Homers Odyssey 11/03/24 -

[willie reynolds]

Top racing in the Coleraine Premier HPS -

B & D Coyle were top Prize winners in 2023. Bobby and Danny won 9 races in total, I well remember covering this loft when racing in Portstewart HPS, and was it Sect A Combine in those days a long time ago. 5 Old Bird races plus 4 YB races in a best season. In OB’s they won Roscrea 1, Roscrea 2, Fermoy 1, Fermoy 3, Fermoy 5 Bird and 2nd Talbenny. In the YB’s Bobby and Danny won Kilbeggan 1, Roscrea 2, Roscrea 3 and Fermoy 2.

Congratulations B & D Coyle on a fantastic season. To be top prize winner in a club as strong and competitive as Coleraine Premier is no easy task. You put up some outstanding performances in the Open of the NIPA as well. Another top result your loft achieved was 2nd Open INFC Penzance YB National, also winning the 2-bird average De Scheemaecker Trophy.

Sean Diamond was 2nd highest Prize-winner. Sean won 7 races in total including 5 OB’s. Fermoy 2, Skibereen Inland National, Pilmore Beach, Fermoy Yearling National and Fermoy 4. In YB’s Sean won Dale YB National and Skibereen YB National. Sean also won Champion OB, OB Average, YB Average, OB Inland Average, Combined Inland Average, Combined OB and YB Average. Sean had a terrific season with 7 club victories, 5 x 1st Section A wins, 4 x 1st Coleraine Centre wins, top Open positions and Section A Old Bird Inland Fancier of the Year plus Section A YB Fancier of the Year . Sean also won Champion OB in the Club, OB Average, YB Average, Inland Average, Combined Inland Average, Combined OB And YB Average (excluding St Malo). Also, Sammy Thompson Trophy for Winner of Coleraine Centre Skibbereen.

Third is Jimmy Hanson. Jimmy won Talbenny 1, Penzance and Penzance Classic as well as the cross Channel Average, best average Talbenny 1 & Bude, best Average two OB Talbenny’s and YB Talbenny, Penzance Yearling Cup and Talbenny Yearling Cup.

Fourth is T & J McDonald. Trevor won two races. Tullamore OB and Kilbeggan 2 YB. Trevor was highest Pool winner with £390 cash total.

Lawrence Hanson & Son are Fifth with one win from Fermoy YB and 5 Bird. Lawrence won the Champions YB. Diamond Bros & G McLaughlin won one race Bude. M & J Howard are 7th highest Prize-winners with one win from Roscrea 1 YB. Paul O’Connor is eighth with one Club win from St Malo OB National (France). Anthony McDonnell won Tullamore YB. Adrian Moffatt PO.

March 17 deadline for Single Bird Challenge

Please note Annual Subscriptions for 2024 for the Irish Nat FC. Existing member £30 or euro’s 37.50 payable through your club. New member £30.00 or euro’s 37.50 payable through your club. Any individual member paying direct £40.00 or euro’s 50.00. Any new Individual members paying direct £40.00 or euro’s 50.00. The closing date for joining is 12th April 2024. The Single Bird Challenge for Kings Cup 2024 entry is £10.00 or euro’s 12.50. Closing date is 17th March 2024. Entry Forms can be downloaded from the INFC website.

The AGM for the local Mid Antrim Combine will take place as usual in the middle of March (Rule 5), venue is the Ballymena & District HPS Clubrooms on Fountain Place and the date Wednesday 13th March at 8.00pm. Only club delegates will be entitled to vote, two from each member club. In various forms this local competition has been going for well over 40 years with first result published in 1978 for 1st Arklow, set up initially to give promotion and publicity to top performances registered in the Ballymena and surrounding Village areas.

This latest meeting will confirm the racing boundary and proposals have been made to introduce some new competition with Old Bird Inland Points, Old Bird Cross Channel Points and that we issue small diplomas in respect of various yearly cups and awards. To cover the costs, we will discuss some form of funding and many thanks to our President Danny Dixon who has covered the production of race winning diplomas for the last number of years. Some cups and trophies still need returned to base, we do need that done.

All offices will be declared vacant at present the team is President Danny Dixon, Chairman Robin Service, Secretary Willie Reynolds and Press Officer Mervyn Eagleson. Any resignations are required before the AGM and Resolutions to be put to the meeting should be sent to Willie Reynolds.

Ahoghill Flying Club have had a good run in the seasons Champions League winning three times in the last ive r years. Mr & Mrs Robinson who have now moved to Cullybackey won for Ahoghill in both 2019 and 2021 and new arrival Trevor Whyte won the prize in 2023.

