Sennen Cove Yearling Nat 2011 -

[willie reynolds]

Sennen Cove Yearling National 2011.

UPDATE ON SUNDAY 5th JUNE 2011 AT 20.00 HOURS.
RACE MARKING WILL TAKE PLACE AS PLANNED ON MONDAY FOR A POSSIBLE RELEASE ON WEDNESDAY

FURTHER DETAILS ARE IN THE RACE ENTRY BOOKLET.

The INFC Yearling Nat is kindly sponsored once again by Samuel McCausland Ltd, almost 5,000 birds were race marked at the Danescroft Equestrian Centre in Lisburn on Monday 6th June. The forecast is for a difficult week but the hope is for a possible release on the appointed day, Wednesday. Last weekend we had the most difficult races to date, Talbenny had around half returns on the day with only a handful getting up into Derry City. Irish SR Fed had over 4,000 birds released in Sennen Cove and had less that 100 back on the day. Wednesday is the next big decision day, good luck to all those involved.

Call back later for liberation details and early times from around Ireland. HOMER.

The Yearling National pigeons have been heldover today Wednesday.

This is due to force 6 West north/westerly winds on the channel, heavy downpours and thunder on route.
852 members have entered 4878 pigeons. Next update Thursday.

852 MEMBERS HAVE ENTERED 4877 PIGEONS AND ARE COMPETING FOR £35,933.00 STG. POOLS AND PRIZEMONEY.

THURSDAY. THE PIGEONS HAVE BEEN RELEASED AT 07.30 WIND AT THE RELEASE SITE WAS LIGHT WEST / NORTH / WESTERLY AND ON ROUTE WILL BE WESTERLY.

STOPPED CLOCKS - CONTACT NUMBERS FOR STATION MANAGERS ARE PRINTED IN YOUR RACE ENTRY FORM BOOKLET.

[willie reynolds]

We have the leading positions in both North & South Sections, all provisional and subject to correction till the race cards are at hand and the official result is published.

North Section – 1 B Creaney Drumcree 1231.8, 2 Buckley, Buckley & Craig 1231.0, 3 P Brown & Son 1223, 4 W G Neill 1203, 5 D Campbell 1198, 6 J Crossan 1197, 7 E Mallon & Sons 1175, 8 D Thompson & Son 1173, 9 Stewart Bros 1172, 10 T & A Ford 1172.

South Section - 1 J Prenter Sallynoggin 1270.28, 2 J Doody & Son & Daughter 1257, 3 E O'Brien 1241, 4 D Larkin 1237, 5 J McLoughlin 1235, 6 L Raffety 1223, 7 K Hodginson 1222, 8 P Kennedy & Son 1221, 9 A Knowles & Son 1217, 10 N Deegan 1217.

John Prenter looks like the winner and the Sallynoggin loft breaks Novice Status, a race to remember for him recording velocity 1270. Some 450 birds were recorded on the day and all positions have been filled. A further up-date will be posted on Sunday.

Muckamore Centre – Stewart Bros Randalstown 1172, C Cameron Ballyclare 1170, B Ramsey Harryville 1155, D & R Turkington Doagh & Dist 1141, N J Arthurs Ballycarry 1127, L Savage & Son Eastway 1125, Horner & Scott Windsor Social 1123, N Armstrong Shankill 1101, W Bleeks Coalisland 1098, M/M B McNeilly Doagh & Dist 1094, C Moore New Antrim 1058, H Nevin Coleraine Prem 1050, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1041, G McStravick Muckamore 1033, N Armstrong 1031, G & C Lowry Kingsmoss 1031, H Nevin 1006, W Scott Cullybackey 1001, C & L Woodside Ballyclare 985, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 976, L Mullan Harryville 975, D Dixon Rasharkin 969, A Darragh Cullybackey 962, J Harkness Glenavy 958, W Bleeks 956, A Thompson Ballyclare 956, A Thompson 955, D Lowry & Sons Ahoghill 953, C & L Woodside 947, Connor Bros Kingsmoss 946, S & A Leitch Doagh & Dist 943, W Scott 938, J & N Simpson Broughshane 932, A Gault Ballyclare 932, J Millar & Son Harryville 932, C & L Woodside 932, R Duddy 929, Nevin Bros Coleraine Prem 923, L Mullan 923, J Kirk Ballyclare 921, J & N Simpson 921, S & A Leitch Doagh & Dist 921, B O’Rawe Ballymena 921, C & L Woodside 908, B & S McConnell Cookstown 908, T McCrudden Coleraine & Co Derry 899, J Harkness 891, Horner Bros & Son Ballyclare 891, Stewart Bros 888, T Cairns & Sons Glengormley 882.

