For the fourth race of the NIPA O/Bird programme, the NIPA transporters headed to Clonmel in County Tipperary. The weather for the May Day Bank Holiday Weekend looked a bit more troublesome than it had been for the previous three races of the O/Bird programme. But the NIPA held their nerve and seen a possible opening of an early liberation on Saturday morning. As Saturday morning dawned and with the wind South West the convoy of some 26,000 + pigeons where liberated at 7.30am with a steady race expected. As the morning progressed the wind around Lisburn seemed to turn North/North Easterly. Some early velocities where recorded into both Dromore and Lisburn towns and talking to fanciers on my calls this morning (Sunday) many are 100% returns which is full marks to the NIPA for what has been a super season so far for this leading organisation.
As I do my report this week, I won’t talk to much about my team (Liverpool) but it was a very important day for the Premiership and Championship, on this note I would like to congratulate John Turner and my many friends at the Blackpool Football Club, a place I have the honor of auctioneering at during the Blackpool Show each year, Blackpool have done fantastically well in reaching the play-offs, are we set to see Blackpool FC hosting a Premiership team during the Blackpool Show in 2011? I really hope so and wish the Tangerines every success in achieving their dream, they will play 3rd placed Nottingham Forest in the Play-Off Semi Finals the first leg to be played this Saturday 8th May.
Brian Bolton, always good to hear about your friends doing well, must congratulate Brian Bolton on having a super weekend flying in Belgium, Guy of Belgica De Weerd who has accompanied and introduced us (Ian Gibb & Myself) to so many of the European elite was over the moon for Brian and was the first to make us aware of his success, caught up with Brian and the good lady while away with Ian Gibb recently at the Gouden Duif awards where ‘Brian Bolton’ even bought a drink, very rare they tell me, but in all very well done Sir Brian and I hope many more follow a great guy.
Following receipt of the NIPA Open & Section results, I must congratulate my good friend Henry McLaughlin from Coalisland on topping the NIPA Open from Roscrea last week, Henry is proprietor of ‘Blue Devil Lofts’ and owns a superb collection of Hartogs winning for many fanciers around the country and across the water, he also started a very popular corn store a couple of seasons ago, many will have noticed his super stand at the Dublin Show during the winter. Well done to a very worthy and popular winner. Also extended congratulations to Danny Dixon of Ballymoney, simply what a race and what a start to the O/Bird Campaign, I was up seeing Danny at the tale of 2009 and seen the new Y/Bird loft which was near complete, if you thought his performances where strong in the O/Birds to date, I have a strong feeling that the Y/Bird team could very well match if not surpass the lofts excellent achievements to date in 2010, just to mention the loft finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th & 28th Open NIPA 1,180 members sending 28,018 pigeons, just for the fanciers who follows the stats to which I am one, in the corresponding NIPA race from Roscrea last year seen 1,223 members sent 27,770 pigeons, so membership down on last year but birdage up. We are very much aware and continually talk about the dying sport, to which I without hesitation agree, but not for the first time, in watching the patterns across the board have I encountered more pigeons being sent by less competing members, one for thought.
NIPA Section D Result Roscrea 144/3,512 – 1st Doonan & McGuinness, Dromore 1662; 2nd Philip & Joe Boal, Dromore 1651; 3rd J Gregory & Sons, Colin HPS 1649; 4th Doonan & McGuinness 1648; 5th Spence Bros 1639; 6th D Coulter & Son, Glenavy 1639; 7th J Gregory & Sons 1638; 8th Ian Gibb & Sons, Derriaghy 1630; 9th Ian Gibb & Sons, Glenavy 1630; 10th S G Briggs, Lisburn & District 1630; 11th Ian Gibb & Sons 1629; 12th Myles Taylor, Glenavy 1629; 13th J Gregory & Sons, Colin HPS 1629; 14th Jeff Greenaway, Dromore 1628; 15th M & F Russell, West End Dromore 1628; 16th Jeff Greenaway 1628; 17th A T & J Houston, Lisburn & District 1626; 18th S Rice, Colin HPS 1625; 19th R & J Conlane, Kingswood HPS 1624; 20th T G Casement, South Belfast 1621; 21st N & H Hodgen, Dromore 1621; 22nd Doonan & McGuinness 1619; 23rd M Laffin, Lisburn & District 1618; 24th W & R Evans & Leahy, Kingswood HPS 1617; 25th A & J Brown, Dunedin 1615; 26th J Gregory & Sons, Colin HPS 1613; 27th J Gregory & Sons 1613; 28th J Gregory & Sons 1612; 29th Ian Kennedy, Derriaghy 1612; 30th Gordon Parker & Son, Glenavy 1612; 31st Paddy McGarrity, Glenavy 1612; 32nd P & J Boal, Dromore 1611; 33rd P & J Boal, Dromore 1610; 34th Audley & Dougan, South Belfast 1609; 35th Rab Fear, South Belfast 1609; 36th G Parker & Son 1609; 37th Rab Fear 1608; 38th Jeff Greenaway 1606; 39th L Magee & Son, Lisburn & District 1605; 40th K Downey, Dromore 1605; 41st L Magee & Son, Lisburn & District 1605; 42nd O & M Monaghan, Colin HPS 1605; 43rd O & M Monaghan 1604; 44th Ian Gibb & Sons 1603; 45th D McParland, Colin HPS 1603.
