St Malo OB Nat - 29/06/18

[willie reynolds]

Big test from France for Mid Antrim lofts –

Willie & Jean McLean from Rasharkin had the winner from St Malo Old Bird National, timed early on the second day to record 1st Club, 1st MAC, 1st Sect A & 11th Open NIPA. The bird was raced on Roundabout then went to St Malo on 10 day eggs. It was one of a kit of youngsters bought in 2015 for racing from club-mates Steele & McNeill. Breeding is Aad van Berkel, and is a half-sister to Steele & McNeill’s 2014 Mid Antrim Combine Old Bird of the Year “Super Mario”. At the end of the second day just a handful of birds were recorded, J & N Lamb from Crumlin won 1st Sect B & 9th Open NIPA, followed by Henry Turkington from Kells and birds in Cullybackey for Alan Darragh and Tom McAlonan, McConville Bros from Crumlin timed late on the second day and Frank Dickey had the only bird in Randalstown, timed 3rd morning at 5.21am flying 468 miles. Tom McAlonan has been timing out of France for many years, and Cullybackey HPS have a long tradition of success at the distance. The bird was a 2 year old Dk Ch cock timed in the Penzance Classic last season and three races in Ireland before France this year. Was 10 days on eggs and bloodline was the late Davy Campbell birds bred direct from his Classic Connections and a famous Bronze cock. These lines have been scoring for a long time, not just for McAlonan Bros but many others.

Crumlin lofts to the fore in the final two races -

The Premier OB Nat race from St Malo in France was not just what we were looking for in the final race of the old bird season. Birds were collected at the various Centres including Cullybackey and Muckamore last Tuesday evening and just short of 1,400 NIPA birds were released in St Malo at 6.30am on Friday 29th June in a Lt NE wind. We had just four gallant arrivals on the first day and locally at the end of day two just five birds had been recorded in Section B. Leading the way was John & Niall Lamb from Crumlin & District, three other birds between Kells & Cullybackey and then a final 2nd day bird for McConville Bros of Crumlin & Dist who had topped the NIPA in a race the week previous from Fermoy. F, J & G Dickey of Randalstown HPS win 1st Club, 2nd Combine, 6th Section B & 38th Open St Malo with a 2yr old hen who’s been a steady racer having won from Corrin last year. She was sent sitting 8days. Her sire Sticker Donckers cock has bred 6th Open Friendship National for Liam O’Neill & Sons of Larne, 1st Club Corrin, 2nd Club, 2nd Combine, 2nd Section B & 11th Open Bude, 1st Club Talbenny. Dam (Leslie Madden Lambrecht) is Dam to 5 x 1sts Club, 1st Corrin, 2nd Bude etc. with cock above.

Penzance was also flown the week previous, in both it and Fermoy the birds had great difficulty with the warm conditions, a lot missing on the day. As far as the race from France is concerned it’s hard to know the answer for the future, in very different weather conditions only a handful made it last season in race time of three days.

NIPA Section B St Malo – J & N Lamb Crumlin & Dist 660, H Turkington Kells & District HPS 546, A Darragh Cullybackey 492, McAlonan Bros Cullybackey 465, McConville Bros Crumlin & Dist 425, F & J & G Dickey Randalstown 390.

MAC St Malo National – W & J McLean Rasharkin & Dist 652, F & G & J Dickey Randalstown 390.

Antrim & Ballymena Clubs St Malo

Crumlin & District HPS – J & N Lamb 660, McConville Bros 425.

Rasharkin & District – W & J McLean 652.

Kells & District HPS – Henry Turkington 546.

Cullybackey HPS – Alan Darragh 492, McAlonan Bros 465.

Randalstown HPS - F & G & J Dickey 390.