North-south Federation Sennen Cove 26/155 – M Maguire & Son 1138, P Byrne 1121, Donnelly Bros 925, Havern Bros 899, J Murtagh 892, M Maguire & Son 873, A McAteer & Sons 849, Havern Bros 831, G Hughes & Son 808, A Curran 784.

Ban Federation Sennen Cove – C McArdle & Son, M/M G Mallon & Son, E Mallon & Son, E Mallon & Son, C McArdle & Son, E McAlinden, T Lennon, C McArdle & Son.







Stewart Bros from Randalstown had pride of place in the INFC Yearling Nat flown from Sennen Cove on Thursday 9th June after a one day delay due to weather problems. From an entry close on 5,000 birds just around 450 birds made home lofts on the day of liberation. Stewart Bros flying to The Grange near Toomebridge timed the early arrival at 15.42hrs following release at 7.30am in a Lt West NW wind to record velocity 1172 for the 327 miles. They also scored 1st in the competitive Mid Antrim Combine followed by Billy Ramsey who had the big result in Harryville, five birds clocked and another three on the day and Chris Moore who scored a big result in New Antrim timing two arrivals.

Mid Antrim Combine Sennen Cove – Stewart Bros Randalstown 1172, B Ramsey Harryville 1155, C Moore New Antrim 1058, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1041, W Scott Cullybackey 1001, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 976, L Mullan Harryville 975, D Dixon Rasharkin 969, A Darragh Cullybackey 962, D Lowry & Sons Ahoghill 953, W Scott 938, J & N Simpson Broughshane 932, J Millar & Son Harryville 932, L Mullan 923, J & N Simpson 921, B O’Rawe Ballymena 921, Stewart Bros 888, B Ramsey 864, A Darragh Cullybackey 855, W Scott 855, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 850, W & J Smyth Ballymena 845, B Swann & Son Kells 834, Mrs M Smyth Broughshane 824, Stewart Bros 821, J Rock Harryville 817, A Darragh 812, Smyth Bros Ballymena 806, W McIlveen Harryville 803, W McIlveen 802, B Ramsey 799, B Ramsey 790, M Graham Ballymena 775, M/M Robinson Ahoghill 771, B Ramsey 762, C Moore 755, D Houston & Son Broughshane 746.

The INFC Yearling Nat flown from Sennen Cove was a hard fly, flown on Thursday 9th June after a one day hold over due to weather problems, rain and high winds. The best local bird was timed by Cyril Cameron the long distance ace flyer from Ballyclare who timed at 15.42hrs to record velocity 1170 for the 323 miles. D & R Turkington from Doagh & Dist were next best followed by Nigel Arthurs from Ballycarry & Dist.

East Antrim Sennen Cove – C Cameron Ballyclare 1170, D & R Turkington Doagh 1141, N J Arthurs Ballycarry 1127, L Savage & Son Eastway 1125, N Armstrong Ligoniel 1101, M/M B McNeilly Doagh 1094, N Armstrong 1031, G & C Lowry Kingsmoss 1031, C & L Woodside Ballyclare 985, A Thompson Ballyclare 956, A Thompson 955, C & L Woodside 947, Connor Bros Kingsmoss 946, S & A Leitch Doagh 943, A Gault Ballyclare 932, C & L Woodside 932, R Duddy Ballyclare 929, J Kirk Ballyclare 921, S & A Leitch 921, C & L Woodside 908, Horner Bros & Son Ballyclare 891, T Cairns & Sons Glengormley 882, Arthurs & George Ballycarry 879, C & L Woodside 877, G & C Lowry 877, L Houston & Son Ballyclare 875, Connor Bros 872, J Burrows Eastway 838, Arthurs & George 803, R Duddy 748, M/M C Hayes Ballyclare 729.