Lisburn & District HPS 29/677 - 1st Spence Bros 1559.2, 2nd Willie Joss 1546, 3rd Gary Benson 1523, 4th Spence Bros 1512, 5th A T & J Houston 1511, 6th Mark Laffin 1509, 7th Sam Briggs 1503, 8th Mark Laffin 1499, 9th L Magee & Son 1499, 10th H Browne 1472. Following a 5th & 8th Club from Tullamore in the first race of 2010, they father and son team Brian & Roy have never looked back scoring 1st Club for the third consecutive race in the ‘Big Club’ as it’s known locally. More importantly as things stand they look good for top Section honours a point of a yard ahead of last weeks NIPA Section D winners Doonan & McGuinness of Dromore. In this same corresponding race last year Spence Bros recorded 1st Club 699 pigeons finishing 4th Section D, they have raced a top team of pigeons for many years in Lisburn and are without doubt the team to beat each week within the town. Nice also to see the hard working Willie Joss climbing up the leader board finishing runner-up ahead of the French Specialist Gary Benson, also must mention my former Largymore Club Mate Alan Houston who is performing well in the strong and competitive Lisburn & District HPS.
Dromore HPS 12/496 – 1st Doonan & McGuinness 1559, 2nd Doonan & McGuinness 1557, 3rd Doonan & McGuinness 1555, 4th P & J Boal 1554, 5th Doonan & McGuinness 1532, 6th Mr & Mrs Gerald Delaney 1506, 7th Jeff Greenaway 1504, 8th Mr & Mrs Gerald Delaney 1504, 9th B & M McCorriston 1502, 10th Jeff Greenaway 1502. I reported last week that I had a feeling I would be calling back to the lofts of Doonan & McGuinness before the end of September following the loft finishing 1st NIPA Section D last week from Roscrea, although I never for one minute thought I would be calling the following week, this is without any doubt the top performance in Section D of the NIPA this weekend in my opinion, Rowan assisted by son Wayne dispatched a team of 29 to this weeks race from Clonmel, against 11 fellow club mates, who are some of the best fanciers in the business, Rowan & Wayne got three arrivals together getting the first pigeon through the trap at 10.24am flying 154 miles, the winner a Blue Yearling cock, who was enjoying his second race of the O/Bird Campaign having only completed two races as a youngster him being a Natural one. I asked Wayne was this a normal procedure for the loft, reference a couple of races as youngsters and then left aside, he went on to explain that the Doonan & McGuinness team race around 30 youngsters during the Y/Bird season all of which will be Darkness youngsters they also take around a further 20 – 25 youngsters and have them Natural, these Natural babies will get a couple of races with the NIPA to learn them about the transporter and breaking from a mass liberation. Wayne went on to explain that over the last couple of seasons he has noticed that the Natural babies mature much better as Yearlings and certainly the results to date would agree, last weeks Section winner was on its third race of its career, this week just pipped for the Section by one on its fourth race of its racing career. The winner is a Blue Yearling Cock and is from the Cock Crow Stud’s famous Janssen and Van Loon family owned by Wayne which have bred so many good pigeons over the years just no for them but a number of fanciers around the country he is of a ½ sister, ½ brother pairing, 2nd pigeon into the trap was their good 4 year old racer who has scored no less than 7 times in both NIPA Section and NIPA Open results, including finishing 1st Section from Fermoy as a two year old once again Janssen and Van Loon Breeding, third pigeon into the trap of the three that arrived to the lofts together was a Grizzle once again Janssen & Van Loon bloodlines. Now this was yet again one of the Natural youngsters and he was enjoying just his fourth race of his racing career two as a youngster and two as a yearling this season. The Janssens where purchased from Ponderosa by Wayne Doonan of the Crow Crow Stud and the Van Loons