How pleased I was to meet up with the Midlands National Flying Club Ace Keith Morgan of Warsop (Morgan & Elton) who recently flew in to view the exquisite lofts that have been newly built and erected at the Gibb & Byrne Stud in Lisburn.
Ian Gibb of the Gibb & Byrne Stud pictured with the Midlands Ace Keith Morgan of Warsop inside one of the new lofts, Keith made a visit to view the new lofts and re-handle some of his prized pigeons now housed at the Gibb & Byrne Stud in Ireland.
Keith Morgan as many will know had a year to remember in 2008 for he finished the Combined Average Winner, the O/Bird Average Winner and the Long Distance Average Winner in the Midlands National Flying Club in 2008 also he won the O/Bird Averages, Y/Bird Averages, Channel Averages, Combined Averages and Bird of the Year just not in the Midlands South Road Classic Club but also the Nott’s and Derby Border Federation, also to crown off a record year which included a record number of 1st’s he won a Gold Medal in each of the Channel Championship Races both from Fourgeres and Messac in the O/Birds and also won a Gold Medal from Picauville in the Y/Birds. Keith over recent times has become a good friend of Ian Gibb’s and Ian has purchased many of Keith Morgan’s top pigeons and continues to source pigeons on a yearly basis, these have proved to be an inspiration in such a short space of time as you would come to imagine with the record that the Morgan & Elton partnership have had over recent years at all levels of competition.
An excellent shot of the new lofts erected at the Gibb & Byrne Stud in Lisburn measuring in total 48ft x 16ft fitted out from top to bottom to the highest specification.
The Gibb & Byrne Stud consider themselves to be very fortunate to own some of the best pigeons ever bred and raced over the years by this masterful team that are Morgan and Elton they include the “31 Cock”, “The 47 Hen”, “Champion Dawn”, “The 66 Hen”, The 10 Cock” these just to name a few. With very few of this family ever coming onto the market demand is very high for what is regarded as a class family of award winning pigeons that are doing it from every distance right to the 500 mile mark, with of course Keith winning the Long Distance Average Award in 2008 with the Midlands National Flying Club this was judged on the best average achieved from Bergerac & Saintes which was a combined distance of 1098 to the Morgan & Elton lofts in Warsop.
“The Champion 31 Cock” what a pigeon winner of 23rd Open Midlands National Tours 412 miles, 32nd Open Mid National Leferte Berriard 6,940 birds 350 miles; 37th Open Mid Nat Tours; 91st Open Mid National Picauville 12,921 birds; 1st Open MSR Classic Gold Medal Award; 1st Open MSR Classic Falaise 300 miles; 6th Open MSR Classic Le Mans; 7th Open MSR Classic Falaise; 7th Open MSR Classic Fourgess; 1st Open Notts/Derby Border Exeter 204 miles; 10th Open MSR Classic Fourgess; 15th Open MSR Classic Falaise; 10th Open MSR Classic Seaton 260 miles; 16th Open MSR Classic Nantes 411 miles also 2 x 1st Federation these are only main results in total he won £9,500 racing with Morgan & Elton and now owned by Gibb & Byrne.
“The 47 Hen” raced by Morgan & Elton of Warsop and winner of 2nd Midlands National Le Ferte Bernard 7,000 pigeons flying 350 miles; 19th Open Midlands National Tours; 21st Open Midlands National Picauville 13,000 pigeons flying 264 miles; 105th Open Midland National Picauville, 37th Open Midlands National Guernsey; Twice 1st Federation winning a T.V and Video and £4,500 in tow years of racing. Also dam of “Champion Dawn” both owned by Gibb & Byrne.
“Champion Dawn” What a Breeder - She has bred 5 x 1st Federation winners, also a 1st & 2nd Open EDC for John Patterson of Ballylesson in total she has bred 10 x 1st Prize Winners to four different cocks. Owned by Gibb & Byrne. Dam of “Dawn” is “The 47 Hen”
As previously mentioned Keith arrived in Lisburn to see the new lofts that had been built at the Gibb & Byrne Stud and what a spectacle they are in total the combined lofts measure 48ft x 18ft with tiled roofs and are fully coated in Mahogany PVC with purpose built Velux Windows fitted along the front and on the roofs with fitted aviaries along the full length of the back. A great level of thought was put into the lofts in the way that they are designed internally, with many sections within sections so to speak, and all leading one way or another to the aviaries at the back. They as you would come to imagine with the way that Gibb & Byrne go about things are fitted out to the highest standard from the roof to the floor, many trips to the continent have paid off for when entering the lofts you are theoretically taking a step into some of the finest lofts that are available in Europe and full credit must be given to all parties involved on what has turned out an utterly brilliant job of the highest perfection.