Club Results INFC Sennen Cove

Annalong – B McConnell 802, 683, 368.

Annsborough – P Brown & Sons 1223, Benson Bros 997, R Shaw 946, M Croskery & Son 920, R J Keown 879, D Croskery & Son 844.

Armagh HPS – A Geraghty 1044, D & C McArdle 899, G Steenson 876.

Ballybrack 17/155 – C & D Fox, C & D Fox, V Kelly.

Ballyholland – Havern Bros 899, J Murtagh 892, A McAteer 849, Havern Bros 831, C O’Hare 754, 689.

Ballymena & Dist – B O’Rawe 921, W & J Smyth 845, Smyth Bros 806, M Graham 775.

Ballymoney 11/61 – D Dixon 969, R J Elliott 832, D & H Stuart 547, 545, W Blair 391. Danny wins the Yearling Nat with a Blue Pied Van Loon, this cock was in the Open Result in last seasons YB National.

Boyne Valley – J O’Brien, D Corrigan, J Sharkey, D Corrigan.

Beechpark Social – R Bothwell 1079, 1038, 1017, R Russell 1001, Dando & Bennett 1000, S & J McCullough 830.

Broughshane – J & N Simpson 932, 921, Mrs M Smyth 825, D Houston & Son 746.

Corcreeney – G & S McMullan 899, J Carson 886, R Adamson 765, 551, McKitterick Bros 483, R Adamson 442.

Dervock RPS – D & H Stuart 547, 545.

Downpatrick 8/50 – J Crossan 1197, 1166, P McCullough & Daughter 1157, J Crossan 1095, N & A McCavera 936, J Crossan 881.

Dromore HPS – J Kelly & Sons, J Kelly & Sons, B & M McCorriston, B & M McCorriston, B & M McCorriston, Doonan & McGuinness.

Dundrum – A Murray & Son, A Murray & Son.

Edgarstown – BBC 1231, T & A Ford 1172, P Dunlop 1044, M Hughes 1017, P Dunlop 1006, J Robinson 927.

Gilford & Dist HPS – D Campbell 1198, T Wilson 1128, T McKinstry 875, G O’Dowd 823, 822, D Campbell 819.

Gorey – M O’Toole 1208, M/M M Gregg & Daughter 1162, D Wilson 1114, 1079, F & J Crowe 1040, M/M M Gregg & Daughter 1009.

Harryville HPS 10/100 – B Ramsey 1155, L Mullan 975, J Millar & Son 932, L Mullan 923, B Ramsey 864, J Rock 817, W McIlveen & Son 803, 802, B Ramsey 799, 790.

Kircubbin – J Hall & Son 800, C Gilmore & Sons 773.

Monaghan – J Graham, J Graham, P Tierney, J Graham. Two birds on the day for James Graham.

Newry & District 8/43 – M Maguire & Son 1138, P Byrne 1121, M Maguire & Son 873, G Hughes & Son 808, M Maguire & Son 745.

Newtown/Kilpedder RPC – M Gilbert 1099, S Shannon 963, Daly Bros 797, J Byrne 371.

Sallynoggin HPS – J Prenter 1270, J Lacey, M Matthews & Sons, R Matthews, R Matthews, R Matthews. Well done John on winning the INFC Yearling Nat.

Skerries – P Rock & Son 1024, A Kelly 973, 935, T Walton 898, Walton Family 874, A Kelly 864.

