Dunloy Northern Ireland
Without question one of the top racing and breeding loft's in the North and South of Ireland is Danny Dixon from Dunloy in County Antrim. A fancier with a phenomenal racing record over the years including 3 x 1st Open Nationals wins, breeder of 3 x 1st Open One Loft Race winners plus £31,000 in prizemoney and breeder and racer of the legendary "Champion Heartbreaker" a winner of 1st & 2nd Open Nipa and responsible for generations of winners.
From the Beginning
Danny started in the pigeons back in 1981 and raced as a member in the Cullybackey Flying Club. His birds back then were from Marc Verschelde of Belgium, the late Roy Rock of Cullybackey and Alan Darragh of Cullybackey. These bloodlines can still be found in the loft's to this day 34 years later. At that time Danny's construction business was in full flow and due to the work load only a few old and young bird races were competed in most season's. Although a number of good results were won it wasn't until around 1990 that he decided to take the sport more seriously and put a bit of effort into the birds. The hard work payed off immediately topping the Mid Antrim Combine & Section B on a number of occasions and then in 1998 Danny's first major win arrived from the Irish National Flying Club Skibbereen young bird National when he won 1st Open National. The winning blue chequer cock "Cuchullain" was Verschelde and would later be the grandsire of Danny's 3rd Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National bird in 2018 and 1st Open Nipa Talbenny YB National in 2004 for R Robinson & Son of Glenarm . That same 1998 season saw Danny win 17 x 1st's in the strong Ballymoney club which had a 15 bird limit at the time.
In the 2003 season 3rd Open from the Nipa Lamballe OB National was won with a cock bred from a daughter of Alan Darragh's "Champion 05" paired to a cock from the late Jim Logan of Ballyclare. In 2006 Danny's next major win was 1st Open Nipa Rosscarbery YB Derby. This chequer cock "Danny Boy" was bred down from a great eye sign cock he bought from the late Harry Jackson of Cullybackey. It was a son of the famous bird called "The Rock" from Taffy Bowen being Van Rijn Kloeke of Planet Bros.
The 2010 season was a bit special winning 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 6th Open Nipa Roscrea OB 28,018 birds, 1st & 2nd Section, 4th & 6th Open Nipa Rosscarbery OB Inland National, 2nd Open Nipa Penzance & 2nd Open Nipa Penzance OB Classic with "Double 5", 2nd Open Nipa Talbenny YB National and finished off with his third major win 1st Open INFC Penzance YB National. The winning hen was "Dixie Chic" and she was full of the Frans Van Wildermeersch bloodlines, the sire coming through Langton x Ingram of England and the dam from A Cousins & Sons who had the best stock from the late B Fletcher & Son. "Dixie Chic" was down the lines of “Plantation Ranger” x “Fletchers Dream” a winner of 1st Open INFC Skibbereen YB National. In 2012 Danny was 2nd Open in the Nipa Skibbereen Yearling Cock National with a Lambrecht pigeon called "Aviary Cock". This bird became a super stock cock being responsible for many pigeons to win top national positions including the No1 stock cock for Bertie Blair of Ballymena which is the sire of 3 x 1st Nipa Open winners for Bertie including his 1st Open Nipa Talbenny YB National winner "Faith". Two years later in 2014 Danny was again 2nd Open Nipa this time from the French OB National from St Malo. "Danske Kid" was timed at 5.53am on the second morning to record velo 843. The dam was from Patrick Brothers and his sire was Wildermeersch x Verchelde. In the years that followed Danny won many Combine's and Section's and amassed many top ten open position in the Nipa and Infc including 2 x 3rd Open from the INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National in 2018 and 2021 winning £2638, 3rd Open Nipa Penzance 6235 birds and 2nd Open Nipa Fermoy 20910 birds with his good Sticker Donckers mealy cock who would later sire "Young Dixie" his 1st Open Nipa Tullamore winner in 2022 with 17,775 birds competing and he would also be the grandsire of D C & P McArdle of Armagh's 1st Open Nipa Skibbereen YB National winner of 2021. The Mealy cock was bred by Gary Gibson of Cullybackey and was out of his "Golden Couple". In the 2022 season the loft topped the Nipa Open twice in the young bird season, 1st & 2nd Open Tullamore 17775 birds and 1st & 2nd Open Nipa Fermoy 9122 birds. Danny also won his best INFC Kings Cup position in 2022 finishing 12th National from Saint Allouestre. The cock was Wilf Reid breeding, the dam being a daughter of Wilf's No1 stock cock "Darkie". Over the years Danny has won many awards including 8 x RPRA Meritorious Awards, he hold's the record for 11 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine wins in one season in 2022, In that same 2022 season he won 25 x 1st in the Ballymoney club. Danny has bred and won a 1st Open Emerald Classic International One Loft Race in 2011 plus £9000 and also bred 2 x 1st Open North Coast Classic winners in 2015 £12,000 and 2018 £10,000.
