Plaudren/Vannes Kings Cup - 03/07/10

[willie reynolds]

Around South Down with Brendan McLoughlin

Hall of Fame for D Croskery & Son

The Blue Riband event of the pigeon calendar, The Kings Cup was held on Saturday 3rd July from Plaudrens in France. The race originally scheduled for the Friday was delayed for 24 hours due to heavy rain in France. Saturday morning was much better and the birds were released at 7.30am, in a light north wind, turning southwest around the south of England and strengthening en route. The earliest bird reported and the eventual winner was by Reilly & Martin, Bray at 16.49.

The winner of the South Down Federation was D Croskery & Son Annsborough, who picked up a much sought after Hall of Fame for a bird timed three times in the result from the King’s Cup. This year there were 3 Hall of Fame winners in the Irish National Flying Club and this is pretty impressive given that the King’s Cup was cancelled in both 2007 and 2008.

The Hall of Fame winner is a five-year-old white Busschaert hen bred by Tyrella’s D McNabb & Ptrs who are 3rd Fed themselves in this race. In 2006 this bird was 140th Open, in 2009 she was 193rd Open and this year she was 88th Open. As a young bird she was badly busted up in a pre season training toss from Rathfriland but they managed to get her back on the road before the end of the young bird season and she got three young bird races. She has picked up a few other prizes along the way with the best being 6th Fed in the Friendship National in 2007.

This hen was sent to all her King’s Cup races sitting around 14 days on eggs, as this seems to suit her. When I was talking to Dolen and Dominic they were very quick to point out that this prize and the numerous others they have won would not be possible but the attention that Josie (Dominic’s wife and Dolen’s mother) gives to the pigeons.

Second Fed, also timing on the day goes to Annsborough’s James Cleland so often referred to as Mr National, and here he lives up to that name. James is 107th Open here with a three-year-old hen that is a daughter of the cock that was 3rd National Fougeres when there were only three birds on the day. The dam is a half sister of the sire. The pigeon timed here is also a half sister of James’ first and third pigeon in the Kings Cup last year when he was second Fed. She was sent to this race to come home to chipping eggs.
D McNabb & Ptrs Tyrella are 3rd Fed here timing at 6.10am on the second day to take 178th Open. This was a very satisfying race for the McNabb partnership having bred the Hall of Fame winner for D Croskery & Son and then timing themselves to make the Open result. The pigeon timed here is a two-year-old cock bred by former King’s Cup winner Jackie Crossan Downpatrick. This bird was sent sitting 8 days on eggs.

Telford Bros Tyrella are 4th Fed, 202nd Open here. Colin and Alan who were 3rd Open in the King’s Cup from Redon in 2002 when there were only two South Down Fed pigeons on race time (the other was to James Cleland). The parents of the bird timed here were bought from Colin Gibson, Dromara. This two-year-old cock was sent to this race on his first eggs of the year and they were just chipping.

Gallagher Bros Annsborough had a great race here with three birds in the Fed result in a race where many failed to time at all. The Gallaghers have a wonderful record from French racing and this is where all their efforts are geared towards. Their first bird was 211th Open and is a six-year-old hen that is a sister of the bird timed by James Cleland. This bird was timed on the night last year but was just outside the prizes. This was actually her fourth time sent to the King’s Cup but of course they were brought home twice in that period. She was sent sitting 13days on eggs.

Their second pigeon was a two-year-old cock and a grand son of ‘Home Alone’ the only pigeon on the Day from the Sartilly Friendship National in 2000. The nesting condition for this bird is much the same as their first bird.

The third pigeon is again from their own old breeding and is another from ‘Home Alone’ bloodlines. This one is a two –year-old hen.
Annsborough’s Mickey Croskery has two in the Fed result timing at 7.22am and 8.25am on the second day. The first of these is 232nd Open and is a five-year-old cock that was 1st Open East Down Combine from Talbenny in 2008. Mickey sent this cock to the Friendship National last year and she homed just out of race time. This bird is out of the number one hen obtained from J Jobey and a son of his good old ash hen.

His second pigeon was 9th section, 14th Open and 10th Classic from Penzance this year. It is a ½ De Richt while the dam is a De Klak from the Croskerys old stock. This bird was in the first three to Mickey’s loft in all the channel races this year.

The result is completed by Annsborough’s M Croskery & Son timing at 9.38am to continue a great run of form. This bird is out of the ‘Broken wing’ cock and a hen from Mr & Mrs Girvan Newry. This pair has been responsible for many winners for this loft. The pigeon timed here is a three-year-old hen that was 1st club, 3rd Fed, 37th section and 48th Open in the young Bird National from Penzance in 2007. As a yearling she was 7th club in the Yearling National just missing out on an Open position. Last year she was 169th section, 213th Open in the Kings Cup and will be aiming for a Hall of Fame next year.

Full Result: 1, D Croskery & Son Annsborough 1017; 2, J Cleland Annsborough 964; 3, D McNabb & Ptrs Tyrella 815; 4, Telford Bros Tyrella 790; 5, Gallagher Bros Annsborough 782; 6, 7, M Croskery Annsborough 765 8.25am; 8, M Croskery & Son Annsborough 9.38am; 9, 10, Gallagher Bros Annsborough 10.52am, 11.53am:

* A new DTW starts this week from 1st Navan. All lofts wishing to enter must do so on the week they first race their young birds. If joining after the first race they must pay back to the first race.