Stuart Cant RPC – J Doody Son & Daughter 1257, L Rafferty 1223, Maher Bros, J Doody Son & Daughter, L Rafferty, T Kane. Well done John on winning 2nd South Sect & 2nd Open Yearling Nat, also the other club members who featured in the result.

Wilton Cross – G Douglas 1137, 952, S Loughran & Son 820.

[willie reynolds]

Irish National Flying Club Yearling National - Report by Brendan McLoughlin PO.

The Irish National Flying Club held their annual Yearling National from Sennen Cove on Thursday 09 June after a one-day holdover. 853 members sent 4,883 pigeons and were competing for £35,942 in pools and prizemoney.

The race was due to be flown on the Wednesday but due to the adverse weather conditions the birds were held until Thursday, when they were liberated at 7.30am in a light and variable west-northwesterly wind which was to turn westerly on route. With 450 birds recorded on the day this was another tough yearling race.

Last year the winner of the Yearling National was Alan Darragh, Cullybackey who has a very distinguished and successful career at National racing. This year’s winner comes from the other end of the spectrum with the winner John Prenter, from the Sallynoggin club in Dublin winning his first ever race. What a way to break your novice status.

1st South section, 1st Open J Prenter Sallynoggin, Vel 1270; flying 221 miles, winning £1566 and the Nelson Corry Trophy
There is a wonderful story behind the winner of this years Yearling National race with the winner John Prenter winning his first ever race. John just started to keep pigeons last year so this would have been his first attempt at the Yearling National. He readily admits that he is much more of a dog man than a pigeon man but goes on to add that when he tries his hand at something he is very committed to it.

Last year John brought pigeons home from England for his good friend Johnny Gallagher in the Brittania club in Belfast, (John says this win was for you Johnny). Unfortunately at the time Johnny was ill and couldn’t take the pigeons. So John took the pigeons to Dublin, giving some away and keeping the rest. He didn’t have a loft so he converted an 8’ x 6’dog kennel. He bred a few youngsters and that was him started. This year he converted another dog kennel about three months ago to give the birds a bit more space.
John has always had a lot of friends who were pigeon fanciers and has always been around ‘stock men’ of one kind or another. He is very much self-taught with the pigeons and does things his “own way”, as even when he was with pigeon men he would have talked more about the dogs.

John started off the old bird season with 24 birds and still had 18 left going on the channel. He picked up 4 or 5 minor cards down Ireland and was 4th club Pilmore Beach in what was a very difficult race.
The birds are trained twice a day four days a week, once from 40 miles and then from 25 miles, and occasionally they get a third toss at lunch time when they are tossed in twos.
John feeds well and they are given good clean basic food and water. He picks up bits and pieces of medicines and these are given as and when he thinks they are required, followed by a multivitamin. John applies a lot of his knowledge about dogs to the pigeons.
The pigeon timed here is a Catrysse x Jos Thone cock with the sire coming from good friend Russell Alcock, Barton on Trent, Birmingham. The pigeon was sent on chipping eggs having been raced on a mixture of natural and widowhood earlier in the year. John hasn’t got enough space to race full widowhood so he improvised for a few weeks. John has named his National winner ‘Bootsie’ after one of his sons.

John asked that I thank Alan Nulty for his help with the training, Stephen Cunningham for his help with the clock and Ray Matthews for his help on the evening of the race.
Thanks to Brendan McGrane for the photo.


John Prenter with his kids Sean and Rebecca, and his pigeon Bootsie.

2nd South section, 2nd Open J Doody Son and Dtr Stuart Cant, Vel 1257; flying 227 miles winning £1193.