from Bolton & Williamson. It was a good weekend for Wayne Doonan and his Stud for Simon Millar topped Randalstown HPS with one the same way bred as Doonan & McGuinness’s second pigeon into the clock, Wayne was telling me that Simon purchased 6 youngsters last year and of the six four were prize winners. Philip & Joe Boal who live close by to Rowan & Wayne finish 5 yards behind in fourth spot timing yet again a hen of their famous Willy Van Herck family. Philip and Joe are performing exceptionally well this season also, and even though finishing 4th Club, this yearling hen will be in the top twenty of the NIPA Open Result with around 28,000 pigeons competing, which just shows the strength of the Dromore HPS Club. Doonan & McGuinness are fifth ahead of Mr & Mrs Gerald Delaney of Oroory Hill Stud who complete the top six.
Hills & Maze 10/273 - 1st A & R Milliken 1526, 2nd Carson Lyons 1523, 3rd Lavery Bros 1506, 4th Carson Lyons 1500, 5th Carson Lyons 1497, 6th S Grainger & Son 1491, 7th H Jennings & Sons 1486, 8th Lavery Bros 1479, 9th Henry Jennings & Sons 1478, 10th E & K Lavery 1475. Well done to Andy & Ryan on topping the Club this week from Clonmel, Carson Lyons is starting to make a move with a good team performance.
Dromara HPS – 1st McKinstry Bros 1517, 2nd McKinstry Bros 1485, 3rd Russell Bros 1453, 4th N Black & Son 1445, 5th Cromie & Magee 1424, 6th Walker Bros 1407. Very well done to McKinstry Bros on topping the Dromara Club, called at the loft of McKinstry Bros previously and was very impressed with the set up which was confined to a very small back garden. Also taking into consideration the small amount of pigeon activity around the area to which the lofts are sited, means the birds are more times than not navigating on their own way home. They are a superb force, second success of the season for the brothers who also finish 2nd Club ahead of the Russell Bros team who finish in third, in the corresponding race last season the McKinstry loft finished 2nd, 3rd, & 4th, they went one better this year and thanks to David Black for the result.
Dunedin HPS 12/302 – 1st Colin Coates & Son 1514, 2nd Colin Coates & Son 1484, 3rd BCT Foulis & Son 1476, 4th Robert Cowan 1474; 5th G McCartney & Son 1473, 6th G McCartney & Son 1466, 7th G McCartney & Son 1463, 8th Kincaid & McCann 1463, 9th Kincaid & McCann 1454, 10th Kincaid & McCann 1454. Colin tops the Dunedin Club this week with a flyer, finishing 8th & 9th Club last week the loft has produced a super result this week from Clonmel taking 1st and 2nd Club. The McCartney loft are flying consistently flying well, had the pleasure of meeting Geordie at the tale of last year, and will know doubt knowing his approach continue to press for the Red Card.
Glenavy HPS 436 pigeons sent – 1st Paddy McGarrity 1504, 2nd Paddy McGarrity 1503, 3rd Myles Taylor 1502, 4th T & G Kennedy 1495, 5th E Russell 1493, 6th E Russell 1476, 7th Ian Gibb & Sons 1472, 8th Paddy McGarrity 1470, 9th Paddy McGarrity 1470, 10th Paddy McGarrity 1456. Well what can you say about the performance of Paddy McGarrity, five in the first 10 in the strong Glenavy Club including 1st & 2nd. A very tight Club to win, with four races past we have four different winners. Now Paddy is the current defending Top Prize Winner who had a fantastic season last year, in this corresponding race he took the first four in the Club finishing 2nd NIPA Section D. That was just one of a number of electrifying performances, Myles Taylor who has proved his worth year in year out at the start of many O/Bird campaigns is starting to press at the top of the leader board having finished 4th last week against 546 pigeons. The T & G Kennedy team having already topped the Club this year from Tullamore and are pushing yet again for another Red Card, in what is proving one of the most competitive Clubs within NIPA Section D this year. The Glenavy 2 Bird – 1st Gordon Parker & Son 1452, 2nd Johnston & McCandless 1429 and 3rd the loft of E Russell 1402.