Champions League Winners:

2008 R H Clements Harryville, 2009 D Dixon Rasharkin, 2010 M Graham Ballymena, 2011 S Miller 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, 2022 D Dixon Rasharkin, 2023 T Whyte Ahoghill.

Mid Antrim Combine - NIPA St Malo OB National

Tom Young Tops Mid Antrim Combine from NIPA St Malo OB National and 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.

McIlhagga Cup - 1st Mid Antrim Combine NIPA Old Bird National:

1997 J Rock Harryville, 1998 T Shanks & Son Kells (1st Open NIPA), 2000 G & A Eagleson Ballymena (1st Section B), 2001 J Eagleson & Sons Harryville (1st Open NIPA), 2002 J Rock Harryville, 2003 Martin Graham Ballymena (2nd Open NIPA), 2004 A Darragh Cullybackey, 2005 D Logan Randalstown, 2006 D Houston & Son Broughshane, 2007 Houston Bros Randalstown, 2008 W Reid Cullybackey, 2009 Russell Bros Cullybackey, 2010 S Miller Randalstown, 2011 H & R McCloy Cullybackey, 2012 A Darragh Cullybackey, 2013 Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey, 2014 D Dixon Rasharkin (2nd Open NIPA), 2015 H Boyd Randalstown (3rd Open NIPA), 2016 J & M Milliken Rasharkin (20th Open Nipa), 2017 Martin Graham Ballymena "Brenda Anne" (Only bird in Section B & 7th Open NIPA) 2018 W & J McLean Rasharkin (11th Open NIPA), 2019 H Boyd Randalstown (3rd Open NIPA), 2020 H Cubitt Rasharkin ( 24th Open Nipa), 2021 McAlonan Bros Cullybackey (7th Open Nipa), 2022 Martin Graham Ballymena (46th Open Nipa), 2023 Balmer Young & Sons Ahoghill (29th Open Nipa).

Mid Antrim Combine - INFC Kings Cup St Allouestre

Joey Wright Of Ballymena & District wins 1st Mid Antrim Combine King's Cup National –

The Irish National Flying Club held their Blue Riband King's Cup race from St Allouestre in France on Sunday 2nd July. Liberation took place at 6.00am in light south westerly winds. Locally Joey Wright of Ballymena & District recorded the only bird in the Mid Antrim Combine when he clocked his yearling chequer cock at 14.22pm on the second afternoon to win 1st MAC, 39th North Section and 47th Open INFC National. Earlier in the season this cock returned home from 1st Talbenny badly injured and had to be stitched by the local vet. It therefore missed the Yearling National race and was set aside to recover. Joey said it had come into great order again and was prepared and sent to the King's Cup. Last season as a youngster it won 7th MAC and 156th Open INFC in the Penzance YB National 329 miles. The cock is definitely bred for the job being bred from the very best stock of N Black & Sons of Dromara who timed a record seven birds in the Open result. Joey just returned to the sport last season after a 40-year absence and while racing in the past won many top national positions including 2nd Open INFC Friendship National Beauvais in 1975 and the following year with the same Mosaic cock 6th Open INFC Kings Cup National from Rennes. He could fly rightly up Ireland too having topped the NIPA Open in a young bird race from Arklow with over 30,000 birds competing. Joey was the second longest flying member to clock at 504 miles. Well done Joey, great result. Mervyn Eagleson PO.

Mid Antrim Combine - INFC St Malo Friendship National -

Doherty Loft wins 1st Combine & 11th Open INFC National & Chris and Robin McIntyre of Cullybackey win INFC Merit Award