This partnership is made up of John Doody, his son Jonathon and daughter Nicole. They race in the Stuart Cant club in Dublin of which John is the chairman. This club was set up to help the kids in the area. The club has no radius as such and is thriving. There are no fees for children and they are supplied with T3s. The club has 3 sections – seniors, novices and juniors. The popularity of the club is borne out by the fact that they have 14 novices starting in the young birds this year. When I was speaking to John it was obvious that he was very passionate about the club and giving kids a start in the sport.
John himself started racing in 1977 and won Opens from Fortwilliam in 1980 and Skibbereen in 1984 plus numerous other positions from Penzance including 2nd Open 1996 and from Dinard where he was 6th, 10th and 49th Open three years in a row. They were 3rd, 23rd, 36th, 89th, 91st and 99th Open from Sennen Cove with the South Road Fed in 2003 with 2,257 birds competing so they have a good record from this race point The Doodys were 179th Open in this race last year.
John raced a family of Busschaert and Dordin pigeons and it was to these pigeons that he returned when he started back again three years ago.

The pigeon timed here is another cock sent on chipping eggs and was timed at 12.48pm. This bird had only 3 races as a young bird as John prefers to go easy on the youngsters.
John asked me to thank Joe Doheny for all his with the Stuart Cant club and all those who help in any way behind the scenes with the club.


John Doody from the Stuart Cant RPC with his 2nd Open INFC Ylr Nat winner.

3rd South section, 3rd Open E O’Brien Wicklow South Road Club, Vel 1241; flying 200 miles winning £920

In 3rd Open is Eamonn O’Brien of the Wicklow club with a blue cock now known as ‘Blue Billy’. Eamonn races with the South Leinster Federation of which he is the chairman and has now taken on the job of race controller as well. In addition to which he has been club secretary/treasurer of his own club for some 10 years, so you can see he is a great worker for the sport. A painter and decorator by trade his work takes him mainly to Dublin and so he is able to give his birds a 35 to 40 mile toss from there, which he does 3 times a week. Although this makes the birds fly from north to south Eamonn feels that by liberating in the city early in the morning it helps the birds avoid attacks by predators and also helps them orientate better.
Now to ‘Blue Billy’ who is named after Billy Cullimore of Wexford who gifted the parents of ‘Blue Billy’ to Eamonn. This blue yearling cock described by Eamonn as a Cullimore Staf Van Reet went to the Yearling National on chipping eggs and this was his first time across the water. He flew well as a young bird picking up some prizes and both his parents are prizewinners at club level.
Eamonn as well as his own work for the sport races consistently well. Last year in the club he won the Old Bird and Combined Averages and this against some stiff opposition. He says it is the competition in the club that keeps him on his toes. In fact a few days after the Yearling National, he won the club from Bude and should finish well up in the South Leinster Fed.
Eamonn when talking to me took the opportunity to express his thanks to a number of people; his wife Jackie for all her help with the birds, especially the darkened youngsters, Billy Cullimore for all his help and advice and for the gift of the parents of ‘Blue Billy’, his brother in law Tommy Smyth and Reg Gaffney for all their help and advice and to the many people who help in his role as race controller especially Anthony Wall and Mick O’Driscoll and then to all those who have contacted him to congratulate him on his success.


Eamon O'Brien from Wicklow South Road, 3rd South Sect & 3rd Open INFC.

4th South section, 4th Open D Larkin ISRF Finglas, Vel 1237, flying 232 miles winning £994

Derek Larkin from the Finglas club in Dublin is 4th South section, 4th Open and had a great race with 5 birds home, and winning the Sam Buckley Memorial Trophy for the best two bird average. His second pigeon was 12th South section, 15th Open.
Derek started to race pigeons in 1987 and has had a very successful career so far, being the top flyer in the strong Finglas club for the past 4 years and helping the Finglas club to the top club award in the South Road Fed. In the IHU National Flying Club this year Derek won the section in both races from Barley Cove. Then from the Irish National Flying Club Old Bird Inland National from Skibbereen he had another wonderful race with 9 birds in the Open result at 29th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 67th, 78th, 93rd, 130th and 172nd, competing against 4442 birds. In the very difficult race from Sennen Cove with the South Road Fed Derek had the first 4 birds in the Finglas club and had 6 out of the 7 birds timed on the day.