Danny's present day stock mainly consists of Stickers Donckers, Lambrechts, Rudy Van Reeths ( his good grizzle cock Rudy Van Reeth x Van Den Brande is still breeding winners) and the Wildermeersch for across the channel. This year he timed a Wildermeersch cross out of the Infc Friendship National race for 40th Open. The sire was his good "Belgie Cock" when paired to a daughter of Martin Graham's "Big hen"
Some of Danny's top results
1st Open INFC Skibbereen YB National in 1998 "Cuchullain"
3rd Open Nipa OB Derby Lamballe 2003
1st Open Nipa Rosscarbery YB National in 2006 "Danny Boy"
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th Open Nipa Tullamore YB 6000 birds 2009. "Champion Heartbreaker" first bird timed
2nd, 3rd, 4th & 6th Open Nipa Roscrea old birds 28,018 birds 2010 "Champion Heartbreaker" first bird timed
1st & 2nd Section, 4th & 6th Open Nipa Rosscarbery OB Inland National 2010
2nd Open Nipa Penzance 2010 "Double 5" Overall RPRA Meritorious award winner ( Talbenny & Penzance).
2nd Open Nipa Penzance OB Classic 2010, "Double 5"
2nd Open Nipa Talbenny YB National 2010, 4490 birds
1st Open INFC Penzance YB National, 2432 birds, 2010 "Dixie Chic"
2nd Open Nipa Rosscarbery Yearling Cocks National 2012 "Aviary Cock"
1st Open Nipa Mullingar Area Liberation 2013
2nd Open Nipa Saint Malo Old Bird National 2014 "Danske Kid"
10th Open INFC Penzance YB National 2015
6th Open INFC Penzance YB National 2016
3rd Open Nipa Penzance 6235 birds 2017
2nd Open Nipa Fermoy OB 20,910 birds 2018 Stickers Donckers mealy cock
3rd Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National 2018. This cock was a grandson of "Cuchullain" the lofts 1998 INFC Skibbereen YB National winner.
7th, 14th, 35th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd & 59th Open INFC Penzance YB National 2019. The 7th Open bird a blue hen was bred from his ace Wildermeersch stock bird "Belgie Cock" which is a great grandson of the famous "De Beer". The dam was purchased at a sale of Martin Graham's of Ballymena and is a daughter of Martin's " The Big Hen".
3rd Open INFC Sennen Cove Yearling National £2638 2021. The sire was August Van Aert and the dam a direct Jos Joosen
12th Open INFC St Allouestre Kings Cup 2022. Wilf Reid Breeding. The dam a daughter of Wilf's No1 stock cock "Darkie"
9th, 11th, 30th, 70th & 74th Open INFC Penzance YB National 2022. Danny's 9th Open hen was placed 14th Section & 172nd Open in the Talbenny YB National a couple of weeks before. She was a direct daughter of Danny's 2010 Infc Penzance YB National winner "Dixie Chic". The hen's sire was a son of Danny's good Wildermeersch "Belgie Cock"
1st & 2nd Open Nipa Tullamore YB 17,775 Birds 2022. The Open winner was a son of Danny's good mealy Stickers-Donckers cock bred by Gary Gibson of Cullybackey and is out of Gary's "Golden Couple". The dam was purchased from Bob Fenech and is again Stickers-Donckers. Danny's 2nd Open hen was bred from two direct Gert Heylen pigeons.
1st & 2nd Open Nipa Fermoy YB 9122 birds 2022. Danny's Open winner was a blue Wildermeersch hen bred from a sister of "Dixie Chic" when paired to a son of "Dixie Chic". His second Open bird was a Heremans-Ceuster from Derek Nicholls of Premier Stud.
Some of Danny's star pigeons bred or raced.
"Lucky 13" Verchelde breeding. A winner of 1st Section & 4th Open Nipa Rosscarbery OB Inland National 2010 and sire of 1st Section & 2nd Open Nipa Talbenny YB National 2010.
"Champion Heartbreaker" Bred from a pair of direct Carl Lambrecht's. A winner of 1st Open Nipa Tullamore 6000 birds 2009 & 2nd Open Nipa Roscrea 28,018 birds 2010. Responsible for countless winners including Meritorious Award winners and Section B Old Bird of the year winners etc
"Red Lightening" 100% Gert Heylen. A winner of 3 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine
"Belgie Cock" Wildermeersch. A winner of 6 x 1st up Ireland and 50th Open Friendship National in his last ever race. Responsible for many winners including 7th & 9th Open in Infc Penzance young bird National's for Danny. Sire of "Follow That Dream" 1st Open North Coast Classic 2015 plus £12,000 and grandsire of "Jack's Boy" 1st Open Talbenny YB National 2005 for J McDowell & Sons of Ballymoney. Bobby & Danny Coyle of Coleraine have a son of the "Belgie Cock" they call "The Boss" he's responsible for 14 x 1st Section winners with 9 of them on the channel.