The final old bird race of the season on the Northern Ireland calendar was the INFC St Malo Friendship National. Birds were liberated on Friday 7th July at 06.00am in light south westerly winds increasing to strong winds in Ireland. Best in the Mid Antrim Combine was the father and daughter partnership of Stephen and Natalie Doherty who fly their birds to Portglenone and race in the Cullybackey club. They timed their 2yo cheq cock sitting 10 days on eggs at 2.56pm flying 477 miles to win 10th North Section & 11th Open INFC National. This season the cock had three races from Fermoy and then just trained with Sam Murphy and had two Balbriggans with Tommy Cairns. Their winner is direct from Aaron Murtagh of Armagh. Next best in the local area was Henry Turkington of Kells who timed his yearling cheq hen at 15.22pm to win 25th North Section and 29th Open National. The dam is from Jim and David Braniff of Glen HPS and is a full sister to Henry's 25th Open St Malo National 2017. The sire is half-brother to 44th Open Kings Cup 2016 and the grandsire is from the late Sam Rodney of Ballyclare. Danny Dixon of Dunloy was next best in the Combine and 40th Open with a 2yo blue cock. Sire is his good Belgie Cock and the dam is a daughter of the Unrung Cock that Albert Cousins gave him, being an inbred uncle of Dixie Chic. Chris & Robin McIntyre of Cullybackey timed their 4yo blue cock at 16.22pm to finish 47th North Section & 52nd Open National and win a Merit Award. This pigeon has now been in St Malo three times, 2021 with the NIPA just out of race time, 2022 1st club Cullybackey, 2nd MA Combine & 64th Open INFC Friendship National and this season 2nd club, 4th MA Combine, 47th North Section & 52nd Open INFC Friendship National flying 493 miles. He has also been in the Open and Section result in the last two seasons from Penzance with the NIPA and also in the Section prizes from Talbenny in 2021 and is a full brother to 5 x 1st club winners for the loft. Former NIPA Talbenny National and Penzance Classic winner Jimmy Rock of Harryville was 52nd & 83rd North Section and 58th & 92 Open National. Jimmy's first bird a 2yo late bred hen sitting on 10 days eggs had Talbenny & Penzance this season. Sire from Alan Darragh and dam was Jimmy's Penzance Classic winner. Jimmy's second bird a Jacobs x Grondelear 4yo chequer hen has won 1st club Talbenny and twice in the prizes from Penzance. Mr & Mrs Robinson of Cullybackey finished a top cross Channel season with 82nd North Section & 91st Open INFC National. Laurence and Heather timed a 4yo blue hen racing on roundabout. This hen has raced steady with quite a few good club and section positions from the channel races. Her sire was gifted to them by Tommy Grattan and dam is Vandenbeele from Harry Boyd of Kells. Davy Houston & Son had the best bird in Broughshane on 1204 with a 2yo cheq cock of Rob Rome bloodlines and Jimmy Smyth & Son of Ahoghill timed two birds both yearlings the same way bred on the day and two the next morning. Sire of the first two from Mark Milliken of Rasharkin and dam from Sam Murphy. M Eagleson PO.

Mid Antrim Combine - St Malo Friendship National - S & N Doherty Cullybackey 1566, Henry Turkington Kells 1474, D Dixon Rasharkin 1423, C & R McIntyre Cullybackey 1393, Jimmy Rock Harryville 1358, Mr & Mrs Robinson Cullybackey 1234, Jimmy Rock Harryville 1227, D Houston & Son Broughshane & Dist 1204, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1099, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1052, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 630, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 473.

Adams Cup INFC Average/Points:

2009 Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey, 2010 A Darragh Cullybackey, 2013 A Darragh Cullybackey, 2015 Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey, 2017 D Dixon Rasharkin, 2019 D Dixon Rasharkin, 2020 No Comp (Covid 19), 2021 D Dixon Rasharkin, D Dixon Rasharkin, D Dixon Rasharkin.

HOMER. Willie Reynolds

Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683

Mobile: 07538 238364

Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw

Email: homerbhw@gmail.com

www.pigeonnetwork.com

www.irishnationalflyingclub.com

www.nipapigeons.co.uk

www.elimarpigeons.com





Photo Captions

Bobby and Danny Coyle with an array of awards collected in the 2023 racing season.

NIPA Diplomas won by Sean Diamond in a top racing season in Coleraine.

Best ever season for B & D Coyle in the Coleraine Premier HPS, secretary Russell McAlary (r) did the presentation.

The ever-consistent Jimmy Hanson had a fantastic cross channel season.

T & J McDonald were the top pool winners in Coleraine Premier HPS.

Lawrence Hanson & Son had the Champion Young Bird.

Paul O’Connor won the race from Saint Malo in France.

“Franks Lady” raced by BB & D Coyle of Coleraine Premier.

Blue Pied winner of Section A Meritorious Award for Jimmy Hanson of Coleraine Prem.

“Little Cheryl” 14th Open Penzance Classic & 27th Open NIPA Penzance for Jimmy Hanson.

Tom Young of Ahoghill Flying Club, 1st MAC in St Malo OB National.

NIPA Merit Award for A C & T Tweed of Rasharkin & District.

Joey Wright of Ballymena & District, only bird timed in Kings Cup.

S & N Doherty of Cullybackey, 1st MAC Friendship Nat St Malo.

C & R McIntyre of Cullybackey INFC Merit Award in Friendship Nat.

Trevor Whyte won the Champions League for Ahoghill Flying Club.