers from Sunday to Wednesday and also in the weekly bath.
Bertie says two fanciers who have given him great advice and were always there for him are the late Tam McCollum of Ballymena & District and Bertie's very good friend Paddy McManus of Ahoghill.
Concluding
Bertie is a very kind and popular guy, known the width and breadth of Ireland for his pigeon's and good crack. He's always good for one or two Combine and Section wins every year if not more. I'd just like to wish him all the best for future seasons. Mervyn Eagleson
The early days of Bertie Blair (r) and Billy Rankin team racing in Harryville.
2nd Open Haverfordwest YB Derby for Rankin & Blair 1974.