"Nine Eleven" 1st Open Emerald Classic International One Loft Race winning £9,000 in 2011. Danny bred and won this race. Sire a son of Alan Darragh's "Champion 05" and dam a daughter of of Martin Graham's No1 Wildermeersch stock cock "Sunnyhill Producer" sire of 10 x 1st for Martin.
"Channel Vista Prince" 1st Open Nipa Talbenny YB National in 2004 for R Robinson & Son of Glenarm. Parents were bred by Danny. The sire was a son of "Cuchullain" 1st Open Infc Skibbereen YB National in 1998 and the dam Wildermeersch. Danny purchased "Vista Prince" back at the Robinson's clearance sale a number of years later.
"Jack's Boy" 1st Open Nipa Talbenny YB National 2005 for J McDowell & Sons of Ballymoney. Danny bred the sire, a son of the "Belgie Cock"
"Follow That Dream" 1st Open North Coast Classic 2015 plus £12,000. Sire was the "Belgie Cock" and the dam a daughter of "Dixie Chic" 1st Open Infc National Penzance.
"Miss Perfect" 1st Open North Coast Classic 2018 plus £10,000 Bred from direct Jos Joosen pigeons.
Top Results 2023
Danny had another excellent season in 2023 some of the top results being -
1st Mid Antrim Combine & 2nd Section Fermoy 3551 birds
1st Mid Antrim Combine & 4th Section Pilmore Beach 1933 birds
1st Mid Antrim Combine, 7th, 11th, 33rd and 86th Open INFC Skibbereen OB Inland National 2060 birds
48th, 116th, 155th, 185th, 262nd Open INFC Penzance Yearling National 3070 birds
5th Section & 46th Open Fermoy Nipa Yearling National 2183 birds
1st Mid Antrim Combine & 3rd Section Fermoy 5 Bird
40th Open INFC St Malo Friendship National 1058 birds
1st Section & 5th Open Nipa Roscrea 17805 birds
5th Section & 33rd Open Nipa Dale YB National 2875 birds
1st & 2nd Mid Antrim Combine & 27th & 29th Open Nipa Roscrea 7511 birds
1st & 2nd Section & 41st & 50th Nipa Fermoy 8977 birds
47th, 50th, 54th Open INFC Penzance YB National 1950 birds
37th, 46th, 56th, 65th, 139th, 140th, 171st & 173rd Open Nipa Skibbereen YB National 2633 birds
1st, 2nd & 3rd Mid Antrim Combine & 44th, 46th & 47th North Section INFC Skibbereen YB National 872 birds.
Danny finished this season again with the highest prizewinner award in the strong Ballymoney club. That's 31 years in a row winning this top award.
Loft Management
Before pairing up each season Danny treats for worms and canker. He starts pairing up the stock birds on Boxing Day followed by the sprint cocks, yearlings and then the middle distance birds all at one week intervals giving him time to get each loft settled. When the young birds are shifted they are fed on Tilburg young bird mix from Henry McLaughlin of Coalisland until he wants to do some work with them then he changes the feeding to Gerry plus for the rest of the season also from Tilburg. He fly's young birds all together and gives them nest bowls about four weeks before racing commences.
Danny's training system is different for each loft, his sprint birds get two five mile tosses on the same day with the hens waiting for them, after that they only see the hens on race day. Their last few tosses are from Newry with Sam Murphy and after the first race they get no more training. He trains his hens with Homer and the cocks with Sam Murphy. The hens are usually home an hour before the cocks and this saves Danny from having to separate them all. This training goes on until the end of the season.
Danny has four different lofts for old bird racing. The first loft is for sprint widowhood cocks that are fed on Gerry Plus at the start of the week and widowhood mix at the end of week. If it's going to be a fast race he keeps them on Gerry plus all week. Their hens are kept in individual hen boxes. Danny's second loft is for middle distance widowhood cocks and they are fed the same as sprint birds until they cross the channel then he gives them super star plus. These cocks like the sprinters race every week. The third loft houses his roundabout yearlings. This loft is fed the same as his middle distance loft and the hens and cocks are raced week about. The fourth loft is for Danny's distance birds which are fed on Gerry plus until two weeks before they go to the longer races, this is the only loft that he doesn't let breed any young ones at the start of the year. This loft is paired up in the middle of February and the birds are allowed to sit for 14 days then separated. The next time they are paired will be after the second Talbenny race.
Concluding
I think everyone will agree that Danny has an amazing racing record over the years. He has also supplied many winners right up to 1st National for countless others. Danny is most certainly motivated by success and works hard with his birds and I have no doubt his success will continue. I would just like to wish Danny good health and all the best for future seasons. Mervyn Eagleson PO Mid Antrim Combine.
Ace racer Danny Dixon from Dunloy, Co Antrim.
trophies won in the 2023 season in Ballymoney HPS, in total
he won 16 x 1st, also won 8 x 1st Mid Antrim Combine.