The pigeon timed here at 4th Open is a Soontjens x Janssen cock racing on the roundabout system. Derek likes to race them on the roundabout for the whole year. The Soontjens lines are coming down from ‘Junior’, John Patterson of Ballylesson’s Champion Old Bird. The Janssen lines come down from Gerry McCourt’s ‘Rocket’, a Champion pigeon in the South Road Fed, so this yearling cock is full of Champion bloodlines. The dam also bred an Open winner in the South Road Fed from Barley Cove.

5th South section, 5th Open J McLoughlin Individual South, Vel 1235, flying 231 miles winning £367

Joe McLoughlin from Blanchardstown in Dublin is 5th South section, 5th Open with the first hen in the result. Joe was another fancier who had a great race from the Yearling National with three birds timed. His second pigeon was 65th South section, 172nd Open with his third pigeon just outside the result. The Blanchardstown club is the furthest west in Dublin but Joe has had some great results this year. The Saturday before the Yearling National he was 1st club Pilmore Beach, and was 1st club the week before that from Skibbereen and two weeks before that he was 1st club Waterville – obviously a loft with a lot of form.
Joe was one of the first winners of the Irish National Flying Club’s Triple Crown award in 2009 when his pigeon ‘Daisy Rocket’ won the award having been 49th Open Young Bird National Penzance 2007, 223rd Open Yearling National 2008 and 55th Open King’s Cup in 2009. Joe has previously been 4th and 5th Open in The Irish National Flying Club and has a terrific record in the club.
The pigeon timed here is a Bright blue hen sitting on a two-day-old youngster. The sire is a Janssen x Soontjens down from Derwin Lofts in Baldoyle, while the dam is a Busschaert x Soontjens from pigeons obtained from Tom and Colin Kilpatrick, Killyleagh. Joe races on the roundabout up to Waterville and then the pigeons are put on the Natural system.


Joe McLoughlin from Blanchardstown winner of 5th Open INFC Ylr National.

1st North section, 6th Open B Creaney Drumcree, Vel 1131.8, flying 302 miles, winning £758 and the James McGrugan Memorial Cup

At the time of going to press I have no details on the pigeon timed here but I can say that this loft had a wonderful race winning the James McGrugan Memorial Cup for the winner of the section not winning the Open. With two more birds in the result at 56th North section, 92nd Open and 66th North section 105th Open it was a memorable day for the Drumcree lofts. I hope to have details of the 1st North section pigeon for next week’s edition.

2nd North section, 7th Open Buckley, Buckley and Craig Edgarstown, Vel 1231.07, flying 302 miles, winning £497

This partnership is made up of Eric Buckley, his son Simon and his cousin Sam Craig and they are known locally as BBC. They race in the Edgarstown club just outside Portadown. Eric is a cousin of Glen Buckley and both their fathers were pigeon men so this is a family steeped in the pigeon tradition. They had 11 pigeons in the race and clocked three of them. They race into an 18ft loft and had 45 birds at the beginning of the old bird season which is a modest team by today’s standards but to ensure that only the best birds are retained all old birds must all fly Penzance to earn their perch.
The pigeon at 7th Open here is a Janssen x Soontjens cock sent sitting on chipping eggs. Interestingly their second pigeon was his sister that was actually paired to him. The Janssen lines are from their own bloodlines with the Soontjens coming from Capper Bros of Bondhill. The dam has bred pigeons to be 4th and 6th in the Yearling National and the dam herself topped the Centre twice from Skibbereen.

The birds are raced widowhood and then paired up after the NIPA Skibbereen race with the partnership setting their stall out for this race here. The pigeon timed here had that Skibbereen as its last race prior to the Yearling National and was then trained from Clougherhead (40 miles) on the Friday and Balbriggan (50miles) on the Saturday and was then closed up after that. It had every race prior to the Skibbereen race. The Saturday following the Yearling National Buckley, Buckley and Craig were 1st club Bude with a half sister of this cock.

The partnership have asked me to take this opportunity to thank Joe Smyth & Sons Drumnavaddy for all their help over the past couple of years.