Derriaghy HPS 10/258 – 1st Ian Gibb & Sons 1496, 2nd Ian Kennedy 1467, 3rd Ian Kennedy 1463, 4th Ian Gibb & Sons 1462, 5th Ian Gibb & Sons 1460, 6th Rickey McCullough 1459. One of the top starts to the season for Ian & Peter Gibb that’s makes it four on the trot, and when you consider last season this corresponding race was to be their first Red Card on the sheet, which proves a sound success and achievement by the loft in question. Not easy trying to run a stud and race pigeons especially with some 1,000 pigeons housed at the lofts. But despite that they are achieving exceptional success to date and this week top the Club with yet again one of their exceptional of Marijka Vink family which to date are proving their worth just not with the Ian Gibb & Sons racing team but many others both in the Ireland and further afield the same pigeon finished 2nd Club last week. I hear the boys are having a sale in Manchester come October with the Ace Auctioneer Les Green, rest assured I have seen the team of stock going over to Manchester un-matched in recent years, superb. On finishing good to see Ian ‘Wildermeesch’ Kennedy starting to perform pushing ever closer to Red card Status.
Kingswood HPS – 1st Jackie Carson 1467, 2nd R & J Conlane 1460, 3rd C & J Long & Son 1451, 4th E Salmon 1450, 5th R & J Conlane 1448, 6th Eddie Burton 1447, 7th J Galbraith & Son (Jnr) 1446, 8th C & J Long & Son 1445, 9th C & J Long & Son 1445, 10th R & J Conlane 1425. Very Well done to Jackie who tops the club this weekend from Clonmel, he is without doubt a very popular winner, the Conlane partnership came close to making it two weeks on the trot following their 1st Club last week finishing 19th Section D against 3,512 pigeons a super performance. Colin Long is never far away chasing his third victory of the season which won’t be to far away,
Kingswood 2 Bird Club – 1st R & J Conlane 1460, 2nd R & J Conlane 1448; A super result for the loft finishing 1st & 2nd in the 2 Bird Club, takes some picking but the aforementioned partnership have it mastered from Clonmel.
South Belfast 9/155 – 1st Audley & Dougan 1466, 2nd R Kenna 1445, 3rd Rab Fear 1443, 4th Rab Fear 1443, 5th R Kenna 1442. Very well done to the Audley & Dougan team who record a 1st from Clonmel into South Belfast. The loft is racing well and finished 34th Section last week from Roscrea with some 3,500 pigeons competing.
As we go to press on Sunday evening at mid-night this is all of the current Section D results at hand. If you are not mentioned simple I didn’t get it, to have your Section D club in the Column please email the result celestiallofts@aol.com or phone me on 028 92 604778 leaving your result on the answer phone or contact Homer on 028 256 44683 who in turn will contact me, also if you have a photo of the winner all the better.
Adie McCormick
http://www.pigeonnetwork.com
email celestiallofts@aol.com
028 92 604778.
What a performance by the inform team of Rowan & Wayne Doonan flying with Dromore Section Winners last week and won’t be far away this week again taking the first three in the Club.
Ian Gibb pictured at the new Gibb & Byrne Lofts holding this weeks winner, what a start to 2010 in Derriaghy winning four out of four.
Pictured on May Day Monday morning, working hard for the Fancier’s Combine, John Parr, Geoff Douglas & Joe Brown.
Pictured at basketing for the May Day Race from Kildare on Monday morning Eddie McAlinden of Banbridge & Trevor Greenaway.
You can never miss taking a snap of this father & son team when out and about pictured at the Fanciers Combine basketing, they are Del and Ronnie Williamson winner of 55 x 1st Open NIPA.
Tom Wilson of Gilford and Robert Major of Corcreeney have both enjoyed success previously with the Fancier Combine at looking for more in the Mad Day Race.
Mark Brown had the job of driving to Kildare with the 1,800 entry for the May Day Fancier’s Combine event, will cover the result in next weeks column.