A nice snap of some of the Van Hove (Uytterhoeven) and Frans Van Tilborgh pigeons settling into their new environment.
Ian Gibb pictured during a visit to Kees Bosua’s (L) also in the frame is Guy Van Der Auwera. (Centre)
Of course it is no less than what such class stock pigeons deserve, as the Gibb & Byrne Stud have visited and purchased many class pigeons from many of the leading lights in Europe including KEES BOSUA lines of the DE KEES, KLEINE FIGO & THE KANNIBAAL also the incredible MARIJKA VINK of Holland, then we have HUGO KIPP who has been the Long-Distance Champion of Germany a massive 7 times. Some exceptional pigeons have been sourced from ANDREAS DRAPA - Middle Distance Champion off Germany also from Belgium they own many outstanding pigeons from the GEERT VAN HOVE-UYTTERHOEVEN team winners of 5 x 1st Nationals and 7 x New Cars, also recently they have purchased a complete round of pigeons from the electrifying FRANS VAN TILBORGH, also they own an incredible collection of the HERMAN CEUSTERS Dynasty from MARINA VANDEVELDE which includes no less than nine direct children from the Champion that is “SAMSON”. Of course we can not forget about were it all started and one of the families that continues to produce winners year in year out at all levels of competition are the Jos Soontjens, the Gibb & Byrne Stud are Europe’s No 1 Source for Direct Jos Soontjens and are home to many of the modern day champions including “THE STATESMAN”, “MISS ATOM”, “THE SCHOULAR”, “THE BL WITPEN”, “THE STUD”, “THE DANDY COCK”, “DE 916” also “CHAMPION STRAUSS” a winner of multiple 1sts and four RPRA Awards these just a few of a vast amount of class pigeons belonging to this exceptional family at stock. Must also mention, that the Gibb & Byrne Stud have a vast collection of pigeons also sourced from Ganus & Fox over the last number of years. The pigeon from Peter Fox were responsible for the Gibb & Byrne team winning the Europa Classic One Loft Race in 2007 and a cool £30,000 with “Champion Pacemaker” Also during 2008 the Gibb & Byrne team purchased one of the best racing pigeons ever in the EDC bred and raced by none other than the masterful John Patterson of Ballylesson he was "The 147" winner of 1st Club, 1st Section, 1st Open EDC Skibbereen Classic 1,187 Birds; 1st Club, 3rd Section, 4th Open EDC Fermoy 6,107 birds; 2nd Club, 6th Section, 6th Open EDC Thurles 4,894 Birds; 1st Club, 1st Section, 1st Open EDC Thurles 6,312 pigeons; 1st Club, 1st Section, 3rd Open EDC Tullamore 3,833 Birds. Plus Many more positions. The "147" was also EDC Bird of the Year in 2006. The team also purchased the full brother to "The 147" namely "The 718" who was a winner of 1st Club, 1st Section and 1st Open East Down Combine Mallow 5,541 pigeons.
"The 147" now owned by the Gibb & Byrne Stud winner of 1st Club, 1st Section, 1st Open EDC Skibbereen Classic; 1st Club, 3rd Section, 4th Open EDC Fermoy 6,107 birds; 2nd Club, 6th Section, 6th Open EDC Thurles 4,894 Birds; 1st Club, 1st Section, 1st Open EDC Thurles 6,312 pigeons; 1st club, 1st Section, 3rd Open EDC Tullamore 3,833 Birds. Plus Many more positions. The "147" was also EDC Bird of the Year in 2006. Bred and raced by John Patterson of Ballylesson.
“ Champion Strauss” Needs no introduction winner of a host of 1st Prizes and Sections including 4 x RPRA Awards he is Sire, G.Sire and G.G.Sire to countless winners all over the U.K. The Gibb & Byrne Stud also own the parents of him as well.
Both partners run very successful feeding business Henry Byrne in the Southern Ireland and Ian Gibb in Northern Ireland, Ian also works Full-Time for Bombardier Aerospace as a Supervisor which can see him work considerable long hours with early morning starts and many late evenings, fortunately Ian has a very able son in Peter who looks after the day to day running of the Feed business and looks after the many pigeons within the Stud especially at this time of the year and more so this year with many of the leading stock pairs now moved within the new lofts and all the work that is involved getting them used to new boxes etc.