The BBC team from Edgarstown from (l), Eric Buckley, Simon Buckley and Sam Craig.


The BBC team bird winner of 7th North Sect & 7th Open Sennen Cove.

6th South section, 8th Open, L Rafferty St Pauls RPC, Vel 1223.62, flying 224 miles, winning £150

Liam Rafferty from St Paul’s club in Dublin is 6th South section, 8th Open. Liam also races in the Stuart Cant club, where he won the Channel averages last year. Liam has been a top flyer in all the clubs he has raced in over the past 30 years. Liam started the season with 52 old birds with 48 of these on the roundabout with a few spares kept for replacements.
The pigeon timed was a gift bird from David Turner of the Finglas club and was one of ten Liam received from David. The breeding is De Klak x Soontjens and is a cock that was sent sitting 7 days on eggs. The birds started the season on the roundabout and were then put back natural for the channel.

This yearling cock had only three races as a young bird and was 1st club in the Stuart Cant club from Pilmore Beach, and has had a few club positions down Ireland this year.


Liam Rafferty from St Paul's RPC, 6th South Sect & 8th Open Yearling Nat.

3rd North section, 9th Open P Brown & Son Annsborough, Vel 1223.31, flying 289 miles, winning £190

This partnership consists of brothers Colin and Willie Brown. This is another family steeped in the pigeon tradition with their brother Patrick racing in partnership with his wife Geraldine in the picturesque village of Annsborough just outside Castlewellan. Patrick was 1st North section Young Bird Skibbereen National last year and has just been 1st and 2nd Open two weeks in a row with the East Down Combine so the pressure was on Collie and Willie to respond with a big result and that is just what they did.

This pigeon was a gift bird from Telford Bros Downpatrick and Tyrella. The Browns were presented with a basket of birds and told to take their pick and this is the one they selected. It is out of pigeons bought at Colin Gibson’s clearance sale. The sire is a half brother to Prunty & Larkin’s National winner. It is a son of ‘Gerard’ Colin Gibson’s No 1 Soontjens stock cock who is responsible for at least ten NIPA section winners and dozens of winners up to National and Derby level. The dam is a wee bit special in her breeding being a daughter of ‘Mr. Perfect’ and ‘Melinda’. She was raced lightly as a young bird and then selected for stock. She is a half sister to ‘Rabbi’ and is off Colin Gibbon’s No 1 Soontjens hen responsible for 30 plus 1st prizes. She is a sister and a half sister to 5 section winners in the NIPA.

The pigeon timed here is a cock who had been sitting on eggs and then given chipping eggs on the Sunday. He had all races up to and including the Skibbereen National and was 6th South Down Fed in their annual May Day race from Mullingar.


Colin & Willie Brown from Annsborough with Alan Telford who bred their pigeon
to win 3rd North Sect & 9th Open Yearling Nat.

7th South section, 10th Open K Hodginson Wicklow South Road Club, Vel 122, Flying 200 miles, winning £219 and the Charles Ingle Memorial Cup

In 10th Open is another Wicklow club member Ken Hodginson, a near neighbour of Eamonn O’Brien. Ken timed a blue cheq cock of Geoff Kirkland bloodlines sent to the Yearling National feeding a one-week old youngster. This cock had been flying well all season and was Ken’s pool bird in most of the early races. As a young bird he was a darkened youngster and flew with consistency, but it was this year as a yearling that he was to become a star.

Ken is by today’s standards a fairly small team man with a young bird team of around 35 and a similar number in his old bird team. Training for the Yearling National saw the birds getting a ten mile toss twice a day from Arklow and again racing against the competition in the Wicklow club sees members work hard for their success.


Ken Hodginson from Wicklow South Road winner of 7th South Sect & 10th Open Ylr Nat.

Sponsorship is very important in any organisation and the Committee and members of the INFC are very grateful to Samuel McCausland Ltd for their sponsorship of this race.

I would like to thank all those who helped with this race report especially those who supplied photos.

Brendan McLoughlin
INFC Press Officer