With all this in mind and the awesome amount of work involved it doesn’t leave much time for racing pigeons, but all in all Ian Gibb & Sons had another successful year flying with the Derriaghy HPS, I count in the last couple of years with little effort they have been top prize winners with a total of 31 x 1st’s in all competition and of course three RPRA Awards under their belt. Some of their results for 2007 and 2008 are as follows excluding the awesome list of Club results:-
2007 Old Birds NIPA – Roscrea 22nd Sect D 133/3,100, velocity 1318. Barley Cove Yearling Hen 5th Sect D and 90th Open NIPA 278/1,035, velocity 1067. Mallow 5 Bird Championship 2nd Sect D and 10th Open NIPA 534/2,272, velocity 1343 plus £330.
2007 Young Birds NIPA – Roscrea 1st Sect D and 3rd Open NIPA 547/14,785, velocity 1934. Clonmel 2nd & 13th Sect D and 37th & 103rd Open NIPA 23,014 birds competing, velocity 1260. Pilmore Beach 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th & 12th Sect D and 15th, 19th, 21st, 23rd, 26th & 28th Open NIPA 846/16,880, velocity 1528. Tullamore 26th & 41st Sect D and 119th & 150th Open NIPA 421/8,219, velocity 1026. Fermoy 29th & 38th Sect D and 118th & 157th Open NIPA 715/11,440, velocity 1236. Fermoy 5 Bird Championship – 4th & 6th Sect D and 29th & 42nd Open NIPA 327/1,369 plus £280. Rosscarbery Nat 11th & 16th Sect D and 49th, 71st, 174th & 207th Open NIPA 536/4,143 plus £320.
Irish National FC 2007 – Skibbereen North YB Nat (246 miles) – 19th, 39th, 157th & 159th North Sect and 19th, 39th, 157th & 159th Open INFC 450/4,011 plus £250.
2008 Old Birds NIPA – Mullingar 22nd Section D 98/1685; Tullamore 10th Section D 111/2244 105th Open 1015/19,496; Roscrea 3rd Section D 136/2735 12th Open 1184/23,557; Clonmel 16th Section D 137/3193 108th Open 1191/26149; Pilmore Beach 31st Section D 139/3241; Talbenny (1) 22nd Section 108/1740 and Talbenny (2) 12th Section D 115/1411.
2008 Young Birds NIPA – Tullamore 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Section D, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th & 19th Open 99/2323; Tullamore (2) 9th Section D 38th Open NIPA 1024/26,833; Tullamore (3) 14th, 24th and 35th Section D 62/1309 130th Open NIPA 683/15,941; Pilmore Beach 21st Section D 158th Open NIPA 962/23,023; Mullingar 9th Section D, 91st Open 623/4,175; Tullamore (4) 1st Section D 58th Open NIPA 515/10,476 and Rosscarbery Y/Bird National 1st Section D finishing 6th Open 535/4329 pigeons.
Irish National FC 2008 – Skibbereen North OB Nat (246 Miles) – 6th North Section and 6th Open winning £379 354/2413.
“Kevin” winner of the RPRA Y/B Performer of the Year 2007 (All U.K) also winner of the RPRA Irish Region 0 - 250 mileage Award (O/B’s and Y/B’s) and the RPRA Irish Region Y/B Performer of the Year 2007. Raced by Ian Gibb & Sons.
Many fanciers will recall the success of Champion “Kevin” last year for Ian Gibb & Sons he was the Irish Region RPRA winner of the 0 - 250 Mile Award, The Irish Region RPRA Best Single Y/B Performer 2007 and went on to be the over all Best Y/B in the RPRA 2007 which netted the partnership the very highly sought after “Massarella Cup” The Blue Cheq Cock won the following positions Tullamore 1st Club, 2nd Section 11th Open 5,422 birds; Roscrea 1st Club, 1st Section 3rd Open 14,785 birds; Pilmore Beach 4th Club, 8th Section, 21st Open 16,880 birds; Tullamore 1st Club, 26th Section 119th Open 8,219 birds; Fermoy 1st Club, 29th Section, 118th Open 11,440 birds; Fermoy Five Bird 1st Club, 4th Section, 29th Open; Skibbereen North INFC 1st Club, 159th Open 4,011 birds. Well “Kevin” was put onto the road in 2008 to make sure it was no fluke and he duly obliged before being retired to the stock loft from Roscrea in 2008 he finished 1st Club, 3rd Section D 136/2735 and finished 12th Open NIPA with 1184 sending 23,557 pigeons.
Many thanks to the Gibb & Byrne team for their hospitality and invite down to firstly view the new lofts and secondly to handle the many stock pigeons and to put the icing on the cake this was my first time meeting up with the Midlands National Ace Keith Morgan and I am already looking forward to meeting up once again come Blackpool in 2 weeks time.